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Sometimes you just get lucky...

Outlawmws

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Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
39,314
Location
The Badlands
And at times like that (like today), I'd rather be Lucky than good! :bounce:

I Emailed about a Craftsman DP (With terrible pics that were dark and even after "enhancement" didn't show much) I found on CL a week ago. No response for two days. and when I got it (I asked questions and for better pics) it was "I can't get more pics until we get back up there on Friday, and here, call my dad, he has all the answers... Sorry about the pics, it's in a barn and it's dark in there."

Took till the next day to connect with "dad" and he was minimally better help. I got that it was bought in '48, and not a lot else. We chased around for another few days until today, when his schedule and mine finally coincided. He had been able to tell me the table seemed to be free of any divots, and later that the DP did have three pulleys! (This info got me far more interested! I was about ready to let the thing go...)

So today I go up there (20 minute drive) Meet the guy. Older guy, shuffling around (turns out he's had a stroke and has a hard time walking) and the place (In town) is a nicer older larger house in a poor section of the city, and it actually DOES have a real, if small barn behind it. Wood floors for the most part. It was his parents house, and when they died his brother move in and was also a pack rat. A few months ago his brother died and now the old "homestead" is his. I ask and verify most of what is in the Barn is for sale, as they want to clear the place out and sell it..

The DP has the usual surface rust on the bare metal parts, but seems to be in good shape anyway. It is a Craftsman "100" "Heavy Duty Type Bench model so a 15", 0-1/2" chuck, and a 4" stroke. The table does have one divot that is a half circle cut into the edge of the center hole. No biggie.

The base is a large base, and is used interchangeably with the floor model. (table top models often have smaller bases)

And best of all it has that rare third pulley set!

I tell him I'll take the DP and ask if it's OK to dig around for other things that are for sale. He says sure, almost everything in the barn is for sale, except some lights that are for the house.

First up is a Craftsman 3-1/2" swivel vise from the 50's,but is also in the 1948 catalog with the DP. I find an RCBS loading press, (No.2 Jr) without a handle, but later find the handle :D then I find an angle drill press vise (I find later its a Palmgren), A morticing hold down fence for the DP, and best of all for the smaller finds, a Rotory X - Y "Milling DP vise" (but it's missing the jaws...) something I've been looking for for YEARS!

I also find, (Drum roll please...) two more DP pulley sheaves, and one is the third eccentric slow/hi speed pulley for the smaller 2" OD post drill presses!

Some random misc tools:a Cman Body hammer, Crestalloy and Herbrand dykes, 7R Vise Grips, Klien long handled needle nose, and 8 and 10" mastrecraft wrench's.

I reluctantly stop digging and ask how much for all?

He asks what his daughter quoted for the DP and I say $75 "Ill let you take it all including the drill press for $95."

I'm good with that!

Then he mentions that one of two tool boxes next to us half buried on the floor has a bunch of SO sockets and wrenches "from the 40's".

I say "I should have looked there first!" and go back to picker mode.

There are 3/4" drive sockets and extensions and a few MAC wrenches and some Craftsman socket and other miscellaneous tools. I also got a few tools out of the other box, (both are crappy Stax-on top chests with 6 drawers,3 full width and 3 together = a full width) and ask how much more for all the wrenches and sockets in the one box, plus the others.

"I haven't really thought about what I want for those.. Hmmm. I'll have to get 150 for all you had plus the box full and those others.

$55 more? I'm OK with that too! :rocker:

I back the van to the barn door, pay the man, and load up! While I'm doing so another guy arrives to look at an old 57 or so Chevy one ton truck that used to have a full motor home type camper on it (no bed). The front is axle deep in the dirt. but the other prospective buyer helps me with lifting the drill press into the back of the van, and I make my getaway!.
:3gears:

What a day! :bounce:



The DP. Sorry for the bad angle lost one pic in the process...

