Vintage Unisaw Extension Table & Fence

[Ryan]

A few weeks back, I rented a uhaul and headed out to Houston to pick up a 1953 Delta Unisaw that I bought from a retired NASA engineer. Since then, I've been busy getting it set up and ready to use. I built some Biesemeyer rails using the VSC plans...


To read the rest of this blog entry from The Garage Journal, click here.

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[bubinga]

Nice!!
I have A 47 IIRC it is. Yeah, It's a 47 Store brought Biesemeyer rails and fence.
EDIT
Did you make the fence part too?

 

[bczygan]

I recently picked up 2 Unisaws, one 3PH and one single phase.

Going to make one good saw from both.

Bill

 

[Ryan]

Nice!!
I have A 47 IIRC it is. Yeah, It's a 47 Store brought Biesemeyer rails and fence.
EDIT
Did you make the fence part too?

No, the t-square is from:

https://vsctools.com/shop/table-saw-fence/

 

[bubinga]

No, the t-square is from:

https://vsctools.com/shop/table-saw-fence/

Still, Nice Job.
You do very nice work.

 

[bubinga]

I recently picked up 2 Unisaws, one 3PH and one single phase.

Going to make one good saw from both.

Bill

Cool, Full Paint and polish?

 

[bczygan]

Cool, Full Paint and polish?

No, just user capable. New belts, cleaned out sawdust, clean and wax top, get splitter and tune up.

The 3PH one has a long Biesmeyer type fence and a bullet motor. The 1PH one has no fence, so I got it for $90.

I was trying to remember what I paid for the other one. Was about to ask my wife.

Then I remembered I haven't told her that I have them yet...!!!

Bill

 

[DieselNut88]

Nice work. Beautiful saw! Are all unisaws right tilt? I have passed up a lot of good deals because i dont know if i could get used to that. Also a lot of my jigs would not work.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Another well done video, and good work on the fence and table. I especially like the NASA decal. Years ago I worked for a NASA subcontractor and spent quite a bit of time at several of their facilities; I still wear a sweatshirt with that logo on the front that I bought at Houston Space Center.

Are all unisaws right tilt?

I believe they also had left tilt saws.

 

[maplepuck]

very nice video, great job

 

[bubinga]

No, just user capable. New belts, cleaned out sawdust, clean and wax top, get splitter and tune up.

The 3PH one has a long Biesmeyer type fence and a bullet motor. The 1PH one has no fence, so I got it for $90.

I was trying to remember what I paid for the other one. Was about to ask my wife.

Then I remembered I haven't told her that I have them yet...!!!

Bill

L0L

 

[bubinga]

Another well done video, and good work on the fence and table. I especially like the NASA decal. Years ago I worked for a NASA subcontractor and spent quite a bit of time at several of their facilities; I still wear a sweatshirt with that logo on the front that I bought at Houston Space Center.



I believe they also had left tilt saws.

newer unis are left tilt.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Excellent video. Can't believe you didn't put our HellFire Coating on your steel angle!!
It has a missile on the label!!
Let me know if you have upcoming steel work, I'd like you to try a quart.
Keep the content coming!!

 

[6PTsocket]

Nice work. Beautiful saw! Are all unisaws right tilt? I have passed up a lot of good deals because i dont know if i could get used to that. Also a lot of my jigs would not work.

No. When everybody started going left tilt, Delta offered a left tilt Unisaw, too. I doubt if there are many floating around. Powermatic was always left tilt.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[bubinga]

No. When everybody started going left tilt, Delta offered a left tilt Unisaw, too. I doubt if there are many floating around. Powermatic was always left tilt.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Did Not Know That.
Well all the newer unis are left tilt, Are they Not?
Or do the still make/sell a right tilt.
I was under the impression all the newer unis were left.

 

[Showkey]

45 + year old Craftsmen 12” table saw with home built T square fence and extension table with router mount. The fence was made to copy the biesemeyer design in about 1980 when their fence was in use but was relatively expensive for a home shop.

 

[Voi]

Ryan are you using your Festool extractor with the Shark Guard port?

Did the saw come with the original motor cover?

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Cool video Ryan. Welcome to the Unisaw Club. I've got a '47. What width can you rip with those rails & fence? Definitely some nice modifications you did on the saw. I only see one problem - that ugly OUsux ball cap! ;-) Hook 'em!

By the way, I'm just down the road from you near Oakhill. Love the website.

 

[bubinga]

45 + year old craftsmen 12” table saw with home built t square fence and extension table with router mount. The fence was made to copy the biesemeyer design in about 1980 when their fence was in use but was relatively expensive for a home shop.

nice!

 

[Jim C.]

Hey Ryan,

Nice video and congratulations on finding a vintage Unisaw. You’re really lucky to have an original goose egg motor cover too! Those alone are not cheap. Well done!

Jim C.

