Anyone else using vintage power tools?

[Kirbot]

I know tools like this get brought up now and then,but I was just curious how many of us have a few of these things around.
I used to buy every old power tool I could get my hands on for a while, but a while back I sold all the stuff I didn't need.

I still have a few that I think are every bit as good or better than anything on the market now. I never paid more than about $20 for one. There's some real bargains to be had if you look for them.

 

[AceofSpad3s]

I got a 70's Black and Decker aluminum 1/3 sheet finishing sander with orbital mode. Got it for $3, I like it for what it is, my old plastic B&D sheet sander is a pos so the "new" one is a great replacement.

 

[Fugio]

Around 1991-92, I killed 3 high end circular saws in one year when I was working construction in college. Out of money, I bought an old B&D at a pawn sop for 18 bucks. 23 years later it's still running good as new.

I'm sick of killing new power tools, so I mostly just get old ones from CL. My jig saw died last year and I've been using my father-in-law's OLD chrome B&D. Not a ton of power, but durable and looks like a Cylon from Battlestar Galactica.

My HF belt sander died a few months ago too, so for 20 bucks I got an old Craftsman from CL. Built like a tank! But I know it's durable because my dad has the same model, and his is from the 1970's I believe.

 

[Fugio]

Oh, and of course my table saw is from Montgomery Wards and was made in the late 1940's ( we think). Cast iron, belt drive and uses 7.25" blades. Love it!

 

[bonneyman]

I found an old 60's vinatge Shop Craft 1/4" drill for $5 and used it for a year. Then I started to smell a little "heat" come out of it, and upon disassembly discovered the grease was all hard and the windings were black with crud. Cleaning and regreasing, thing works like a champ. I'd like to get the sister 3/8"er.

 

[rice rocket]

My issue is no one gave a damn about dust collection until the last 10 years. People used to not give a damn about any of this because we didn't know any better. Now that we do, using saws and sanders without dust collection just seems like a dumb idea. Plus it makes cleanup so much faster.

 

[neophyte]

My issue is no one gave a damn about dust collection until the last 10 years. People used to not give a damn about any of this because we didn't know any better. Now that we do, using saws and sanders without dust collection just seems like a dumb idea. Plus it makes cleanup so much faster.

Dust collection has actually been around on tools made for industrial use for probably thirty years. Bosch and Elu are two companies whose tools routinely had an option for dust collection. In the case of Elu, Black and Decker who owned them and distributed the tools in the USA, made a habit of not selling or including the dust collection attachments. Bosch was better, but some of the tools were made in a US version that also didn't include dust collection. Milwaukee tools that were sold in Europe sometimes were modified to include dust collection, but the modifications weren't sold in the USA.

 

[MushCreek]

Some of my tools are becoming vintage! I bought a new Skil saw in '72, two Milwaukee drills in '76, and a Makita belt sander in '78. They're all still on the job, although the skilsaw is a beater now.

 

[rice rocket]

Dust collection has actually been around on tools made for industrial use for probably thirty years. Bosch and Elu are two companies whose tools routinely had an option for dust collection. In the case of Elu, Black and Decker who owned them and distributed the tools in the USA, made a habit of not selling or including the dust collection attachments. Bosch was better, but some of the tools were made in a US version that also didn't include dust collection. Milwaukee tools that were sold in Europe sometimes were modified to include dust collection, but the modifications weren't sold in the USA.

On stationary tools, yes, but portable ones as well?

Also Milwaukee's dust collection is awful compared to nearly all other brands. It's clearly an afterthought, not a design goal.

 

[crerus75]

I have an aluminum-bodied Craftsman circular saw that is my go-to saw. With a modern thin-kerf blade, it cuts beautifully.

My Skil 77 worm-drive circular saw is at least 20 years old, and more likely 25 or 30. I have a pallet-cutting blade on it and use it for demo and rough cutting jobs. It took down an entire carport made of rotted, nail-impregnated wood a few years back. It sliced through nails, sheathing, shingles, and whatever else was in front of it. I changed the oil once when I bought it, but that's about it.

