Martin T-17 rebuild

[Darcy Warner]

Pulling a t-17 apart for rebuild.

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[Phil Mueller]

You know we love these restoration threads. Thanks for letting us follow along.

[Patrick Walsh]

This pretty much sums up how I feel about this..

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EJZIztOWmwM

[Darcy Warner]

This pretty much sums up how I feel about this..

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EJZIztOWmwM

Took about 4 hours to get it apart.

Half the fence parts cleaned and ready for paint prep.

[Darcy Warner]

I only found one actual broken part. One of the teeth on the hand wheel gear for tilt was broken off. Didn't notice it in usage, just take it next door and have the tooth fixed.

Trying to order new stickers, and see what parts I can still get. Need to hunt down the horrible manual.

[Joe Calhoon]

Darcy,
I have the manual and sliding table setup for these. It’s not much of a manual and it’s from the older version of the saw. I don’t know if they had a English version for the machines from the 70s. If I get your PM I will send what I have.
And still would like to get your spindle copied.
joe

[Darcy Warner]

Been busy, hauled a wadkin EEC resaw, couple 12" jointers, a 24" BS, a 24" jointer, 16" jointer, 3 Oliver TS, and a PM 24" planer home last week, had parts show up for several other machines as well.

Almost all parts are clean, all hardware is done, some painting has been started. Today I had time to get the arbor apart and the motor apart, between trying to help my kids make bike ramps for the shop, shipping equipment and keeping a couple guys busy working.

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[David Buchhauser]

Darcy - keep up the good work! Now I don't have to strain my neck.
David

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[Mike King]

Darcy - keep up the good work! Now I don't have to strain my neck.
David

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how do you rotate those photos?

[Brian Holcombe]

Looks great!

[David Buchhauser]

how do you rotate those photos?

Hi Mike,
I use Irfanview 64 - this is free program for viewing and editing photos.
David

https://www.irfanview.com/64bit.htm

[Darcy Warner]

Sorry, I take all my pictures not in landscape orientation, basically because they all go on IG and that's how it's set up for pictures. This forum turns them sideways.

[Patrick Kane]

Hmm, that’s a shame. Is this saw worth owning without the sliding table? I’m considering selling the PM72 I just redid to get the Martin. To what end? I have no idea! From what you all are saying, this will be a monster PITA. I have a Felder KF700, so I don’t really need two table saws or two sliders.

One other question. What are the dimensions of the base chassis? I would need to get it through a 33” door.

I need to look into the paint you used, Darcy. Cleaning my gun and equipment of the oil based enamel was god awful.

[Darcy Warner]

Hmm, that’s a shame. Is this saw worth owning without the sliding table? I’m considering selling the PM72 I just redid to get the Martin. To what end? I have no idea! From what you all are saying, this will be a monster PITA. I have a Felder KF700, so I don’t really need two table saws or two sliders.

One other question. What are the dimensions of the base chassis? I would need to get it through a 33” door.

I need to look into the paint you used, Darcy. Cleaning my gun and equipment of the oil based enamel was god awful.

Without a sliding table, it's kind of just another well built industrial cabinet saw of the time. I think there are better, cheaper, easier options out there for that kind of saw.
Whitney 77/177 tanny XJ, oliver 88s, etc. Much easier to rebuild one of those or find a nice one for a reasonable cost.

The martin wouldn't fit through a 33" door, well maybe but not by much.

I think I have 8 or 10 TS. My two favorites are a 495 greenlee and a whitney 77, easy saws to adjust and use.

A 2k pound saw will make a pm72 look like a portable saw.

[Patrick Kane]

Yes, I could have had a few cheap Whitney’s the last 12 months, but I’ve seen specs on the saw and the base is too wide. Can’t get it through the door. Same for most of the tannewitz models, I think. There was a type U for sale here that was $200ish. I know that’s the least desirable of tannewitz’ offerings, but you are right about the price being right. But, my one issue with the older American saws are dust collection, riving knife, and style. That tannewitz did nothing for me from an aesthetic point of few. It was just a lump of iron. I nearly had a Wadkin PKF last year for $300. Shop closing down in Queens and I had first dibs on it. Then, I found out the owner sold it out from underneath me to another guy. Oddly enough I saw the machine on a forum not too long ago. Another hobbyist got it. That wadkin would have checked all the boxes. Super cheap unlike the PK, excellent style, and most of the conveniences of modern safety equipment. This T17 had me thinking similar thoughts. It’s the one in jersey for $450. It may be only a parts machine, but I was thinking about gambling.

The PM72 is a fine saw for what I do. It’s not like I’m running machines on two shifts a day, but I’ve stalled the 5hp motor many times now while ripping 8/4. The bevel and height adjustments are fine, but I want effortless buttery movements. The felder is actually the best I’ve ever experienced. The height adjustment is sublime on that machine. The 72 is a heavy enough machine with the optional extended wing, but it lacks a lot of the refinement and extraordinary care towards detail and refinement. The 72 is the Sherman, where as the PK or T17 strike me as more of the Jagdpanther.

I read a couple pages of mark’s experience and this sounds like a tiger I don’t want to wrestle with. Comprising a spring that can kill you? Assembling components to a top and then inverting the top onto the base? A lot of this stuff sounds beyond my abilities. Still, I do like seeing new and different machines.