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Thread: What to do with an old 8" jointer?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
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    What to do with an old 8" jointer?

    I was given this jointer several years ago and have been storing it since. It's marked Crescent Machine Co. It's an 8" head, though the table is much wider for some reason. It has what I believe to be babbitt bearings. i have heard mention on here about old jointers that have dangerous heads, and I am wondering if this is one of those. I have not tried to run this jointer as I don't have a motor that is a suitable size for it. I have a 3 HP spare motor that I picked up at a sale but I have been told that is overkill for this machine. I've been looking for a cheap 1.5 or 2 HP motor but have not found one yet. I have a little 6" Craftsman jointer that I use regularly, and I wouldn't need a bigger or longer jointer very often, but every year or two it would be handy when I'm doing a larger tabletop or something. I am trying to decide if this machine is worth putting a motor in or if I would be better off to sell it for whatever it'll fetch and get it out of the way, to someone who would want it. I have not joined OWWM yet and figured I would ask for advice here first since I'm already signed up. Thank you very much.
    ZachPA160003.jpgPA160001.jpgPA160002.jpgPA160004.jpgPA160005.jpg

  2. #2
    I would restore it and put into use. I would love to have a restoration project like this.

  3. #3
    Restored and tuned up it will work much better than a newer jointer IMHO.

  4. #4
    The best thing would be to free up shop space by shipping it to me for proper "disposal"



    That might actually be the best thing for me, not you though.

  5. #5
    I’d love to have one but doubt my wood floor could take the weight.

    It does have the old square cutter head that were replaced with safer types. A new carbide insert type can be made for it. Those companies are being discussed in other threads at the moment.

    The biggest difficulty are the bearings as you’ve noted. If they are tight and in good condition then you can keep using them as long as you lube them. If worn out you’ll have to decide to either redo them or if there is enough metal to rework it to take needle/roller/ball bearings.

    Hope you or the next guy restores it to use again. Once you get it in running condition you’ll want to use it all the time and sell the 6”.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    Upland CA
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    5,546
    To my thinking, the question is "Do I like to restore old iron, or do I just want something to use?"

    Only you know the answer.
    Rick Potter

    DIY journeyman,
    FWW wannabe.
    AKA Village Idiot.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    McKinney, TX
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    2,063
    Won’t hurt to put the bigger motor on it and use the money to help pay for a new cutter head
    Steve Jenkins, McKinney, TX. 469 742-9694
    Always use the word "impossible" with extreme caution

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Griswold Connecticut
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    Clean it up, put a motor on it and put it to work.
    Yes, those are Babbitt bearings. If they're tight, or you have shims left, they can be adjusted. I don't see any oil cups, and they look like the Babbitt pour hole is plugged, so they may be greased.
    Lots of heads available to swap out that square head. I'm pretty much certain that Byrd has a stock, on the shelf replacement for that jointer.
    It is by far a better jointer, size for size, than you can buy new today.😉

    BTW
    If you do change the head, keep the old head, and blades. They're of value.
    I would also replace those square head bolts. Save the originals, but those bolt heads hurt like Hades if you bang your hand on them. I replaced mine with Allen capscrews,
    A 3 HP motor is definitely not to big for that jointer.
    Last edited by Mike Cutler; 10-16-2018 at 6:12 PM.

  9. #9
    Having used old jointers like this I can assure you that it won't work better than new machines, not for a moment. I will be noisy as all get out because of the cutter. It will be more dangerous than a "modern" machine because of the geometry. I would restore and use this machine if it was a freebie to me. I'd restore it because it's cool and I love vintage machines. I'd prefer pretty much anything more modern to do woodworking safely and effectively.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Fournier View Post
    Having used old jointers like this I can assure you that it won't work better than new machines, not for a moment. I will be noisy as all get out because of the cutter. It will be more dangerous than a "modern" machine because of the geometry. I would restore and use this machine if it was a freebie to me. I'd restore it because it's cool and I love vintage machines. I'd prefer pretty much anything more modern to do woodworking safely and effectively.
    Despite my lusting after this machine, I hate to say it, but I have to agree. I've restored a few old arn machines for my shop, and I know this is blasphemy, but for each of them, the time and money would have been better spent on a new machine. I could have bought a new Jet for what I put into a 31 year old Unisaw 20 years ago, and the Jet would have been a better machine then and much better now. I can say the same about more than a few things I've seen at some other places.

