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Antique new to me jointer

Started by Don K, December 12, 2007, 03:49:07 AM

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Don K

A coupla months ago I called about a ad in the local classifieds for a 6" jointer for $100. I called thinking it was a newer benchtop Craftsman. Guy said he was 85 and still had all ten fingers. Was getting out of the craft while he was ahead. He lived about 40 miles away so I told him I was headed over. My stepson rode along with me. I figured this ride might be for naught, but I needed a jointer to fill the gap until I could buy a better one. When I got there this what I found.   :o 8)












The guy said when he acquired it in the 70's, it was still in the wooden crate that Sears shipped it in originally. I looked on the web for some old catalogs and it looks like Sears offered this model from 1937 until 1941. Then they changed the style. In 1941 it sold for $41.50 without a motor. They used to sell all their power tools without motors. That was extra. I need to clean it up some but it does a wonderful job. Needless to say, when I upgrade in my new shop the jointer will not be sold. ;D

Don



Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

SwampDonkey

Well, a well built jointer would never wear out in your lifetime. The only exceptions would be keeping the knives sharp, replacing a belt or maybe a motor. But, that chunk of iron would last forever. A new one might be shiny, but it's not going to be any better than what you have right there.

Good find and happy jointing.  ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

woodbeard

Bet ya it's a heck of a lot better than a newer Craftsman!
The home made stand looks a lot like the one under my 80 year old American jointer.

metalspinner

That's  a nice tall fence, too.  It looks to be about 5-6"?  I agree with SD, that thing has proven it will never wear out.
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

pineywoods

Don I don't know if you noticed it, there's one just like it in my shop. I didn't know it was a craftsman. I rescued this one from a building that burned to the ground. There are a few aluminum parts on it, they had melted. I cleaned it up, made new aluminum bearing carriers, installed new bearings and a new motor. Still using the knives that went through the fire. I think the thing is about as indestructable as they come.
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

sawguy21

Good find. A good cleaning and that machine will last another seventy years. Quality tools like it are too rare now.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Larry

Walker-Turner made a lot of Craftsman machines along with Parks and in later years Belsaw.

Checked out owwm and think??? this is your machine if your interested in a little of the history.

http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=6884

I think they are quite good machines...new coat of paint and it will be a pleasure for many years to come.

Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Greg

I have a newer craftsman 6" benchtop jointer, as a trade for an old AC unit, and I can't complain it works pretty well.

It has only two knives and they get beat up pretty quick, as I am using it to clean up a mess of old weathered white oak fence board.

My big complaint is the fence adjustments are crap/do not hold well.

There is one slide/screw which moves the entire fence across the bed, and another adjustment for square. The problem is after I meticulously got the fence square, I find when I move the fence across the table, its get whacked out of square. (I move the fence all around between jointing edges and faces to try to get even wear/use across the entire knife.)

Don't know if this a common problem with jointer fences or just with my small time cheapo unit. Looks like the hardware/adjustments on this antique job are pretty sturdy smiley_exclamation

Greg

SwampDonkey

My Delta doesn't seem to have that problem. I can slide it back and forth across the blades or bevel it to 45 degrees maybe less. I think the fence is 6" high. I never move it much, but I like your method of moving it back and forth to use the whole blade for wear.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Mr Mom

My friends dad metal shop is all the old stuff and nothing newer that WW2 time.
Thanks Alot Mr Mom

DWM II

Good haul Don, check out www.owwm.com for info on older woodworking machines.
Donnie
Stewardship Counts!

Don K

The catalog said that the unit without a motor weighed 162#. I believe it. It was all my stepson and me could do to load it on the truck. I have to drag it out on the shed porch to use it, I can't pick it up. :o

Ain't no cheap China scrappola on this baby, all American made. I wish things were still that way. :(


Don
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

Texas Ranger

I have one just like it I bought used in the '70's, replaced it this year with a larger model, and gave the old one to a friend that is starting out in wood working.  Guess it's one of those pay it forward type of things.
The Ranger, home of Texas Forestry

barbender

I wish things were still that way too Don, the way things were made before people that bought a product were called "consumers".
Too many irons in the fire

WDH

Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Don K

Well I have finished all of the pens that had to be out by Christmas. I made a small two section horse corral that is holding in my little nieces big toy horse she is getting from Santa.

I made a pen from the Figured Walnut you sent in the last Pen Wood Express box for a Dirty Santa gift at my house last night while I am at work. :'( :( It was beautiful, it was highly coveted by my wife's stepsister.

I am going to make your daughter's cedar pen and IL Bull's Osage Burl set in the next few days. I will notify you when the Express next runs.

Don
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

WDH

Merry Christmas, Don!!  Gifts that are lovingly made are the best gifts of all. 

Pics!@!
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Don K

Danny, I got your daughter's pen made tonight. I will ship it in a day or two. I hope she likes it. I need to make a pic for my gallery. I just realized that I let the walnut pen get away without a pic. :'(  I still have two more blanks though ;D ;D
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

WDH

Quote from: Don K on December 25, 2007, 09:22:51 PM
I just realized that I let the walnut pen get away without a pic. :'(  I still have two more blanks though ;D ;D

That is a shame.  Maybe the recipient can e-mail you one. 

Your pen will make her day, I can tell you  :).  I will let it surprise her.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

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