My Milwaukee Sawzall is also a cast-aluminum model, the only sawzall I have. Single speed and weighs a ton, but it'll probably survive doomsday. Probably due for a restoration soon.

I have an aluminum-bodied, corded Black and Decker screw gun, the type used for hanging sheetrock all day long. The cord is rotted out and it needs to be taken apart and lubed, but it drove a LOT of drywall screws in its day. If cordless drivers weren't so good, I'd still be using it.

I don't know if 20 years old counts as vintage, but my corded Makita 1/2" VSR drill is at least that old. Loud, heavy, and a real arm-breaker. I've run it wide-open drilling concrete with carbide bits masonry bits before I had a hammer drill and it just flat-out works. When I need a real mother of a drill, that's what I reach for.

I recently donated a working Skil 3/8" corded drill that had to be at least 30 years old. It was plastic-bodied and beat up, but it worked flawlessly and had some serious torque for a 3/8". Someone will give it a good home, I hope (probably some idiot like me who can't resist finding a home for every stray tool he sees).

 

[Milton Shaw]

I have an 8" Black and Decker skill saw. All metal and I got it used over 45 years ago, still B&D nibbler a few years ago and had it rebuilt by Dewalt,(new cord, brushes and cutters) Nothing on the market approaches the cut it will take on nearly 1/4" steel. They just don't make them like they used to for sure in power tools.. They were built heavy and built to be able to be fixed and used forever.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Oh, and of course my table saw is from Montgomery Wards and was made in the late 1940's ( we think). Cast iron, belt drive and uses 7.25" blades. Love it!

About the only truly vintage tool I use is my Montgomery Ward table saw as well... BUT I think its days are numbered...if I had the need for a lot of sheet ripping, I would upgrade to a new one.

I fail to see what old tools do for me..IMHO they are heavy, under or overpowered, and just overall not that great. I know & understand some people have some nostalgia for them but IMHO they are nothing to brag about. I see those old metal cased drills often...usually have a Mud Paddle virtually welded to the chuck as the only thing they are good for is mixing pails of drywall mud. Circular saws are just too bleepin heavy, the fence on my Montgomery ward saw ***** wild elephant you know what...

I'll stick to light weight, soft start, useable tools

 

[Ridwaan Gallow]

No pictures but i a use a Metabo 115mm angle grinder which has a switch on the rear end of the machine.. i have a Hitachi 2100 angle grinder which is the oldest angle grinder i have seen.. and the the crown jewel, my welding machine is an AFROX air cooled stick/arc welder which i think Noah used to build the ark with.. my tools are seriously old, but i had newer tools which died after i abused them like i abused my old stuff.. i had a Ryobi grinder which blew its plug so i tossed it in the bin..

I like old tools.. they can take a beating, but i would be very happy if i could afford some decent new tools..

 

[n8n]

My two most used power tools are a Milwaukee 1/2" drill that I bought new circa 1998 and my great-grandfather's old Craftsman scroll saw.

 

[Kirbot]

I fail to see what old tools do for me..IMHO they are heavy, under or overpowered, and just overall not that great. I know & understand some people have some nostalgia for them but IMHO they are nothing to brag about. I see those old metal cased drills often...usually have a Mud Paddle virtually welded to the chuck as the only thing they are good for is mixing pails of drywall mud. Circular saws are just too bleepin heavy, the fence on my Montgomery ward saw ***** wild elephant you know what...

I'll stick to light weight, soft start, useable tools

A Montgomery ward table saw is a really a pretty lousy tool to base your opinion on...
Throw a Biesemeyer on an old Unisaw, and you might feel differently.

It just depends on the tool really. You'll obviously need to go modern for cordless drills, random orbit sanders, impact drivers, and a handful of other tools

Belt sanders, on the other hand, are SUPPOSED to be heavy.
And the 3/4" Craftsman drill I have gets used now and then. There aren't too many alternatives for spinning big pipe reamers or turning over engines. I've had times when a Milwaukee holeshooter could do nothing but sit in the corner crying...

