Hi All,
I was up at my Dad’s this weekend and he showed me a few tools of my grandfathers that he wants to clear out of his garage.
Among them is an ancient bandsaw.
The only info I could find on it was that it was made by the Crescent Machine Co., it is model 2931, the wheels are 20″diameter, it looks like it could handle wood 6″ thick and it has a very old 1/2hp elec motor (110v/11.2amp or 220v/5.6amp) that is direct drive to the lower wheel. In other words the motors bearings are the bearings for the lower wheel.
The saw blades seemed to measure 10′ 5″ circumference. I can imagine the saw weighs close to 500lbs.
There are rubber “tires” on the wheels that look like they would at least hold up for a few test cuts but I am assuming they would disintegrate if they were asked to do any serious work.
My grandfather died in the late seventies so this saw probably hasn’t been used since 1970 but it has been moved at least two or three times several hundred miles by my aunt or my dad and always been stored indoors in a dry atmosphere. It has some light surface rust but everything moves smoothly.
I am looking for any input on how old school bandsaws functionality compares to newer ones.
I don’t really need a bandsaw but I figure I might as well let this one take up some floor space in my shop for a year or so and see if I find uses for it before disposing of it.
If the consensus is that an ancient bandsaw is great for collectors of old tools but useless for someone who wants to actually use it then I should probably just try and sell it.
Thanks for any advice and input.
Replies
Hello,
OWWM.com may be the best place to ask your question.
I used to work in a shop that had a bandsaw from the 1890s, date was cast into the body. Don't remember the belt circumference, but the saw stood taller than me. We were doing a lot of custom milling on large timbers out of that shop, so the saw was used regularly.
It was set up for a belt drive, so this shop just hooked up a new electric motor via a drivebelt. I'm struggling to remember if the owner had the wheels retreaded. I do remember using the saw, but not too often, cuz the blade wasn't tracking well or something like that. I left before the owner really got it working reliably.
I just remember how massive the thing was, and how cool it was due to it's age and size.
Thanks for the OWWM.com tip. I will look into it tomorrow (gotta hit the sack).Glad to hear it may still have some serviceable life in it. I like to tinker with stuff but with too many projects on the backburner I dont dare take this one on unless I have some "thumbs up' on trying to make it a functional tool for actual use.Karl
It probably has babbit bearings. If these are worn, they will have to be re-babbited, or reworked to use ball bearings. I would think it is worthwhile to get working again.
Thanks for all the input guys. I am glad to see there was no discouraging advice.FWIW it does not have ball bearings so I am assuming they are Babbit. To my untrained eye I would refer to it as a sleeve bearing with an oiler cup on the side of the sleeve.I will look at the bandsaw book one poster mentioned and check out OWWM.com for detailed guidance on replacing the tires and guides.Karl
Karl,One of my past woodworking instructors had a shop full of old Crescent machines. They are wonderful. I'd think with some tuning up, new tires, etc. you'd be in good shape. You're not going to do any better with a modern machine. All that cast iron makes for great sawing.- KitTechnique is proof of your seriousness. - Wallace Stevens
If they are babbit bearings, you can improve the performance by heat treating the bearings since they have set unused for so long. A hand-held propane torch does a great job. Really. Trust me."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
I wouldn't go "heat treating" the babbitt with a propane torch. I expect that would run the risk of melting the babbitt out, melting the two halves together, melting any shims into the babbitt, or melting the shaft off at an unusable angle. I can envision this method possibly improving a small lightly loaded bearing but not this one.Pete
Edited 12/8/2008 1:05 pm ET by PeteBradley
I was kidding. That was an old rookie joke "back in the day", sending a rookie to get a newly poured babbit bearing heat treated in another part of the shop."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Pete, Thanks for rescuing me from Fast Eddie, I wasn't likely to to go at it with a propane torch without a specific list of instructions and some additional research but you saved me from a wild goose chase.
I took a quick look at OWWM.com and there is a great write up with photos of a guy restoring a 36" crescent machine bandsaw.He has photos of how he poured new babbit bearings. It was a very informative website.I will check in over at knots when I have a bit more time to burn on the computer
Karl
Yeah, 80 years ago that would have been hilarious. You'll find very few people at Knots who know these machines well, and as near as I can tell, they're also on the "Shop" forum at owwm.org. Owwm's resident Crescent expert will be interested in the serial number and particulars of your machine.Pete
Edited 12/8/2008 2:59 pm ET by PeteBradley
Bandsaws are pretty simple machines. As long as the castings are in good shape, it's fairly easy to restore them.
New tires, new bearings, new blade guides, maybe a new paint job, and you've got a very useful machine.
Mark Duginske has a pretty good book on setting up and using a bandsaw.
I just checked and my local library has Mark Duginske's latest bandsaw book. I put it on hold and will pick it up later this week.Thanks for the suggestionKarl
It's not worth a whole lot, but there are plenty of people who will want it if you don't. Find the forum on OWWM, post some pictures and introduce yourself. You'll get all the information you need.
Pete
pieces like that can still do a wonderful job .
All that's needed is some care and probably replacing the rubber "tires" on the wheels. (easy enough to do and tires should be readily available) just remember those old machines had a lot of lubrication points because they were expected to work for centuries..
I'd LOVE to have one of them. I worked with quite a few in the past. Bearings are ez to swap or even re-pour from scratch, and motors can be swapped and adapted.
For tires, you need to ascertain if the wheels are crowned or the tires are. With a flat wheel, you need crowned tires, and crowned wheels need flat tires.
That extra high and wide type saw, and heavy base castings make them soooo nice to work on.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
Not there to see it in person but it sounds like you have a gem on your hands. If the blade tracks true then It'd be worth your while to get a good set of guides (Carter) on there. And if the rubber on the tires is still good (not cracked or hardened) it should be good to go. You won't find a smoother saw in modern woodworking equipment. As someone else mentioned OWWM.com is an excellent resource.
Karl,
Post this over on the Knots forum. I'll bet you'll find someone over there who has one still in use. Lot of knowledge on bandsaws in that group. You might try an Advanced Search there too.
oldfred
I think it would be extremely cool to restore a machine like that! If you do, please post pics!
Scott.
Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.â€
I run a 32" bandsaw circa 1918. Great machine. Had to have the motor rewound and replace the tires. Other than that it's a workhorse.