Unisaw - 1980's vintage

[Dwain Lambrigger]

A call to Unisaw experts out there! Was there any type of issue with Unisaws of the 1980's vintage? I am going to look at one tonight, and the price seems right. I know the older unis are the best, but am I missing much with one of this vintage?

Thanks for your responses,

Dwain

[David DeCristoforo]

Starting in the in the mid 70's there was a pretty steady decline of quality. By '91, there was quite a difference. Mostly stuff like lighter castings, lower quality motors and switches, etc. So while there was no real "issue" with machines of this vintage, they are not as highly respected as the earlier machines. However, a uni is still a uni. So try to get a good price and don't get sucked into paying a premium for a "vintage" saw.

[Roger Lance]

Dwain....my Unisaw is of this vintage...I bought it new about 1985 and have had zero problems with it...and I genuinely enjoy using it and have no intention of replacing it with another saw...no buyers remorse here...after reading about issues with various saws over the years, I'm very glad that I made this purchase...unfortunely, the Delta company appears to be on the downslide, but parts for a uni still appear to be plentiful...like for an old Ford or Chevy...if your saw checks out and the price is good, I'd suggest getting into the water.

[Steven Hardy]

A call to Unisaw experts out there! Was there any type of issue with Unisaws of the 1980's vintage? I am going to look at one tonight, and the price seems right. I know the older unis are the best, but am I missing much with one of this vintage?

Thanks for your responses,

Dwain

Issues? Non inherent to the manufactureing ...but things to watch for when purchasing are:
(1)missing parts...it is unusual to find one for sale that is not missing the side cover,a locking knob, or the front cover.
(2)broken arbor casting..this is not super common but you should examine the arbor casting for cracks.. they have been known to break or crack if tipped over during mis-shipment
(3)improper wire size for the power cord...look for 12 guage or better.

Dont discount the later model years also....the Unisaw was a top seller for many years. Satisfied owners dont vocalise nearly as much as the occasional disatisfied owner.

[Dwain Lambrigger]

All,

Thanks for the feedback. The only things missing were the knob for the dust door and the blade insert. I don't look at these as major issues. It is 3HP, 220. The top is pretty rusty, but it looks like surface rust to me. Also, it seems as there should have been to small CI extentions, one on each side. There was only one on this, and it was no more than six inches or so. He made some form of motor cover out of particle board. I would guess I could have something better made a little later. I ran the blade up and down, seemed to move fine, but the angle adjust squeaked a little, again, I believe this to be need of lubrication, not a problem. Seller stated he had kept in storage for a couple of years. It seems as though a good cleaning and lubrication, some rust removal and some paint will get me a real good saw. A few other things will make it close to ideal.

He is asking $500 for it. I thought I would go in at $400 and buy at $450 if available. Is that too much to pay?

What are your thoughts?

[David DeCristoforo]

$400 - 500 for a uni in good working condition is a good price regardless of vintage....