Scimonetti
Well-known member
55 Craftsman Table Saw Restoration
I picked this up this before I was a member here, but I had lurked for a while and learned all about this type thing, especially these 50s craftsman machines.
I found this ad on craigslist that had been up for almost a month. I somehow missed it when it first went up, but I hadn't been looking for a saw at that time so that makes sense. I emailed the lady and asked if it was available and that I was very interested. I was willing to pay the full $75. She said yes and then without me saying anything(only 2 sentences over email)lowered the price to $50 and really wanted me to take it.
I wasn't going to haggle her so that was a pleasant surprise! They were moving and really needed it gone, and tried to get me to take a workbench(not very good) too!
I wasn't really planning on documenting it and didn't have a phone then, so here's some ehh photos throughout the resto.
This is it after I got it home and cleaned up the table. It was moderately rusted but a couple hours of scotchbrite and WD-40 scrubbing later it was clean, with some pits.
Disassembly was a bit tough, I didn't have many hand tools and I pulled the trunnion assembly out from underneath the table so I could lift the top off by myself. Accessing the bolts through the front panel was really tough.
I kept the original paint on the trunnion assembly because it wasn't easy to disassemble, was in good shape, wasn't visible really and would be covered in sawdust. I just wire wheeled and sanded all acme threads, bare metal and cleaned off the caked sawdust.
Next was on to the pedestal and base. I wire wheeled outside with a knotted cup brush and grinder. I used a mask and common sense, staying down wind in case it was lead paint. The paint underneath the base was perfect and not faded, so I left it as is and used it to color match.
The color that worked was Valspar Cobalt Cannon. I used Krylon pro red oxide primer and Rustoleum pro red primer. I prefer the Rustoleum because it seems to cover better. The Krylon dries super fast, almost too fast as it sometimes gets powderlike on the metal. It seems like overpray that comes from a distance dries in the air and forms a crumbly half adhered surface on the metal. It's weird.
The column I decided not to paint the original color and for some reason used some plasticote bedliner I had left over from a camera crane build. It costs a lot(12 bucks at bond) but is super awesome and I buy it for projects I'm paid for. It's not a rough bedliner, but a fine durable black. Once you get down to last 1/3 of the can it started to spray on lighter, almost a gray.
The blade wrench I primed and painted cobalt cannon for accent, and then used a magnet to stick it to the column.
I'll start posting some pictures of it done, so you can see what I'm talking about, and because your probably getting bored.
the colors of the pics in the basement are off, but the garage ones are pretty accurate.
I picked this up this before I was a member here, but I had lurked for a while and learned all about this type thing, especially these 50s craftsman machines.
I found this ad on craigslist that had been up for almost a month. I somehow missed it when it first went up, but I hadn't been looking for a saw at that time so that makes sense. I emailed the lady and asked if it was available and that I was very interested. I was willing to pay the full $75. She said yes and then without me saying anything(only 2 sentences over email)lowered the price to $50 and really wanted me to take it.
I wasn't going to haggle her so that was a pleasant surprise! They were moving and really needed it gone, and tried to get me to take a workbench(not very good) too! I wasn't really planning on documenting it and didn't have a phone then, so here's some ehh photos throughout the resto.
This is it after I got it home and cleaned up the table. It was moderately rusted but a couple hours of scotchbrite and WD-40 scrubbing later it was clean, with some pits.
Disassembly was a bit tough, I didn't have many hand tools and I pulled the trunnion assembly out from underneath the table so I could lift the top off by myself. Accessing the bolts through the front panel was really tough.
I kept the original paint on the trunnion assembly because it wasn't easy to disassemble, was in good shape, wasn't visible really and would be covered in sawdust. I just wire wheeled and sanded all acme threads, bare metal and cleaned off the caked sawdust.
Next was on to the pedestal and base. I wire wheeled outside with a knotted cup brush and grinder. I used a mask and common sense, staying down wind in case it was lead paint. The paint underneath the base was perfect and not faded, so I left it as is and used it to color match.
The color that worked was Valspar Cobalt Cannon. I used Krylon pro red oxide primer and Rustoleum pro red primer. I prefer the Rustoleum because it seems to cover better. The Krylon dries super fast, almost too fast as it sometimes gets powderlike on the metal. It seems like overpray that comes from a distance dries in the air and forms a crumbly half adhered surface on the metal. It's weird.
The column I decided not to paint the original color and for some reason used some plasticote bedliner I had left over from a camera crane build. It costs a lot(12 bucks at bond) but is super awesome and I buy it for projects I'm paid for. It's not a rough bedliner, but a fine durable black. Once you get down to last 1/3 of the can it started to spray on lighter, almost a gray.
The blade wrench I primed and painted cobalt cannon for accent, and then used a magnet to stick it to the column.
I'll start posting some pictures of it done, so you can see what I'm talking about, and because your probably getting bored.
the colors of the pics in the basement are off, but the garage ones are pretty accurate.
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That way you'll always have a lifetime keeper C-Man saw in your stable.
That is a great restoration of a great collectible saw. Well done.