You guys remember my estate sale find from a few months ago, right? Well, just as soon as I got ...
To read the rest of this blog entry from The Garage Journal, click here.
- Thread starter Ryan
- Start date
You guys remember my estate sale find from a few months ago, right? Well, just as soon as I got ...
To read the rest of this blog entry from The Garage Journal, click here.
Amitygravel
Well-known member
Damn,
Looks like it just got brought home from Sears.
Nicely done.
Vintage tools just have soul to them.
Looks like it just got brought home from Sears.
Nicely done.
Vintage tools just have soul to them.
Russ G
Active member
What a beauty !! No plastic on that one.
Jyzze
Well-known member
Word!
---
Banned
Looks awesome! Great job!
VOH
Well-known member
I have a 1943 Delta that, like yours, is all steel! I would love to chat with your fella about the restoration process.
Did that come new with the intermediate pulley or is that a modification made for the metal?
Looks pretty Sweet!
Did that come new with the intermediate pulley or is that a modification made for the metal?
Looks pretty Sweet!
Amitygravel
Well-known member
Are the handles original , restored , repro's ??
Gotta know man. !
Gotta know man. !
OP
That's the slow speed pulley... It was an option back in the day... and yeah, perfect for steel.
Originals just cleaned up...
firemanast
Well-known member
Damn that is sweet I would love to have it in my shop !
coljar
Well-known member
That is beautiful. I just don't know if I could bring myself to use it. I would probably continue using my old Atlas and just have that setting there to polish like one of the cars.
OP
kazlx
Well-known member
Nice job. I need to decide on a way to slow my Atlas down. Either a pulley or VFD setup.
It looks like it should have plastic on it, shrink wrap plastic. That thing looks brand freaking new.
mercman1951
Well-known member
It's ironic that I always considered the Craftsman brand to be 'hobby grade' tools...but the hobby/homeowner grade tools of the 40's-60's are built like the 'professional' grade tools of today. I found myself walking into these deals lately for the ones built in the 40's-60's that could withstand a nuclear blast. I now have a band saw, table saw, and 4' plate jointer...none of which is newer than 1965. I've spent a total on all three for way less than what a new Jet table saw would cost. For what little use mine will get, I'd rather shell out $60 bucks for a 1950's Craftsman [insert product here] than spend $200+ for the **** Sears sells now. Great score. Great restorations.
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Gidge
Well-known member
A work of art ! Gotta' love that mid-20th-century quality and craftsmanship -- you're just holding on to that for the next generation to use. 
pendragon1998
Well-known member
Skidonenko
Well-known member
Love it, looks like my grandfather's 150 bench top that I have. Was well used but taken care of. Keep em running.
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fury9
Well-known member
You better get some oil on that or it's GOING to rust esp. the column. I have a pretty nice head band with great swirls if you wanted to get carried away...
Mikerodrig27
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2014
- Messages
- 171
Beautiful. I like these old drill presses. With the technology of today, it's kind of sad that manufacturers don't put the effort into making quality products. You'd have to buy a high end unit to get something comparable to that press.
bczygan
Well-known member
When I opened the thread, and saw the photo, the machine looked so new, that it brought back olfactory memories of being in a Sears tool department.
I could actually smell it, in all it's Craftsman steel and paint glory.
Bill
I could actually smell it, in all it's Craftsman steel and paint glory.
Bill
softailgarage
Well-known member
When I saw the title and picture, I got all excited. Knowing that the Craftsman bug has bitten you hard, I couldn't wait to see how the DP came out. I'm bummed. Call me a perfectionist or call me an A-hole, but the headband...to me, one of, if not the most important piece on that model is the engine turned or jewelled headband. Why? It's so delicate. Anybody can polish it to a chrome like finish, its being able to leave the swirls in (which is damned near impossible, I know, I own 2). Engine turning has become a lost art, I've tried it myself and it's not easy. The rest of it does look gorgeous and I'm excited to see you have gotten into the 1950's Craftsman stuff, but if you want to impress me, get that headband jewelled. Sorry Ryan, not trying to be a jerk, just being honest.
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Sweet! I have the bench top version of that drill (with swirled headband!), still works great. I have an even older Craftsman snowflake bandsaw, got both from the same guy who had inherited them from his grandfather. Both are in great shape but seeing your pics makes me want to restore them.
