I'm considering buying an older (1951, according to
http://www.owwm.com/Delta/VintageProject/Part1.asp) Unisaw, but it has
a couple of problems, and I thought maybe I'd run it past the group.
I've Googled quite a bit, and have read what's on OWWM. The owner is
asking $350 for the saw.

My motives: I'm interested in the saw to use, but particularly because
it's an older machine. I've ended up with mostly 1950's-vintage
Rockwell tools, and there's a nostalgia factor for me. Most of what I
have has been in good shape when I bought it, but this saw would be a
big project.

First, it's pretty rusty. All surface rust, as far as I can tell, but
it's everywhere. I'd want to disassemble the saw, sandblast and have
it painted, and put it back together. This doesn't appear to be
particularly difficult, but it certainly looks like a lot of work. I'd
probably send the arbor to have it checked and have the bearings
replaced.

Even with the rust, the elevation and tilt controls work pretty
smoothly, with no obvious slop in the worm gears. As far I can tell,
the saw is complete except for the motor cover. The trunions appear to
be in good shape.

Now for the negatives: The two big concerns I have are the table and
the motor.

I wasn't able to check the table for flatness, but it wasn't obviously
warped. But it has a chunk of iron missing where the right extension
bolts on. That's a little worrisome, but I plan to use a
plywood/MDF/etc extension table there with a 52" fence, so maybe not a
big deal. The bothersome crack is at one of the holes on the front
where the fence would bolt on--this concerns me more, because I don't
think a fence rail would be adequately supported. I would consider
replacing the table, and even though it wouldn't be original, I would
like to have T-slots anyway. If I decide to replace the table, other
than price, any comments on whether I should buy a new one, or is
there any advantage in finding a similar vintage to the saw?

The motor is a three-phase motor, and it's the old style, of course. I
understand that I could install a new motor, but I'm not willing to
cut the cabinet to allow it to tilt--for me, that crosses the line
into destroying the nostalgic value of the saw. So I either have to
find an old-style single-phase motor or buy a phase converter. I'm
familiar with conversion issues and I think overall I'd rather find a
single-phase motor, but I understand that's very difficult.

An old-style round rail fence is included, but I think they're
essentially worthless--I would buy a new Biesenmeyer or Unifence.

Bottom line: my brain says this saw would be a lot of work, probably
not a good investment, and potentially a real money pit. My primary
goal is to end up with an older machine that's in really good shape.
That's more important than cost in the long run, but I don't want to
waste money, either.

So, should I buy the saw and take on the restoration project, or just
keep looking for an old saw that's already in good shape? Are there
resellers who specialize in vintage or restored machines?

Does anyone have a cast Delta table, motor cover, or old-style
single-phase motor they want to sell (or an excellent-condition
single-phase 50's Unisaw in central North Carolina)? If so, email
me--you'll get an automated spam filter response, but click on the
link in the email and it will go through.

Thanks,
Heath

Hang loose..... the Keefer (Unisaw A100) will get wind of this post in a
second or two and give you all the inspiration and info you need to do this.
We pay him big bucks - so expect a lot......

Yep...here he comes....... sit back and enjoy...


Bob S.

It maybe just my phobias in play, but I run when I hear of things like this.
All too often, pieces of metal missing can suggest metal fatigue and that
scares me. I've experienced it first hand and it could be tantamount to a
sand-castle just before a wave hits.

"Heath Roberts" wrote in message
m...
warped. But it has a chunk of iron missing where the right extension
bolts on. That's a little worrisome, but I plan to use a

Heath,

There is a pre-70's Rockwell saw for sale in the triangle right now.

Go to the triangle.forsale newsgroup if your interested - the post was put
up at about 2pm today.

Good luck

-Rob

"Heath Roberts" wrote in message
m...
I'm considering buying an older (1951, according to
http://www.owwm.com/Delta/VintageProject/Part1.asp) Unisaw, but it has
a couple of problems, and I thought maybe I'd run it past the group.
I've Googled quite a bit, and have read what's on OWWM. The owner is
asking $350 for the saw.

My motives: I'm interested in the saw to use, but particularly because
it's an older machine. I've ended up with mostly 1950's-vintage
Rockwell tools, and there's a nostalgia factor for me. Most of what I
have has been in good shape when I bought it, but this saw would be a
big project.

First, it's pretty rusty. All surface rust, as far as I can tell, but
it's everywhere. I'd want to disassemble the saw, sandblast and have
it painted, and put it back together. This doesn't appear to be
particularly difficult, but it certainly looks like a lot of work. I'd
probably send the arbor to have it checked and have the bearings
replaced.

