So ... Is it worth it? (Old Unisaw)

[Dave Burris]

OK ... I am out of my league here. I have come across a VERY old Delta Unisaw that I can pick up for somewhere around $300.00. It is in decent shape but needs a little TLC. It has a 3hp sp motor that runs great. Here are the known problems:

1. No fence system of any kind. (doable)
2. Bearings on the arbor are bad. Worst case a new arbor is needed with new bearings.
3. The table surface needs what I think is a lot of work.

It looks like it was made in the late 50's to early 60's but I am not sure how to tell.

My problem is two fold. First, will it be worth the money invested to make it usable again. And two, what other problems may pop up later? I have a few pics but I can't seem to get the size down to post. I will continue with that and post later if possible.

Any advise is greatly appreciated.

[David DeCristoforo]

Would be helpful to see the saw. But three hundred plus a Biesemeyer and new arbor bearings is getting you up around seven bills plus the work. All in all not a bad deal if the saw is not trashed but no great bargain either....

YM

[Matt Day]

I'd pick it up if I had the opportunity. It sounds like a worthy project to bring back a classic machine.

[Eric Haycraft]

The motor is worth around 200, so keep that in mind. A good fence will run between 150 and 400 dollars. If there are no more problems beyond what you listed, it sounds like a decent deal to me. I would only go for it if the gears for the tilt and height are in good working order. As long as the top doesn't have pitting or warpage, it should be easily salvageable without much effort.

[Robert Strebler]

I recently went through something similar. I purchased a 1966 Unisaw on eBay. It was in decent shape, but had a 2hp 3ph motor.

Anyway, the top turned out to be cracked and bowed, it had a Jetlock fence (I now own a Unifence now as well as a Powermatic fence which I'll add at some point), and I ended up buying a new 4hp 1ph motor and a starter.

So, my old Unisaw bargain ended up costing me a little over $1200.00 and a whole lot of time.

Was it worth it - yes and no. I love it, but if I could do it all over again, I would probably keep my eye out for a complete machine with a good fence that didn't need work. I'd maybe even pull the trigger on a new Grizzly or a Craftsman zip code. That way I could make sawdust with it immediately.

You should be able to get just about any part for the Unisaw since parts pretty much interchange through the years. Not having to replace the motor or starter makes it sound like a good deal. Keep an eye out on Craigslist for a fence.

The reality of this is that getting your arbor bearings replaced will cost in the neighborhood of $100 (unless you do it yourself or find a cheap local source). A good fence will probably run at least $250. A decent used top should run between $100 and $200 if you can't get that one flattened/cleaned up. Then who knows if anything else will need work. At that point you're in for 8 or 9 hundred and a lot of time.

My advice - if you like restoring old things then go for it. It will be very rewarding. If you are just in this for the woodworking, then find a complete, working machine with a good fence and skip some headaches.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Dave, as much as I like old machinery (I have vintage motorcycles), to me , a tablesaw is a tool.

So if I had to;

- buy a fence
- buy a guard
- replace bearings and arbours
- resurface the table
- possibly replace tilt and elevation parts

Unless I wanted it as a collectible, I'd pass on it. Plus, it won't have a riving knife, or the capability to fit one.

My answer would be pass, if you want a good up to date saw with safety features.

If you want an old Unisaw, that's a completely different scenario, as money and practicality have no bearing on it.

(Don't ask me how much per mile I've spent on my 1930 motorcycle, it's like the Unisaw, if you NEED it, do it).

Regards, Rod.

[Dave Burris]

Here are a few pics. Not sure if they will help much.

To give a little insight I'm not in the market to get a TS. I have a good one with a new fence. Back in the day when I was a partner in a cabinet shop we had an old delta (but not this old) and I loved that machine. Well, like morons we sold the business and let most of the equipment go with the sale. I saw this machine and I got a little excited about restoring it and actually making it work. Now I admit I am thinking with my passion and not my head. All the same I still like the old steel and would love to have it regardless. But making my wife understand is a whole other story!

[Jeff Duncan]

Worth is a very relative term, having said that to me it would be worth $300. Arbors are easy to replace for someone with average mechanical ability. Fences pop up in classifies from time to time if your not in a hurry. Motors can usually be fixed cheaper than buying new, and if you did need to replace it a 2 hp Leeson is more than enough power for the average guy. Not sure what you mean about the top needing work. Chances are it's just in need of a little cleaning, assuming there's no cracks or damage we can't see in the photo.
good luck,
JeffD

[Julian Wong]

Safety in point, I don't see how one can stand in front of the saw and cut a piece of wood safely with that hunking huge DC port!

You should relocate the DC port to the back or side, but that will entail welding and grinding sheet metal. if you're up for it, i'd say go for it!

Fences will come on sale once in a while, and motor bearings can be replaced for not too much. new coat of paint ... priceless ;)

[Rod Upfold]

I guess the only thing I can say is...tell exactly where it is located and sit back and watch the mad race to buy it.

[David DeCristoforo]

Not only missing a fence, it's also missing it's base which has obviously been replaced with that "state of the art mobile base". To me this is a "wash". If you are just in love with the idea of having an old uni, you will be able to restore this machine to "near new" condition. But in the end, you are not going to have any less money in it than if you bought a newer machine in good working order.