Old circular saws, I can take or leave. They're a little heavy, but powerful and smooth.
And seeing as a lot of them are still running 50+ years later, it's hard to deny the quality.

I wouldn't mind an M18 to compliment the old corded variety.

 

[Fugio]

A Montgomery ward table saw is a really a pretty lousy tool to base your opinion on...
Throw a Biesemeyer on an old Unisaw, and you might feel differently.

It just depends on the tool really. You'll obviously need to go modern for cordless drills, random orbit sanders, impact drivers, and a handful of other tools

Belt sanders, on the other hand, are SUPPOSED to be heavy.
And the 3/4" Craftsman drill I have gets used now and then. There aren't too many alternatives for spinning big pipe reamers or turning over engines. I've had times when a Milwaukee holeshooter could do nothing but sit in the corner crying...

Old circular saws, I can take or leave. They're a little heavy, but powerful and smooth.
And seeing as a lot of them are still running 50+ years later, it's hard to deny the quality.

I wouldn't mind an M18 to compliment the old corded variety.

You're right about the fence on the Monkey Ward table saw. It's awful. But the Craftsman saw that I burned up a couple of years ago had a very decent fence. With only a very slight modification it works perfectly well on the Ward's saw. There's always a way to work around/replace a bad fence.

 

[1930artdeco]

I am finishing the resto of a 1938 Delta table saw and it is better than anything made today. The table itself weighs as much as the saw itself with a little left over. But then again it is cast iron. I am slowly replacing my modern tools for vintage ones because the quality is better.

Mike

 

[Spudland_Dave]

A Montgomery ward table saw is a really a pretty lousy tool to base your opinion on...
Throw a Biesemeyer on an old Unisaw, and you might feel differently.

It just depends on the tool really. You'll obviously need to go modern for cordless drills, random orbit sanders, impact drivers, and a handful of other tools

Belt sanders, on the other hand, are SUPPOSED to be heavy.
And the 3/4" Craftsman drill I have gets used now and then. There aren't too many alternatives for spinning big pipe reamers or turning over engines. I've had times when a Milwaukee holeshooter could do nothing but sit in the corner crying...

Old circular saws, I can take or leave. They're a little heavy, but powerful and smooth.
And seeing as a lot of them are still running 50+ years later, it's hard to deny the quality.

I wouldn't mind an M18 to compliment the old corded variety.

Oh no doubt...I don't think it was ever marketed as a "Great" fence...but its fine for my "non-cabnetmaking" uses... I haven't gotten rid of that saw because of its history, it built my parents house, it built my dads shop, countless pieces of furniture by my dad and then it finished my house and I built my garage with it...for an old POS she's a tough ol girl who just wont die.

I think the one thing that vintage tools have going for them is quality, but not because the modern ones aren't quality or the older ones are better...its because people don't want to pay for todays quality tool. Obviously a tool that has survived 40+ years has stood the test of time...the junk is long gone. But if you open up your wallet you can get great circular saws...my Milwaukee corded saw was the top of the line when I bought it...paid way more then I should have but she's a beast! I recently cut down a 4'x8'a sheet of A36 3/4" Steel plate with it, she didn't bat an eye.

I didn't think there was a need or use for a belt sander anymore? I remember my dad having one as a kid, and using one in shop class back in the day, but I've never personally owned one, nor even knew you could get them new anymore?? I guess I really did but never paid attention..

You're right about the fence on the Monkey Ward table saw. It's awful. But the Craftsman saw that I burned up a couple of years ago had a very decent fence. With only a very slight modification it works perfectly well on the Ward's saw. There's always a way to work around/replace a bad fence.

I had looked into getting a SOMEWHAT Decent fence for it, IMHO just throwing good money into a black hole, now if I have something "critical" I'll just use a home-made fence with clamps...does the trick.