Attachments
Cruzan80
Well-known member
Almsot got one of these, but the guy sold it out from under me before I could get there. Even had the table lift, and he only wanted 100.
rmalkow2
Well-known member
Beautiful restoration and back in use as it was intended. Very nice.
dreamcatcher
Member
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2010
- Messages
- 7
I restore old machinery myself and I must say that it is uniquely satisfying to restore a machine that will continue its life helping to restore more old machines.
Not to mention, it's simply fascinating to think about the history of some of the old machines; For instance, I have a drill press that I am restoring now which is tagged by the U.S. Dept. of War and served during WWII helping to build bombers and AA guns in the Detroit Fischer Body plant. My restoration will help continue its legacy for many years [and generations] to come.
Finally, I believe that like with any mechanical object you get a much better understanding of how a machine works by tearing it down and rebuilding it. Heck, you just get a better understanding of mechanics in general by doing so. Looking at the inner workings will give a first hand account of what old school quality really means (along with a few engineering mistakes) and that understanding will help guide future machine acquisitions.
I would advise anyone with old machines to give machine restoration a try and anyone without old machinery in their shop to go out and look for some. Not only will you get a great quality machine with vintage character but you will be helping to preserve some of these tools lest they be hauled off to the scrap yard.
(FYI if you are interested try OWWM.org)
Not to mention, it's simply fascinating to think about the history of some of the old machines; For instance, I have a drill press that I am restoring now which is tagged by the U.S. Dept. of War and served during WWII helping to build bombers and AA guns in the Detroit Fischer Body plant. My restoration will help continue its legacy for many years [and generations] to come.
Finally, I believe that like with any mechanical object you get a much better understanding of how a machine works by tearing it down and rebuilding it. Heck, you just get a better understanding of mechanics in general by doing so. Looking at the inner workings will give a first hand account of what old school quality really means (along with a few engineering mistakes) and that understanding will help guide future machine acquisitions.
I would advise anyone with old machines to give machine restoration a try and anyone without old machinery in their shop to go out and look for some. Not only will you get a great quality machine with vintage character but you will be helping to preserve some of these tools lest they be hauled off to the scrap yard.
(FYI if you are interested try OWWM.org)
Mikerodrig27
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2014
- Messages
- 171
It's sad when you go to the metal scrap yard and you see old machines that are rusted out.
67CarGuy
Well-known member
Wow! What a great outcome. I'm hoping mine will look nearly as good when I finish reassembling it. I've got the motor rewired, now to add a new switch and mount the whole thing!
LegacyIndustrial
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Sweet machine to help you build some "Sweet Machines"!
POP3Y3
New member
That thing is simply GORGEOUS! My dad's been buying me Craftsman tools to help me build a collection for many years now, but since I bought my first house last year, I have been in tool hoarding mode. With the assistance of GJ, I have now become a lover of old, American-made tools, especially vises and these old Craftsman products which were built to last. This is a thing a beauty! I guess I know what's going on my list along with a 397 bench grinder & pedestal. Thanks for the idea! Haha.
95riosnake
Well-known member
Absolutely beautiful machine! Your buddy does very nice work for sure
Any chance you could ask him what paint he uses? I have a couple pending restorations in my to-do list (still in the early stages) and I've been looking all over the place for a tough industrial epoxy gloss paint to use on them.
Any chance you could ask him what paint he uses? I have a couple pending restorations in my to-do list (still in the early stages) and I've been looking all over the place for a tough industrial epoxy gloss paint to use on them.
Falcon67
Well-known member
Like that gray he used - any idea what that color might be? It's damn hard to find any gray paint here that isn't primer.
OP
Hey guys.... It's Awl Grip paint...
And yeah, I'll get a pic of the slow speed pulley.
And yeah, I'll get a pic of the slow speed pulley.
softailgarage
Well-known member
Ebay would be your best bet. Watch Craigslist for models in rough shape, they make good parts donors
I should have been more specific. After I wrote that I got home and looked mine over closer and I have pretty much all the parts and pieces. The thing I was most curious about is what method he used to clean the rust off the drill press before repainting, electrolysis or something of that nature?