 

[Sunset_Z28]

Boomer Sooner!

 

[Ryan]

Ryan are you using your Festool extractor with the Shark Guard port?

Did the saw come with the original motor cover?

Yeah, I'm using the festool extractor... It works great.

And no on the goose egg... A good pal gave it to me!

Cool video Ryan. Welcome to the Unisaw Club. I've got a '47. What width can you rip with those rails & fence? Definitely some nice modifications you did on the saw. I only see one problem - that ugly OUsux ball cap! ;-) Hook 'em!

By the way, I'm just down the road from you near Oakhill. Love the website.

I have a total rip capacity of 41". It was sort of a balancing act between how much floor space I took up and rip capacity. I've never used more than 36", but I decided to shoot for 40" just in case.

Oh. And Texas scks!

Hey Ryan,

Nice video and congratulations on finding a vintage Unisaw. You’re really lucky to have an original goose egg motor cover too! Those alone are not cheap. Well done!

Jim C.

I got really lucky on that deal.

Boomer Sooner!

Big 12 champs... Next year, we will get that golden hat back too...

 

[Cactus1]

Nice job bruh! PM me your address. I'm going to send you some fookin' safety glasses!

 

[Ryan]

Nice job bruh! PM me your address. I'm going to send you some fookin' safety glasses!

I wear em. I swear... and a mask... it's just when I am shooting, I either forget to put em on or something else gets in the way of the shot.

 

[Cactus1]

I wear em. I swear... and a mask... it's just when I am shooting, I either forget to put em on or something else gets in the way of the shot.

Likely story!

 

[Irish Mike]

Enjoyed the video......Thanks…

 

[okcguy]

So, what happened to the 9 inch saw you had? I recently visited my daughter in Georgetown, TX. I read a posting on Austin's Craigslist that featured a 9 inch vintage, restored Delta table saw. When I saw the pics, I thought of your post detailing yours.

 

[Ryan]

So, what happened to the 9 inch saw you had? I recently visited my daughter in Georgetown, TX. I read a posting on Austin's Craigslist that featured a 9 inch vintage, restored Delta table saw. When I saw the pics, I thought of your post detailing yours.

Yeah, that was probably mine. I sold it... Super nice young guy came and picked it up.

 

[bubinga]

Yeah, that was probably mine. I sold it... Super nice young guy came and picked it up.

Small world sometimes.................LOL!!

 

[bubinga]

So, what happened to the 9 inch saw you had? I recently visited my daughter in Georgetown, TX. I read a posting on Austin's Craigslist that featured a 9 inch vintage, restored Delta table saw. When I saw the pics, I thought of your post detailing yours.

Yeah, that was probably mine. I sold it... Super nice young guy came and picked it up.

Small world sometimes.................LOL!!

Here Is Ryan's Thread on the 9" Rockwell to save you from searching if anyone wants to see it!
"The Delta Rockwell 34-600"
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=355408&highlight=Delta

 

[brianh]

Nice job on the saw, I got a 1959 one at an estate auction gets used a lot I still use the original fence. What an upgrade from my 1980 craftsman 12 inch table saw.

 

[jbryan188]

Cool video Ryan. Welcome to the Unisaw Club. I've got a '47. What width can you rip with those rails & fence? Definitely some nice modifications you did on the saw. I only see one problem - that ugly OUsux ball cap! ;-) Hook 'em!

By the way, I'm just down the road from you near Oakhill. Love the website.

I like the OU hat, in Austin to boot!!!

 

[Denwood]

Nice job Ryan. For the record, after your Festool table vid, and subsequent clips, I predicted you would have a table saw soon. You have the wood tool bug. I predict planer /jointer is next...cuz they’re awesome tools if you like things consistent and precise. You do like things consistent and precise

Two awesome bits I added to my setup which I use in some combination for nearly every cut. These are inexpensive, improve precision a lot, and improve saw safety to boot.

 

[rlitman]

Feather boards go in front of the blade. NEVER place a feather board like that behind the blade. You can use one vertically (like the board buddy) behind the blade, but ONLY on the piece between the blade and the fence. You must always allow the cut off piece on the opposite side of the fence from the blade to run away freely.

 

[Denwood]

I don't use the following feather to apply pressure..just as a guide. I'd agree that applying pressure to the kerf splitter is not a great idea. I normally apply a fair bit of pressure to the leading feather..pretty much zero pressure to the following.

Your point is a good one!

 

[toby267]

Good job, Ryan! I acquired a 1943 Unisaw a few years ago, complete with the wartime paper serial number plate. It still had the goose egg motor cover, and the cabinet floor was solid.

I added a shark guard, and a Vega pro fence. I also added dust collection by fabricating a chute inside the cabinet down to the door on the front of the saw and fabbing a new door out of wood with a 4" sheet metal elbow I can attach my dust collector to.