Show your Vintage power saws and woodworking tools here

drivesitfar · Jan 8, 2021

since i'm not moving where i'll have a huge shop i decided to do more woodworking than metal maybe cause i have more access to wood. that said since I love vintage tools I've picked up more than a few old saws and would love to learn more about them.

I couldn't find a thread with general vintage (let's say prior to 1970 to make it easy) power woodworking tools.

here's a few of mine to get started and like I say i have more than a few and i'd love to learn more about all of them as well as yours.

ed4banger · Jan 8, 2021

Craftsman 6" jointer, made by Walker Turner, late 30s I believe.

drivesitfar · Jan 8, 2021

ED: I absolutely love old WALKER TURNER tools!! I have an almost fully restored Drill Press sitting on my big steel workbench in my garage.

ALL: Here's an old Rockwell shaper one of my neighbors at my storage facility didn't have room for. i've yet to fire it up, but it came with a lot of extra (some new old stock) bits for it so i'm sure i'll have fun with it and try not to cut off a finger. I'm not sure of the age so i'll have to dig up the manuals which I think came with it or if anybody has an idea do tell.

drivesitfar · Jan 8, 2021

I've got several of these old small skillsaws and some are in pristine shape. here's one I need to post more information about or get some if any of you own one, but thought posting a few pictures that I have handy is a good start.

RTM · Jan 8, 2021

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332682&highlight=power+tool+journal

drivesitfar · Jan 8, 2021

RTM: thanks!! it's a 5 year old thread with only 74 posts and the host only has a few posts so maybe having a new one with woodworking and me posting up maybe 70 posts of just mine might get a few more members posting theirs?

got any to share please do and if you might have more information on any you see always happy to hear what you know.

cheers

ALL: I was on a search for beam saws to cut 6x6's and ended up with the Makita almost 16 inch skillsaw, but also ended up with a few 10 inchers to cut 4x4's or 4 inch thick beams.

here's my Makita 260mm beam saw that cuts 4by's nicely (beware of the kickback on these bigger saws so PAY ATTENTION when using them)

captain14 · Jan 8, 2021

My fathers Craftsman 6 1/2” circular saw and the box it has lived in since new. Late 50’s era?

don long · Jan 8, 2021

I have a collection of old Craftsman hand saws, sanders, jig saws and drills on display in the garage

Front side of cabinet

2014-11-15 16.34.31 by don long, on Flickr

Back side

2014-11-15 16.34.46 by don long, on Flickr

drivesitfar · Jan 8, 2021

CAP: gotta love those old Craftsman saws. do you use it or just set up on a shelf to admire?

DON: I was hoping you'd find your way to this thread. thanks for adding a few cool pics of a few of your collection.

ALL: since i also have some of my old saws with original boxes I have to ask. I don't think i've ever saved a box for a new power tool other than a metal or plastic case it might have came in so is this wrong for future collections?

one of my favorite little skillsaws is my Black & Decker with 6.25 blade. it's not the smoothest cutting and probably could use a new bearing or some grease, but damn it feels great in my hands. (sorry i can't find pics with MS's new search system they updated on my laptop so i'll post later).

QUESTION: since i bet I've got maybe close to 100 saw blades any of you have a good way to store them? I was thinking of building a small cabinet and setting them on end or I can fill up a flat file cabinet drawer or two or do tell?

captain14 · Jan 8, 2021

drivesitfar said:
CAP: gotta love those old Craftsman saws. do you use it or just set up on a shelf to admire?

The saw is kept at my Mothers house for the time being. When I have something to do there, out it comes.

I may have used it while building this handrail at her back Door after knee replacement surgery.

captain14 · Jan 8, 2021

So what am I doing wrong the photos flip 90*?

drivesitfar · Jan 8, 2021

CAP: no clue why pictures are flipped, but if posting from a cell phone it might be one reason cause I continually have to edit and rotate some of mine.

good luck

ALL: With MS changing the search method on all my photos it looks like i'll need to make a file for them so I can find them. GEESH. OR i'll take new photos cause I only have about 50 saws and I need to get them organized anyway.

keep posting up your saws with stories and if you are following along please post comments so we all know our pictures and time isn't completely wasted.

captain14 · Jan 8, 2021

It’s funny since I posted photos earlier of my garage door project and 7 out of 8 pics posted right side up. Yes I’m using my iPhone to post.

drivesitfar · Jan 8, 2021

CAP: whats sad is I pay for a second line that I never use cause I don't want to buy a new Iphone, but i won't pay $5 or $10 more a month for a trillion pieces of storage on the cloud. hence me always emailing my cell pics to my laptop and saving them there and then deleting so my Iphone 8+ doesn't fill up it's storage or the cloud.