DP.jpg

Motor is original and date coded 1948

DP motor.jpg

The Big Craftsman "Industrial" Machinist's vise! "

M Vise.jpg

The Palmgren angle vise, pulley's, and Mortice hold down fence

DP acc.jpg

Rotary X/Y table, also appears to be from the same '48 catalog. 7" table, and 6" travel

XY Table.jpg

Misc tools

Loose Tools.jpg

And a teaser for the mostly) Snap-on/Mac/Craftsman tools, and I didn't even try to get a pic of the Stax-on box. I'll get pics of these tools later (It's been a crazy day...)

SO tools.jpg
 
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gatewaysysop

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Joined
Nov 11, 2008
Messages
3,299
Location
Arizona
Holy ****! :shocking:

While it does not do this deal justice, I'll say it anyways: You ****! :bowdown:

If you find yourself in need of parts or anything for the press, drop me a line!
 

balane

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Joined
May 4, 2011
Messages
2,996
Location
Pacific Northwest
Dude, what a day! Holy jeebus that's awesome.

And what is it with everybody? You're all finding the one vise I want more than any other in the world to go with all my vintage Craftsman bench power tools and I can't find one ever. I've looked and looked and looked, nada.

Well, if you want to sell that vise get in touch with me but I don't expect you will. Great finds, that's a day to remember!! :beer:
 

cmandp

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Joined
Dec 22, 2011
Messages
1,286
Location
New Jersey
Nice haul. That Craftsman body hammer is quite interesting, I didn't know they were ever offered.
 

ddawg16

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Joined
Jul 11, 2008
Messages
21,005
Location
S. California
You deserve and extra "YOU ****" because you did not **** yourself.....

and for good measure "YOU ****".....

Great score......and story....
 
OP
O

Outlawmws

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Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
39,314
Location
The Badlands
Thanks guys!

I got a tip from BC on the Machinist's vise, and there was a date on the slide.. 4 -53 so that pins that down nicely!

The DP seems to be complete except for two of three arms on the quill crank, and the one that is still there is bent... I think that one is able to be straightened; we shall see.

I did get started on the XY table, and have it mostly in pieces, and three major parts are luxuriating in the E bucket.

Still working on getting the gumption to get pics of the tub of tools... (China indeed...) :p
 

Patrick123

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Joined
May 31, 2012
Messages
229
Your right being in the right place at the right time is always the most important thing. Trick is to be in lots of places haha.
 

Omphaloskeptic

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Joined
Oct 11, 2008
Messages
2,346
Location
Ultima Ratio, Wa.
Outlawmws,

Confucius say... " 'Good Luck' is indeed fortunate, 'Bad Luck' must be expected - Yin and Yang must be harmonious."

So, considering the above 'Pseudo Philosophical Proverb', your recent luck is very good indeed; it may be so good that you will have to get hit in the **** with a flaming meteor to keep your Yin and Yang in harmony. :yikes:
 
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JASTECH

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Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
2,671
Location
Gering, NE
Outlaw my friend, you get the Hoover award again! I get nothing but crumbs while you get a 9 course meal.
>
>
PS, need your help id'ing a BG attachment of sorts please.
 
OP
O

Outlawmws

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
39,314
Location
The Badlands
Thanks again guys.

Here are more detailed pics of the (Mostly) SO stuff:

3/4 drive and a big 1-1/2" Combo wrench. Most all of this SO stuff is date coded 1941, a few 1942, and the big wrench is date coded 67
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1/2 Drive...
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3/8 Drive
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MAC
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Craftsman on the left, plus two of the swivel sockets, (One is Herbrand) on the right from the top Proto, Imperial for the odd Flair wrench, a purpose bent (then broke) Williams, and an Armstrong.
attachment.php



Adjustables: 2 Proto, 2 Crescent, 2 Williams ( the black ones), one Utica, and one H. J. Harrold (The cruded up one) :dunno: Never hear of that company. Marked USA, but seems cheap.

