The Gratuitous Vintage Tool Rebuild Thread

[11b30b4]

Because why not?

This should be fairly simple post a before and after picture and a short synopsis of whatever you have refurbished, rebuilt, resurrected, etc…
I would like to see what yall have been working on. To get it started here are a few of my rebuilds.
Its a slow day at the office...

 

[11b30b4]

Craftsman (King Seeley) 100 series Drill Press 103.23130

Before:

I paid $50 for this Drill Press that was built in April of 1950. This block of rust sat in barn in central Georgia for over 60 years in the Hot and humid Georgia climate. It took a lot of work to remove the rust and rebuild this thing, but well worth the effort.

After:

 

[11b30b4]

Craftsman ¼ HP 6” Block Grinder 397.19401

Before:

I paid $45 for this Block Grinder at an estate sale. I cleaned it up and repainted it, runs like new.

After:

 

[11b30b4]

Wilton C-0 (3.5” Vise)

Before:

I paid $45 for this vise at an estate sale. I fabricated a replacement handle and cleaned it up. New paint and a replacement swivel base and it’s back at work.

After:

 

[BradnCali]

Very nice work! Always love seeing beat up old machines given new life.

Here are a couple of before and after shots of my work. I happen to be partial to Delta machines.
The first image is a 1946 Unisaw I found at the landfill that they let me take for free. The second image shows it restored sitting next to a 1939 Unisaw I picked up soon after for $50. The third image is the 1939 Unisaw restored.

Below that is my 1937(ish) band saw set up for boat building, that I picked up for $30 and the bandsaw after completing the restoration. Finally, my most recent effort is a 1940 No. 1282 Delta Buffer Head. Still working on getting it set up on stand and motor.

Brad


Brad

 

[don long]

I think that I can add a few shots to this thread. As for tools I rebuilt this old air compressor.
I picked it up from a friend a few years ago hoping to get to it some day





I also did this compressor for my mechanical garage

 

[don long]

I moved on to floor jacks
First one was this old mechanical jack



There is no chrome on this jack, The shinny metal is just highly polished.



Next I went after this Blackhawk jack
I rebuilt the pump, chromed the wheels and lift pad, smoothed out all the casting marks and gave it a quality automotive paint job





And one more Jack
This cute little fella was begging for some love so I rendered some.
again no chrome just polished metal and a good paint job after smoothing out the ruff casting.

 

[11b30b4]

Holy ****! Guys yall’s stuff looks amazing. I am completely blow away.

This is why I started this thread. I have no idea where on the forum yall would have posted those rebuilds but here is an opportunity to share your work with outers who would not have seen it otherwise.

I have to say, I want an air compressor exactly like that one now. I already own a chicom floor jack and I have yet to use it but I want that Blackhawk jack. And I love Delta tools. The badging and color contrast is IMHO were some of the best looking vintage tools sold back in the day. That band saw is a work of art, but I really love buffer polisher.

Here is another one of my rebuilds.

Craftsman 12” Band Saw 103.24260 rebuild and conversion for metal cutting.

Once I started down the classic Craftsman Drill Press road, I discovered the pedestal mounted power tools made for Craftsman by King Seeley and Emerson and I loved the look. I decided I wanted to collect as many as I could get my hands on. The first was this band saw that was made in October of 1960. I already had a nice band saw but I could envision a use for a metal cutting band saw at some point. I paid $100 for this band saw and another $75 for the pedestal stand. If you consider in the worm gear, bearings, paint and other ends and outs, I probably have $300 into this project but to be honest, I love how it turned out and yes it will cut. This color combination of the hammered gold with the leather brown has become my custom color combination. Just about every Craftsman tool I rebuild now gets this color combination.

 

[mercifiknow]

Craftsmanship at its finest!

 

[Ricky Joe]

My contribution is the often overlooked and discounted role of being the guy who wears this stuff out and puts it in the condition that it needs restored. Just wanted recognition!