Even with the rust, the elevation and tilt controls work pretty
smoothly, with no obvious slop in the worm gears. As far I can tell,
the saw is complete except for the motor cover. The trunions appear to
be in good shape.

Now for the negatives: The two big concerns I have are the table and
the motor.

I wasn't able to check the table for flatness, but it wasn't obviously
warped. But it has a chunk of iron missing where the right extension
bolts on. That's a little worrisome, but I plan to use a
plywood/MDF/etc extension table there with a 52" fence, so maybe not a
big deal. The bothersome crack is at one of the holes on the front
where the fence would bolt on--this concerns me more, because I don't
think a fence rail would be adequately supported. I would consider
replacing the table, and even though it wouldn't be original, I would
like to have T-slots anyway. If I decide to replace the table, other
than price, any comments on whether I should buy a new one, or is
there any advantage in finding a similar vintage to the saw?

The motor is a three-phase motor, and it's the old style, of course. I
understand that I could install a new motor, but I'm not willing to
cut the cabinet to allow it to tilt--for me, that crosses the line
into destroying the nostalgic value of the saw. So I either have to
find an old-style single-phase motor or buy a phase converter. I'm
familiar with conversion issues and I think overall I'd rather find a
single-phase motor, but I understand that's very difficult.

An old-style round rail fence is included, but I think they're
essentially worthless--I would buy a new Biesenmeyer or Unifence.

Bottom line: my brain says this saw would be a lot of work, probably
not a good investment, and potentially a real money pit. My primary
goal is to end up with an older machine that's in really good shape.
That's more important than cost in the long run, but I don't want to
waste money, either.

So, should I buy the saw and take on the restoration project, or just
keep looking for an old saw that's already in good shape? Are there
resellers who specialize in vintage or restored machines?

Does anyone have a cast Delta table, motor cover, or old-style
single-phase motor they want to sell (or an excellent-condition
single-phase 50's Unisaw in central North Carolina)? If so, email
me--you'll get an automated spam filter response, but click on the
link in the email and it will go through.

Thanks,
Heath

Heath Roberts wrote:
Bottom line: my brain says this saw would be a lot of work,

I don't consider myself extraordinarily gifted when it comes
to re-builds but I had somewhere around 3 weeks with my saw.
There were no difficult mechanical issues other than
re-working the arbor and I farmed that out.

probably not a good investment, and potentially a real money pit.

If all you are interested in is an investment I would lean
towards consulting with a money person instead of a bunch of
weekend wooddorkers.

If you are worried that you'll hate the saw when its done
onna 'count of how much it costed, well, that's another
issue. If it helps any I'll confess that I had $750ish in
my saw when it looked like this.

http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=90

I can't tell you what I had invested by the time it looked
like it looks in the last picture. I guess if time is money
I probably have two new saws in their somewhere but we are
also speaking of the oldest known Unisaw on the planet. I
started the project with the mantra, "Unisaw on the
installment plan". And that's the way it ended. What I'm
saying is, going in knowing you'll get poked in the ass
makes getting poked in the ass a whole bunch easier.
Attitude is everything.

My primary goal is to end up with an older machine that's in really good shape.
That's more important than cost in the long run, but I don't want to
waste money, either.

Understood.

So, should I buy the saw and take on the restoration project, or just
keep looking for an old saw that's already in good shape?

Saws come in all flavors from Sad ******* Left For Dead up
to Pristine, Was Found In A Climate Controlled Warehouse In
The Original Crate. Most of what you'll find is something
in the Rode Hard, Not Cared For, Hung Up Wet to maybe, Rode
Hard, Tended After, But Rode Hard. I find a lot of the
former but little of the latter. It's out there but not for
$350. I would think you could/would find one from a dealer
in the *less than a thou* range that may only need the
Biesemeyer.

By the way, smart move on dumping the Jet Lock.

Are there resellers who specialize in vintage or restored machines?

Jeff Hoffman at Walker Turner Serviced Machinery, LLC
traffics in restored machines. While he tends to
concentrate on Walker-Turner he has been known to bend
genders. You can e-mail him at

Does anyone have a cast Delta table, motor cover, or old-style
single-phase motor they want to sell

SNORK!!! sorry. You'd have to been in on that conversation
from the beginning to understand.

(or an excellent-condition single-phase 50's Unisaw in central North Carolina)?

Now I thought this was the place in the world where every
stick of furniture was made? Aren't you guys swimming in
old machines?

If so, email me--you'll get an automated spam filter response, but click on the
link in the email and it will go through.

That's like posting a letter and the mailman bringing it
back for you to re-lick it.

