Tool Gloat, and hard decision...

[Jamie Hargrave]

So, after some good advice from this forum, ie. go get it now before someone else does! I picked up an old Rockwell Unisaw for... $240. It is a 1.5 hp model, however the motor is rated for 20/10 Amps, so I wonder if the hp rating is a little conservative, as my Craftsman contractor saw is rated for 1.5hp with a 13/6.5 Amp motor.

I'm not sure on the age of the saw, so I'm going to post over at OWWM to see if someone there can interperate the serial number for me. My best guess is a late 60's early 70's saw based on the style of the dust door... which really means nothing because I have no experience at this!

So, here is my hard decision. The saw came with a 52" unifence and extention table. However I don't have 52" to the right of my saw in my one car garage... I mean shop! Right now I have a Saw Shop redline fence (a mule replica) on my Craftsman, that I am going to remove when I sell the Craftsman. It is a 30" fence, so I could use it. But the Unifence is calling to me. So, what should I do. Use the Mule and live with it, or cut down the rail for the Unifence, and regret that decision when I move to a larger shop?

Here is the proof by the way! It is a little dirty and rusty, but it runs fine, just a cosmetic rebuild is needed!

[Jerome Hanby]

What a great score! Congrats!

Would it be possible to put it on a mobile base and maneuver it as needed to accommodate the 52"?

Or maybe you can find another set of rails and store the originals away for when you have more room...

[Chuck Tringo]

Or you could cut the rails now and buy new 52 inch rails when you need them :D

[Chris Kennedy]

I think we are all overlooking the obvious solution. Sell the house and buy one that fits the saw.:D

Cheers,

Chris

[Jamie Hargrave]

hmmmm, you have a good point. I'll talk to the wife immediately and get on that!!

[alex grams]

see, now Chris is thinking in the right direction.

A mobile base isn't an option? Could you not use the extension as an assembly/work table?

[Jerome Hanby]

Everyone know you should never use you table saw as an assembly table/work bench. Those items that appear to be clamped up and sitting on top of my Table saw are optical illusions :D.


see, now Chris is thinking in the right direction.

A mobile base isn't an option? Could you not use the extension as an assembly/work table?

[Jamie Hargrave]

To true, unfortunately I to use my table saw as an assembly station, but only occasionally! :rolleyes: I could use a mobile base, but as my garage/shop is only 9 feet wide and 20 feet long, a 6+ foot wide table saw is kinda large! I'm going to try and see how much a shorter rail for my unifence will cost, that might help me make the decision.

[Jerome Hanby]

Those Delta T2 fences run about $150 at Lowes. The hardware might match up to your saw without mods...


To true, unfortunately I to use my table saw as an assembly station, but only occasionally! :rolleyes: I could use a mobile base, but as my garage/shop is only 9 feet wide and 20 feet long, a 6+ foot wide table saw is kinda large! I'm going to try and see how much a shorter rail for my unifence will cost, that might help me make the decision.

[Frank Martin]

I had the same situation. Bought a very lightly used Unisaw with Unifence with 52" rails and extended mobile base. My shop is about same size as yours (1 car garage). I just cut the Unifence rails and also modified the mobile base to make it into a 32" fence rail. I have been very happy with the saw and the Unifence. We will be moving soon to a larger house with a bigger space for my shop and I am not even thinking about upgrading the saw rail to 52". Believe it or not in the total 5 years of hobby use I never needed more than 32".

[Matt Meiser]

I have a very similar saw now and find the 1-1/2HP to be more powerful than my old 2HP contractor saw.

Personally I would cut the rails down. If you later move and want longer rails, replace them then.

I had a 30" fence on my last saw. I have a 30" fence on this saw, but slid the fence tube over so that I get a little more room to the right of the blade which I really like. It seemed like I was always needing a few more inches capacity than I had. You might think about how much room you can take up vs. your ideal capacity.

[John Thompson]

And.. here's what I would do. Cut the rails to 40" and see how that congest traffic. If it still does take it down a hair as you will get the real feel from the first cut and you can take it to 30" or 36"-34"-etc.

I sold a Uni-saw early this week with 30" rails. I really don't need 52" even though it will fit in my shop but create a problem with traffic on that end of the saw. I do very little ply as I work with solid wood.. so in 37 years the need for 30" has been minimal even though it does ocassionaly happen. I cut ply down with a circular to TS size when I do use it for drawer bottoms.. etc.

I am replacing the Uni-saw with a 5 HP with 52" rails. What will be the first thing I do when in place? Cut it down to 40" and if it still irrates me moving around that end of the saw.. I will cut it down to 36".. etc.. etc..

That's just what I would do with the experience of knowing I personally don't need 52" and it would restrict flow to a degree based on I am in the shop 6-10 hours a day on average.

Good luck... and if you do cut it.. wrap the ends in duct tape after filing to get any edge covered. Ask me about the small scar when you don't take care of that ragged edge. :)

Sarge..

[Cary Falk]

I bought a 52" rail on my Unisaw with the intention of cutting it down to 42". I don't need 52" but the old saw with 30" was limiting on several occasions. Well, when I got it I didn't have the heart to cut it so I moved it to the left 12" (RT saw). Now I have 24 to the left and 42 to the right. Maybe once I could have used an extra inch or so over 42" but an edge guide and circular saw worked just fine. 42 is a happy meduim. The extra table space on the Right makes a nice uh "staging area":D

[Mike Wilkins]

I would consider the mobile base option first, using the rails as is. You could always mount a router in the extension table.
I have a similar Rockwell/Delta Unisaw manuf. in 1964. The OWWM site has a machine dating link somewhere in there. Just find the serial & model #'s.
I also have the 52" Unifence, and have used the full capacity once in the 9 years of owning it. I have considered more than once cutting the rail down to a 32" capacity, but talk myself out of it. It is a constant struggle trying to keep the end of the table cleaned off. If you don't mind taking a hacksaw to it, then go for it. You can always go for a longer rail later.
Or just get a bigger house/shop.

[Thom Sturgill]

Sarge has got it right. You need a bit over 30" if you want to do plywood cabinets, 32" to 34" and maybe larger today. Cut it to 40-42" and see if that works, you can always get new rails if you need them later.

[David Tiell]

I recently upgraded from an old Craftsman to a used 5hp cabinet saw with a 52" fence. I was also short on space, but couldn't bring myself to cut it down. I lucked into one of the 30" Bies sales at Lowes, so my 52" is in storage in case I ever need it. But honestly, I have only needed that kind of capacity maybe once or twice in 10+ years. I would cut it down. Do like someone else suggested and start at around 40" and see how that suits you before going smaller.

[Jamie Hargrave]

Well, I had a look out in garage tonight and I think I will try cutting down the rail... gulp! Thanks for weighing in on this everyone, I'll post some more pics of the saw after I'm finished the rebuild... but that won't be for a while!