j-line tablesaw

I love J-Line tools. But from what I have read the table saws were not generally a good machine. OF COURSE, there may be more than one model. I am not familiar with all they offer. But my advice is read up on them before you do anything.

BTW moving this to Old Iron since this isn't a new tool

Jeff
 
The YA J-line being a "not generally a good machine" is relative. Some were made of sheet steel, but they're heavy duty and the tables are solid.

Certainly you shouldn't expect one to be in the same category as my YA G-89, but they're quite capable. I would think the J-Line is every bit as capable as a Delta unisaw, maybe more depending on the model. There's a lot of combo machines, having a table saw, jointer, and/or sander together, but those are typically the W-line. Those will not be as robust as a machine with a single purpose, most likely, but again, if you have ever seen the tables of the J-line, they're pretty hefty.

If you're looking at a J-125 10" table saw, I have the factory brochure, parts list, and parts and instructions from a 50s catalog of J-line machines. Let me know, I could probably scan it for you.

And to answer your question if they're good or not...I know of no bad Yates American machines, all were excellent quality, some of the best. YMMV...all milage varies.
 
Jeff,

That looks like a J-125 at that link, but it's missing the table extentions, fence, and miter. The 125 was belt driven, similar to other cabinet saws made out of sheet steel. There was a 9" extention on the left, a 17.75" extention to the right, and another open extention that would accept a wood insert which is an additional 19.25" (also to the right), and there is a leg for the right extention(s).

In the brochure it says it will rip to the center of a 50 1/4" panel, and saw stock 3 1/8" thick. Table is normalized, closed grain, heavily ribbed cast iron table, as described in the factory literature.

In addition to that, there was a 3HP motor on the J-125.

The guard that goes on the saw has ball bearings and roller bearings for smooth operation, also missing from the saw you linked to.

The J-125 will cut 3 1/8" depth at 90 degress, and 2 3/16" at 45 degrees.

The original fence is setup to accept a wooden face for use with a moulding cutter head.

As you know from your J-line Lathe, the J-line is built pretty well.
 
J-Line's quality varied over the years. My hands-on experience with them has not included any of their table saws.

The first Industrial Arts shop I taught in (1980-84) had been outfitted with three J-Line bandsaws, a wood lathe, and a jointer, all purchased from Broadhead Garrett in the mid 1960's. All other stationary equipment was Rockwell, Powermatic, or DeWalt. Those J-Line machines were reasonably good quality and had held up to a fair amount of abuse for their first 15 years. In that shop, they were still going strong in the early 1990's.
In the early 1980's B/G was marketing J-Line as their economy line of equipment; I seem to recall seeing a lot of sheet metal in those machines at the trade shows. Delta Rockwell and Powermatic were their premium manufacturers at that time. I also recall B/G dropping J-Line in favor of Vega and then Jet in the later 1980's.
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Originally Posted by Jeff Horton -
"Missed this, they were also made by Brodhead Garret too. That is the tablesaw I was thinking of that didn't sound so good."

Jeff, I haven't researched Broadhead Garrett - I was not aware that they manufactured equipment; I thought they branded others' equipment with their name.
In my experience, B/G was the prime mail-order vendor for many Industrial Arts programs until the current practice of teaching only computer related manufacturing technologies led to the closing of our school shops.
I'd be interested in additional information.

Glenn
 
In my experience, B/G was the prime mail-order vendor for many Industrial Arts programs until the current practice of teaching only computer related manufacturing technologies led to the closing of our school shops.
Glenn,

That's exactly what has closed down the shops at 2 of the local high schools around Silicon Valley, the ones that did have shop left. We have a woodshop at our local middle school, but I'm not sure about our high school. And I have been to the 2 auctions for schools closing them down, the equipment had been sitting for quite a number of years and not used. They reclaimed the space to teach CAD.

Most of the machines I saw were in need of some real TLC at auctions, and the auctioneers were wanting to start the bidding way too high, I just laughed at them. I wish they would have had some B/G and/or YA machines, alas they didn't...they had an old Delta Unisaw which sold for $650, I would never had paid that much for the machine, but the guy seemed pretty happy.
 
From the Mothership OWWM.com

This company was founded in 1906. They specialize in supplying to the educational markets. Though previously not a manufacturer, in the 1960s they bought the J-Line line of vocational machines from Yates-American. Yates-American continued to manufacture the machines but left the marketing to Brodhead-Garrett.

Besides the woodworking machines, Brodhead-Garrett made (or put their name on) a line of U.S.-made machinist vises that have an outstanding reputation for ruggedness.

Brodhead-Garrett remains a prominent supplier to school shops, though the J-Line was discontinued some years ago.
Information Sources

* This company was founded in 1906, according to their trademark filing.
* 1951 catalog.
* One correspondent writes, "From the late '60s to the late '70s I serviced a lot of J-Line machines. As time went on into the '70s, the quality of J-Line machines deteriorated, like Rockwell and others, and we began to call them Junk-Line machines." The correspondent describes a scrollsaw from 1972/73 that never worked properly and has been in a crate since 1980.
 
Hey Alan you said you had a old brochure. If so could I get a copy?
James,

For the J-125, right? I have it and yes you can get it, but I will need to swipe my son's or daughter's scanner...or my wife's, everyone has a scanner except me...:eek: Give me a few days...but my wife's machine is easier for me to sneak on, I might be able to get it sooner...maybe tonight.

EDIT: I just tried to use my wife's computer, but she's sleeping and I don't understand all the kanji, will need to wait until either she's up or nab my son's scanner. There's 16 pages, including 2 pages for the brochure, 2 pages for the price list for parts and accessories list, and the rest for the instructions and parts list manual.
 
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Missed this, they were also made by Brodhead Garret too. That is the tablesaw I was thinking of that didn't sound so good.


As a teacher in the 70's I am well familure with Brodhead Garret and their equipment . BG was/is a supplier of tools and equipment as well as supplies, not a manufacturer (although, in the 60s, they owned the J-line name, they did not manufacture it). I have used J-line tools and saws and found them to far superior to todays crackerbox tools. Having said that, it would be most important to determine the price, and what you plan to do with the saw. Is it for a home hobby shop, then itis a fine piece of equipment providing the price is right and the condition is good. It is a strong built saw with a well established footprint that can be enhanced and expanded upon as a hobby wwer develops his skills. Is it for a productioon shop, then no it is too old and requires too much time & effort. I would take it over a Contractor's saw or bench model saw any day... but to compare to an old Oliver or Jay faye & Egan or today's Powermatic would be a shame. Close to a General.
 
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