1982 Martin T-23

[Darcy Warner]

Just have a welding/fab shop make some covers, they could roll the edges and put louvers in them. Be better than plastic.

I just add 1" thick wood faces, get them close and run it over the jointer. Presto!

[Patrick Walsh]

I may just buy a tig welder and and learn. I think gig is what I want for aluminum. Sure google could tech me. Then I’d have it and I’d have another skill to master.

I was thinking I could get some plate stock like 1/2 and cut the center out to make a frame. Then take a router to clean the edges. Then get thinner stock for the louvers and bend them on the brake at work. Not sure aluminum would bend though. If not my plan is foiled. Then tack them on form the back side and I’m done.

If steel I could bend the louvers on the break. But then I’m making the frames from steel. Guess I could get setup for steel but I figured I could work aluminum with Woodworking tools.

Fence plates yeah. I’ve made a dozen pair out of wood at this point. They work perfect. And you can screw stuff to them throw them in the trash when they are screwed. But I’ve wanted those dam aigner fence plates for years. It’s time to just get a pair. Worst case I decide I don’t like them and I sell them at a loss of a few hundred bucks worst case.

Just have a welding/fab shop make some covers, they could roll the edges and put louvers in them. Be better than plastic.

I just add 1" thick wood faces, get them close and run it over the jointer. Presto!

[peter gagliardi]

Once you have the Aigner plates, you will pretty much forget all about the wood faces.
I did that for years..... But wood wears, and moves with seasonal change, so you really have to check them all the time with a good 3' straightedge- way more than I like to.
Aluminum plates stay good for many, many years. They are anodized, so you do not even have to think about it until you see bare aluminum.
My first T26 which I got in 2004 is just starting to show the thinness of the anodized coating.
They are dead straight, all the time, and the finger casettes are removable so you can install a wood faced fence when you might want a cutter to "break through" for zero clearance. Also, the fingers are handy for giving a continuous bearing surface above or below the cut when necessary- provided you have enough cutterhead diameter.
If you get the plates, it would be very,very beneficial to rig up a pair of digital read outs- could be a pair of cheap calipers even, that are resettable to zero out in any place.
Those plates make working in .001" easily achievable.
But, once you go digital on one machine, suddenly everything else with analog or scales is troublesome.....

[Patrick Walsh]

I’m kinda working backward here with the digital everything.

When I stated building a shop I was dead set on digital readout on everything. I do find it incredibly helpful, I can’t argue that. But where I fit in economically with Felder or Scm machines left me disappointed in everything else about the machine.

For me these old machines started as a result of my frustration with new Italian machines. Those dam Italian machines and the inherent issues with them taught me a lot about machines In general. The old machines getting back to their glory the same again.

I’ll dump the electronics anyway for a well built machine as my brain still works. Don’t get me wrong if I could afford a shop full of $85 k machines I’d buy them but this is where I fit in. For me production just is not a consideration and I honestly fi t want it to ever be a consideration.

I will buy those aigner fences. And the Wegomatic with smart stand. Then I’ll wait, and wait and wait to find a t23 tenon table and do it all over again.

Once you have the Aigner plates, you will pretty much forget all about the wood faces.
I did that for years..... But wood wears, and moves with seasonal change, so you really have to check them all the time with a good 3' straightedge- way more than I like to.
Aluminum plates stay good for many, many years. They are anodized, so you do not even have to think about it until you see bare aluminum.
My first T26 which I got in 2004 is just starting to show the thinness of the anodized coating.
They are dead straight, all the time, and the finger casettes are removable so you can install a wood faced fence when you might want a cutter to "break through" for zero clearance. Also, the fingers are handy for giving a continuous bearing surface above or below the cut when necessary- provided you have enough cutterhead diameter.
If you get the plates, it would be very,very beneficial to rig up a pair of digital read outs- could be a pair of cheap calipers even, that are resettable to zero out in any place.
Those plates make working in .001" easily achievable.
But, once you go digital on one machine, suddenly everything else with analog or scales is troublesome.....

[Jeff Duncan]

OK.... I'm probably completely wrong here, and this will end up being a totally crap idea.... but I think that the little lever next to your belt may simply be a position indicator? I had a younger T-21 for a while and I think it may possibly have had that same thing. It also IIRC had lights to reflect which speed was being used. Then again my memory is crap, its been a long day, and I probably just breathed too much dust and am hallucinating

[Patrick Walsh]

Jeff,

Your a smart guy. That’s exactly what it is.

