Just got a deal on a table saw

Tony Baideme

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Honolulu, Hawaii
Hi all,

Thought I would post a thread about a little table saw I just acquired through Craigslist. It's a Craftsman 113.27520, 10" contractor-type (external motor) bench saw. It's pretty complete with an original 3/4 hp Craftsman ball bearing motor, the original miter guide, the original fence, 2 cast iron grid type extensions and even a 6" Craftsman stacked dado set.

The machine was in pretty good shape for being about 60 years old. The seller told me it had been his Grandfather's, then passed on to his Father and then to him. He was happy to find out I was not going to fix and sell it but was going to use it. I was happy to get it because of it's size and that it had a 115v motor. I can't use my nice Unisaw because I don't have 220v in my workroom, (the place isn't mine and I can't make changes) I may dig out a 1 hp motor if I need.

The table has a coat of surface rust, but was protected by some kind of grease or heavy oil, as was most all of it. It has an original Craftsman universal stand under it (the same stand I had under my 12" Craftsman bandsaw that my daughter has now.)

I have begun cleaning and inspecting it and will post pictures as I go along. These first ones are the Craigslist photos. This should be a nice tool once it is done.

Oh, I almost forgot the "gloat" part. I got it for only $20.00. Yup, the seller said he needed ti get rid of it because of space problems and just wanted to get "something" for it. I promised him I would keep in touch and send pix of the saw as I finished it. (his wife sent me their e-mail address and said he was "thrilled to meet me and happy to know the saw will be taken care of")

It won't get done as quickly as Royall did his lathe, (again Royall, nice job on the lathe) but I think I will work on it steadily.

Aloha, Tony (who loves old machines)
 

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I have one of those stashed on top of one of my shop cabinets. It was grandpa's and will eventually become a sled-based crosscut station if my plans don't change. Your's, like mine, is a very nice C-man badged Emerson unit. There is one still in service at the University where I work; it peeks out from under a large wrap-around table in the cabinet shop. With a little TLC you can make that into a real worker. Congrats!
 
That's good Glenn.

Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention, these things are HEAVY. :eek:

The table top (center section only) is heavier than a Ryobi portable table saw, complete.

Lots of cast iron in these things.

Aloha, Tony
 
Well done, Tony. Not only did you get a good little saw for a steal of a price, the previous owner(s) can be happy in the fact that it's still appreciated and being used. ;)
 
Lots of cast iron in these things.

Aloha, Tony

No kidding. I was going to mention that you should look at the thickness of the table casting and compare it to some of today's saws. Remembering that this was sold as a consumer product with almost everything including the motor as an optional item it is a pretty impressive little guy.
 

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That is true Glenn. Yours is much nicer than mine, but wait. Here are a few more pictures of it as I am taking it apart, before cleaning.

Here's a closer look at that motor Royall. I hope you can read the info on the plate.

Yes Vaughn, and I hope I don't disappoint him either.

Aloha, Tony
 
Hey, what did I forget??? Sorry.
 

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That's good Glenn.

Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention, these things are HEAVY. :eek:

The table top (center section only) is heavier than a Ryobi portable table saw, complete.

Lots of cast iron in these things.

Aloha, Tony

Nice score Tony:thumb:! I wish I could come across deals like that. They had to make the saw that heavy. If they didn't it would tip over with the size of that motor hanging of the back:rofl:.
 
I believe I got a good little saw here. And from all the comments, seems some others have and like theirs too. A good day indeed.

Does anyone know where on this machine I should be looking for the serial number? I haven't found any, yet. Might be able to date it better from that.

Aloha, Tony
 
Hi Tony
Thats quiet a saw. I would venture to guess that is a real 3/4 HP motor. Now days its rated as to what a motor will develope. I think you will have a good time with that and I am betting you will do a great job restoring it
Reg
 
I believe I got a good little saw here. And from all the comments, seems some others have and like theirs too. A good day indeed.

Does anyone know where on this machine I should be looking for the serial number? I haven't found any, yet. Might be able to date it better from that.

Aloha, Tony

Tony, I don't think they ever put any serial numbers on them.:dunno: I have a saw that looks EXACTLY like yours except that it is gold and there is an additional chrome piece across the bottom of the front that has a large Craftsman "100" written/stamped/painted on it, (in other words just "Fancied up).:rolleyes:

Although the saws seem Identical (except for the fancy trimmings), the model number on mine IS different, 113.29991 and the metal model # placard is located at the lower left corner of the back of the saw. In the top left corner of the placard there is a hand stamped 8 and a couple of blank spaces and then 60, which I suspect was the Mfr date, which would be Aug, 1960. I can't remember for sure, but I "Think" that was the year I gave it to my Dad for Christmas. There was NO serial number anywhere on the saw that I ever found.

