Vintage Machinery

Welcome to VintageMachinery.org Knowledge Base (Wiki)! The VM Knowledge Base is a wiki based tool for topics related to the use and restoration of vintage metalworking & woodworking machinery, electric motors & controls, and steam & gas engines. Feel free to learn something as well as contribute to our knowledge base.

Any problems or bugs with this Knowledge Base can be reported to the VM Webmaster

This section contains basic information about the VM web site and the OWWM forums.

• A Short History of OWWM & VM
• What do all of these sayings mean?
• VM Member e-Bay Handles
• Wiki Basics (or What's all this, then?)
  

The following topics will cover machinery restoration

2.1 - Bandsaws¶

• Fine-Tuning a Bandsaw (article by Bob Vaughan)
• Bandsaw Blade Lengths
• Bandsaw Blade Soldering
• Homebuilt Ball Bearing Bandsaw Guides
• One method for balancing band saw wheels
• Restoring a Crescent 36" Band Saw
  • Part 1 - Tear down and clean up
  • Part 2 - Pouring Babbitt Bearings
  • Part 3 - Finishing Up
• Tire Crowning
• Bandsaw Throat Plate Table Insert Measurements and Dimensions
  

2.2 - Bearings, Babbitt¶

• Introduction to Babbitt Bearings
• What is Babbitt?
• Where to buy Babbitt?
• Babbitt Identification Guide
• Babbitt Pouring Supplies
• Lubrication Systems for Babbitt
• Pouring High Speed Bearings
• Pouring Babbitt Bearings on a Crescent Band Saw
• Some Babbitting Suggestions - Reprinted from the Nov. 1924 issue of The Wood-Worker
• The Application of Babbitt Metals (pdf) (1921)
• Something About Oil Grooves
  

2.3 - Bearings, Ball & Bronze¶

• Ball Bearing Primer
• Ball Bear Revival
• Removing Difficult Bearings
• Replacement Bearing List
• Replacement Bearing List - Craftsman Companion Dunlap Sears Machines
  

2.4 - Decal Reproductions¶

Whether you call them decals, badges, or nameplates, we have instructions on creating them plus a library of artwork that you can use.

• Creating Decals
• A collection of artwork to reproduce decals from for OWWM restorations
  

2.5 - Drill Presses¶

• Restoring a Canedy-Otto New No. 16 info from Peter Sarafan (pdf)
• General drill chuck and Delta drill press info from Bob Vaughan (pdf)
• Drill press tune-up article by Bob Vaughan (pdf)
• Jacobs Chuck Repair Guide (pdf)
• Jacobs Precision Chuck Repair Guide (pdf)
• Jacobs Chuck Technical Information (pdf)
• Pressing a Drill Press base off of a column
• Rebuilding a Jacobs Chuck
• Changing the Belt on a Walker-Turner 900 Drill Press
• Sharpening Drill Bits (pdf)
  

2.6 - General Maintenance¶

• Yearly Maintenance Checklist
• Tips and Tricks
  

2.7 - General Reference¶

• Dimensions of Standard Tapers
• Understanding Scotch-Brite and other abrasives (PDF; contributed by Matthew A.)
  

2.8 - Jointers and Planers¶

• How To Tune A Jointer
• Jointer and Planer Knife Setting Videos
• Jointer and Planer Knife Sharpening Services
• Jointer and Planer Knife Sizes
• Getting Peak Planer Performance
• In-place Planer Knife Grinding and Jointing
• Jointer Clamshell Heads
• Grinding Jointer Tables
• Craftsman/Companion/Dunlap/Sears Jointer and Planer Knives
• Replacing bearings and roller on Belsaw 910 planer
  

2.9 - Line Shafts and Flat Belts¶

• How To Make Leather Belts
• Lacing Leather Belts
• Leather Belting FAQ
  

2.10 - Lubrication¶

• Grease and Lubrication
• Bearing Grease Life
  

2.11 - Restoration Tips¶

• Creating Decals
• Fabricating Knobs and Levers
• High Quality Brush Painting
• Metal Plating
  • Buffing Parts Before Plating
  • Bench Top Plating
• Paint Colors
• A Basic Machinery Restoration Guide
• Rust Removal By Electrolysis
• Patching sheet metal holes using low temp solder
• Grinding Guide
• Repainting Badges and Tags
• Flattening Cast Iron Surfaces
• Scored Shaft Repair
• Fixing a Dead Switch
• "Good Looking Tools", a Eagle Paint and Varnish Co. pamphlet
• Step pulley repair
  