The seller contacted me last night to answer my question.

Based on where you put the belt it articulates around and lights up the corresponding light for the spindle speed.

These old machines are great, even better at the people whom are also smitten by them and willing to share.

Thanks for taking the time to chime in.

OK.... I'm probably completely wrong here, and this will end up being a totally crap idea.... but I think that the little lever next to your belt may simply be a position indicator? I had a younger T-21 for a while and I think it may possibly have had that same thing. It also IIRC had lights to reflect which speed was being used. Then again my memory is crap, its been a long day, and I probably just breathed too much dust and am hallucinating

[David Kumm]

My T21 is the same. Let me know what belt yours runs and I'll see if that is the same. I think I have extras. The bulb for the speed lights are odd and I 've never been able to find replacements for them. Can you tell me what bulbs are in yours? Thanks, Dave

[Patrick Walsh]

Sounds good and no problem.

Just give me a few. Gotta take the dog out.

My T21 is the same. Let me know what belt yours runs and I'll see if that is the same. I think I have extras. The bulb for the speed lights are odd and I 've never been able to find replacements for them. Can you tell me what bulbs are in yours? Thanks, Dave

[Patrick Walsh]

Here you go Dave. I think that saiz, 24 V 2

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What’s the story with the belts. Are they hard to get?

[Darcy Warner]

I have bought those at my local electrical supply house.

Not the belts. Lol

[Patrick Walsh]

I actually need the female threaded piece that goes in the backside of the bulb fixture. It’s round and threaded. Anyone know what term to google to try and find one. I could just use electrical tape but I’d rather not.

[Tom M King]

base, lampholder, or receptacle, but put "bulb" in front of those numbers for the search.

[Patrick Walsh]

Bottom one has the ring. The top one it’s missing. I have no idea what they are called. As for size and thread lost again. Guess I could take it off and to the store hardware store and use a nut to find the size. Not sure if that will work or if electrical fittings are the same as nuts and bolts. My guess is it’s a euro thread regardless..


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base, lampholder, or receptacle, but put "bulb" in front of those numbers for the search.

[Patrick Walsh]

A couple small things.

Freaking Mccmaster...

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Trying to stay motivated to square all the functional stuff away on this machine. I’m pretty all or nothing black and white and tbh it’s really hard for me to not just rip this machine to pieces. I need to wait till I at least have another shaper.

Someone had replaced the screws on the arbor lock for and spindle tilt lock functions. Sadly they had kinda forced in the wrong size thread bolt. Not to mention at some point they had be taped with imperial threads. I cleaned them up “re tapped” them and replaced the bolts. I couldn’t find a partially threaded screw in the exact size. I was able to find longer ones so I cut them to size.

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It’s little things or repairs like this on used machines that drive me bonkers. Just slow down and do it right. I know it’s about getting back to work. I run into this at work at least once a week.

The there was a stud or spindle missing used as a stop for the arbor tilt. The machine tilts form -5 to 45%. Take the spindle out and you get -5, in and you can adjust a set screw on the cog of the arbor tilt to stop it at 90%.

Originally I contacted Brian to make this. I had exact specs as to the exact size of this rod and ball as the seller has tow more of these machines and these rods. Brian was kind enough to forward me a couple Mccmaster part numbers so I could deal with it myself. Guy is classy.

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I’ll scotch brite out those burn marks don’t you all worry



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I got a quote for a service upgrade for the 100 amp service. $3300 for the service upgrade only. Then to hook up the phase perfect and run a outlet to three machines another $2200.

Looks like I’ll be doing the work myself. I’m not excited about it as I’d like the new panel. But it’s just not in the cards at the moment. Code saiz the wire coming off the pole in front of my house is to low. So they gotta out a riser block pole in my brand new roof. No dice, no way no how. Nobody is drilling anything into my brand new roof and not some dope contractor. I can burry the cable underground in conduit and have planned to for some time. But that’s a 18”x 20’ trench and a weekend with a rented mini excavator. My whole neighborhood is ledge. I have been through this before doing hardscape, planting trees and putting up a fence. It will be no easy project.

This shop crap is just a endless black hole of spending.

[Brian Holcombe]

Nice work, Patrick!