My first table saw

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 8:27 am

was a Craftsman 7" that I had almost forgotten I had. My brother has had it in storage for many years but I now have it. It was originally given to me about 1960 when I lived in Biloxi, Mississippi (Keesler AFB).

It is surprising heavy and even more surprisingly accurate. The miter tracks are dead on to one another and to the edges of the table. The rip fence, while it is adjustable, squared itself to the blade to within 1/32". I was quit impressed but of course I'll have to fine tune that.

The drive shaft rides in a pair of brass bushings that could probably be replaced but that does not seem necessary. The blade runs quit true (no wobble and minimal run out). Again, I was surprised. Saw blades may be an issue; the arbor is only 1/2". I do have one old rusty blade that may go through electrolysis and get hand sharpened. The blade that is in it has a 5/8" hole but there is a ring that fits an the shaft to size it. I'll have to guard that ring until I find out about blades.

I'm going to have to build a stand for this and buy a motor. I don't know what I'll do with it but it cannot be allowed to just lay around under a work bench somewhere.
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I haven't made up my mind whether I am going to do any restoration or not. It may be best left as is. I will do some rust removal on the rip fence and a bit of finish work on the infeed and outfeed rails. The rails were missing when I received this and they are rather crude. something I cobbled together back then. I do not intend to paint the base even though it shows significant wear, tear and abuse.

I down loaded the documentation and learned that it originally had a blade guard and splitter. I will be searching for a replacement for those.

I have no idea what it cost new but a replacement table is listed at $11.75 and the splitter at $ .50 with a rip fence going for $1.50.

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 10:11 am

Wow, that is really cool, Dusty.

davebodner · Post by **davebodner** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:38 am

I had a Craftsman TS very similar to that a couple of decades ago. The motor was supported by the belt as it hung off the end. I got rid of the TS because it wasn't cutting right. The concept that a woodworking machine might need an adjustment or two--or that a blade as old as myself might need to be sharpened--was simply beyond my comprehension back then.

qtndas01 · Post by **qtndas01** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 7:17 pm

I have had a Craftsman 10" table saw that i had before I bought my Shopsmith in 1983. It is a floor model and the blade is belt dtiven. I then bought my Shopsmith rather than individual tools. I keep it under my staircase and keep it set up for dadoes and rabbets and that is basically all I use it for and I still use it today.

wlhayesmfs · Post by **wlhayesmfs** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 7:52 pm

Dusty, what year is that one? do you know? I have my grandfathers Craftsmans TS and he got it in the early 60's but its motor hangs off the back and the drive in in the middle shaft not a side shaft. Now my Dad had one when I was little and used to remodel the house and then he went to a 10" TS never knew what happened to that one. Right now my Grandfathers Saw is mounted on a rolling table with three drawers below it. The first drawer catches the saw dust which I though was pretty neat of my grandfathe to think of. My brother is using it right now but I am going to bring it back home the next time I am in KC.
Great looking old saw.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 8:04 pm

wlhayesmfs wrote:Dusty, what year is that one? do you know? I have my grandfathers Craftsmans TS and he got it in the early 60's but its motor hangs off the back and the drive in in the middle shaft not a side shaft. Now my Dad had one when I was little and used to remodel the house and then he went to a 10" TS never knew what happened to that one. Right now my Grandfathers Saw is mounted on a rolling table with three drawers below it. The first drawer catches the saw dust which I though was pretty neat of my grandfathe to think of. My brother is using it right now but I am going to bring it back home the next time I am in KC.
Great looking old saw.

I don't really know for sure what year it is. I acquired it in the real early 60's and it had seen better days then. I suspect that it was new in the late 40's or early 50's. The entire parts list totals out to about $55.00 is that means anything.

horologist · Post by **horologist** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:26 pm

Dusty,

I saw one of those saws in a junk shop in Tampa a number of years ago. I think he wanted $200 for the saw and an additional $100 for the miter gauge. It is probably still there.

Let me know if you need another ring, turning a new one would be a simple project.

Troy