 

[AceofSpad3s]

Forgot to mention my dunlap drill press in my first post, had awful luck with it. Got it for $30 worked pretty good until I had to adjust the belts, I could not for the life of me get the belts tight enough to not slip on the spindles and loose enough not stall the motor. I opened it up and found metal shavings because the head cover and the spindle were not centered properly and caused the top of the spindle to rub on the head causing it to chip, not to mention getting shocked by it was fun as well. Then the copper berings fell into the body of the dp when I was trying to get the spindle centered to fix the rubbing issue ended up just giving up on it because I was furious. It is now holding up a shelving unit in the garage. Current plans are to take the motor and make a disc sander out of it. Makes me nervous about purchasing belt driven tools now.

 

[altersaddle]

I have an old metal-bodied single speed drill - had a 1/4" chuck that I replaced with a 3/8". Might go back to the 1/4" so I don't burn it out, now that I have a new Ryobi 1/2" hammer drill.

Also have a metal-bodied screw gun. It puts screws in. It does not take them out. Got a good gear reduction head and pressure clutch.

I can't remember the brands of either (Wolf maybe) - I'll take a photo when I get home.

Everything else I use is '70s vintage up to modern. I just got and mildly overhauled a 9" Milwaukee angle grinder that would be my upper limit of manageable hand power tools. It's terrifying, but can sure eat steel.

 

[bigcaddy]

I've got a handful of Makita palm sanders i use for everything and they are pushing 20 years old. In fact, the only reason i have so many is that they never die and i buy "new" ones at yards sales for 5-10.00 bucks

My drill press is over 100 years old and one of the youngest i have.

 

[exmaxima1]

A Montgomery ward table saw is a really a pretty lousy tool to base your opinion on...
Throw a Biesemeyer on an old Unisaw, and you might feel differently.

It just depends on the tool really. You'll obviously need to go modern for cordless drills, random orbit sanders, impact drivers, and a handful of other tools

I agree that spending $200 on a Biesemeyer is a good investment. But I also feel that some of the best handheld woodworking tools are vintage. I love the balance and smoothness of old routers----but dad's old B&D 3/8" drill really is a POS

 

[Kirbot]

I didn't think there was a need or use for a belt sander anymore? I remember my dad having one as a kid, and using one in shop class back in the day, but I've never personally owned one, nor even knew you could get them new anymore?? I guess I really did but never paid attention..

I generally just use mine for cleaning up bench tops. But there's still plenty of call for one if you do a lot of wood working. I love my random orbit sander, but it can't begin to compare to how fast a belt sander can work.

Everything else I use is '70s vintage up to modern. I just got and mildly overhauled a 9" Milwaukee angle grinder that would be my upper limit of manageable hand power tools. It's terrifying, but can sure eat steel.

I have a big old Skil grinder like that. I never had a guard for it though, so I generally just use a knotted wire cup on it. It's almost as terrifying, but I swear when rust sees it, it jumps off of it's own accord.

 

[Kirbot]

I agree that spending $200 on a Biesemeyer is a good investment. But I also feel that some of the best handheld woodworking tools are vintage. I love the balance and smoothness of old routers----but dad's old B&D 3/8" drill really is a POS

I've always wanted to pick up an old router like that.
I don't really have any need for one, but they just look like such nice old tools.

I'd probably start routing edges on everything just so I could use it.

 

[altersaddle]

Here are my old power tools:



Blurry iPod camera is blurry.

I think the driver is a Black & Decker (http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=250108). The nameplate is long gone. It could do with some restoration, the black tape is likely now structural. I'm not sure if the screwdriver clutch is original or what.

The drill is a Mall brand. Made in Chicago! I wish I could get parts for it, the brush holder is a little busted.

 

[crerus75]

I didn't think there was a need or use for a belt sander anymore? I remember my dad having one as a kid, and using one in shop class back in the day, but I've never personally owned one, nor even knew you could get them new anymore?? I guess I really did but never paid attention..

Don't laugh, but I've used mine more than once to flatten warped flanges on exhaust manifolds. Works great for small, not-too-badly-warped flanges.

