My new toy....

Just picked this up today. 26" Crescent band saw, dating back to probably the '30s or '40s. I've yet to really do the research on this particular one. I'm almost thinking all the guards were added on later, and from the factory, everything was open, as many of the early crescents were. Obviously, the blade welder is an add on. It stands about 6 and a half feet tall. I'm estimating the weight between 800 and 1000 pounds.

It started life as a woodworking saw (industrial grade, of course), but somewhere in life, it was converted to metal, by use of the 60:1 gear reducer. It's not uncommon to do that - I'm currently using a '50s Delta 14 inch, with a 30:1 reducer for metal cutting - the older woodworking saws are stout enough to take the extra strain the metal gives them. Currently set up with a 3 phase motor, and I lack 3 phase power here at the house, but because it has a 60:1 gear drive, not much motor is needed. I'll just take the 1/2 hp 3 phase motor off, and put either the 3/4 hp Baldor, or the 1 1/2 hp GE 230v single phase motors I have on it.

Nice saw you got there! =D>


We used 36" bandsaws (Deltas as I recall), with 1" blades, to cut the keel and side blocks for the submarines we were drydocking. Most of the cuts were compound miters to fit the curvature of the hulls. It was a pain due to the size of the wood, and tilting the table not the blade to do it. Took two people to do it.

Coming together Bassboy1! 8)

Somehow I knew it wouldn't be an Arcade game. :LOL2:

Very nice!

alumacraftjoe said:

Very nice!

Click to expand...

I agree, Very Nice!!!!!

Did a little research on it. Apparently, the 26" models were made between 1903 and 1940. After cross checking serial numbers with others I've found, I'm thinking it is between 1912 and 1914. Originally for cutting wood. I was right on the guards being added later. Originally, this would lack all the guards. The original lower babbitt bearing has been replaced with pillblocks (logical, as the metal shavings from the machine shop would kill a babbitt in no time).

I bought this from a place that purchased up the entire contents of a machine shop that closed, hence the added guards, gear reducer/metal cutting setup, and babbitt replacements.


Now that it is out of the truck, I've got a couple pics of the saw with both panels open. Envision just large cast iron frame, and the wheels and all being entirely exposed. That is pretty much how these used to be. I'll grab a pic of one off the net that is still in original shape.





Here's what this originally was.
https://www.owwm.com/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=1311

While it would be neat to restore this to original shape, at this point, having a functional metal cutting band saw is still the greater need. The guards were clearly professionally done, and designed with function in mind (easy access to everything needing access), so I have no issue leaving them on. Looks to me like a good cleaning, replacing the tires, blade, and swapping the motor are going to be all the special treatment I give it.