Garage Gazette

TOOLS AND THE SHOP => ANTIQUE ELECTRIC/AIR TOOLS => Topic started by: AnsonJ on September 05, 2018, 09:46:35 PM

Title: 1950s era Craftsman Table Saw
Post by: AnsonJ on September 05, 2018, 09:46:35 PM

My Grandfather gave this to me in the early 1990s.  He used it to build his house in the mid 1950s.  the metal stand that it is on he welded up himself, and it is quite heavy (3/16" angle iron).  the saw is not the original grey, which was a bit beat up, I repainted it Ford blue.  it has the original rip fence and miter gauge as well.  it takes an 8" blade with a 1/2" arbor, which I have not seen in quite some time.  most 8 inch blades that you can find have 5/8" arbors and usually came with a plastic adapter/ spacer which I have a few of.  Saw works perfectly.

When he gave it to me, the gear set that raised/ lowered and tilted the blade was stripped out, and as of 1992 or 3 I was able to order a brand new replacement for it from Sears.

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1858/43507735635_8bd5ff79d5_b.jpg)

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1866/30547815088_9566e2dbef_k.jpg)

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1847/43507733725_cb2c292603_k.jpg)

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1885/42607153200_f4a5d519aa_k.jpg)

3/4 horse power motor too..
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1890/43507728745_ac4cf8f5dd_k.jpg)

Anson

Title: Re: 1950s era Craftsman Table Saw
Post by: J.A.F.E. on September 05, 2018, 10:08:49 PM

Nice saw. It's really cool to have a piece of family history like that.

Title: Re: 1950s era Craftsman Table Saw
Post by: Lookin4_67GalaxieConv on September 05, 2018, 10:36:33 PM

Very nice! 

Title: Re: 1950s era Craftsman Table Saw
Post by: goodfellow on September 06, 2018, 07:50:18 AM

Very nice saw! The beauty of Sears was that they kept the spare parts contracts open for decades after an older model had been replaced in inventory. It was one of their main competitive advantages over the decades. Sadly we will never see a business model of this kind and scale again. Today we're lucky to get spare parts for a tools that was made last year.

Title: Re: 1950s era Craftsman Table Saw
Post by: Rewind on September 06, 2018, 08:50:21 AM

WOW!!! What a great tool to have and keep in the family!!!

Title: Re: 1950s era Craftsman Table Saw
Post by: J.A.F.E. on September 06, 2018, 01:36:33 PM

It was federal law for many decades that spare parts had to be available for (I think it was seven) years after the production ended. Sadly things aren't made for very long anymore and often the same model isn't even made very long.

I noticed something interesting around here with mattresses. We have a lot of mattress stores that advertise they'll beat everyones price on the same mattress or they'll give so many dollars - one guy even says he'll give you the mattress free. They can do that because all the stores carry model numbers only they have. The same mattress shows up but each chain has a different number on the tag. So of course they can say that - no one can sell the same same model. I noticed the same thing with electric razors. The brand I use has a manual (big piece of paper really) with six or eight model numbers on it. The number on the box changes but the razor is the same. No wonder you can't get parts anymore.

Title: Re: 1950s era Craftsman Table Saw
Post by: oldnslo on September 06, 2018, 07:35:36 PM

^ you have experienced the power of playing with part/model numbers. Its rampant in the appliance industry.

Oh...and nice table saw you have there. Its a keeper Anson.

Title: Re: 1950s era Craftsman Table Saw
Post by: slip knot on September 06, 2018, 08:26:48 PM

Those old saws built lots of things. They were the workhorses of the time. Nice save.