Any Info On This OLD Craftsman Table Saw?

[CloudsRest]

Does anyone know anything about this old Craftsman table saw? It says 1HP, made in the USA, it works, came with some accessories including about a 6 blades and an extra aluminum plate for the top for different size blades, and, most importantly, it looks really cool. For $60 at a thrift store, I decided to go for it. Considering how old it is, should I take it apart and clean/grease the bearings, or is it probably fine to use as it is? Was this a good find?

edit: trying to fix imgur links

 

[mjbuffum]

Craftsman made a ton of table saws. Need to see some pictures or a model number.

 

[The Cobbler]

imgur doesn't play with GJ, you need to remove the "S" from "HTTPS" in your links

 

[CloudsRest]

oops, didn't realize the photos weren't loading. Should be fixed now.

 

[CloudsRest]

imgur doesn't play with GJ, you need to remove the "S" from "HTTPS" in your links

Thanks! I think it's working now.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Temporarily remove the drive belt and spin the blade arbor by hand - if it's smooth and you hear no noise it's probably good to go. That style saw was built from (I think) early 1950s to early 1960s. They aren't a professional grade tool but they still work pretty well. If you can track down the extension wings for the top it will be a lot more useful.

 

[CKS1955]

This saw is from about 1956/7 to about 1959.

Jay

 

[Rileysan]

Made by King Seeley for Sears and built like a tank. Because they are so stout, they are readily available in most any part of the US and prices tend to be low.

Your saw takes an 8" blade, is missing the table extensions and other optional accessories like a blade guard, factory stand, and so-on. Keep an eye out on your local Craigslist, et al for good deals on saws with the accessories you're missing, which will cost you more than the saw is worth if you try to buy them off eBay.

The 1HP motor is the largest offered by Sears for this saw and will out-perform any modern equivalent.

Brian

 

[Lynden]

I think OP's saw uses a 10" blade. The smaller saw of the same vintage that uses an 8" blade is shown in the following link.

http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=36314

 

[shoot summ]

Made by King Seeley for Sears and built like a tank. Because they are so stout, they are readily available in most any part of the US and prices tend to be low.

Your saw takes an 8" blade, is missing the table extensions and other optional accessories like a blade guard, factory stand, and so-on. Keep an eye out on your local Craigslist, et al for good deals on saws with the accessories you're missing, which will cost you more than the saw is worth if you try to buy them off eBay.

The 1HP motor is the largest offered by Sears for this saw and will out-perform any modern equivalent.

Brian

The 8" version uses a single knob for raise and lower, and tilt. The saw pictured is a 10" saw. I've had a good number of both of them...

 

[exmaxima1]

The 8" version uses a single knob for raise and lower, and tilt. The saw pictured is a 10" saw. I've had a good number of both of them...

I had the matching 8-inch saw for many years, and it had 2 knobs for tilt and height. I think the one with a single knob was a later model.

Not my pics, but it looked like that.

 

[exmaxima1]

I think OP's saw uses a 10" blade. The smaller saw of the same vintage that uses an 8" blade is shown in the following link.

http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=36314

It is indeed a 10-inch saw, but the one in your link is a different era that had a single knob and a completely different fence mechanism.

 

[Lynden]

I may have been wrong in my earlier reply. The Craftsman 8" table saw I linked was manufactured during the 1950s. There was an earlier Craftsman 8" table saw from the late 1940s that looks like OP's saw. The following 1948 catalog link shows this saw.

http://www.blackburntools.com/artic...ves/sears/pdfs/sears-craftsman-1948-power.pdf ---> See Page 2

 

[exmaxima1]

I may have been wrong in my earlier reply. The Craftsman 8" table saw I linked was manufactured during the 1950s. There was an earlier Craftsman 8" table saw from the late 1940s that looks like OP's saw. The following 1948 catalog link shows this saw.

http://www.blackburntools.com/artic...ves/sears/pdfs/sears-craftsman-1948-power.pdf ---> See Page 2

Bingo. That looks like my dad's saw, except the miter gauge was slightly bigger. I never knew exactly when he bought it, but apparently it was older than I thought. Great job at finding that catalog!

 

[Lynden]

Both styles of the Craftsman 8" table saw are shown in the 1950 Sears catalog.

http://www.blackburntools.com/artic...ves/sears/pdfs/sears-craftsman-1950-power.pdf

 

[exmaxima1]

Both styles of the Craftsman 8" table saw are shown in the 1950 Sears catalog.

http://www.blackburntools.com/artic...ves/sears/pdfs/sears-craftsman-1950-power.pdf

Wow, $9.50 for the cast wings back in 1950. That's $100 in today's money. That's gotta be for the PAIR. No wonder you don't see wings on all those used machines.