[difalkner]

This will be a long post, be forewarned. You may or may not follow along, you may get bored, you may look at the photos only and never read a word of what I write, you may look at this and wonder why I even tried to restore this saw (and jointer but I won't be covering the jointer here), but I can pretty much guarantee you'll like the results of my efforts. So dive in, gander at what you want, offer comments, or just come back once in a while to see what I've done - I took over 300 photos but I won't inundate you with all those. I will post about 70, though.

This post is more about me documenting what I've done to restore these tools and wanting to share the process than seeking guidance or help. You'll see things you may have done differently or not at all but I do hope you enjoy the trip - David

Here's the background and a prerequisite for understanding how all this took place -

Several times I have mentioned in posts that I owned a woodworking business in the mid 80's to early 90's. I partnered with an old friend in the late 80's and we were a good fit together for the work we did. It was a good business and at one time we had about 8 people working for us. In 1990 we bought a Powermatic Model 66 table saw and a Delta DJ-15 jointer. When I decided a few years later to get into the Technology field my partner and I worked out a deal for my exit, for the business I had brought in, and since I owned all the other tools anyway I wanted access to the shop for my own projects.

Well, a year went by and he did decide to close the business but I had no home shop or place to store the saw and jointer. But another friend in the same business needed both and asked if he could use them. He had done some work in our shop before and even rented some space from us at one point. He used our/my tools and took good care of them. So I decided to let this other friend take both tools to his shop and for the next few years I checked in on my tools often. Then it got to the point where I checked on them every few years. Finally, after many years of not seeing them and still not having a home shop, I sort of wrote them off.

Then, a few years ago, a friend at church told me he heard that the guy who had borrowed my saw and jointer had abandoned them in an old building, that the motors were burnt up, and they were likely just boat anchors now. I viewed it as my fault for not checking on them and my fault for even loaning tools like that out - stupid move, really.

I found out where they tools were located and couldn't believe where they were and what I found. A woodworker friend, Adam, went with me figuring we'd find the tools covered in sawdust and just neglected. We were not prepared for what we found.

Looks like a vibrant neighborhood from the front, right? I was concerned about even having my MINI parked there!

I looked in through the broken glass and iron bars and saw this -

Driving around back we saw this locked door -

I couldn't get my phone in very far but I took this shot. If you look closely you'll see a contractors table saw in the dark area to the left. My saw and jointer aren't really visible but they are behind the contractors saw. The sunlight shining in is not from a skylight. The roof is simply missing in several areas, including where my saw and jointer were parked.

We left and came back in Adam's truck and I had a guy who had worked there meet us because he had the combination to the lock to get us in the back door. Adam and I loaded the saw and jointer into the back of his truck by ourselves - these are HEAVY tools! And I was still in my dress clothes, didn't even take my tie off. We stopped for a bite to eat and I snapped this shot - one guy walked by and asked if we were headed to the dump. :thumbdown: Uh, nope!

More soon... David

 

[ryan50hrl]

I'm hooked...

 

[Dovetails]

This is gonna be cool. Thanks.

 

[difalkner]

We got the tools home and into my garage where I could really see how bad they were. The saw was directly under where the roof had been leaking, apparently for quite some time. This is some seriously deep rust! I know a lot of people would have just given up at this point but I do like a challenge. One thing I found that I knew I would have to deal with at some point is that the center was about 0.090" below the perimeter of the table corner to corner and about 0.075" across the middle. I couldn't tell if it was rust build up on the perimeter or if the saw top actually dipped that much near the blade. All I could do is clean it up and see what I had to deal with.

I started by dry sanding with 80 grit. A LOT of dry sanding with 80 grit.

I switched to finer and finer grits, even using a 1/3 sheet air operated orbital sander with wet/dry paper and WD40 with 3 in 1 oil. After a couple of weeks doing this just about every night and as much as I could squeeze in on weekends, I got it cleaned up enough to move on to the inside. When I got it to this point I measured again and found the dip in the center from corner to corner was down to below 0.050" and across the middle was down below 0.030" so some of that had to be rust build up. That's still not close enough but it's going the right way.

