1982 Martin T-23

[Darcy Warner]

Also, that is one reason people are buying the high end grizzly stuff, they will send you whatever part you want, because they like money.

Basically the Eruo manufacturers almost have a sort of organized crime ring going on with parts and service.

I repaired a 2007 43" 2 head Buttfering sander recently. The dealer that sold it to them used can't/won't service. Only dealer that is an authorized service center as well, wanted 1850 just to show up to take a look at it, plus 250/hr.

I had it figured out, parts ordered, and machine checked over in about 10 hours including drive there.

[Patrick Walsh]

I know you do. If I do and or can I would be more than happy to bring you one.

Pipe dream but you know I have a way of always gettting what I want even when the price is very very high. And I’m not always talking money. So long as the compromise of my moral integrity remain in tact and I want it there is normally no stopping me when I get my mind on something. Actually it’s normally that I’ll just bust my ass and or go to lengths others won’t like say drive to Wyoming or something nuts out and back in one fell swoop.

I used to drive to Tucson arizona once a year all in one shot no sleep no stops, just freaking got.

I got pulled over in New Mexico once in the middle of knowheresville doing 119 miles and hour. The cop actually let me go and somehow I never actually paid that ticket. I think I’d best never drive in New Mexico again. This was like 12 years ago at least.

Yes, Patrick, bring home two tenoning tables as I would like one. Dave

[Patrick Walsh]

All the above is a real shame but nothing I have not heard before in some manner.

I have never heard grizzly makes high end anything however but I don’t know so I’ll leave it at that with my grizzly attitude.

This all is why I’m pretty smitten by heavy duty vintage machines built simple but like tanks. If something does break and your really committed to getting it up and running you can fix it. And if you can’t someone else can if your pockets are deep enough.

Also, that is one reason people are buying the high end grizzly stuff, they will send you whatever part you want, because they like money.

Basically the Eruo manufacturers almost have a sort of organized crime ring going on with parts and service.

I repaired a 2007 43" 2 head Buttfering sander recently. The dealer that sold it to them used can't/won't service. Only dealer that is an authorized service center as well, wanted 1850 just to show up to take a look at it, plus 250/hr.

I had it figured out, parts ordered, and machine checked over in about 10 hours including drive there.

[Patrick Walsh]

Made the decision mostly per Jim’s advice lol.

All kidding aside..

To leave the machine in the van and bring it to my uncles shop clean it up then trailer it home.

Funniest part is my door has to be taken completely out jamb and PT that’s lagged to the foundation to carry it. I kinda knew but figured just taking the table off would do. No dice so away we go. It’s ok I was gonna cut the foundation long term “maybe this year” put in a reinforced header and then a double door. So who knows maybe now I gotta do that way sooner than I thought also. The freaking onion peel know as my life addicted to huge machines in a week munchkin shop fit for a pack of elves.

So I couldn’t restrain any longer. I started by pulling a few bits off the machine I knew need repairs regardless of restoration or not that have no need to make there way to my uncles shop.

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[Darcy Warner]

High end for grizzly, lol. Their top tier stuff.

[Patrick Walsh]

I was kinda thinking that but you know, you never know and I didn’t want to say something to question you as. This maybe insult you.

High end for grizzly, lol. Their top tier stuff.

[Patrick Walsh]

I couldn’t just leave the machine sitting in my van all dam day and do nothing. This stuff is like crack to me.

So after a relaxing morning with the dog and family I found myself in the back of my van going completely buggy with a vacuum and some simple green. To my surprise “honestly my first impression of the machine was it’s kinda a dog” it’s defiantly been a workhorse as it is intended to as it has the sighs you would expect of a machine made in 1982 meant to make money would have.

Anyway under all the dust and dirt and grime I found a machine in such nice condition I honestly feel zero need to restore it. And that’s not just because I’m being lazy but because it really is in good condition. It has a few scars. The same crack in the fence dust port JOe Calhoons t23 had. The louvered Side and back vent are plastic unlike the earlier machines metal ones and they are pretty much trash. And the cast table does had a maze of dings all over it all be them minor and typical of a old machine that actually got used.

I did not clean the cast table as it’s covered I some spray on wax coating I forget the name and I wasn’t going to stink out my van anymore than a old machine already does. But I did give the machine. A good old Italian bath, take no offense people I’m Irish Italian. As I was cleaning I cloud hear my Nanas voice saying “patrick don’t forget to clean behind your ears” in the thickest of Boston accents. In all seriousness I really gut up underneath this old Betty and got very familur with her in dear workings.

Typical Martin, built like a tank, simple as simple gets design and still attention payed to a aesthetically pleasing design. I was a bit disappointed in the trunnion on this machine vrs that of the t23’s just a few years older. But you know that’s probably just because that giant trunnion is like my favorite part of these old martins. It’s not that this one is wimpy or bad it’s just not as big as my arm.

So here ]s what I came up with.

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All up in there, isn’t she sexy I like her stature...

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The return spring for the trunnion is also different but similar to my t75 and earlier t23 machines like joes. None the less still very well done.

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The electrical box is like new inside.

It’s even got the key and the original locks intact. It’s been my experience that on machines much newer these locks are often trashed by someone whom lost the key.

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And I even have that little lightning bolt sticker I had once upon a time on the control panel of my t75 but trashed to repaint it. Now I can take this someplace nd have them make me a few.

[Patrick Walsh]

The hand wheel side is also in exceptional condition considering the machines age.

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To my surprise that black handwheel on the never machines is painted and not anodized. I fully expected from online pictures it would be anodized. Again it’s in good enough condition I don’t feel the need to do a dam thing to it. The scale that I’m paying dearly to reproduce for the t75 and have had to fight tooth and nail to even find someone capable and willing is in actual perfect condition on this machine.

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[Darcy Warner]

Cleaned up very nice. That is a well kept, honest machine that has made its owners money.

[Patrick Walsh]

Then I employed the suggestion above to use a car jack to remove some strain from my precious van. It’s a tool to but no need to brute.

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Then I went inside and did what I love to do. Clean, I love to clean, got it from mom. She was a relentless ocd neat freak control freak as a child. I thank her now as it’s probably part of what made me so particular to details. Without this trait as a woodworker I’d be up poops creek with nothing different to offer than you run of the mill carpenter.

As a tradesman of sorts in a sea of tradesman I can’t imagine being of any less value than I already am. If I were to be I’d be asking “would you like fries or a coke with that” so bless my others dear heart for having such high expectations.

The fence as I received. Covered in the usual shop air sealing tape, cracks in the aluminum dust port to repair. I’m trying and or paying special care in cleaning this piece to only make it look well cared for but mostly functional and bring it to a level that under my ownership it will never again be left to fall into disrepair like it had been.

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The side panel covers as mentioned are badly damaged and plastic vrs earlier machines aluminum or stainless ones. I’m not sure witch but it’s one and I can find out from the seller as he has two. I fully intend to remake or have someone remake these covers. And no anything but one of the two solutions to Martin is acceptable to me. It’s either do it right as in original or not at all. I much prefer the older metal ones but feel obligated to a extent to reproduce ones as original to the machine. Doing so is going to require I find a plastic fabricator and I suspect pay through the nose for the work.

I thought maybe a 3D printer could work. I also thought solid stock, some kind of plastic composite on a cnc machine. So if anyone is listening and has a idea suitable to my standards chime in as I’m open to suggestions so long as they are not just cut up some MDF as that’s not what I do.

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I like that this material is solid color all the way throught. I’d like to find the same material or something simular and maybe less brittle.

Then the fence.

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Clean functional.

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And the crack that must be addressed. I’m open to suggestions on this also. I have heard squeaking about not braising or welding this as the heat could warp it. In this area I don’t know what I don’t know. I’m ok with JB weld provided it will do the trick forever. I am not however open to a lesser solution when there is a better solution “more care quality” some might call overkill. Regardless the repair is kinda gonna make me want to re paint the fence. Then the slippery slope begins and a potential full restoration. I bet I could faux finish i the repair in some way or just leave it as another sigh of its age and intended use.

Next is get it out of the van,

Get the crap off the table, angle grinder wire wheel scotch brite to the table top, spindle spindle nuts and spacers. Get up under her with some compressed air. Then a fine tooth comb with simple green. Check every nut and bolt for tightness and make sure nothing is missing or broke. Replace anything that is, grease and oil anything that requires so much and drag her back home. I bet I can do that in a long evening after work. I hope to have this done no later than Wednesday as this weekend I travel to NJ to put the finishing touches on the outrigger support arm for the t75.

Martin Martin Martin as in Marsha, Marsha, Marsha...

[Patrick Walsh]

I’d say so as even from a auction it came with all its original manuals.

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Cleaned up very nice. That is a well kept, honest machine that has made its owners money.

[Darcy Warner]

Yup, nothing better than a well loved machine.

[Patrick Walsh]

That’s the thinking Jim.

With a powerfeeder aigner fences “not needed” it’s still a huge expenditure for me. I at least feel good knowing it’s a forever machine so cry once and for half the price of a new machine that would not be a forever machine that I would never be happy with.

So for now time is money and my time is better spent making money to finish the practical functional end of this. Plus spring is on the way and I have a house that need a paint job. Two sides of the yard excavated, re graded two stair cases and walkway. For a cabinet maker that’s pretty much all I got so it’s time to say uncle. Oh plus I’m hopeful I’ll be dragging a Oliver 20C lathe home in the next few weeks also. The. I gotta setup the phase converter. I got no time for or means for paint. I’ll pick away at the lathe as time allows as I don’t need it running and honestly it’s easy restoration. This shaper looks to me to be a very easy restoration to but probably only because I may have taken on the hardest restoration one could for my first rodeo. Ok it’s not a superfurfacer, a tennoner, edge banger four sided planer but for this type of resto it was no small task.

I'm sure you'll have that thang "singing the song of its people" in a very nice way once you do your restoration and fine tuning! Don't worry about the paint...it's something you can deal with later when you have the right conditions for taking care of it. In the mean time...that's a serious piece of machinery to enjoy!

[Jim Becker]

Wow...cleaned up that's in really nice "finish" condition considering, as you noted, it was a "user". You should be able to get that thang up and running a lot faster than the saw that you totally rebuilt.

[Dan Friedrichs]

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The side panel covers as mentioned are badly damaged and plastic vrs earlier machines aluminum or stainless ones. I’m not sure witch but it’s one and I can find out from the seller as he has two. I fully intend to remake or have someone remake these covers. And no anything but one of the two solutions to Martin is acceptable to me. It’s either do it right as in original or not at all. I much prefer the older metal ones but feel obligated to a extent to reproduce ones as original to the machine. Doing so is going to require I find a plastic fabricator and I suspect pay through the nose for the work.

I thought maybe a 3D printer could work. I also thought solid stock, some kind of plastic composite on a cnc machine. So if anyone is listening and has a idea suitable to my standards chime in as I’m open to suggestions so long as they are not just cut up some MDF as that’s not what I do.

Attachment 426088

I like that this material is solid color all the way throught. I’d like to find the same material or something simular and maybe less brittle.

Not sure how good of suggestion this is, but if you can get at least one of the originals in decent shape (ie - held together with CA glue, if necessary), it may be possible for you to use it as a master to create a rubber mold and cast your own replacement using a material like Alumilite. This is surprisingly easy to do and not terribly expensive.