 

[11b30b4]

Ricky, I thank you for your tool abuse and you are absolutely correct that your contributions are overlooked. Without you, we would never have the opportunity to rebuild these machines. I ask that we all recognize your contributions to the furtherance of mankind and our quest to make a better mouse trap.

 

[bmwrd0]

As brought home


Still not happy with the rivets.

 

[don long]

Here is another one.
It is an asbestos shingle cutter that I found lying in the dirt at my grandfathers farm

 

[bmwrd0]

As I found it in a local scrap yard, and no, I didn't pay that much:



It sits on a Delta scroll saw stand which fits perfectly for the little six-inch lathe.

 

[ed4banger]

Mostly I work on vises, and have done quite a few now. Here is a pretty typical before (w about 10 coats of paint ) and after. Craftsman 5181.

 

[Ricky Joe]

Ricky, I thank you for your tool abuse and you are absolutely correct that your contributions are overlooked. Without you, we would never have the opportunity to rebuild these machines. I ask that we all recognize your contributions to the furtherance of mankind and our quest to make a better mouse trap.

Actually, I seldom abuse, but do use the hell out of them!

 

[Ricky Joe]

As I found it in a local scrap yard, and no, I didn't pay that much:



It sits on a Delta scroll saw stand which fits perfectly for the little six-inch lathe.

Very nice! I hope to get around to my Dalton this winter.

 

[bmwrd0]

Very nice! I hope to get around to my Dalton this winter.

A Dalton is one of the few lathes I would trade up for. Very jelous

 

[ed4banger]

This is the first vise I worked on, and the one that got me hooked on vises, My Grandfathers 4-1/2" dated 1946.

 

[Jayman17]

I love this thread, hopefully will have some contributions to make in the future. Great idea 11b!
Only suggestion to add is anyone who posts a photo and can remember the paint color/brand please include that info. It would be greatly appreciated!

Jay

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Who else but Don Long could make a freakin' shingle cutter look ****!?!?!?!?!?!

Great work on here fellas, I could look at eye candy like this stuff all day and not get tired of it. Here's a few meager contributions of my own. This 1946 tool box was probably the furthest "gone" item I've brought back from the dead:


Machine-wise, this 47 DP was dragging **** pretty low when I bought it from the original owners grand daughter. She hated to part with it but knew it was just going to rot. I agreed to send her pics of the final product. When I did, she called me in tears, so happy that her grandpa's drill press had a new life. Some refurbs are more satisfying than others.


No "before" pics on this one but it was a horrible spray bomb job. While I'm a die-hard Craftsman collector, some things you just don't pass up when you find one.



Great idea for a thread 11B

 

[11b30b4]

Well ****, I have been bypassing the blackhawk thread and in this thread I have seen two reasons I need to be looking for blackhawk tools. That blackhawk socket set is..........(wait for it)....the bomb (rim shot).

 

[Ricky Joe]

My grinder; I know just how to jiggle the switch when it won’t start, and I always listen to the bearings and one day I’ll get to them, maybe!

Who else but Don Long could make a freakin' shingle cutter look ****!?!?!?!?!?!

Great work on here fellas, I could look at eye candy like this stuff all day and not get tired of it. Here's a few meager contributions of my own. This 1946 tool box was probably the furthest "gone" item I've brought back from the dead:


Machine-wise, this 47 DP was dragging **** pretty low when I bought it from the original owners grand daughter. She hated to part with it but knew it was just going to rot. I agreed to send her pics of the final product. When I did, she called me in tears, so happy that her grandpa's drill press had a new life. Some refurbs are more satisfying than others.


No "before" pics on this one but it was a horrible spray bomb job. While I'm a die-hard Craftsman collector, some things you just don't pass up when you find one.



