Bandsaw photos

Jeff Horton

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Finally got some photos of the bandsaw. I was told the trunnion had been welded but I was a bit surprised when I saw the photos. Looks like I am going to have to make a personal inspection on this one.

bsaw1.jpg bsaw2.jpg

Obviously the machine is taken apart. All the parts are supposed to be there. That is the most important thing in a old machine like this. You can't run down to the hardware store and order parts anymore. ;)

Pleasantly surprised at the condition overall. Just have concerns about that weld. And are all the parts and pieces there. Guess I am going to have to make a road trip and see this one. Hopefully bring it home.
 
Wow, that weld is a HUGE question mark...... :huh:

I'd make sure you take a wire brush and to hit that paint and check for cracks etc. If it was repaired correctly, it could very well be stronger than the original cast iron, but that is a HUGE "IF" :eek:

Yep, take some tools to remove some paint if need be, bring a rattle can of primer to touch up any spots you clean the paint off.

If the guy don't want to let your remove some old paint to check for cracks, walk away, better yet run :D

Dunno how well this would work in this situation, but I have seen guys check motors for cracks with a strong magnet and some iron filings, put the strong magnet on the welded area and blow some iron filings onto it, if they sit in a line, there could very well be a crack there. Also bring a bright small light, one of them snake light things would be good, and a mechanics or dentist type mirror, see if you can look inside the casting to inspect the weld from the inside, might tell you a lot about the weld.

Good luck, hope it turns out, but that BIG weld has GOT to knock the price way down, don't it? :dunno:

Cheers!
 
Asked about this on OWWM and most folks were not too concerned. Like you, they were saying check out the weld really close. If it looked good and no problems. This from some of the people I trust on there and have way more experience than me.
When cast iron is welded or brazed without proper preheating and slow cooling it will often develop small microfractures perpendicular to the original crack. Look closely at the weld and if you can't see any additional fractures around it then it should be fine. You may have to chip some of the paint off to get a good look. It always amazes me what abuses some of these machines have gone through, it deserves to be given a new life.

I was thinking my grinder with a wire cup brush. Primer is a great idea I had not thought about.

The owner said it was running when he bought it and it was all ready welded. Need to call him and quiz him some more on that. If it was in a factory I can see a fork lift or some other machine hitting the table and snapping that right off.

As for price, I am doing some horse trading he wants a machine I have so I am getting into it very reasonable.
 
Sounds good.

I used to work in a shop that had a hydraulic press that Columbus's father must have brought over, and it had a large cast frame, amoung other things, this thing was huge, the kind of thing that the building was build around :rolleyes:

It got knocked over when they moved it, at one point and was welded up, it was in daily use in the late 80's when I worked there and was rated at something sick like 100 tons :eek:

No one seemed worried about it, the boss said it was X-rayed at one point and found to be good to go.

The rattle can of primer was a thought, as if you want to wire brush some paint off, but have a can of primer on hand to touch up the paint afterwards, I cannot really see any objections the guy would have to it.

I'd mention to him that you do want to remove some paint ahead of time, to check the weld.

Hope it works out.

Cheers!
 
I can't tell from the picture, but does that weld go all the way around?
 
No Steve. There are two ..... what ever that is. Sides of the trunnion I guess. The other side is factory. Just the side you see broke.

I have a lot more photos, just didn't post them.
 
Ok. Well from this distance, what, 500 miles, that weld looks pretty good:thumb:
 
Jeff, the weld looks pretty good from here. But, if it is just a surface weld I would be very concerned. From the picture, it looks like the welder did take the time to “V” groove it for deeper penetration. You should be able to tell close up.
 
Jeff,

As a point of reference, I was offered this bandsaw a while a go for about $625, and was going to buy it for certain, but then changed my mind. It's completely operational in good working condition. Was located in Oregon, Doug Westin had traded for it.

 
Alan, I have always admired that saw. Seen photos on the Mother Ship. Didn't know it was on the market or I would have been sorely tempted.

