MARVEL-ous Bandsaw Acquisition

[dr_clyde]

Just made the deal on this Marvel Series 8 tilt frame bandsaw this morning. Buying sight unseen from my favorite trusted machinery dealer in the area.

I've been after one of these saws for YEARS but they are either worn-da-eff out or WAY too much money. This one is obviously old, but it appears to be in decent shape. Word is it came from a GM plant, most likely a maintenance shop. Other than the crappy blue and yellow respray, it appears to be pretty solid. Maybe this summer I can find an apprentice to tear it apart and give it a new paint job. If it is in good enough shape I suppose.

If you're unfamiliar with a tilt-frame bandsaw, they are the ultimate in bandsaw versatility. They can function as a both vertical saw and horizontal cutoff style saws, as well as being able to fixture parts to the table and cut odd setups.

They have a very large cutting envelope, full flood coolant, variable pressure power feed and with the nifty float vise and tee slotted table, you can really cut some weird shapes. If you can only have one saw in your shop, this is the one you want.

This is the spec sheet listed for this machine:

Nominal Capacity 18” x 23 ½”
Maximum Capacity 18” x 28”
Blade at 45 Deg. Nominal Capacity 18” x 16 ½”
Blade at 45 Deg. Maximum Capacity 18” x 18”
Working Surface of Table 23” x 24 ¼”
Table Height 32 ½”
T-Slots (4) ¾”
Maximum Vise Opening 21”
Height of Vise Jaw 6”
Drive 3 Step Cone Pulley
Blade Speeds 40-200
Overall Height 89 ½”
Floor Space 48” x 80”
Weight 2,600 lbs.


I still have to arrange trucking, but hopefully it hits my floor in a week or so. I can always go get it, but I would prefer it if they could deliver.

I'm pumped!

 

[zmotorsports]

Nice.

Looks to be in good shape too.

 

[Jayman17]

I have never seen or heard of this type of BS. Looking forward to see how it works. Congrats on the score.

Jay

 

[PugetDude]

Those old Marvel saws are fantastic- solid, well built and indestructible. I bought one of these for my employer in 1981 from a machinery dealer in Ft. Smith, Arkansas- the first machine tool I ever purchased in my 40 year metalforming career.

Clean it up, tune it up, put a good Lenox blade on it and you'll love the performance.
Nice score, Jake!

 

[larry_g]

Does that saw use gravity to feed in like the Roll-in saws or is it a positive feed? Which ever I am envious.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[dr_clyde]

Does that saw use gravity to feed in like the Roll-in saws or is it a positive feed? Which ever I am envious.

lg
no neat sig line

It is a power feed, not gravity. It has a clutched shaft that drives off the motor, and you adjust feed pressure with the adjustable clutch on the back.

Actually uses cork as the clutch material IIRC.

My neighbor has one identical to this in his shop, I've only used it a handful of times.

 

[el monte slim]

If that Marvel Series 8 spent most of it's life in the maintenance shop of a GM assembly plant, odds are probably decent for it being in usable condition.

One of my customers used to have sixteen Marvel 81A's, which are a later automatic version of that Series 8 machine. Many got rode hard and put away wet, doing high-volume production cutting of structural steel on multiple shifts in two plants. Their combined maintenance departments stocked so many spare parts, it was a running joke they could "almost" build the machine from scratch. This was an exaggeration of course, but in reality two of their maintenance guys were experts in diagnosing and repairing them in-house. Today only one remains in regular use, with six HE&M machines handling the production requirements.

 

[Joebass]

One of the best saws going! I have it's big brother the full auto 81A.

 

[ClappedOutBport]

Oh you lucky dog. You're right though, no real need for a horizontal or vertical bandsaw with one of these.

 

[dr_clyde]

Oh you lucky dog. You're right though, no real need for a horizontal or vertical bandsaw with one of these.

Need, no, want, yes.

I’m up to 4 saws now, and they all have their place in my shop. Especially when you have more than one guy working. It’s not uncommon to have a miter setup on the cold saw, a guy cutting bar on the horizontal DoAll, and someone cutting shapes on the vertical DoAll.

This will allow a lot of versatility and flexibility in the shop. Redundant machines just means we can work more efficiently.