    I do think we tend to over-romanticize old arn sometimes.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Seemann View Post
    Despite my lusting after this machine, I hate to say it, but I have to agree. I've restored a few old arn machines for my shop, and I know this is blasphemy, but for each of them, the time and money would have been better spent on a new machine. I could have bought a new Jet for what I put into a 31 year old Unisaw 20 years ago, and the Jet would have been a better machine then and much better now. I can say the same about more than a few things I've seen at some other places.

    I do think we tend to over-romanticize old arn sometimes.
    It depends on the machine.

  12. #12
    Join Date
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    Camas, Wa
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Seemann View Post
    Despite my lusting after this machine, I hate to say it, but I have to agree. I've restored a few old arn machines for my shop, and I know this is blasphemy, but for each of them, the time and money would have been better spent on a new machine. I could have bought a new Jet for what I put into a 31 year old Unisaw 20 years ago, and the Jet would have been a better machine then and much better now. I can say the same about more than a few things I've seen at some other places.

    I do think we tend to over-romanticize old arn sometimes.
    I am glad I am not the only person that feels this way. I have restordrd many old tools because I enjoy it. I wouldn't touch a square head babbit bearing jointer. The only restored tool I have left is a PM1200 drill press. I think I am done restoring an the drill press isn't going anywhere.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Cary Falk View Post
    I am glad I am not the only person that feels this way. I have restordrd many old tools because I enjoy it. I wouldn't touch a square head babbit bearing jointer. The only restored tool I have left is a PM1200 drill press. I think I am done restoring an the drill press isn't going anywhere.
    What have you largely replaced your Arn with?

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cary Falk View Post
    I am glad I am not the only person that feels this way. I have restordrd many old tools because I enjoy it. I wouldn't touch a square head babbit bearing jointer. The only restored tool I have left is a PM1200 drill press. I think I am done restoring an the drill press isn't going anywhere.

    Cary
    I understand the "square head" sentiment, but not the Babbitt bearing sentiment.
    Not all "old 'arn" is worth restoring. Some of it was made poorly, even back then, and should have hit the metal recycler many years ago. I have a 16" square head jointer, with Babbitt bearings that may be in this category. It's been sitting in the garage for a few years now. Time will tell with this machine. For now, it makes an outstanding work bench surface.
    A jointer is a very simple machine, and other than adding dust collection to them, they have remained largely unchanged in 75-80 years. Heads have gone through different design iterations since then, to what we now have available now, but the rest of the machine is the same. only the quality of manufacturing has changed.
    The particular jointer referenced in this thread, was a very well made machine, even in it's day it was considered well made. Other than replacing the head with a 3 blade safety cutter head, widely available, in that size "vintage" machine, there isn't much else to do to it.
    Yes the Babbitts will need to be repoured if the cutter head is changed, or they are worn, but that is not an impossible task. Anyone with some fairly good mechanical aptitude and patience can pour a babbitt. It's not hard, just a little time consuming, and exacting, to setup. Any half decent machine shop can still pour babbitts if a person did not want to try it themselves.
    I would not hesitate to restore the particular jointer referenced in this thread. It's a beauty of a machine.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  15. #15
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Hachet View Post
    What have you largely replaced your Arn with?
    Unisaw - replaced with a Grizzly 1023rl
    Delta scroll saw - replaced with a DeWalt
    3 or 4 Dewalt RAS - love to restore then but they loose due to space. Probably the only Old Arn I would buy again if I had the space but it would have to be a long arm GA.
    Delta lathe -replaced with a Jet 1642 replaced by a Grizzly G0766.
    Delta 14" bandsaw - replaced with G0513x2

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