I hope you figure it out and i'm sure you will.

any other cool old saws or woodworking tools to post please do or just follow along as the rest of us post and talk about them.

cheers

jar944 · Jan 8, 2021

I don't have many old handheld power tools, but I do have a few old stationary woodworking machines.

First up is a 50s or maybe 60s Millbury 106 tenoner. This was my first old woodworking machine. Laughably its the only one not in working condition after sitting in my shop for 3 or maybe 4 years.
View media item 109543 View media item 109544
The second (and maybe third) machines are a pair of Williams and hussey moulders. I think both are early 1970s machines. One looks new since it fell out of the truck on the way home. Nothing 3x the purchase price didn't fix.

View media item 109539 View media item 109447
Then I acquired a 1946 oliver 91d hollow chisel mortiser
View media item 109542
After that I picked up (or rather had delivered) a 1943 newman #60 jointer. Its a 16" 5hp machine.
View media item 98665
Then I'm currently pursuing a 1940s JA Fay & egan 24" planer. This one will certainly test my rigging abilities as it weighs 3400lbs.
View media item 109545

drivesitfar · Jan 8, 2021

Jar: I know like you I really like the old machines and most are so heavy we can't lift ourselves so just curious how you are moving in those huge machines into your shop or garage? gantry crane, steel beam with a chain hoist or do tell?

AWESOME STUFF as per usual and i've seen some of your work and it's even nicer.

thanks for sharing!!

jar944 · Jan 8, 2021

drivesitfar said:
Jar: I know like you I really like the old machines and most are so heavy we can't lift ourselves so just curious how you are moving in those huge machines into your shop or garage? gantry crane, steel beam with a chain hoist or do tell?

AWESOME STUFF as per usual and i've seen some of your work and it's even nicer.

thanks for sharing!!

Most of it had been offloaded with a 2ton engine hoist.

Actually this was me last night unload a new (to me) shaper only about 1300lbs

View media item 109546
From there it's onto a pallet jack and into the shop.

Most of the machines were brought in that way. The exceptions were the last shaper (1650lbs) and the newman jointer (2500lbs). The jointer was on a trailer and came off on a set of casters. The shaper was on a hydraulic drop deck trailer where I was able drop the deck inside the shop and wheel it off on a pallet jack.

drivesitfar · Jan 8, 2021

Jar: aren't pallet jacks and good engine lifts worth their weight in gold? i'd love to own a drop deck trailer.

are you loading a ton on your pickup? and I'm guessing the places you buy those heavy tools at has a fork lift?

thanks for sharing

if you have any small woodworking power tools feel free to post them up or just hang around and watch what other members post cause i'm sure many do.

JHuston · Jan 8, 2021

I'm a power tool repairman by trade, and I've been collecting Porter-Cable tools, both stationary and handheld, for almost twenty years now.

Here are my Guild series saws,

Early K-series saws,

My worm drive belt sanders,

And some shots of my toolcrib, which needs to be expanded ( there are over 150 power tools crammed into five big shelves)

My stationary stuff skews a little older, like my 1920's-ish Hutchinson table saw/ jointer, RAS and shaper,

or my 1918 Mulliner Enlund engine lathe,

The newest machine in the shop was made in 1967 ( Rockwell vertical milling machine), and you could fit all the tools built in my lifetime into a five-gallon bucket.
What can I say, I like 'em old.
-James Huston

drivesitfar · Jan 8, 2021

JH: thats a ton of cool old tools to see in only a few pics so if you have time to display and talk about one or two at a time please do. i thought i had a lot of old skill saws in their original metal cases, but you might have more.

any tips you'd like to share on restoring one of these cool old skill saws or other tools please don't hesitate to post up a couple tutorials.

thanks for sharing!!

jar944 · Jan 8, 2021

drivesitfar said:
Jar: aren't pallet jacks and good engine lifts worth their weight in gold? i'd love to own a drop deck trailer.

are you loading a ton on your pickup? and I'm guessing the places you buy those heavy tools at has a fork lift?

thanks for sharing

if you have any small woodworking power tools feel free to post them up or just hang around and watch what other members post cause i'm sure many do.

Yeah I'd have been dead in the water years ago without a engine hoist. I've kept the machines in the pickup to under 1500lbs. I had 2400lbs of cement pavers loaded on once and it was a bit much.

