Unisaw the Beginning ~ Woodworking Plans Easy to Follow

Jumat, 27 Mei 2016

Unisaw the Beginning

Posted on 21.23 by gisya

Recently Ive become interested in purchasing a bit heavier saw for the shop, preferably a decent Unisaw or Powermatic, to replace my aluminum Ryobi BT3000 (which Ive used quite a bit since I originally bought it in 1993). I started watching Craigslist and one at a reasonable price came up - it was in Columbus GA and was listed as a 3HP Unisaw in working condition for $500 - this same saw was originally listed at $750 and I figured the guy was ready to make a deal. When I talked to him on the phone he indicated he would take $450 for it, so I took a trip down to Phenix City AL (right outside of Columbus, which is on the border of GA and AL). When I got there I was very dissappointed, as it wasnt the saw I thought I was getting - the 3HP units started becoming available in the 70s and are still made today - I thought that was what he had - instead I found an old 50s Unisaw with a 1HP motor.

I basically told him I didnt want it, but he asked me what I would offer him - I replied that I would pay $300 for the saw and he told me that it wasnt enough, etc. I started to drive off when he came back and offered to split the difference with me - I said no and he relented, so my trip wasnt wasted. I got a working saw for $300, and while its not exactly what I wanted, I decided to start researching the saw and see what I needed to do to get it in fine woodworking condition. Thats when I refound the Old Woodworking Machines forum. What I read there got me interested in fully restoring the saw. I had visited it previously to download a Dewalt catalog for my 790 Radial Arm Saw - which I found at an estate sale for $60. I started to restore the saw and have put if off for now, as the Unisaw is more interesting.

So here are images of the saw - only real issues: saw has been heavily painted, first red then gray, so it will require stripping to bare metal to make it right. The motor label is missing, one of the tables has a chunk busted out on the edge, and when I peeled off the top I found a welded front trunnion bracket. Here are the pics: