You do great machine restoration work, Jeff. Buying off of you or some other OWWM member is an interesting option.
I think you're into that for a LOT more than $600, though. Sure, you may have only laid out $600 cash for the machine and materials, but I bet you've put in a TON of time. This includes your driving time (acquisition), travel costs, stripping, refinishing, repair, research on what to do/where to buy, looking for the saw, etc. How long do you think ALL of the above added up to?
Time has to be factored in, and if you applied a reasonable rate to your time, your $600 "total cost" number shoots up pretty quickly. Especially for something that's almost a "commodity" in our world (table saw). It's also assuming that someone even has the time to spend.
I think the story is different for your aircraft carrier jointer, though. To buy one that is ready to go right away is a heck of a lot more expensive than the table saw examples, just as you said. Someone likely couldn't afford one otherwise unless they went through the work that you did. I still don't think the poster would bother doing it, he'd find another way, as it's not his cup of tea. I'd have to skip it too, as it would never get done anytime soon these days. Again, buying from OWWM is an interesting option in this case, and one I've never considered. Then again, I couldn't get this monster down my basement stairs, either!
You clearly enjoy this work, and you are definitely good at it, and have the time and ability to do it. My eyes opened wide when you wrote you've done 38 machines in four years! 38! That's wild! It's nearly one machine a month!
Keep up the good work, including posting the "before and after" pictures. I love looking seeing the transformations.