Restored 1959 Craftsman 100 Table Saw

[Mikerichards1319]

Thanks all for the Kudos on these restorations! This all started when I was looking for power tools for my shop. Everything out there was over priced and lacking on quality. I got turned on to Craigslist one day and then the addiction began. I live in the Northeast and it seems like there is an unlimited supply of old machinery availible for good prices in this area. 1 by 1 I started building a colection of vintage power tools for the shop. I got a lot of peices for my Dad as well. Restoring the tablesaw for my Dad was joy to do. I was so excited to give this one to Dad! Restoring the Van Norman was a whole different animal. Once I got it apart I looked at it for about 6 months wondering what I got myself into and then another year of restoration. It was in rough shape when i got it. It was buried in someones garage for about 30 years. This machine came with both abor supports, the outer overarm brace, boring and drilling attachment, 10 inch power driven dividing head with the box filled with gears and dividing plates and the tail stock, L-W Toledo 6 1/2 inch swivel vise, about 40 collets, 6 arbors, 3 shell mill holders, endmill holder and all the original brochures and manuals. For the price I couldn't say no. All this old machinery was built to last, and to me, are an ode to the pride in workmanship by the American working class that built this country. I am proud to be able to keep some of these out of the scrap yards and back to working condition.

[Toolmaker51]

I'd say that makes him one of us, the HMT.net collective. Van Norman built an array of toolroom and limited production equipment; best known for engine building and other automotive machines. There would be no surprise that equal replacements of machine and tooling. New and of course no such thing thanks to offshoring; the Van Norman would exceed 100 grand.
Tooling has value beyond machine tools as there is some interchange. Sometimes properly identifying them is a problem, such as the infinite variety of toolholders and collets. Machine tools are worthless without means to operate as intended. I base this on search for a K&T "D" die mill, 50g in the mid 1980's, only available as rebuild on YOUR core!

[Frank S]

Yep he has been assimilated. One thing about the HMT.net collective is there is almost never any resistance once someone has seen, felt or heard how gratifying it becomes to make, re purpose or rebuild tools they have, need or just want.
I've been trying to talk a guy out of an old Buffalo flat belt drill press for years. it is just laying on the ground with weeds growing over it doing nothing but deteriorating with each passing season. The gentleman is in his late 80's and poor health I know for a stone cold fact that his sons are planning on scraping everything he has once he passes so they can bull doze his house barns and shop to build a multi family condo. His oldest son has been telling him that he should either give or sell me anything that I want while he is still alive, because he knows his 4 brothers are just vindictive enough to make sure that no one get's the stuff before it is busted up for scrap.
Sad really but that is the way some folks minds work when they are handed everything through out their lives and never had to labor for anything.

[Toolmaker51]

Yep he has been assimilated. One thing about the HMT.net collective is there is almost never any resistance once someone has seen, felt or heard how gratifying it becomes to make, re purpose or rebuild tools they have, need or just want...4 brothers are just vindictive enough to make sure that no one get's the stuff before it is busted up for scrap...
...Sad really but that is the way some folks minds work when they are handed everything through out their lives and never had to labor for anything.

Amen; make, mend, re-purpose and rebuild is one generation's function to fill true need or simple wants. Another, exactly as described, merely awakes to any sort of property. If the trait isn't absorbed, can't recognize either of those as a gift. The insult is on them, feeding mindless "it's MINE" greed, waste, landfills, crappy replacements [more correctly poor substitutes] completely ignorant of potential in the secondary market.
And the condo will likely be all spec grade materials to boot. Showy on the surface, everything pared to minimum underneath.

Far too many gifts aren't rewards or honorary, just habit.

[Mikerichards1319]

Those old camelback drill presses are great. I have an AHS variable speed drillpress that is converted to v belt drive. It is 100 years old and still works great. I have since moved the motor below inside the base. One day I plan on doing a resto on this one too.

Its sad to hear about that Buffalo drillpress laying to waste.

[Frank S]

On a lighter note coincidentally Bob just called me a few minutes ago to tell me that there is about 20,000 lbs of pipe tubing and sheet metal at his dad's place that belongs to him and that if I want that stuff I need to come get it. I asked him about the buffalo, he said that he has a feeling that now that his dad is becoming a lot more amenable to let a few things go. Even though we are in the midst of our relocation as soon as Bob gets back in town and we head back to town as well he and I are going to go and load up the stuff he is giving me. I'd like to buy the Jubilee Ford tractor with the Sherman transmission from his dad as well but I doubt that will ever happen, one of the other brothers knows what those old things are worth when restored. OH well maybe I can find a busted up Massey Ferguson 65 or an M farmall to restore someday.

[DIYer]

Thanks oldtimetexan! We've added your Table Saw Modification to our Table Saws category,
as well as to your builder page: oldtimetexan's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Table Saw Modification by oldtimetexan

tags: table saw, modification

[DIYer]

Thanks Mikerichards1319! We've added your Table Saw Motor Restoration to our Table Saws category,
as well as to your builder page: Mikerichards1319's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Table Saw Motor Restoration by Mikerichards1319

tags: motor, restoration

[DIYer]

Thanks Mikerichards1319! We've added your Blade Insert Spring Lock to our Table Saws category,
as well as to your builder page: Mikerichards1319's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Blade Insert Spring Lock by Mikerichards1319

tags: table saw, lock

[DIYer]

Thanks Mikerichards1319! We've added your Blade Guard Insert to our Table Saws category,
as well as to your builder page: Mikerichards1319's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Blade Guard Insert by Mikerichards1319

tags: safety, table saw, guard