Yes most of places ive recently picked up machines from have forklifts for loading. That's one place where the drop deck really shines though. The 1650lb shaper was picked up from a residential garage (single car) no forklifts just a pallet jack for loading and uploading. It was the easiest move I've ever done.

jar944 · Jan 8, 2021

JHuston said:
I'm a power tool repairman by trade, and I've been collecting Porter-Cable tools, both stationary and handheld, for almost twenty years now.

Here are my Guild series saws,

Early K-series saws,

My worm drive belt sanders,

And some shots of my toolcrib, which needs to be expanded ( there are over 150 power tools crammed into five big shelves)

My stationary stuff skews a little older, like my 1920's-ish Hutchinson table saw/ jointer, RAS and shaper,

or my 1918 Mulliner Enlund engine lathe,

The newest machine in the shop was made in 1967 ( Rockwell vertical milling machine), and you could fit all the tools built in my lifetime into a five-gallon bucket.
What can I say, I like 'em old.
-James Huston

I like the shaw guard/ hold down on the shaper. Were those original to the machine? Happy to see a 40mm head mounted in there as well.

JHuston · Jan 8, 2021

jar944 said:
I like the shaw guard/ hold down on the shaper. Were those original to the machine? Happy to see a 40mm head mounted in there as well.

It is: I lucked out in the fact that both the RAS and the shaper still have all their accessories. The shaper is a tool I've not used much, but it's handy to have and does a very nice job.

-James Huston

Stillgottimefor1 · Jan 9, 2021

A truly beautiful collection . Hats Off to You!

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

drivesitfar · Jan 9, 2021

JH: do you have your own thread talking about all your power saws and tools or do you just post up pics on various threads?

reason i'm asking cause since you own so many I'd love to here your opinion about favorites, best, stories on how they came to your door, and if you might have time to talk about how you restored any from start to finish even better if you have time.

I don't know how many I own, but I owned more than a few before i just bought a small part of a friend's collection before he moves to his new home so now I've got several shelves of them.

thanks in advance

ALL: I know more of you have good old power woodworking tools and whether they are shined up or not please post up a few pics and tell us how you like it and maybe a story behind it if you have one. I can honestly say I probably like some of the stories almost as much as the tool pics.

have a great weekend everyone!!

JHuston · Jan 10, 2021

drivesitfar said:
JH: do you have your own thread talking about all your power saws and tools or do you just post up pics on various threads?

reason i'm asking cause since you own so many I'd love to here your opinion about favorites, best, stories on how they came to your door, and if you might have time to talk about how you restored any from start to finish even better if you have time.

have a great weekend everyone!!

I haven't done a thread on this site, but I do post quite a bit on owwm.org, and virtually all of it is about Porter-Cable. I did do a post there on my top ten P.C. circular saws not too long ago.
I'm trying to cobble together a website that will be essentially what you describe, but I'm not very good with digital technology, so it's a slow, agonizing task.

-James Huston

drivesitfar · Jan 12, 2021

JH: thanks and looking forward to any more posts you can post up here. I'd love to see your top 10 posted here cause i've tried using OWWM before and found it not to be as user friendly as GJ.

also if you want to post up more individual pics of your saws please do cause you might have more than 20 guys here.

ALL: it seems like the fan is plenty full of STUFF at the moment (failing 6 month old water heater, flat tire on wife's car, missing keys to locks I need opened, ...) so if you all can keep this new thread alive I promise i'll post up a ton of old saws and power woodworking tools when I have some time.

JHuston · Jan 12, 2021

drivesitfar said:
JH: thanks and looking forward to any more posts you can post up here. I'd love to see your top 10 posted here cause i've tried using OWWM before and found it not to be as user friendly as GJ.

also if you want to post up more individual pics of your saws please do cause you might have more than 20 guys here.

.

Currently, I have 64 circular saws in the collection, including the ones in the rebuild queue. I'll post some individual shots, starting with the top ten,

10.508

9. A-4

8.a-6

7.596

6.528

5.542

4. K-66

3. 115

2. K-10

1. K-88/K-88a

-James Huston

Larry914 · Jan 12, 2021

Hi, gentlemen. New to this forum, actually new to any forum. Inherited a Craftsman 103.24280 bandsaw and intend to restore it. The motor shaft has a special pulley on it that has another drive to two cogged belts. Anybody know what they may be for?

JHuston · Jan 12, 2021

My guess is that it was to slow the band saw down for metal cutting.
-James Huston

Stillgottimefor1 · Jan 13, 2021

JHuston said:
My guess is that it was to slow the band saw down for metal cutting.
-James Huston

I believe you are right, Sir. Also wanted to say that your saw collection is STUNNING! I understand your attraction to P.C. now. The way you have prepared them and their elegant design are just beautiful. Thank you for posting those.