When I took the top off this is what I found -

Everything was locked with rust, seized as it could be. Even the arbor would not turn. I worked on it three weeks to get the trunnion to move a half inch. Then little by little with progressive pounding using dead blow hammers, heavy mallets on blocks of wood, lubricants, penetrants, and chipping away at what I could I finally got the trunnion free to move, albeit tightly.

More tomorrow. Thanks for following along!
David

 

[ryan50hrl]

Wow.....that was trashed.

 

[Ian1957]

I am on the line. Looking forward to seeing the end result.

 

[BigJim]

When you get that saw all working back up and running, you are going to love it. I love a good challenge also, looking good so far.

 

[Steve Neul]

Gees, I thought I had bad luck loaning out tools. What has the guy have to say that you loaned them too?

 

[woodchux]

You indeed do have a challenge!!! Could some of that damage (to building/material/equipment) be caused by storms/flooding in that area? Hope this was all legal to remove items, although as you claim were yours "out on loan"! Looking forward to more posts of your progress. Be safe.

 

[difalkner]

What has the guy have to say that you loaned them too?

It was a real heartfelt conversation, Steve. He called to learn how I found out about my tools. Almost as an afterthought, he apologized as though he just bumped into me in crowd. 'Sorry 'bout that' was about all he said. He did add that he probably should have called me. I pointed out he 'probably' should have taken care of them.

You indeed do have a challenge!!! Could some of that damage (to building/material/equipment) be caused by storms/flooding in that area? Hope this was all legal to remove items, although as you claim were yours "out on loan"! Looking forward to more posts of your progress. Be safe.

No sir, the roof was simply neglected on this old building. I'm in northwest Louisiana, nowhere near the coast or flooding. They had been working around the leaks for a year from what I was told. Except for where my tools were stored. They didn't bother moving or covering those to avoid the leaks. The landlord had given them two weeks to get their tools out before he put everything in the dumpster, so it was cool we took them out.

 

[difalkner]

After getting the trunnion to move I felt there was hope after all, that I could get this fine tool back into working shape. Until I tried to get the pulley off the arbor, that is. I used penetrants, mild heat, dead blow hammer, heavy mallet on blocks of wood - basically anything I could think of to get that pulley off. No luck, no success, no movement at all... for over a month. Almost every evening, just about every weekend, I would try to get this pulley off.

Alternately I turned my attention to getting the height adjustment shaft out of the trunnion. I finally got it to rotate but it was bent and would not come out. It would move back and forth a little bit but I couldn't drive it out. I think when it was loaned out they must have dropped the saw or in some fashion bumped it pretty hard, maybe it leaned hard in their truck - I don't know. There was a mark on the handwheel and the knob was slightly bent.

Because I was having to pry/hit/pound so hard to get it to move I figured I'd better give it some support, so I bandsawed this little Maple block to make me feel better about hitting on it so hard. :thumbsup:

I began trying to straighten the bent portion of the shaft and finally resorted to filing it down so I could remove it from the trunnion. But the first thing I did after that was order a new shaft and worm gear - $14, not too bad!

Next, I took everything out of cabinet -

And then every fastener and piece removable came out -

Now over on my workbench I got back on the pulley. Same technique of penetrants, puller, etc. and after another week or so it came off - whew! I didn't want to have to order that assembly 'cause I think it was a bit more pricey than the shaft I ordered.

The good thing at this point is that all the pounding had not damaged or broken any piece. Only the bent shaft needed replacing.

 

[Steve Neul]

It was a real heartfelt conversation, Steve. He called to learn how I found out about my tools. Almost as an afterthought, he apologized as though he just bumped into me in crowd. 'Sorry 'bout that' was about all he said. He did add that he probably should have called me. I pointed out he 'probably' should have taken care of them.




No sir, the roof was simply neglected on this old building. I'm in northwest Louisiana, nowhere near the coast or flooding. They had been working around the leaks for a year from what I was told. Except for where my tools were stored. They didn't bother moving or covering those to avoid the leaks. The landlord had given them two weeks to get their tools out before he put everything in the dumpster, so it was cool we took them out.

I'm sure he offered to help you fix them didn't he? :laughing:

 

[difalkner]

I'm sure he offered to help you fix them didn't he? :laughing:

Absolutely! Just like he's called every month or so to see if I got them back in working order.