2.12 - Sanders¶

• Belt Sanders (Delta 6x48)
  

2.13 - Scroll / Jig Saws¶

• Scroll Saw Air Pump Rebuild
• Rebuilding a jigsaw sawdust blower
• Sears Scroll Saw Crankcase Lubrication Summary
• 6-Inch Scroll Saw Blade Sources
• Delta Homecraft 40-110 Scroll Saw Crankcase Gasket Template
• Delta 40-440 scroll saw spring replacements

2.14 - Sources¶

• Foundry Sources
• Jointer and Planer Knife Sharpening Services
• Part Sources — general supplies and machine-specific parts for a wide range of makers
  

2.15 - Tablesaws¶

• Rip Fence Review
• Circular saw blade bushings
  

This section will contain information specific to a manufacturer

3.1 - American Wood Working Machine Co.¶

• Machine Models and Plant History for AWWM
  

3.2 - Atlas Press Co¶

• Atlas Press Co. Paint Colors
• Atlas 6050 Jointer Porkchop Tracing, Download PDF
• Atlas V-Belt Part Number to Length Cross-Reference
  

3.3 - W. F. & John Barnes Company¶

• History of the W. F. & John Barnes Company
  

3.35 - Black & Decker Corp.¶

• Electric Drill Restoration
  

3.4 - Boice-Crane¶

• Boice-Crane 6" Jointer (Model 1400) Replacement Lock
• Boice-Crane Oscilling Spindle Sander Bearing Replacement
  

3.5 - Buffalo Forge¶

• Buffalo Forge History
  

3.6 - Canedy-Otto Manufacturing Co.¶

• Restoring a Canedy-Otto New No. 16 info from Peter Sarafan (pdf)
  

3.7 - Craftsman¶

• Craftsman Paint Colors
• Ted Duncan's article, "1935 Craftsman drill presses made by Walker-Turner: research and type study" (PDF)
  

3.8 - Crescent Machine Company¶

• History of the Crescent Machine Company
• Crescent Serial Numbers
• Crescent Machine Company General Timeline
• Crescent Jointer Type Study
• Crescent Jointer Guard
• A 4-inch Crescent Jointer from 1918, article by Scott Crosby
• Brief catalog study of Crescent iron C frame 20" band saws
• Crescent Paint Colors
• Restoring a Crescent 36" Band Saw
  • Part 1 - Tear down and clean up
  • Part 2 - Pouring Babbitt Bearings
  • Part 3 - Finishing Up
• See also- Delta 12-14 Table Saw
  

3.9 - Dayton¶

• Dayton Bench Grinder Wiring
  

3.10 - Delta¶

3.10.1 - General Information¶

• Delta Serial Numbers
• History of Delta Machine Models
• History of Rockwell-Delta in South Africa
• Delta Cast Iron Stand Study
• Delta Push-Pull Rod Switch Bracket
• Scroll Saw Air Pump Rebuild
• Delta Paint Colors
• Motor Plate Tracings
• Delta Reproduction Parts
• Delta Open Stands (pdf)
• Delta/Rockwell Wiring Diagrams
• Weights of various Delta machines and motors
  

3.10.2 - Delta Bandsaws¶

• Delta 14" Bandsaw Type Study
• Delta 14" Wood/Metal Bandsaw Gearing
  

3.10.3 - Delta Drill Presses¶

• General drill chuck and Delta drill press info from Bob Vaughan (pdf)
  

3.10.4 - Delta Lathes¶

• Assembling a Delta Compound Slide Rest
  

3.10.5 - Delta Sanders¶

• Delta 6" (6x48) Belt Sander
  

3.10.6 - Delta 12-14" Table Saw¶

• Replacing Arbor Bearings on the Delta 12-14" Saw
• Grizzly Parts That Will Fit the Delta 12-14 Saw
• Making A New Arbor For A Delta/Crescent 12-14 Saw
  