YM

[Peter Quinn]

I am wondering what moron put the helicoptor exhaust where the sawdust cleanout should be. Top looks workable, mobile base leaves a bit to be desired. I'm a sucker for a good project, if you are too $300 might be some good cheap fun (cheaper than joining the Emperor's club!). You can always cut your losses if something bad pops up during restoration and sell it as a basket case, which is what you will be buying.

If the miter slots are good you could use it for lots of things without a fence till a good deal pops up. All in all IMO not a sound investment as a pure tool but it might add richness to your life? I was given an old DeWalt Industrial GR RAS from 1951, spent a bit restoring it, learned a lot, and ended up with a good tool that has become my mascot. Hard to put a dollar amount on the value of the experience.

[Pete Bradley]

Most of my machines are from the 40s-50s. I'm in the process of restoring a 1940 Unisaw right now.

My thoughts on the saw you're looking at:

Pros:
Comes with an original miter gauge, switch, and switch plate.
Functioning.
Has both extension wings.Cons:
3 phase (hard to tell, but I doubt this is a single phase)
Base missing.
No fence
Dust door missing.
Is the top cracked at the right hand fence rail mount?Con or Neutral depending on how you look at it:
Cabinet has been cut for the motorIf it's functional and you had a production use for it as is, it's probably an ok deal. If it were me looking for a machine to restore, I'd pass. Any Uni of that age needs new bearings and really should be disassembled and cleaned. At 300 bucks, you'd still have some big hitter parts to find also.

Pete

[Fred Woodward]

That is an interesting project saw. Definitely has some pluses going for it in the miter gage and original switch. The table doesn't look too bad and it has 2 extensions on it, but that is hard to tell condition from that picture. I would think the tables would clean up pretty easily on the tops but it also looks like maybe a brazing job or something has gone on to the right side of the main table. May be whi there is no fence rails mounted. It's a right hand tilt saw. You could part it out and probably make money on it but IMHO that would be a sad thing to do. Who knows what lurks under that dust collection shroud (other than the original hole for the dust door) or under the plywood on the side of the saw. Missing the plinth from the bottom of the saw too. I saw a complete older cabinet with plinth for sale the other day on the OWWM site. You need the sn for the saw to try to figure it's age. Also missing the goosegg motor cover but those are available in fiberglass that are hard to tell from the original CI.
Any saw of that age will need new bearings on the arbor and motor too. A kiss pass on the arbor would also be a good idea. Hard to tell what kind of motor that is but it's definitely a big un. :) A single phase will have a starter capacitor, 3ph doesn't need one. Hard to tell but it looks like maybe a starter cap on the underside of the motor. That is not the original motor.
There is a lot of work to be done to that saw but it would be a fun project (fun for some of us, maybe frustrating for others). You'll have a lot of time invested and probably triple the purchase price before it's all done. If the plinth were there or the goosegg cover, I would go for it at that price but without either, it might be iffy. I would have to carefully inspect the innards of the saw. On the other hand, if you could get it for, say $150-200 as a project piece then I'd say YOU SUCK!! :eek: That's a good thing in old arn speak.
I love the before and after pictures. There could be an amazing transformation with that saw.

See if they have that plinth (base of the cabinet) stashed away somewhere; the mobile base looks like a new addition and the plinth may still be around. If the plinth has four feet...buy the saw.

[Dave Burris]

Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and opinions. I'm going to contact the owner today and get down to it now that you all have armed me with information. I'll let you know what happens soon.

Thanks again to all of you for helping out with this!

Now, any advise how to talk my wife into letting me do this?

[David DeCristoforo]

"...any advise how to talk my wife into letting me do this?..."

When was the last time you (fill in whatever sends your wife over the moon here)? Do it now. Then do it a bunch of times more. But buy the saw first. Then, just casually work it into the conversation in some creative way like..."Oh and by the way, I saved a busload of dough on a tablesaw. I picked up an old one for only a few hundred bucks and a new one is, like, a couple of grand. And just wait till you see the stuff I can make for us like that new (fill in her hearts desire here). Of course it needs a bit of work but that is not going to cost much at all, etc. etc, etc." Act very innocent while saying this but be prepared to run....

YM

[Paul Greathouse]

I agree with Fred, shootem a lowball offer and see if they bite. Try $175 and maybe they will let it go for $200.

[Dave Burris]

I'm running out of things to either build or buy for her to compensate my tool addiction. First it was a master bath redo, then restore the hardwood floors in the living room. Currently I am scraping the entire kitchen to offset the shaper, and about a year ago she got the new Suburban. At this rate I might as well promise a new house!

[David DeCristoforo]

"At this rate I might as well promise a new house!"

New clothes! Always a good bet and then of course, there is all that closet upgrading needed to accommodate them. No way you can do that without a vintage uni....

YM

[Peter Quinn]

Would the new house include more shop space for you? You may be onto something there...radiant heated slab, 12' ceilings, seperate dust collection room, climate controlled finishing area...there must be something you...er..she'd like in a new house.

It would be ironic to buy a new house in persuit of a very old saw. Of course that uni would be great company for a new Martin slider...better look for a 5 car garage, or a nice big outbuilding.

On more than one occasion LOML has informed me I shoud begin construction of a new dog house if I purchase one more tool as thats where it and I will be sleeping hence forth...

[David DeCristoforo]

"...I shoud begin construction of a new dog house..."

How big?

YM

[Dave Burris]

Too late ... already got the built-in drawer bank, shoe rack, and sliding hang racks.