Keith Bohn

Yep...here he comes....... sit back and enjoy...

Sorry to disappoint Bob but I was pressed for time. He can
search the OWWM or Al Gore's Google if he wants the whole
nine yards but he'll have to piece it back together.
Actually I think Heath (rhymes with Keith) has his attitude
adjusted correctly, he's only wanting a nudge in the proper
direction.

UA100

Unisaw A100 wrote:
my saw when it looked like this.

http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=90

Dang, how tall IS O'Deen, anyway? :-)

--
To reply, change the chemical designation to its common name.

Rumours put him at 6'6" and around 280lbs. For most of us that would be
reasonable specs for a bandsaw.


"Steve Turner" wrote in message
...
Unisaw A100 wrote:
my saw when it looked like this.

http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=90

Dang, how tall IS O'Deen, anyway? :-)

--
To reply, change the chemical designation to its common name.

Steve Turner wrote:
http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=90

Dang, how tall IS O'Deen, anyway? :-)


I'm average height, i.e., kick backs on the saw hit me below
the belt line and midway towards my boys. As you can see
from the picture Paddy has to be fit out with a cup.

UA100

I saw an original 'footed' Unisaw like yours at a farm auction last weekend.
The motor had been replaced as well as the fence. Otherwise it was in
pretty sad shape. I didn't stick around, but I bet it went cheap amongst
all that farm machinery.

--
Ross
www.myoldtools.com
"Unisaw A100" wrote in message
...
Yep...here he comes....... sit back and enjoy...

Sorry to disappoint Bob but I was pressed for time. He can
search the OWWM or Al Gore's Google if he wants the whole
nine yards but he'll have to piece it back together.
Actually I think Heath (rhymes with Keith) has his attitude
adjusted correctly, he's only wanting a nudge in the proper
direction.

UA100

My Old Tools wrote:
I saw an original 'footed' Unisaw like yours at a farm auction last weekend.
The motor had been replaced as well as the fence. Otherwise it was in
pretty sad shape. I didn't stick around, but I bet it went cheap amongst
all that farm machinery.


You didn't by chance look to see what the serial number was?

UA100

On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 10:05:56 -0600, Unisaw A100 wrote:

My Old Tools wrote:
I saw an original 'footed' Unisaw like yours at a farm auction last weekend.
The motor had been replaced as well as the fence. Otherwise it was in
pretty sad shape. I didn't stick around, but I bet it went cheap amongst
all that farm machinery.


You didn't by chance look to see what the serial number was?

UA100

99 *snicker*

-Doug

There has to be a tremendous amount of satisfaction in converting something
like that to a beautiful, new looking, fully functional, shiny tool. It
looks great!

"Unisaw A100" wrote in message
...
I can't tell you what I had invested by the time it looked
like it looks in the last picture. I guess if time is money
I probably have two new saws in their somewhere but we are

(Heath Roberts) wrote:
I'd
probably send the arbor to have it checked and have the bearings
replaced.

This isn't a difficult job to do yourself. Replace the bearings
(http://www.ntnamerica.com/Engineerin...0/brghndlg.pdf has some
dos and don'ts). There should be a wave spring (like a thin bent
washer) pressing against one of the bearings. If it's not there, make
sure to replace it since it preloads the bearings and reduces play in
the arbor.

Put the arbor back together and get a dial indicator and magnetic base
(cheap and handy for other jobs). (1) Put the indicator on the shaft,
spin it and find the maximum difference in plus and minus readings
(the runout). (2) Put the indicator on the flange and repeat. (3)
Shake the shaft in each direction to check for play. With any luck,
you'll have less than 0.002" in each test. If not, it's time to
double check the bearings were assembled correctly then replace the
arbor shaft or find a machine shop that can repair the arbor.

I wasn't able to check the table for flatness, but it wasn't obviously
warped. But it has a chunk of iron missing where the right extension

You can find a welder and have the existing table repaired by welding
up with high-nickel rod. This leaves a silvery spot on the grey cast
iron, but it sounds like the two problem areas will not be visible
after the saw is assembled.

The motor is a three-phase motor, and it's the old style, of course. I

This would make me want to pass unless I could negotiate a big
discount -- It'll be easier to find a complete single phase saw than
just an old-style single phase motor. Lots of single phase hobbyists
repowering old three phase industrial machines. No industrial users
repowering old homeowner saws.

As you say, you could use a modern motor ($250? plus starter) and cut
the cabinet, but then, what's the point of rebuilding this old
machine?

