These finds never happen around here

[Mark Bolton]

Lucky find. You never find anything other than 40 year old junk around here as a norm...
442648
442649
442650

[Mike Kees]

Ok Mark,what size is it ? I am guessing Centauro ? How good was the deal ? At any rate that is a great looking saw ,congratulations.

[Mark Bolton]

Ok Mark,what size is it ? I am guessing Centauro ? How good was the deal ? At any rate that is a great looking saw ,congratulations.

Its a 900.. I hate to say how much

[Mike Kees]

You did well Mark. curious what size is the motor on the 900 ? On my circa 1980 Co 600 it is a three h.p. 3 phase.

[Patrick Kane]

God, I can’t wait till I have the space and ceiling height for big bandsaws. I’ve seen a dozen 36” saws in the $500 range over the last 5-6 years. Nice pickup. I know everyone focuses on the big cast iron saws, but those 80s and 90s steel frame 36”ers can be real bargains.

[Matt Day]

You did well Mark. curious what size is the motor on the 900 ? On my circa 1980 Co 600 it is a three h.p. 3 phase.

Doesn’t that thing make our 600’s look tiny? Check out the motor for comparison!

[Mark Bolton]

God, I can’t wait till I have the space and ceiling height for big bandsaws. I’ve seen a dozen 36” saws in the $500 range over the last 5-6 years. Nice pickup. I know everyone focuses on the big cast iron saws, but those 80s and 90s steel frame 36”ers can be real bargains.

Gosh, I need to move lol if your falling on 36" plug and play saws for 500 bucks. This one came with a couple extra sets of guides and probably 25-30 blades. Maybe 10 or so never unwrapped but all a bit flash rusted. Got several sheets of solid surface that was dumpster destined as well.

[Phillip Mitchell]

That looks like a good haul there. Are the guides in good shape?

Most of the ~ $500 36” saws I’ve seen need some TLC and are not what I’d describe as plug and play, but the initial cost makes it seem like a low barrier to entry. Until you have the ceiling height to support it and the means and methods to transport and move it safely, which can be substantial for the old cast iron monsters. Many of them weigh 3000# and up and are quite tall.

In an ideal world, I think I’d want a 30” saw, but for now I’ll stick with my old 80s era Italian 20” (500mm) saw until I have more ceiling height in my next shop.

[Bill Dufour]

So who made It? not the 600 group I don't think they ever made bandsaws.
Bil lD

[Jim Matthews]

Is that a 7 foot door behind your monolith?

Yowza

[Mark Bolton]

You did well Mark. curious what size is the motor on the 900 ? On my circa 1980 Co 600 it is a three h.p. 3 phase.

7.5 hp ...

[Mark Bolton]

Is that a 7 foot door behind your monolith?

Yowza

Not sure on the door. Saw is a touch under 9'

[Phillip Mitchell]

So who made It? not the 600 group I don't think they ever made bandsaws.
Bil lD

Bill, it’s a Centauro. Italian made

[Robert Mayer]

I recently picked up a Felder A3-31 for $100 on Craigslist. Guy knew nothing about the machine and just wanted it off his moving truck, and he even delivered it for free. I just sold it for $2000. I ended up going with a separate jointer planer than a combo machine. It pays to have craigslist searches set up to email you.

[Mike Kees]

One of my friends used to have a 36'' Meber that he had a five horse three phase motor on. It would go thru anything. He gave me some lumber once from an Apple tree that they cut up on that saw.

[Patrick Kane]

Gosh, I need to move lol if your falling on 36" plug and play saws for 500 bucks. This one came with a couple extra sets of guides and probably 25-30 blades. Maybe 10 or so never unwrapped but all a bit flash rusted. Got several sheets of solid surface that was dumpster destined as well.

Just last year--about this time last year, actually--there were 3 for sale in quick succession to one another. The one looked like a mint northfield. Its not often i see older machines that have a shiny cast iron table. I was blown away it took a couple weeks to sell, and it was in the $400-700 range.

I watched a relatively close auction(2 hours away) and a 28" wadkin sold under a grand, i think. The generic steel frame bandsaw was definitely under a grand. It wasnt SCM or any other maker i recognized. Very few people want to move these tall saws. In my case, my 20" saw scrapes the ceiling joists in my basement.

[Mark Bolton]

Just last year--about this time last year, actually--there were 3 for sale in quick succession to one another. The one looked like a mint northfield. Its not often i see older machines that have a shiny cast iron table. I was blown away it took a couple weeks to sell, and it was in the $400-700 range.

I watched a relatively close auction(2 hours away) and a 28" wadkin sold under a grand, i think. The generic steel frame bandsaw was definitely under a grand. It wasnt SCM or any other maker i recognized. Very few people want to move these tall saws. In my case, my 20" saw scrapes the ceiling joists in my basement.

Ive seen several low brow steel frame saws go for pretty much minimum bid or scrap value at online and in-person auctions but they are all typically smaller low end machines. Ive never been actively looking but have yet to come across a turn key larger saw that is as I said, plug and play, for what I would consider a good price. I have no issue with the height, main shop is 10.5' and where its sitting now is 15' with a 14' door. If I get a chance to grab a breaker and get it wired this week we'll see what it does.

[Jim Becker]

That's a major score no matter what you paid for it, Mark. Very nice saw! Stout. Stiff. Big.

[Mark Bolton]

That's a major score no matter what you paid for it, Mark. Very nice saw! Stout. Stiff. Big.

Thanks Jim,
Too big, but too good a deal to pass up. Im sure as soon as I fire it up I will want to keep it but right now its probably going on the block after a while lol.

[Bradley Gray]

What you need is a big resaw job to justify it.

[Mark Bolton]

What you need is a big resaw job to justify it.

Agreed Bradley. May happen, may not. We do have the opportunity to resaw a lot of drawer parts when the material works. Thicker kerf on this saw may thwart that without moving to 1/2" solid maple sides which is an option. We will see.

[Mark Bolton]

Are the guides in good shape?

Had two sets of stock guides in a box. Carter upper and lower is what was on the saw. All seem fine. Like I say, thing is ready to work. I took a little time and blew a little bit of dust out of the upper guide post. Gave everything a little wax/lube to get the full travel. Looks like the saw on average never saw much more than thin-ish stock judging by a bit of discoloration/rust on the blade covers and the guide post. Seems like it rarely, if ever, was moved to full capacity. 21.75" is pretty steep. Should have it wired up tomorrow if I get a chance.

[Mark Bolton]

So who made It? not the 600 group I don't think they ever made bandsaws. Bil lD

I think a couple guys named Mario and Luigi in Italy but not sure.. actually those two are plumbers so might be two other Italian guys....