 

[Steve Neul]

I guess it is just the changing times. I grew up and lived around folks from the WWII generation and older. I won't borrow anything from anyone regardless of how bad I might need it for fear something might happen to it while I have it. Now nobody gives a damn about anybody.

 

[difalkner]

I borrowed a portable AC unit from a friend and he mentioned that he'd like to one day build a directional vent on top so it blows straight out instead of up. While it was in my shop I built that unit for him. I made it out of 1/8" clear Acrylic sheet, curved to direct the air flow, and also took the internal filters out and cleaned them (he didn't know it had internal filters). I also found and printed the owner's manual, duplexed and in color, so he'd have that for reference.

When I took the unit back to him he was shocked, saying that he had a few other things I could borrow and 'fix' for him! I think that's the way you borrow something, when and if you have to. Return it in as good as or better condition than it was when you borrowed it. But I'm afraid, Steve, that people don't do that very much nowadays.

 

[BigJim]

difalkner, please forgive me for not reading all of your original post about you loaning your tools to a friend's buddy, I can empathize with you there. I had a similar experience where my business partner took over half of my tools when our business folded, only I never got them back. I had trained this fellow in house building, trim work, stair building and cabinet work. He went out on his own and later after I had started the business, his wife died. I felt sorry for him and took him in as a business partner and taught him about this business and furnished all the tools, building and finance.

The rest is history, I was angry, as I am sure you are also. I just let it go as bad as I wanted to retaliate.

I am really sorry that you are having to do the work that should never have had to be done in the first place.

 

[difalkner]

difalkner, please forgive me for not reading all of your original post about you loaning your tools...

The rest is history, I was angry, as I am sure you are also. I just let it go as bad as I wanted to retaliate.

I am really sorry that you are having to do the work that should never have had to be done in the first place.

You mean my novella? :laughing: I can't believe you didn't read all that!!

No sir, not angry at all. It's not in me to let someone else dictate my emotions. Disappointed in his lack of respect for another's property, yes. I thought he was better than that. If he called me today and said he needed some boards cut I'd tell him to bring them over and I would not mention all of this unless he asked - it would serve no purpose.

If I had my druthers I would not have had to do this restoration but it has been a blast, a very enjoyable experience. I'm glad I gained the experience on this saw (and the jointer) but now I'm ready to do some woodworking in my shop, not equipment repair.

Like this shameless plug for my build thread, my first project using the saw - http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f13/build-thread-mahogany-birdseye-maple-padauk-71161/

 

[BigJim]

You mean my novella? :laughing: I can't believe you didn't read all that!!

No sir, not angry at all. It's not in me to let someone else dictate my emotions. Disappointed in his lack of respect for another's property, yes. I thought he was better than that. If he called me today and said he needed some boards cut I'd tell him to bring them over and I would not mention all of this unless he asked - it would serve no purpose.

If I had my druthers I would not have had to do this restoration but it has been a blast, a very enjoyable experience. I'm glad I gained the experience on this saw (and the jointer) but now I'm ready to do some woodworking in my shop, not equipment repair.

Like this shameless plug for my build thread, my first project using the saw - http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f13/build-thread-mahogany-birdseye-maple-padauk-71161/

You are one rare person David, that is very commendable, I hope to have an attitude like your's one day as well, still working on it.

That is a beautiful build, that is really going to look good.

 

[Chamfer]

This thread is the definition of good ol' fashioned elbow grease and decency.

Nice resto and great attitude!

 

[difalkner]

Thanks, guys - just having fun doing some woodworking and equipment repair.

The cabinet is now stripped of all parts and cleaned as good as I could get it but there's WAY too much rust to paint over. At this point I figured my only choice was sandblasting. Until I got everything off I thought there might some remote possibility that I could wire brush it and primer heavy but that would never really work.

Here's the fence in all its glory -

Not really usable as is, I'm thinking.

And I can't even begin to see through this cursor. The brown specks are paint although it's hard to see that in the photo. But I figured I could replace the plastic without much effort.

Here's the bottom side of the rail tube. I assume water stood for long periods between this and the angle iron rail. Pretty badly pitted. This is after quite a bit of cleaning, sanding, etc. It was almost as rusty as the top although cast iron has its own look with rust that's a little different from a steel tube.

More in a little bit - David