 

[dr_clyde]

If that Marvel Series 8 spent most of it's life in the maintenance shop of a GM assembly plant, odds are probably decent for it being in usable condition.

One of my customers used to have sixteen Marvel 81A's, which are a later automatic version of that Series 8 machine. Many got rode hard and put away wet, doing high-volume production cutting of structural steel on multiple shifts in two plants. Their combined maintenance departments stocked so many spare parts, it was a running joke they could "almost" build the machine from scratch. This was an exaggeration of course, but in reality two of their maintenance guys were experts in diagnosing and repairing them in-house. Today only one remains in regular use, with six HE&M machines handling the production requirements.

I hope it is in decent shape. GM tends to take care of their stuff from what I’ve been told. I know you can still get parts from Amada/Marvel, so unless something is totally boned I should be ok. I do have a machine shop after all.

 

[dr_clyde]

One of the best saws going! I have it's big brother the full auto 81A.

Someday...

I really would have preferred a Mark II, but they are an order of magnitude higher in price.

I don’t do enough production sawing to justify the outlay right now. If I can, I order my material pre-cut to print. It really helps with the flow of our shop to not have to handle so much full bar. We can, but I prefer to pay my employees I do what they’re good at instead of standing in front of a bandsaw. We have to have saws to do the work we do, so I like having options.

 

[Robert Haas]

Let me be the first to say


YOU ****

 

[ClappedOutBport]

Need, no, want, yes.

I’m up to 4 saws now, and they all have their place in my shop. Especially when you have more than one guy working. It’s not uncommon to have a miter setup on the cold saw, a guy cutting bar on the horizontal DoAll, and someone cutting shapes on the vertical DoAll.

This will allow a lot of versatility and flexibility in the shop. Redundant machines just means we can work more efficiently.

I'm not saying I'd dump the others either. Especially in your situation. Just saying that I agree. I'd certainly keep a vert if you did a lot of contour sawing, as I'm sure bending the blade through 90 degrees puts a lot more stress on it than no bend in a vert.

 

[dr_clyde]

I'm not saying I'd dump the others either. Especially in your situation. Just saying that I agree. I'd certainly keep a vert if you did a lot of contour sawing, as I'm sure bending the blade through 90 degrees puts a lot more stress on it than no bend in a vert.

I get what you’re saying.

If I had to only keep one, the tilt frame is by far the most versatile.

 

[Joebass]

Just some more thoughts as a guy that's basically in your line of work.... keep all the saws, unless you get another Marvel, then you can dump the horizontal. As far as being from a GM maintenance shop, it likely came out of a tool room, or millwrights area. I worked in a GM plant as did my father for 40 years. I also bought my Shear, brake, and smaller power rolls from a different GM plant. The stuff gets taken care of, and not abused. They have a strict PM schedule, and real journeymen machine repairmen, not general maintenance guys. I'd have zero worries. My shear is a 1950 Niagara, and it's in immaculate condition, came with a new set of blades, and the ones in it have only been flipped twice.

 

[Southern83]

Great saw! We have one in our shop at work. It is used and abused daily. I believe it's an early 80's model.Iit is our main source of cutting metal.

 

[matt_i]

Very nice there! One can never have too many good, working tools to cut metal

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Looks like a tank! Cool. Will be even better once the apprentice gets it painted.

What is the draw to this style of saw vs a conventional horizontal? I am not being a smarty- I've just never seen it explained. Maybe I need one and don't even know it yet.

 

[ClappedOutBport]

Looks like a tank! Cool. Will be even better once the apprentice gets it painted.

What is the draw to this style of saw vs a conventional horizontal? I am not being a smarty- I've just never seen it explained. Maybe I need one and don't even know it yet.

Check out Robin Renzetti's Instagram is the long answer. Short: they do special setups better than either, the do contours just as well as a vert, and cut stock just as well as a horizontal.

 

[Joebass]

Check out Robin Renzetti's Instagram is the long answer. Short: they do special setups better than either, the do contours just as well as a vert, and cut stock just as well as a horizontal.

They dont really do contours well. I think the older ones have a 3/4 blade. My 81A has a 1 1/4 blade. They are nice for plate cutting, notching, etc.

 

[dr_clyde]

Well I finally was able to get the saw back to my shop today.

