Two for the Price of None

[speedyweasel]

New here. First post. I've been drooling over (and even bookmarking) 11b30b4's various threads of old Craftsman tools and the knowledgeable replies and comments. You all are either sage advisors or wretched enablers - or perhaps both - and I enjoy the replies as much as the OPs half the time... so here is my first meager contribution.

I picked up two Craftsman King Seeley 103.24300 for the price of $0.00

Neither is usable yet, and I have my work cut out for me on at least one - and possibly both. But they're largely whole. Picked them up from a cheerful young man who had them on FB Marketplace for $60. I had expressed interest but was on the road, so decided I'd check back with him after I got home if they were still available.

I forgot about them.

Fast forward a week and he messaged me to ask if I would come get them so he wouldn't have to see them go to the dump.

Sold!

Since I picked them up in the rain, after sunset, I'll make do with his listing photos for now, and will update as the process begins.

 

[four.cycle]

Hello there speedyweasel and welcome to the site!

One of our members started a "Vintage Power Tool Collecting" thread here.

keep this link handy at all times

and this one too!

 

[gatewaysysop]

Nice score, and the price was certainly right!

 

[speedyweasel]

Hello there speedyweasel and welcome to the site!

One of our members started a "Vintage Power Tool Collecting" thread here.

keep this link handy at all times

and this one too!

Thank you! The first link I've followed for some time now as a lurker. The second, sticky one is a beauty that I'll revisit often, I think.

Nice score, and the price was certainly right!

Agreed! Couldn't believe my luck. As I headed out, I got the "where the heck are you going to put it?!" from my better half. But they were free, and it was 18 minutes away... come on!

 

[four.cycle]

where the heck are you going to put it

"Honey, you know that gigantic China hutch in the dining room? The one full of all those fancy dishes we never use? We can move that into the garage and this will fit nicely there."

 

[subroc]

Having a parts machine for any restoration generally assures the ability to complete. If you can restore both that is great but if you only want/need one you got it.

Good luck.

 

[Nick Rivers]

As I headed out, I got the "where the heck are you going to put it?!" from my better half. But they were free, and it was 18 minutes away... come on!

I built her a shed.

She said "why"?

I said so I can move all of your stuff out of my work shed. Now half the stuff in her shed are projects I bring home...

 

[speedyweasel]

I built her a shed.

She said "why"?

I said so I can move all of your stuff out of my work shed. Now half the stuff in her shed are projects I bring home...

"Honey, you know that gigantic China hutch in the dining room? The one full of all those fancy dishes we never use? We can move that into the garage and this will fit nicely there."

I think I'm home here, safe among new friends.

 

[speedyweasel]

The rain has passed, and they're out of the truck now. Forgot to mention the stand that the PO said was original. I confess I have no idea... been daydreaming about the pedestals and have no clue whether there were any others like this one sold with it.


Anyway... pics or it didn't happen, I know.








Will need to figure out the tensioner situation here - looks like it popped off, but the parts machine (if I have the heart to part out the other) will show me how it was meant to be assembled.

Speaking of the unloved brother...

Having a parts machine for any restoration generally assures the ability to complete. If you can restore both that is great but if you only want/need one you got it.

Good luck.

Dunno if I can bring myself to do it. I'd rather resurrect both and find a home for one of them. But thanks for the support!

 

[FrankLee]

In my experience, "free" never is.

If these are your first refurbs, there is a steep expense for basic materials; cleaners, solvents, lubricants, penetrants, paint, masking tape, specialty tools, etc, etc, etc. No doubt you already have some of those, but still, they add up fast. That is before any required parts like oem replacement parts, bearings, v-belts and power cords.

I've had 16 King-Seeley/Emerson band saws. Ten were 2-wheel, six were 3-wheel. Half were light refurbs or flips, the rest were part-outs or scraps. I did not keep any.

IMO, the weak points of band saws are the blade guides, the water pump style bearings and the tires.


(Please update your profile with your location.)

 

[speedyweasel]

In my experience, "free" never is.

If these are your first refurbs, there is a steep expense for basic materials; cleaners, solvents, lubricants, penetrants, paint, masking tape, specialty tools, etc, etc, etc. No doubt you already have some of those, but still, they add up fast. That is before any required parts like oem replacement parts, bearings, v-belts and power cords.

I've had 16 King-Seeley/Emerson band saws. Ten were 2-wheel, six were 3-wheel. Half were light refurbs or flips, the rest were part-outs or scraps. I did not keep any.

IMO, the weak points of band saws are the blade guides, the water pump style bearings and the tires.


(Please update your profile with your location.)

All valid points. I didn't expect the process to be free - I just thought it was a catchy thread title based on the acquisition price. My Micro- and Macroeconomics teacher told us on day 1 of class, that nothing -ever- is truly free because it takes SOME kind of effort/time/expense/tax to acquire it (and that any student who used the word free would have chalk thrown at them), and I spent around $4.00 in diesel and 90 minutes of my time to get these.

Certainly my first refurb band saws, but not my first refurbs. I've been eyeballing the Cool Blocks to see which version these need, the Blue Max tires, and will definitely need bearings, tires, and a new motor pulley (PO broke it on the way home from the estate sale where he got them). I've got the Rust-Oleum Champagne spray paint in my cart at $10/can (now's my moment to gripe that I used to buy Rust-Oleum for $2.50/can).

Loving Jeff's video series on this model, and confess I had never seen a water pump bearing quite like this one, so I'll mimic his nifty approach/jig when regreasing that bearing.

 

[FrankLee]

Yeah, all Jeff's videos are very good.

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

The rain has passed, and they're out of the truck now. Forgot to mention the stand that the PO said was original. I confess I have no idea... been daydreaming about the pedestals and have no clue whether there were any others like this one sold with it.


Anyway... pics or it didn't happen, I know.








Will need to figure out the tensioner situation here - looks like it popped off, but the parts machine (if I have the heart to part out the other) will show me how it was meant to be assembled.

Speaking of the unloved brother...




Dunno if I can bring myself to do it. I'd rather resurrect both and find a home for one of them. But thanks for the support!

YOU CAN DO IT.

 

[Nick Rivers]

These compact bandsaws use three wheels instead of the standard two. Read somewhere there is increased blade breakage due to the tighter radius. Narrower blades seem to work better.