There were also a double handful of Craftsman 1/4" drive sockets I didn't bother with pics on.
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OP
O

Outlawmws

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
39,314
Location
The Badlands
Outlaw my friend, you get the Hoover award again! I get nothing but crumbs while you get a 9 course meal.
>
>
PS, need your help id'ing a BG attachment of sorts please.

Jastech, I saw that thread, but sorry, I have no clue on that one.
 

losabio

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Joined
Jul 19, 2011
Messages
125
Congrats man! I'm sure that the old timer was glad for the cash, and I am happy that those old tools went to someone who appreciated them (instead of just eventually getting sent to the landfill).
 

Flatintoone

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Joined
Aug 10, 2011
Messages
795
Location
West Bend, WI
What's the expression? "Luck is where opportunity and preparation meet"? I think Outlaw puts in the preparation. Another enviable haul.
 
OP
O

Outlawmws

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Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
39,314
Location
The Badlands
Some of those wrenches need the outlawms rust removal technique (tm) performed on them badly!

Working on it! Just too much going on yesterday!

And I missed getting pics of these:

Both are 1/4" drive click stop torque wrenches, one has a Proto Ratchet head on it, the other is "direct drive"; however, that one had the square drive sheared off... Makes you wonder about some people... must have used it as a breaker bar... :dunno: Up to 150 lb-in

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my58

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Joined
Apr 12, 2005
Messages
238
Location
Ventura County California
Great Find!

It is going to be nice to see some of that stuff get cleaned up and appreciated.

When I go, if my kids don't want my tools I rather them go cheap to someone who will use them and take care of them, rather than them sit around un-used and rust.

What technique will you use to clean the surface rust off the main shaft of the DP and polish it back up?

Thanks for sharing this with us.
 
OP
O

Outlawmws

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Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
39,314
Location
The Badlands
Great Find!

It is going to be nice to see some of that stuff get cleaned up and appreciated.

When I go, if my kids don't want my tools I rather them go cheap to someone who will use them and take care of them, rather than them sit around un-used and rust.

What technique will you use to clean the surface rust off the main shaft of the DP and polish it back up?

Thanks for sharing this with us.

Probably a fine wire wheel and oil, at least initially. Messy, but cleans with minimal abrasion.
 
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Outlawmws

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Aug 9, 2011
Messages
39,314
Location
The Badlands
OK some "In progress" pic for the X-Y table DP vise and the Morticing fence.. I've not touched the DP, as I've been busy with the little stuff, and it's about 20 deg colder in my garage than outside... :dunno:

First the "before pics:


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And a closeup of how bad the DP vise looked! Amazingly, the only screw that took any effort at all was the main screw. Everything else was hand tight or close to it!

attachment.php


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The Main screw on the other hand needed a two day soak in PB blaster, and some tapping to get it worked in, then I locked two 1/2"coarse nuts on the tip of the screw (after removing the jaw) and locked them together. Then I put a 3/4" wrench on it and worked it loose. once loose it pretty much came right out.



After the E tank, and close to ready to paint:

attachment.php


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and a group shot after the painting party this afternoon. I can assemble the Vise tomorrow, but the X - Y table parts need some additional painting on the "bottoms" to complete the paint job... (which is why they are still taped up)

The two lighter colored vise are from my "collection" of DP vises, and were my earlier attempts with blue but I'm going to repaint those and I didn't like the lighter shades the lightest is "royal blue" not sure about the other but the new color is Navy Blue and I like that one.

I'm going to have to break down and finally prep and paint my old "DP" vise which is an old Marine Corp's Graham Mill vise that has seen better days

I'm also considering making a unit to store all the different vises, attachments, and table for the DP, something out of 1X6 with compartments for each...

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mawrick

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Nov 1, 2012
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Location
Norway
Looking good! :)

Can I ask how you cleaned them ? (see you mentions "E tank"??) (what is that ?)....
 
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