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

JHuston · Jan 13, 2021

Stillgottimefor1 said:
I believe you are right, Sir. Also wanted to say that your saw collection is STUNNING! I understand your attraction to P.C. now. The way you have prepared them and their elegant design are just beautiful. Thank you for posting those.

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

Thank you! the 115 in my post was the first Porter-Cable tool I ever rebuilt. I found it during the shop Spring cleaning the first year I became a power tool repairman. I never did figure out what was supposed to be wrong with it, because it hasn't missed a beat in the nearly twenty years I've had it. Every one of them gets new bearings, a new cord, and whatever other wear and tear items are called for, so if it's in the tool crib, it's ready to go to work.

-James Huston

Stillgottimefor1 · Jan 14, 2021

They put a melancholy tear in my eye and soul because they were made so well ,so much pride and dignity and attention to detail and esthetic beauty in every part. Thank You so much for preserving them!

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

drivesitfar · Jan 14, 2021

JH: if you have the time i'm sure more than a few of us would love to see your pictures of a restoration and if you have time to tell us how you replaced/repaired/restored the saws or old tools and maybe where you got the new parts.

i'd also like to hear more how you rated the TOP 10 of your many many saws?

Still: great posts and hope to see more from you. speaking of more posts how about a few more pictures of that craftsman bandsaw? I've owned and have seen many many and yours is the first one i've seen with that extra pulley system. even though it looks a bit worse for wear and might need spiffing up and new belts I agree with JH that it probably is to help slow down your blade to make your wood bandsaw also work well cutting metal.

ALL: i'm still in the middle of a few repairs around here, but i'll post up more saws as soon as I can and other woodworking tools.

When I was picking up a metal cabinet yesterday that was just one to house some basic tools this bench was sitting in the guy's office and after a bit of haggling (or non haggling and just discussing with my bride cause she liked it too) it followed us home. it was made by the guy selling it to me and his 3rd try of the same bench and it's held together with 2 3 inch oak dowels. he also milled the wood from a maple tree that was on his property. cool bench now sitting at the end of our bed and it's 59x18x18.

Jim C. · Jan 14, 2021

Hey Drivesitfar,

That’s a nice looking bench. It looks heavy! I recently made a 1/2 scale (it seats one person) mock-up of a walnut slab and maple cradle bench using mostly old 1940s and 1950s machines and several antique hand planes. The stretcher between the legs follows the curve of the walnut slab above. I’m planning on making a full size bench (big enough for two) using a similarly curved, but larger walnut slab. The rough dimensions of the slab are 65” x 16” x 3.5”. I’m tracking down more maple..... Anyway, the vintage woodworking machines I used to make the smaller version of the bench included a 1947 Delta table saw, a 1952 Delta shaper, a 1954 Delta disc sander and a 1948 Craftsman drill press.

Jim C.

drivesitfar · Jan 15, 2021

JIM: that bench looks terrific!! i'm guessing you curved the support to stay with the middle of the curved top and made it out of 1x4's glued together? i'm thinking that is almost like boat building so have you built one or do you just like woodworking and doing this sort of stuff? nice looking shop too.

do you use your shaper much? I know they are a tad dangerous, but I've got a small Rockwell with a bunch of new cutters that i'm itching to use once I get my parent's basement set up to do some woodworking (and so i maybe get my 87 year old dad off his chair).

ALL: speaking of my little old Rockwell with a bunch of cutters here are a couple pics of it and them.

JHuston · Jan 15, 2021

drivesitfar said:
JH: if you have the time i'm sure more than a few of us would love to see your pictures of a restoration and if you have time to tell us how you replaced/repaired/restored the saws or old tools and maybe where you got the new parts.

i'd also like to hear more how you rated the TOP 10 of your many many saws?

I don't want to monopolize this thread anymore than I already have, so I may post a separate thread about it if there's interest, but here are a few photos of a recent restoration I did on a severely corroded BK-12 made shortly after WW2,

When I say corroded, I mean it; I had to drill all but two or three of the twenty-seven screws out of this thing.

I almost never sand out all the dings in a power tool when I rebuild them ( too lazy, but I also like the patina), but this saw was so pitted I spent several hours going over the castings before I hit the buffer,

After a little polishing and repainting the cartouches on the upper guard and handle,

I had it decent enough to rebuild, and with a new cord, bearings, brushes and a lot of replacement hardware cadged from my scrapyard of organ donors, it looked a lot nicer.

As for the top ten list, my main standard is how enjoyable the saw is to use; that, along with how well it does the specific type of sawing ( trim work, framing, etc.) and how good it looks doing it. Some saws are impressive for performance, like the 508. Some saws are remarkable for cutting capacity, such as the 12" 542, and a few of them are just all-around perfection, like the K-88/K-88a.