3.10.7 - Delta Unisaw¶

• Unisaw Type Study
• Unisaw RI Bullet Motor
• Unisaw Bullet Motor Repair
• Alternate Motor Mounts For Your Unisaw
• Unisaw Disassembly
• How to Properly Disassemble and Clean a Unisaw
• Unisaw Replacement Belts
  

3.10.8 - Delta Radial Arm Saw¶

3.10.9 - Delta Planer¶

• Dan Swartz article on Rebuilding a 22-101 Planer
  

3.11 - DeWalt¶

• DeWalt MBF & MBC Motor Bearing Replacement
• DeWalt MBF & MBC Rollerhead Bearing Replacement
• DeWalt Frame 236 Motor Bearing Replacement
  

3.12 - Greenerd¶

• Arbor Plate Drawings for a Greenerd No. 2 Press
  

3.13 - J. A. Fay & Egan Co.¶

• J. A. Fay and Egan Company History
  

3.14 - Kneisley Electric Company¶

• A Brief History of Yager/K2000 Planers
• K-Line K2100 planer
• K-Line K2200 planer
• Yager Thickness Planer parts and dismantling
• Setting knives for a square cutterhead Yager
• Another knife setting method
• A rare geared power feed option
  

3.15 - KTS Industries¶

• History of KTS Industries, Inc.
  

3.16 - Millbury Machine Co.¶

• Sharpening Millbury Tenoner Cutters
  

3.17 - Montgomery Ward¶

• Rebuilding a jigsaw sawdust blower
  

3.18 - Newman¶

• Newman History
• Newman Serial Numbers
  

3.19 - Northfield¶

• Northfield Serial Numbers
• Northfield #4 Table Saw Restoration Threads / Links
• Northfield Paint Colors
  

3.20 - Oliver¶

• Early History of the Oliver Machinery Company
• A Brief history of the Oliver Machinery Company
• Oliver Machinery Co. Catalog Study
• Oliver Early Serial Numbers
• Oliver Serial Numbers
• Oliver Paint Colors
• Oliver Shaper Spindle Removal
  

3.21 Thomas Robinson & Son¶

• History of Thomas Robinson & Son
  

3.22 - Parks¶

• Guide To Buying A Parks Planer
• Parks Paint Colors
• Parks Heavy Duty 12" x 4" Planer
• Parks Planer Settings
• Notes on Dating a Parks Planer
• Parks History
• Parks 12" Planer Parts and Photo Index
• Restoring a Parks Planer
  

3.23 - Powermatic¶

• Powermatic 66 PM66 PM 66 Table Saw Tablesaw Restoration Threads on OWWM
• PM 1150 Drill Press Bearing Replacement Guide
• PM 1150A VS bearings and spindle
• Rebuilding a PM 45 Wood Lathe
• Scroll Saw Air Pump Rebuild
• Powermatic Paint Colors
• Powermatic Serial Numbers
  

3.24 - Shopsmith¶

• Buying a used Shopsmith Mark V
  

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3.25 - South Bend Lathe Works¶

• South Bend Lathe Works serial numbers
  

3.26 - Sprunger¶

• Sprunger History
  

3.27 - Tannewitz¶

• Tannewitz serial numbers
  

3.28 - Walker-Turner¶

• Driver Line Motor Wiring Diagram
• Walker-Turner General Timeline
• Walker-Turner Paint Colors
• Walker-Turner Serial Numbers
• Walker-Turner Bandsaw Table Tilt Bracket Reproduction
• Walker-Turner 16" Bandsaw Blade Guard drawings
• Walker-Turner L1152 Lathe Parts Breakdown
• Changing the Belt on a Walker-Turner 900 Drill Press
  

3.29 - West Side Iron Works (J. Jackoboice) ¶

• West Side Iron Works, Complete History (pdf)
  

3.30 - Whitney Baxter D. ¶

• Baxter D. Whitney History
• Whitney Serial Numbers
  

3.31 - Yates American ¶

• J180 Planer - Collection of Restoration Videos by Paul Novelli: J180 Video Playlist on YouTube
  