Good news is everything is there and most all of it is in good nick. Bearings seem to be well lubed and smooth, all the moving parts slide and tilt like they should and the wheels aren’t all wollered out and spent. I think I got a good solid saw.

Bad news is the coolant sump tray is pretty badly rusted on the bottom. I’m not 100% sure it will hold water. I probably will need to form up a new one before I use it. And that paint job is pretty horrible. I’ll need to scrape a fair bit of paint off some surfaces that shouldn’t have paint.

Hoping tomorrow I can do a little wiring and get it cutting and I’ll be able to hear it run and check out the power feeds and whatnot.

 

[speed bump]

Congrats, they are an awesome saw. We have a series II and it is a monster. I watched one of our mechanics cut a 15 inch 4140 shaft in about 20 minutes the other day.

 

[matt_i]

That motor looks like 1940s-1950s due to the endbell design.

I bet I know a guy who could make up a new pan

 

[txvwnut]

That motor looks like 1940s-1950s due to the endbell design.

I bet I know a guy who could make up a new pan

Well you should post his number so he knows who to call.

 

[dr_clyde]

On my floor!

I have the drip tray sides off screen.

Does anyone know how to age these old girls? I can't find a cross reference to either the saw itself or the motor online.

Here's some pics of both, maybe someone more knowledgeable than me can narrow down age based on either serial number of the saw or the old GE motor.

 

[fordkid88]

Awesome machines, probably a Wisconsin thing lol. We have a slightly newer version of that model at the tech I went to. pretty resillant considering the school has had them for decades with decades of student abusing them. The program I was in had there top of line cnc version and God was that thing sweet. I've used Do Alls, Jets, and Marvals and hands down would own a Marval if I had the money and space.

 

[BD1]

Those saws are amazing ! We had a huge one in my old shop. Water cooled mix, self feed, and would cut anything we would use.
Self feed is amazing !!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ClappedOutBport]

On my floor!

Does anyone know how to age these old girls? I can't find a cross reference to either the saw itself or the motor online.

Here's some pics of both, maybe someone more knowledgeable than me can narrow down age based on either serial number of the saw or the old GE motor.

Well that motor is old as hell. That's the same motor I have on a flatbelt camelback drill press. Those were all but gone by the 50s but they may have made those tri-clads longer. They use babbitt bearings so make sure the oil is topped up (side git should be nearly at the top).

 

[dr_clyde]

One of the guys over on PM referenced a serial number book he has, says its from late 1946. I'm reasonably sure that makes this the oldest machine I have.

 

[Doug Arthurs]

We are a Marvel dealer up herein Canada. Just sold a new Marvel this week. Yours is very old probably 50'S vintage. I believe i mayeven have a manual for it.

If anyone is interested find us at sawsolutions.com

 

[royce]

Well I finally was able to get the saw back to my shop today.

Good news is everything is there and most all of it is in good nick. Bearings seem to be well lubed and smooth, all the moving parts slide and tilt like they should and the wheels aren’t all wollered out and spent. I think I got a good solid saw.

Bad news is the coolant sump tray is pretty badly rusted on the bottom. I’m not 100% sure it will hold water. I probably will need to form up a new one before I use it. And that paint job is pretty horrible. I’ll need to scrape a fair bit of paint off some surfaces that shouldn’t have paint.

Hoping tomorrow I can do a little wiring and get it cutting and I’ll be able to hear it run and check out the power feeds and whatnot.

Congratulations on your saw Dr Clyde,
One of the biggest benefits for me is the ability to miter in either direction.

As for your rotten tray, have you ever used a mister?
I was thinking about one for mine, but don't know how well they function.
Sure would be nice to stop the drool that comes when sawing tubing.

Royce

 

[Doug Arthurs]

Mist units are good but not as good as flood. If you never cut large solid blocks of steel mist will do fine. The units are a little pricey and try and avoid putting too much mist out. Not likely good for the lungs.

 

[dr_clyde]

I’m not a fan of mist units. I’m a much bigger fan of flood or positive pressure coolant.

I have no issue bending up a new tray, looks pretty straightforward.

I do cut some pretty serious stuff occasionally, nothing is as good for blade life as full flood.

 

[royce]

Thanks for the insight Doug and Dr Clyde

Royce