I should get in this saw for under that figure by the time it is running. If it is as told to me I should only need tires, pulley(s), motor and of course the misc stuff you always need in a restoration. Motor cost is is the biggest thing. I really want a vintage motor for it.

Just heard of a Hall and Brown 36"(??) in the SE for $450 I think it was. Supposed to be almost operational? Not sure exactly what the means? But I know it has no guards on it. This one has no upper guard but it does have the optional cast iron doors on the bottom which I like. Safer and gives some options for dust collection. I think I can get this American finished with no more than that in it.

The owner has agreed to my removing paint for an inspection. Just got to find a day the two of us are free. Hopefully I will bring it back.

PLUS my H&B jointer is supposed to arrive next week too! :D I am going to be in old iron heaven!

Jeff
 
Alan, I have always admired that saw. Seen photos on the Mother Ship. Didn't know it was on the market or I would have been sorely tempted.
I was so close to buying it, as the price was so good and it's such a cool looking saw. I love that old C frame style bandsaw. Really classic.

I'll tell you why I didn't buy it. Some will laugh, but I realized that I wanted machines that are just a bit newer, from the '40s which also have ball bearings rather than babbitt. It's not that babbitt is not good, it's fine, just requires some awareness when using it. But mainly to me it was that the machines that were built in the 40s were the best of breed for the industrial revolution, IMO. WWII really required that we pulled our head out and build things right, and the products showed that to me.
I should get in this saw for under that figure by the time it is running. If it is as told to me I should only need tires, pulley(s), motor and of course the misc stuff you always need in a restoration. Motor cost is is the biggest thing. I really want a vintage motor for it.
Motors are around. I have a couple old motors, one is from the 20s (GE 1.5HP). Supposed to get one from the 30s, but haven't gotten it yet (1 HP).
The owner has agreed to my removing paint for an inspection. Just got to find a day the two of us are free. Hopefully I will bring it back.
Good luck to you.
PLUS my H&B jointer is supposed to arrive next week too! :D I am going to be in old iron heaven!
There's a fine line between heaven and hell...be careful you don't cross it!:rofl:
 
I was so close to buying it, as the price was so good and it's such a cool looking saw. I love that old C frame style bandsaw. Really classic.

......... I wanted machines that are just a bit newer, from the '40s which also have ball bearings rather than babbitt. .......... to me it was that the machines that were built in the 40s were the best of breed for the industrial revolution, IMO.

Just noticed I never answered this.

I think you should have bought it ;) I just looked closer at the photo and realized that is the exactly the saw I am looking at. Well same model that is. Mine has the lower doors on it.

I have to agree with you that the 40's and I would stretch it into the 50's were the king of the machines. Especially the big industrial stuff. Well built, over built in most cases and extremely reliable. Ball bearings are a good thing too. Simpler to service.

BTW I was surprised to find out that the American saws were available with ball bearings as an option in the (I believe) the early 20's.
 
Just noticed I never answered this.

I think you should have bought it ;) I just looked closer at the photo and realized that is the exactly the saw I am looking at. Well same model that is. Mine has the lower doors on it.

I have to agree with you that the 40's and I would stretch it into the 50's were the king of the machines. Especially the big industrial stuff. Well built, over built in most cases and extremely reliable. Ball bearings are a good thing too. Simpler to service.
I is/was a very cool saw. I think about not buying it, because a Y-36 which would be my preference on band saws, will not easily go into my garage.
BTW I was surprised to find out that the American saws were available with ball bearings as an option in the (I believe) the early 20's.
Is that before the merger with Yates? I thought those were an offering after the merger, in mid-20s.

That machine above has a resevouire (sp) for the upper babbitt bearing, and some type of cup on the bottom as I recall. Babbitt is fine, and servicable in the field quite easily, it just requires some maintenance.

I have a NWWM bandsaw that works just fine, it's a Jet 18X. Until I find my snowflake, I'm just gonna stick with it. Even if I was to find a snowflake now, I don't have a place for it. I'm building my next shop to accomodate one.:huh:
 
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