Does anyone have a cast Delta table, motor cover, or old-style

A motor cover just went on ebay for $238:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=2360031259

If you just wanted something solid to cut wood, this could be a good
purchase. But given that you want a restored, complete machine, add
in the cost for the missing parts and contracted work needed.
(Perhaps something for your time, too.) I'll bet that total will be
more than a more complete, single phase machine.

Good luck with it.

Tim

"Upscale" wrote in message able.rogers.com...

"Heath Roberts" wrote in message
m...
... it has a chunk of iron missing where the right extension
bolts on....

It maybe just my phobias in play, but I run when I hear of things like this.
All too often, pieces of metal missing can suggest metal fatigue and that
scares me. I've experienced it first hand and it could be tantamount to a
sand-castle just before a wave hits.

Both breaks are at bolt holes, so I suspect they occurred when the saw
was being moved or disassembled. If I buy the saw, I will in all
likelihood replace the table.

Thanks,
Heath

"Rob V" wrote in message . com...

There is a pre-70's Rockwell saw for sale in the triangle right now.

Go to the triangle.forsale newsgroup if your interested - the post was put
up at about 2pm today.

Good luck

-Rob

Thanks for the pointer, but I'm looking for a Unisaw, and this one's a
contractor-type.

Heath

) wrote in message . com...
(Heath Roberts) wrote:
The motor is a three-phase motor, and it's the old style, of
course. I

This would make me want to pass unless I could negotiate a big
discount -- It'll be easier to find a complete single phase saw than
just an old-style single phase motor. Lots of single phase hobbyists
repowering old three phase industrial machines. No industrial users
repowering old homeowner saws.

Yeah, the demand for old single-phase motors definitely seems to have
outpaced supply. I had hoped someone here would know where I could
find one--without that happening, I probably won't buy the saw.
There's always the phase-conversion option, but that's a pretty
expensive way to go.

If you just wanted something solid to cut wood, this could be a good
purchase. But given that you want a restored, complete machine, add
in the cost for the missing parts and contracted work needed.
(Perhaps something for your time, too.) I'll bet that total will be
more than a more complete, single phase machine.

Well, it's always the sort of thing that would catch my eye, but I
haven't really looked locally for an old Unisaw. I'll have to make an
effort over the next couple of months.

Thanks for the advice,
Heath

Heath Roberts notes:

Both breaks are at bolt holes, so I suspect they occurred when the saw
was being moved or disassembled. If I buy the saw, I will in all
likelihood replace the table.

Nah. Braze the repairs, file down, and re-tap the holes.

Charlie Self

"Say what you will about the ten commandments, you must always come back to the
pleasant fact that there are only ten of them." H. L. Mencken

Yeah, the demand for old single-phase motors definitely seems to have
outpaced supply. I had hoped someone here would know where I could
find one--without that happening, I probably won't buy the saw.
There's always the phase-conversion option, but that's a pretty
expensive way to go.


The very fact that no one wants three-phase motors makes phase convertors dirt
cheap. Get an old, large 3-phase motor and a pile of capacitors. Do some
reading, make some calculations, throw everything in a bag and shake it and
you've got a convertor. Well, maybe not quite like that, but it is easy. You
can get a motor for scrap value and the rest of the parts for a few bucks. Then
start collecting underpriced industrial machinery.

GTO(John)

In article ,
says...
I'm considering buying an older (1951, according to
http://www.owwm.com/Delta/VintageProject/Part1.asp) Unisaw, but it has
a couple of problems, and I thought maybe I'd run it past the group.
I've Googled quite a bit, and have read what's on OWWM. The owner is
asking $350 for the saw.

Decent starting point. Does the saw run?

My motives: I'm interested in the saw to use, but particularly because
it's an older machine. I've ended up with mostly 1950's-vintage
Rockwell tools, and there's a nostalgia factor for me. Most of what I
have has been in good shape when I bought it, but this saw would be a
big project.

I thought so too with mine. Most of the challenge was just getting the
time to do everything the way I wanted to. My 1949 Unisaur was a runner
from the start. The guy who had it before me was using it almost daily.
Only bad thing about it was the patriotic paint job, so I decided to
tear her down.

First, it's pretty rusty. All surface rust, as far as I can tell, but
it's everywhere. I'd want to disassemble the saw, sandblast and have
it painted, and put it back together. This doesn't appear to be
particularly difficult, but it certainly looks like a lot of work. I'd
probably send the arbor to have it checked and have the bearings
replaced.

This is probably one of the tasks that will take the least time. I was
able to blast all of the parts except for the cabinet at a DIY blast
center. I had the cabinet blasted by one of the workers in the back.
Took all of 2 hours total to get everything done. I was fortunate
enough to have a friend who works for a body shop, and he offered to
paint the saw for me. Took about another week, since he was doing it in
his spare time. But he used automotive primer and the paint job is
outstanding. Almost too good - I was kinda afraid to put anything on
the saw!