It's my vote for the most well made circular saw of all time, being essentially hand built like a quality firearm ( the castings in those days were actually faired into one another on a sander by eye, which is one of the reasons that saw cost the equivalent of 1,500.00 and change in 1942). The K-88 series was available in a number of special configurations, like this extended arbor, steel base version from about 1940. Add to that level of craftsmanship an adjustable, gibbed dovetail for the depth assembly, twin grease cups for servicing the bearings in the field without disassembly, and an extremely overbuilt motor, and you have the recipe for a classic.

-James Huston

Jim C. · Jan 16, 2021

drivesitfar said:
JIM: that bench looks terrific!! i'm guessing you curved the support to stay with the middle of the curved top and made it out of 1x4's glued together? i'm thinking that is almost like boat building so have you built one or do you just like woodworking and doing this sort of stuff? nice looking shop too.

do you use your shaper much? I know they are a tad dangerous, but I've got a small Rockwell with a bunch of new cutters that i'm itching to use once I get my parent's basement set up to do some woodworking (and so i maybe get my 87 year old dad off his chair).

ALL: speaking of my little old Rockwell with a bunch of cutters here are a couple pics of it and them.

Thanks! Yes, the curved stretcher is centered under the walnut slab. I initially tried steam bending to make the curve, but it cracked. I’ve had better luck with other other types of wood. I ended up laminating four 1/4” thick strips of maple in a shop made press. (See photo below). I’ve been engaged in some kind of woodworking since I was ten years old and made my first project with the assistance of the Delta table saw depicted above in my earlier post. I haven’t made a boat, but who knows, maybe someday.

As for the shaper, well, it’s actually one of my most favorite machines to use and I look for reasons to use it. A few years back I had to replace the sash on twenty four windows at my house. That shaper was invaluable. With a custom made set of cutters, I was able to reproduce the end cut profiles in a no time. I don’t think the shaper is any more or less dangerous than any other machine that’s spinning a sharp tool/blade/cutter at high RPMs. Treat it with the same respect you would treat any other power tool with. Do a little reading/research on your shaper and get it fired up! Delta published a “how to” book on using the shaper. I’ve seen various editions of the book occasionally on eBay. It’s also available to download on the Old Woodworking Machines website. Good luck setting up your shop! Here’s the link to the Delta shaper book:

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/1141/24828.pdf

Jim C.

drivesitfar · Jan 17, 2021

JH: don't feel like you are alone here on this thread we just started and keep posting up more of your restorations and information as you have time. one of the biggest threads in Vintage tools is about the CRAFTSMAN BLOCK GRINDER so us talking about Saws and all woodworking tools might actually get bigger. I had a bunch of members start a woodworking 101 thread over in general tools a couple years ago and it's still going strong. i've seen thousands of guys talk about a tool or their collection on a small thread that eventually disappeared. since i post more than most i'm happy to keep posting on this one especially if others want to post their tools and information so please post more if you have time. thanks in advance

we need more vintage tools guys to have a reason to show up here in the vintage section and good threads with good information and people following along and commenting will help. I know you said you like OWWM, but as I mentioned it doesn't seem to be as active as GJ and for me it's harder to find my way around it so I just don't bother checking in there and i'm guessing others feel the same way.

SO I have a question for you now that you gave good reasons for your #1 did it really cost $1500 new cause you could buy a house or a new car for that much in 1942?

at this point i've only changed power cords and blades on my saws and i'm very curious to see and know how to restore/repair the rest of them if anybody wants to post up their methods and pics always help.

ALL: anybody have a good system on how they store all their saw blades? (size, sharp, dull, ....)

JHuston · Jan 17, 2021

Drives, The K-88 went down in price by 1942; it was originally 2,100 when it debuted. The larger K-10 (10") was the equivalent of 2,800 dollars in today's money. These saws were designed with a different set of tactics in mind; in 1942, the handsaw was king with the average carpenter and a company that built homes might own a radial arm saw that was taken to the job. In those days, the foreman would often designate one man as the sawyer, hand him a cut list, and point him towards the Speedmatic saw and sawhorses. He would spend his entire day keeping the other workers fed with lumber cut to size, trimming studs, cutting birds mouths, and laying out and sawing rafters. A saw meant to be used to keep an entire site humming had to be utterly dependable, and these saws were. That level of build quality didn't come cheap.
I'm also a big fan of Porter-Cable's worm drive sanders,

-James Huston

Show your Vintage power saws and woodworking tools here

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