Yes, the condition is great, I was very fortunate to find it, and though I only paid $10, it may turn out to have been a very expensive purchase as I have now caught the vintage tool bug as well. I started with the approach that $10 was cheaper than Harbor Freight (and of course better quality), and now I am setting out to recreate my late grandfather's workshop. One thing I did note, though the condition of mine is better age wise, the castings for your base are much cleaner, production wise, especially visible to either side of the switch plate. I am thinking I may want to grind mine down a bit. I wonder if they produced these until the forms wore out then replaced it with the next model? My grandfather built custom homes for a profession and boats and furniture for a hobby. When it came to his hobbies, it seemed he never purchased anything he could make himself. My grandmother still has some of the wooden 'parts' he created to produce the sand molds for the bronze anchor and rigging castings of the last boat. I assume King-Seeley would have used a similar processes for their iron castings. Certainly after months or years in wet sand the forms would break down. Anyhow, I'm glad to have it. Did you receive the flip down guards for yours?
Thanks for the insights on the electrolysis. I assume by 'straight line' you mean that I need to surround the item I am cleaning with the sacrificial metal and of course wire those all together?
I wish I had taken pictures of this drill press I am working on but I barely had time to disassemble it before it went into the trash. The dp had been owned by a machinist who in an effort to free up space converted the standard 50's Craftsman model 100 floor standing press to hang from the ceiling. Eventually, I think I would like to reinstall it in the same manner but for the time being I am making a custom rolling stand. The column was cut so that today it is too tall to sit on the bench but too short to sit on the floor. Fortunately he had saved the original base but it is a bit rusty. The dp is otherwise in really good shape, the table is perfect and I was able to find all the original pieces EXCEPT
the three feed handles which had mysteriously disappeared and I suspect went into the trash that same morning. So much equipment got tossed. The house had been sold with the contents of the shop intact but the new owners refused to take possession until it was all cleaned out.
I filled my Expedition for $47, which ironically went to help pay for the guys that hauled the rest to the dump. I wish I had known earlier, I would have cleared it myself for free. I will replace the handles with threaded rods for the time being, but will be on the lookout for original equipment. Next on the list? No idea. I inquired about two lathes this weekend but have not heard back. I did pick up a portable 50's Craftsman belt sander last week. Small surprise when I got it home . . . someone didn't understand how to adjust the belt properly . . . but that's a topic for another day.