Even with the rust, the elevation and tilt controls work pretty
smoothly, with no obvious slop in the worm gears. As far I can tell,
the saw is complete except for the motor cover. The trunions appear to
be in good shape.

This is good news. And makes the $350 asking price more palatable.

Now for the negatives: The two big concerns I have are the table and
the motor.

I wasn't able to check the table for flatness, but it wasn't obviously
warped. But it has a chunk of iron missing where the right extension
bolts on. That's a little worrisome, but I plan to use a
plywood/MDF/etc extension table there with a 52" fence, so maybe not a
big deal. The bothersome crack is at one of the holes on the front
where the fence would bolt on--this concerns me more, because I don't
think a fence rail would be adequately supported. I would consider
replacing the table, and even though it wouldn't be original, I would
like to have T-slots anyway. If I decide to replace the table, other
than price, any comments on whether I should buy a new one, or is
there any advantage in finding a similar vintage to the saw?

I've seen Unisaw tables sell on eBay for $100ish, and extension wings go
for $50ish each. But they don't pop up very often. You may be better
off finding a sad ******* saw, scavenging the top, and selling the other
parts on eBay. A good arbor bracket will sell for $100 used.

The motor is a three-phase motor, and it's the old style, of course. I
understand that I could install a new motor, but I'm not willing to
cut the cabinet to allow it to tilt--for me, that crosses the line
into destroying the nostalgic value of the saw. So I either have to
find an old-style single-phase motor or buy a phase converter. I'm
familiar with conversion issues and I think overall I'd rather find a
single-phase motor, but I understand that's very difficult.

If you go rotary, you won't lose much. I purchased a 5HP rotary kit
from eBay for $59. Toss in an enclosure and some outlets/connectors,
and you've got the guts for less than a C note. You should be able to
find a 5HP motor dirt cheap, maybe even free if you scrounge around (or
have a friend with one collecting dust).

An old-style round rail fence is included, but I think they're
essentially worthless--I would buy a new Biesenmeyer or Unifence.

Agreed. Well worth the price of admission.

Bottom line: my brain says this saw would be a lot of work, probably
not a good investment, and potentially a real money pit. My primary
goal is to end up with an older machine that's in really good shape.
That's more important than cost in the long run, but I don't want to
waste money, either.

Overall, I spent about $1000 on my saw. I rebuilt the bullet motor for
$200, spent another $100 on blasting and paint, $40 for arbor bearings,
and $150 for a used Bies style fence. I still need a goose egg cover,
and will someday shell out the $200 for it. For now, it just ain't all
that important.

Considering the price of new machines, I think I have a hell of a deal
and a pretty cool piece of machinery that one of my grandfather's
friends may have used. Besides, I was able to sell my Jet contractors
saw for $700 with the extras.

So, should I buy the saw and take on the restoration project, or just
keep looking for an old saw that's already in good shape? Are there
resellers who specialize in vintage or restored machines?

I'd vote to buy the saw, but realize that Rome wasn't built in a day and
neither will your saw. If you work on it regularly and have most of the
tools to do the work, you could easily get her going in a couple of
weeks. If not, it may take a couple of months.

Does anyone have a cast Delta table, motor cover, or old-style
single-phase motor they want to sell (or an excellent-condition
single-phase 50's Unisaw in central North Carolina)? If so, email
me--you'll get an automated spam filter response, but click on the
link in the email and it will go through.

Good luck with your hunt. I'd post an ad on OWWM and Woodweb. You may
get a couple of bites. Don't forget eBay - just make sure you search
for more than just "Delta" (you had to be there...).
--
Regards,

Rick

(Remove the HIGH SPOTS for e-mail)

"Rob V" wrote in message . com...
Heath,

There is a pre-70's Rockwell saw for sale in the triangle right now.

Go to the triangle.forsale newsgroup if your interested - the post was put
up at about 2pm today.

As of a short while ago, Ebay had the following:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tegory=11 810
$700 now bid, something like 2 days left. Overarm guard and all.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tegory=11 810
$695, no fence, no bites yet, about 2 days left. Kind of high.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tegory=11 810
$395, about 4 days left. It will go up.

Charlie Self

"Groggy" wrote in message ws.com...
Rumours put him at 6'6" and around 280lbs. For most of us that would be
reasonable specs for a bandsaw.

Still waiting to have my blade tension adjuster installed. Otherwise
I'm good to go.