Unisaw coming home

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Finally, I get to bring the Unisaw home that I got at the mill. It was impossible to get the forklift back there till now. I brought it forward today and will put it in the truck tomorrow morning. I do not know if it even works. I intend to replace all the bearing and stuff that I can. I put a straight edge on the top today and its straight. Its a 3 horse single phase saw. If it proves out that the motor is bad cant I put a 5 horse motor in it? Would that be unwise?

also

There is no fence. There is the old unisaw rail for the fence on it. I am looking to convert it to the Besimeyer (← sp?) style

Pictures on the morrow. I have a lot of work to do on that top. I do have a little experience with the cast iron tops because my jointer top came all ganasty looking too. Its shines now.

[Carroll Courtney]

I have a 3hp on mine and I just have not came across anything yet that it will not cut without problems.I see no need in having a 5hp even if I came across one that would be given to me.Changing one over to a larger motor would mean that the starter would have to also be change out and w/correct OL's,and having to provide the correct circuit for the larger load.Just my thoughts----Carroll

[Joseph D'Orazio]

I have a 3hp on mine and I just have not came across anything yet that it will not cut without problems.I see no need in having a 5hp even if I came across one that would be given to me.Changing one over to a larger motor would mean that the starter would have to also be change out and w/correct OL's,and having to provide the correct circuit for the larger load.Just my thoughts----Carroll

Well, thats good enough for me then. Your using your saw a lot, no? Have you run any 8/4 red oak through it yet? My bosses saw is a 3 horse unisaw but it often just shuts down and we have to wait about 5 to 7 minutes before he can turn it back on. That ole boy has run some board foot though his machine and he says he bought it in 90.

I see that I live right down the road from you. We are gonna have to meet sometime. I live just a couple miles off of 59 North

[Mike Archambeau]

My bosses saw is a 3 horse unisaw but it often just shuts down and we have to wait about 5 to 7 minutes before he can turn it back on. That ole boy has run some board foot though his machine and he says he bought it in 90.

Time to sharpen the blade?

[michael case]

I can get through 8/4 oak without bogggin down on my 3 hp. But, I'm a cabinet maker and I rarely do this. If you are going to use this for milling on a daily basis I would go with a 5 hp. The uni comes in a 5 and I believe that its simply a matter of finding the right motor config for your saw.

[Joseph D'Orazio]

I can get through 8/4 oak without bogggin down on my 3 hp. But, I'm a cabinet maker and I rarely do this. If you are going to use this for milling on a daily basis I would go with a 5 hp. The uni comes in a 5 and I believe that its simply a matter of finding the right motor config for your saw.

Thank You.

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Well I got her here yesterday. The top appeared to be extremely rusty but surprisingly all of that came right off. I Still need to do some work to it but there are no pits. The top still appears to be flat. The table is off square about 3/32nf of an inch from end to end. I discovered that I have all of the allen wrench sizes but the one needed to take this top off. I will go get a set for the ratchet today. I have taken the fence rail off of it. I intend to totally disassemble this saw and treat the case for rust and put a good PPG epoxy primer on it, probably DP 40. I have taken the blade off.

I have not tested the motor. Should I do this now, or test it outside of the saw case?

[Joseph D'Orazio]

A few more pictures

[Neil Brooks]

I HATE clicking on threads like this.

I have the shop I want, and -- for the most part -- the tools I want.

And I do JUST fine with my Bosch 4100 contractor's saw, a bit "hopped up."

But ... having just tackled my first piece of Old Arn -- a 1956 DeWalt RAS -- I have been noodling around with the idea of scoring an old Uni, and fixing her up.

And you're actually DOING it ?!?

You suck. I'm painfully envious !!!!

Knock 'em dead, and ... please keep the pictures coming

[Neil Brooks]

And I just noticed your dog !!!

SO, SO cute

[Joseph D'Orazio]

I HATE clicking on threads like this.

I have the shop I want, and -- for the most part -- the tools I want.

And I do JUST fine with my Bosch 4100 contractor's saw, a bit "hopped up."

But ... having just tackled my first piece of Old Arn -- a 1956 DeWalt RAS -- I have been noodling around with the idea of scoring an old Uni, and fixing her up.

And you're actually DOING it ?!?

You suck. I'm painfully envious !!!!

Knock 'em dead, and ... please keep the pictures coming

Ha ha, thank you. Did you do a thread or journal on the restoration of that old Dewalt RAS? There is one that I can pick up on the cheap. I do not know the model or anything like that but was told it worked. Its stand has suffered an injury to one of its legs. Its been at the sawmill so its been ridden hard hard.

[Chris Rosenberger]

It is sad to see a saw treated that way.

Since the saw has been in a high moisture environment, or maybe even under water, I would not try to run the motor until it was checked out by a motor shop & the bearings are replaced.

On the bright side, this is what it would look like if it had been taken care of.

[Joseph D'Orazio]

It is sad to see a saw treated that way.

Since the saw has been in a high moisture environment, or maybe even under water, I would not try to run the motor until it was checked out by a motor shop & the bearings are replaced.

On the bright side, this is what it would look like if it had been taken care of.

Beautiful saw you have yourself there. I hope to do this one justice. I am going to have the motor checked out. Is that two different saws or do you change the rail out so that you can run the Incra jig? How do you like that Incra jig? Sorry to pepper you with all these question.

Edited to add: Upon closer inspection I realize that is two different saws.

[Rod Upfold]

I think that you will have to ask permission from the dog to use the unisaw.


Rod

[Chris Rosenberger]

Beautiful saw you have yourself there. I hope to do this one justice. I am going to have the motor checked out. Is that two different saws or do you change the rail out so that you can run the Incra jig? How do you like that Incra jig? Sorry to pepper you with all these question.

Edited to add: Upon closer inspection I realize that is two different saws.

Thank you Joseph.

The top and bottom picture are the same saw with different fences.
The top picture is from the first owner of the saw, the bottom picture is of the saw as it is today in my shop.

The middle picture is a saw I purchased new in 1996. I sold it in 2007 after I got a great deal on a Powermatic 66. It did not take me long to discover I did not like the PM66 as well as the Unisaw. A couple of years later the saw I have now came up for sale, so I got it & I sold the PM66. I have not regretted doing that.

As for the HP of the motors. I have used 3hp saws for years & never had a problem cutting any kind of wood.