 

[MushCreek]

I didn't think there was a need or use for a belt sander anymore? I remember my dad having one as a kid, and using one in shop class back in the day, but I've never personally owned one, nor even knew you could get them new anymore?? I guess I really did but never paid attention..

What takes the place of a belt sander? I use mine quite a bit, both the portable and my big Powermatic stationary one. With a good sander and the right belt, you can do quite a bit.

 

[bcradio]

What takes the place of a belt sander? I use mine quite a bit, both the portable and my big Powermatic stationary one. With a good sander and the right belt, you can do quite a bit.

Take your pick:

https://www.festoolusa.com/power-tools/sanders/

I pretty much only have newer portable power tools as I believe they a superior to vintage ones. Where older power tools shine are the large stationary machines (mills, lathes, etc.). If I had room for some I'd be buying them up like crazy.

 

[Kirbot]

Take your pick:

https://www.festoolusa.com/power-tools/sanders/

I don't care who's name is on them, none of those tools even come close removing material quickly like a belt sander.

 

[bcradio]

I don't care who's name is on them, none of those tools even come close removing material quickly like a belt sander.

Absolutely they do... Good chance they surpass a belt sander too:

https://www.festoolusa.com/power-tools/sanders/ras-11504-e-rotary-sander-570789

 

[Kirbot]

Absolutely they do... Good chance they surpass a belt sander too:

https://www.festoolusa.com/power-tools/sanders/ras-11504-e-rotary-sander-570789

Disc sanders have always been around. (at least as long as belt sanders)
They're about as aggressive as a belt sander, but a lot less controllable. Certainly not the tool of choice for refinishing big tables or any other flat surfaces.

 

[rice rocket]

Absolutely they do... Good chance they surpass a belt sander too:

https://www.festoolusa.com/power-tools/sanders/ras-11504-e-rotary-sander-570789

Uhh, no.

Festool even offers a belt sander overseas, though the dust collection is no better than your average home improvement store brand.

The RAS is not a replacement for a belt sander either.

I have the RO150, which I use for a lot of things, but again, not a belt sander replacement.

Some people on the green koolaid just can't see past the green.

 

[Kirbot]

Uhh, no.

Festool even offers a belt sander overseas, though the dust collection is no better than your average home improvement store brand.

The RAS is not a replacement for a belt sander either.

I have the RO150, which I use for a lot of things, but again, not a belt sander replacement.

Some people on the green koolaid just can't see past the green.

I'm just having a really hard time understanding the logic behind thinking belt sanders are obsolete...

 

[neophyte]

On stationary tools, yes, but portable ones as well?

Also Milwaukee's dust collection is awful compared to nearly all other brands. It's clearly an afterthought, not a design goal.

I'm specifically referring to portable tools.

 

[Reese]

I have a 60's or 70's vintage Rockwell 126 door planer and Rockwell 100 router that I use for hanging doors. Most of the rest of my power tools are 80's- 90's vintage, mostly because I am cheap and buy nearly everything used.

I went on a tear for a short time and bought a bunch of aluminum era power tools, but realized I really didn't like using them and re-sold them.

 

[bonneyman]

Oh, I forgot to mention the 7 1/4" circular saw I have made by Skil. Pukey orange aluminum body, I'm thinking 70's. Prolly needs new bushings but it still cuts.

 

[rsanter]

Not sure what you call vintage?
To me any tool that is whatever years old but still gets the jop done is just a tool and should be used.
Any tool that is old, outdated, or mot peticularly usefull anymore.....is vintage

Bob

 

[Kirbot]

Not sure what you call vintage?
To me any tool that is whatever years old but still gets the jop done is just a tool and should be used.
Any tool that is old, outdated, or mot peticularly usefull anymore.....is vintage

Bob

I'm mostly thinking of the aluminum cased tools.

 

[PCO6]

I still get a lot of use out of this '50s (?) B&D 7" hand me down sander from my Dad. It is a nice size and is well balanced.

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