1949 table saw rebuild

Disassembly, visual checks and repairs. Then reassemble and fabricate rip fence, cross cut sled and blade guard. Mount new motor and check out the operation of this classic piece.
Yeah, I know. Some of the video is portrait. Sorry! This is my first attempt at posting anything more than a single video clip from my phone. I will try to do better.

[@jeffreyf.milarsky1968]

Fantastic work on that wonderful old table saw.

[@Rebel9668]

Probably wasn't tilted much. I seldom ever find a need to tilt my old table saw. Usually if I want an angle cut I can use my miter gauge/fence for that or my miter (chop) saw. I used to have a caged window frame mounted fan that lag bolted to a window frame and had a belt driven fan inside the cage made sometime in the early 50's. It's motor also had the little flip doors on either end for adding oil. I bet it's still running today somewhere, lol. My band saw's tensioner likes to stick to the point I often have to tap it lightly with a ball peen hammer to get it to release. Been meaning to get a dry lube like graphite powder for it.

[@Rebel9668]

I love that splitter/guard set up you built! I need to come up with something similar for my old Rockwell model 9. Its throat plate doesn't have enough clearance to add either a riving knife or those little plastic splitters. It also has those grate wings on it's sides.

[@JourneymanRandy]

Nice work. I found one for sale. I might buy it. Thanks

[@BryceReid1]

Thank you for sharing!!

[@Monuments_to_Good_Intentions]

Nice rebuild.

[@ForestWoodworks]

I always love rewatching your videos. That fence is a marvel and I'd like to incorporate the concept into my current resto, if needed. My Walker-Turner resto project saw has the original fence, but it's missing the cam handle from what I can tell of the 1940's product catalog. It will be awesome if I can find someone who could turn the piece close to the original design. I'm getting fired up even after being in the garage all day! Thanks Again Rick!

[@black1985vette]

What does the handle look like? Does it attach with threads?

[@ForestWoodworks]

@@black1985vette I'll do some research and get back to you definitively, but from what I can tell initially, it is a turned handle with a male thread pattern on one end. I'll be back...

[@someonespadre]

I have my Grandfather’s Wards Powr Kraft 8” Bench Saw, the best one in the catalog for 1950. I have all the parts except the splitter and guard which I remember seeing in the 1970s when my Dad had it. I suspect they didn’t survive a move in 1980. I have a shaper head with straight cutters and a dado stack, all offered in the 1950 catalog. It has a big 1/2hp motor my grandfather scrounged up somewhere. My Dad said it was a furnace fan motor, it is so big that the arbor won’t tilt all the way to 45°. It’s in pretty good shape but I haven’t used it in over 10 years. I have a Craftsman 10” 113 contractor saw I use, that came from wife’s grandfather, it’s newer and has all the safety equipment.

[@someonespadre]

I have the original fence and miter gauge too. The fence latch doesn’t latch…I haven’t figured out how to fix it.

[@black1985vette]

I have gone from working on vintage equipment to some much newer technologies. I just added a CNC router that also has a laser module for it. Now I am getting up to speed on the software to make the parts. This should be a good addition for fabricating parts for the machines I rebuild.

[@gregmaggielipscomb9246]

Nice work, T/Y-G

[@CarlosAguilar-cu2ek]

Hermossssso. Job

[@furstyferret13]

Hi Rick. Did you ever manage to design a method to allow the motor to move with the trunnions? I’m restoring an old English Royal table saw which has a weird method of allowing the motor to move across but not tilt which results in the belt running twisted! Good work on the projects, enjoying them 👍

[@black1985vette]

This design did not permit the motor to pivot. I read the original manual and it specifies putting the motor at a slight angle so it is off axis at 0 and 45 degrees and about straight at 22. To do this the motor must be mounted on a free moving plate that allows it to self tension with the weight of the motor. Otherwise the tension would have to be readjusted each time the blade was tilted. A twisted belt was not uncommon back then and can actually be useful.

[@furstyferret13]

Thanks for the info. Yes this saw has the free floating plate, the belt tensioned by the weight of the motor with a counter spring. It has a long bottom mounting bolt that allows the motor assembly to track across as the blade is tilted to minimise misalignment I’m guessing but there is still considerable twist. Why do you say this can be a good thing? I’m going to try a link belt on it to see if that has more flexibility to cope. It’s badged as a Sundial by Parry & Son, Old St, London and I’ve just got a couple of their catalogues. It was a new addition to their range in 1955 and it cost £64.00 in 1969 😄

[@black1985vette]

@@furstyferret13 I was not saying it was a good design for a table saw, but the use of a twisted belt to change the plane of rotation was used a lot with flat belts. It was much cheaper than using a set of gears. I used link belts on some of my equipment and find it can reduce some vibration. I have not tried it with a twist in the belt. Mostly I keep a supply of link belt on hand for when I need a belt length I don't have on hand also for those poor designs where you have to disassemble the machine to change the belt.

[@furstyferret13]

I’ve found that the Rockwell Beaver 1200 has the same system and it does run with the belt twisted with the system for the motor to track across. It’s nice to know I’m heading in the right direction. Thanks again 👍