Great idea for a thread 11B

I run all my Craftsman purchases through Scott. Some he takes and some he lets me keep. I bought a table saw at Habitat today. I’ll post pictures when I pick it up tomorrow.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Ricky Joe, before I pull into your driveway, I always pull over and chant "I do NOT collect Snap On" to myself for about 10 minutes or so. You've got some incredible stuff! Looking forward to my next visit my friend.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

11B...be careful, that Blackhawk stuff is addictive. They made some of the most visually attractive tools ever in my opinion. Another brand I have to remind myself that I don't collect.

 

[don long]

As long as we are on Blackhawk I can add a couple more pictures

Here is a porto power set that I found

 

[don long]

I found another tool that got some attention





And then there is this old battery charger that I thought could use a little love So I went to work on it

 

[BradnCali]

As long as we are on Blackhawk I can add a couple more pictures

Here is a porto power set that I found

Holy moly, you've got skills and also must have quite the museum down there! Nice work on everything. Love that compressor with the Century motor too. I've got one of those motors in my queue for restoration but unfortunately, not the compressor.

Brad

 

[don long]

Holy moly, you've got skills and also must have quite the museum down there! Nice work on everything. Love that compressor with the Century motor too. I've got one of those motors in my queue for restoration but unfortunately, not the compressor.

Brad

Thank you Brad
The party garage is full of fun stuff for sure but I have a boat load of work still waiting on me to get to.
It is a journey

 

[don long]

Last one for today
My old tire machine looks so much more inviting to use after a little clean up

 

[TigerFan]

This is a great thread! I wish I had something to contribute at this point, but instead I’ll just ask everyone else to keep it up.

 

[Hoorn]

Great thread 11b.
Except following Don Long is like being the next Yankee center fielder after Mickey Mantle...

And still my favorite tool box, this 1970s Proto before:


After:


My 1945 Delta 220 before:


After:




Athol before:


After:


1958 Craftsman 100 before:


After:

 

[freudianfloyd]

Who else but Don Long could make a freakin' shingle cutter look ****!?!?!?!?!?!

Great work on here fellas, I could look at eye candy like this stuff all day and not get tired of it. Here's a few meager contributions of my own. This 1946 tool box was probably the furthest "gone" item I've brought back from the dead:


Machine-wise, this 47 DP was dragging **** pretty low when I bought it from the original owners grand daughter. She hated to part with it but knew it was just going to rot. I agreed to send her pics of the final product. When I did, she called me in tears, so happy that her grandpa's drill press had a new life. Some refurbs are more satisfying than others.


No "before" pics on this one but it was a horrible spray bomb job. While I'm a die-hard Craftsman collector, some things you just don't pass up when you find one.



Great idea for a thread 11B

Man, I need one of those handles so I can restore my torpedo. Finding just the handle is harder than finding the torpedo.

 

[thehorse13]

Since I'm still chasing the center section for this bench, I figured I would drop the before and after on my Alemite adventure.

 

[wrenchguy]

A neglected, with missing parts 1955 lincoln welder powered by a meow.



A kickass Hot Rod Lincoln Welding machine with 2 300amp generators ganged inline, built & powered by CATERPILLAR.

 

[don long]

A neglected, with missing parts 1955 lincoln welder powered by a meow.



A kickass Hot Rod Lincoln Welding machine with 2 300amp generators ganged inline, built & powered by CATERPILLAR.

Everybody needs a little extra power from time to time. Great job on the refreshening

 

[wrenchguy]

Too much = Just right.

 

[Walkers]

Wilton C-0 (3.5” Vise)

Before:

I paid $45 for this vise at an estate sale. I fabricated a replacement handle and cleaned it up. New paint and a replacement swivel base and it’s back at work.

After:

Damn fine job!

 

[Hoorn]

Here's another only because it was "this week's project"

A pair of Delta Rockwell splayed foot pedestal retractable casters for the band saw/scroll saw before..





And after.

 

[TexTJ209]

Absolutely beautiful work by everybody in this thread. Hopefully once I get my shop sorted I'll have something worthy of adding.