Popped the top tonight on next project

[Jeff Horton]

Just finishing up a total rearrangement of my shop. I realized that once I get all my old machines restored they were not going to work the way I had the shop laid out.

I have the first one, the DeWalt in place and got all the big stuff in their new homes tonight. I have to run 220v wiring around the shop but thats straight forward enough. And of course find homes for lots of odds and ends that are still laying around. But it looks like a shop again.

So as a reward to myself I pulled out the Unisaw and Shaper out of the corner in anticipation of starting to restore them in the next couple of weeks. Thought I would post some before photos before I start. :)

(http://www.kudzupatch.com/woodshop/unisaw/before3.jpg)
http://www.kudzupatch.com/woodshop/unisaw/tn_before3.jpg (http://www.kudzupatch.com/woodshop/unisaw/before3.jpg)


Just as I unloaded it off the trailer several months ago.


http://www.kudzupatch.com/woodshop/unisaw/tn_topoff1.jpg (http://www.kudzupatch.com/woodshop/unisaw/topoff1.jpg)http://www.kudzupatch.com/woodshop/unisaw/tn_topoff3.jpg (http://www.kudzupatch.com/woodshop/unisaw/topoff3.jpg)




Here she is topless. So thats what 58 year old saw dust looks like?


http://www.kudzupatch.com/woodshop/unisaw/tn_topoff2.jpg (http://www.kudzupatch.com/woodshop/unisaw/topoff2.jpg) http://www.kudzupatch.com/woodshop/unisaw/tn_before10.jpg (http://www.kudzupatch.com/woodshop/unisaw/before10.jpg)


Here is a couple of more photos. It still has the original repulsion induction motor and switch. Probably the original belts by the way they look. :)

I can hear the thoughts of some people now and no I am not crazy. It's not really as bad as it looks. Well the stand is pretty rusty but otherwise it seems to be good shape. I am more concerned about making the dust door(s) look good more than anything else.

[Vaughn McMillan]

After seeing the Dewalt project from start to finish, I'll be looking forward to seeing this one too. I'm betting it'll look great when you're done. Go gettum Rust Boy! :p

What are your plans for the Uni fence-wise?

- Vaughn

[Norman Hitt]

Well, you've got a little work ahead of you alright, but I have no doubt that it's gonna look "PURTY" when you're finished, and it'll work great.

[Alan Turner]

Looks like a new fence might need to be considered. It looks like the fence I had on my old Delta contractors saw, purchased new in 1975. I did not care for it as it would not set up square to the balde, no matter what, without measuring. A PITA.
Good luck with your restoration.

[Jeff Horton]

What are your plans for the Uni fence-wise?

- Vaughn
I have been round and round on the fence. But what I decided to do is restore the one that is there. I am going to tear it apart and see how it works and what it needs and see if I can't make it work.

Obviously the rails on the saw are in bad shape and no way is it going to work well with those. I found a brand new set of the original long rails for a reasonable price. So, I am going to try the original fence and see what I think.

The good thing is nice fence and rails have been bring top dollar on Ebay lately. With the NOS long rails I think I could sell them for good money. Then I could take that money and use it towards buying a Unifence, Bessy or one of the clones.

Like my Dewalt, I would like to keep this saw as original as practical. BUT it is a user and use comes before looks. If it doesn't work well it will be replaced!

[Jim Becker]

Well...you certainly don't have a problem with having nothing to do!! I look forward to this next chapter!

[John Miliunas]

I, for one, will be watching this process closely! I just love seeing these grand old(er) machines getting a new life! :) Good luck with it, Jeff! :) :cool:

[Frank Pellow]

Jeff, I very much admire folks like you who have the patience and skill to restore machines that look (to me) as bad as this one. I am looking forwardto seeing both "in progress" and "after completion" photos and will be intereste, in particular, in how the restored fence performs.

[Jeff Horton]

Jeff, I very much admire folks like you who have the patience and skill to restore machines that look (to me) as bad as this one.

The real skill is being able to see past the cosmetics and see what it really needs. If you cleaned the top and replaced the belts, this saw should actually be usable. Well, except for the fence of course.

Thats why I wanted to post the before photos because I expect once it is done no one would believe how bad it looked. I will be the first to admit it looks horrible. However it still runs and after a little lubrication everything still works amazingly smooth. When I first saw it I was very skeptical too. Once you get past the rusty base it's actually been taken care of. It was just where/how it was stored that caused the rust damage. It even passes the balanced nickel test! :D

I found out in tests in High School that I have a very high mechanical aptitude. Mechanical things are simple for me and I find restoring these fun (for the most part).

Others folks would rather be drug behind a car than tackle something like this. I feel that way about taxes and accounting! I admire accountants that crunch numbers and deal with IRS rules all day. :)

[Alan DuBoff]

I'm with you on taxes and accounting Jeff, I have never liked that stuff either...but I also like mechanical things, and taking things apart and putting them back together. I don't have a single computer I haven't taken apart or assembled myself, just on pure principal they need to be taken apart if one doesn't assemble them for themself.

Great saw, that's gonna make a beauty!

Your home is looking great!

[Peter Stahl]

Jeff,

Where'd you get them from the bottom of a river, lol! Can't wait to see what you're able to do with them. I don't have enough time to use mine let alone rebuild them.

[Kevin Herber]

Jeff - What's the history on the old iron? Where & how it was used, how you got it etc. The RAS looks terrific. I'm anxious to see the rest. Good Luck!!

[Jerry Olexa]

It'll be great to see you perform your magic and bring it back to life...

[Jeff Horton]

They came from a Birmingham AL and went to Mississippi where they have been stored for many years. They belonged to a cabinet maker in Birmingham. He ran his cabinet shop at night after his day job. He had a stroke on up in age and was unable to every work again.

His son had stored the machines as his fathers insistence. He was never able to work again and after his death Sam decided he was not going to ever use them. I stumbled onto an ad for the Radial Arm Saw. That is what I was looking for at the time. Then he told me about the other machines and I ended up striking a deal with him on everything. As far as I know he bought the saw new. So depending on how you look at it I am the second or third owner.