I love that fence, (I just wish I had bought the extension wings AND Especially the additional "front fence rail" with the little notches on it when I bought that saw), because by the time I decided to add it, they had quit making that rail and it was no longer available.:bang::bang::bang: Since the fence locks both at the front and back, it is EXCEPTIONALLY solid and the little knob on the front makes for easy AND Accurate fine adjustments, "IF" you always take the fence out further than the setting you want and THEN use the knob to bring it Back toward the blade to the setting you want and then lock it. Note: some folks complained that when they locked them, it pulled the fence out of Square, BUT that was because they didn't bother to make a slight adjustment on the little locking tab in the rear/outfeed end of the fence. I tweaked this one when I first set it up for my Dad so it didn't try to pull the rear of the fence sideways as it locked, and it has locked perfectly square EVERY Time since then.:thumb:

Note: I get a real kick about guys talking about their new Cabinet saws passing the nickel test, since "This Saw" did that from day one, and it had the Pot metal pulleys and a Regular Belt on it too. (I sure wish we could get the same quality belts now as we got back then).:( My PM 66 does not run one bit smoother than that old cabinet saw, and all you ever heard was just the swish of the air from the blade turning and a little motor hum.:thumb:

You really got a "Good Find" with that saw, so good luck with the ReFurb.:thumb::thumb::thumb:
 
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Tony; your saw is my saw. I would have loved to buy it for the two wings. We had a long thread a month or so ago about it and updating. I have it down at the farm right now to use in the barn overhaul. I wish we could buy the rack front bars for the fence. Enjoy it and keep us up to date.

Ray Gerdes in beautiful Texas
 
Thanks Norman,

Your saw is pretty much the same as this one. Do you have the blade height guage that is viewed through the upper curved slot? I don't know when that feature was dropped. Not that it would be all so important, but it's on this one.

Oh, I am not sure that your date idea works, at least not on my saw. I did find the stamped numbers as you described. But mine has "15" stamped on the upper left corner, and "32" on the upper right corner. I don't think that would indicate the month and year of this machine, or is must be some code.

I'll keep trying.

Yeah, this is one of a whole range of models. This had to be a popular saw in its day. I told a classmate of mine about it and he said I should remember the one his father bought for their house remodel back in the late 50's. That did bring back memories to me of his Dad's saw. I guess I must have known of several of these "back in the day".

Aloha, Tony
 
Thanks Norman,

Your saw is pretty much the same as this one. Do you have the blade height guage that is viewed through the upper curved slot? I don't know when that feature was dropped. Not that it would be all so important, but it's on this one.

Oh, I am not sure that your date idea works, at least not on my saw. I did find the stamped numbers as you described. But mine has "15" stamped on the upper left corner, and "32" on the upper right corner. I don't think that would indicate the month and year of this machine, or is must be some code.

I'll keep trying.

Yeah, this is one of a whole range of models. This had to be a popular saw in its day. I told a classmate of mine about it and he said I should remember the one his father bought for their house remodel back in the late 50's. That did bring back memories to me of his Dad's saw. I guess I must have known of several of these "back in the day".

Aloha, Tony

You may be correct about the date thing, as I really thought I gave it to him in the late '50 s, but maybe not.:huh: (Remembering Dates never was one of my "Strong Points"):rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: Those stamped numbers Probably Do mean something, "IF" we knew the code for them.:dunno:

I don't have the blade height indicator, OR the top curved slot slot either, just the lower curved slot is on mine. I also have the Single post stand which was an option for "a little more money", (but it took up less "Foot" room in my dad's ultra small shop AND I thought it looked Cool too).:D
 
You know Royall, I haven't made up my mind if I want to go original or do an exotic finish on this. I could really get creative, bring back some of my hot rodding and sign painting talents. Who knows. Maybe.

I've been working on repairing some dents on the aluminum face panel and it's not cooperating. I guess I have to finess it some more.

I'll post more pix as I go. It's going to go slowly though.

Thanks for all the replies and encouragement. I'm really glad I got this saw now. It may just end up being a replacement for my unuseable (presently no power for it) Unisaw.

Aloha, Tony
 
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