My old machines

I have been dreaming of having a space for a woodshop for many years. I finally have a small space that I can tinker in. It is about 21x14. One thing that I really love about woodworking machines is that many of the oldies are actually better than what you can buy new.

So my first machine that I bought was a 8" J.D. Wallace Jointer. I am guessing this is was built in the 1930's but it could be between 1915-1941. This popped up on Craigslist for $250. I walked out with it for 200. The knives in it were nicked and on the small side so a purchased a new set. I scrubbed the top and got the rust off and added several coats of wax. I set the knives and got everything squared up and it gives me an incredibly nice flat cut. I love laying freshly face jointed board down on the top and feeling that suction when lifting it back up. Anyways here a few pictures of it.







My most recent machine I picked up was a 1955 powermatic 12 inch planer. It was completely out of adjustment but it was complete and was rust free for the most part. I have spent many hours this fall trying to tune it up and I finally have it just about right. There is an issue with the clutch and I will have to have a new part made or find some one who has one. It is not critical though so I will use it for a bit as is. I bought this for $500 and I picked it up in NE. MSRP on this same machine in 1982 was $3200. It was quite a drive but I am just not interested in adding another junk planer to the land fill in 3 years when the motor goes out on it. This machine came with a new single phase motor so that was a big plus for me. The level of adjustment is really incredible and it is really going to make fine tuning the cut a breeze. This machine like the jointer above is insanely heavy and built like a tank. I can't imagine it not lasting for many generations to come.

Those are some awesome machines. Wear a good dust mask with eye and ear protection.

I got this old Beaver table saw for free last week. Yours could eat mine for breakfast. It was in a shed with a whole lot of other free stuff. Part of a demolition project.

I am actually not that concerned with dust from the jointer and the planer, they are more chip makers. It is the table saw and drum sander that get scary. I have a make shift room filter and a pretty decent dust collector but those machines are hard to collect from.

That is a darn cool saw. I would love to find a freebie like that. Is that an 8" saw? I would take that over a ryobi any day. I have had really good luck removing rust from cast iron with a scotch bright green pad, wd40 and a random orbit sander. I have also heard people have good luck with a product called evaporust. What are your plans for the saw? I like how that motor server double duty with the grinder. What is the model number on that guy?

Here is another one about like yours that is cleaned up nice.

Yes, 8 inch. My plan is to clean it up a little bit and then start slicing. I'll use standard 7 1/4 blades. They are cheap. I often cut used lumber. The half horse motor is quiet.

I started a new topic featuring all the stuff that I found last week.

I shared a woodworking shop with a friend for about five years, and we equipped it together. We got lucky and came upon some old Beaver and General machines, and they were real workhorses - a jointer, a drill press, and a tablesaw with a two-horsepower motor. They were heavy, but just fine once put into place on the shop floor. Heavy castings, good bearings, good motors. Good design, too. No bells and whistles like some of the more recent machines do have, but that was fine.

The Beaver machines we had were called Rockwell Beaver... so I don't know whether Rockwell just marketed in Canada as "Beaver" or whether Rockwell bought Canadian company that had been marketing under the name.

Anyhow, congrats on finding those machines and putting them to good use.

Awesome thread! I'll choose older well built equipment like this over brand new any day. Please keep us updated on future finds.

Hey guys!

The dust collection side of woodworking has to be taken seriously.

And this is the best site i've ever read about the subject!

http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/

as for dust handling and fumes I installed a 3 speed fan out of an old furnace.
just using Hi and Low at this time and exhausting the air to the out side threw a window.
have a total air exchange in about 5 minutes in the basement shop.
I don't make a lot of dust but its nice to have fresh air wen ya need it.

Mike

I also enjoy the vintage wood working machinery over the new stuff
all cast iron and on wheels.

JIC you guys haven't seen this link, it's a gold mine:

http://www.owwm.org/