This section contains information on electrical topics

• Electrical Power Cord Type Designations
  

4.1 - Motor Information¶

• Electric Motor Types (1921)
• Electric Motor Tutorial (1940)
• Farm Motors-Electric Motors (1917)
• Typical single phase motor wiring
• Unisaw Bullet Motor Repair
• Baldor Motor Repair
• Century manual for single-phase motors (ca. 1928, 3.8 MB PDF)
• Motors for Your Vintage Machinery—Horse power; troubleshooting induction motors; motor frame sizes
• List of Motor Manufacturers
• Power Factor in Alternating Current Circuits
• Wagner Electric - Capacitor Start Motor Service Instructions (1947, 3.4 MB PDF)
• Wagner Electric - Repulsion Start Motor Service Instructions (1942, 4.4 MB PDF)
  

4.2 - Magnetic Starter Information¶

• Magnetic Starters: A Tutorial
• Motor Starter Wiring Diagrams
• Furnas Magnetic Starter Control Cleaning
• Mag Starter Hum
  

4.3 - Three Phase Information¶

• Three Phase Frequently Asked Questions
• VFD Frequent Questions
  

4.4 - Overload Protection Information¶

• Allen Bradley Overload Protection Chart(pdf)
  

• Klixon Phenolic Motor Protectors (pdf)
  

4.5 - Rotary Phase Converters¶

• Intro
• RPC construction methods
  

5 - Frequently Asked Questions at Vintage Machinery¶

• Buying and Selling Machinery and Machine Parts
• How Much Is My Machine Worth?
• Our Mission
• OWWM.org vs Vintagemachinery.org
• Photo & Publication Submissions
• Registry Stewards
• User Name & Password
• Using the Search Box in VM
• Where Can I Find Old Manuals and other "Dirty Paper"?
  

6 - Biographies & Obituaries¶

• Abell, John, Obituary (1903)
• Baldwin, Matthias W. (1921)
• Bancroft, John Sellers (1919)
• Barnes, Benjamin Franklin (1919)
• Bement, William B. (1895)
• Blanchard, Thomas (1906)
• Blandy, F. J. L. (1875)
• Blandy, H. (1875)
• Bovaird, David (1890)
• Bradley, Christopher C. (1916)
• Brown, George W. (1896)
• Bullard, Edward P., Sr. (1907)
• Burdict, Orrin C. (1905)
• Charter, John, Sr., Obituary (1901)
• Corliss, George Henry (1888)
• Cordesman, H. J., Sr. (1919)
• Davis, Aaron (1857)
• Disston, Henry, Obituary (1890)
• Doane, William H. (1998, PDF)
• Eames, Lovett and Eames, Gardner T. (1904)
• Egan, Thomas P. (1922)
• Evans, Oliver (1906)
• Farrar, Chilion M., Obituary (1907)
• Greenleaf, Clements A. (1893)
• Hoard, Charles B. (1895)
• Huber, Edward (1904)
• Johansson, Carl Edvard (1924)
• Joslin, Edward (1901)
• Kearney, Edward J. (1922)
• Kelly, Oliver Smith (1918)
• Leffel, James (1875)
• Medart, Philip (1899)
• Medart, William (1899)
• Mills, James (1913)
• Muir, William (1888)
• Napier, Charles (1918)
• Newton, Charles C. (1906)
• Oesterlein, William (Wilhelm) (1920)
• Prescott, DeWitt Clinton (1920)
• Reed, Joseph B. (1912)
• Root, Elisha K. (1866 & 1916)
• Rumely, Meinrad (1904)
• Shepard, Sidney(1894)
• Schauer, Sherman Cornelius (1918)
• Sembower, Guy Knowlton (1925)
• Seyfang, John L. (1890)
• Slate, Dwight (1906)
• Sweet, John E. (1917)
• Skinner, LeGrand (1922)
• Sweet, John E. Obituary (1916)
• Trecker, Theodore (1922)
• Trefts, John (1898)
• Trefts, George M. (1898)
• Weiss, Carl W. (1918)
• Westinghouse, George (1914)
• Whitney, Amos, Obituary (1920)
• Woods, Solomon A. Obituary (1910)
  

7 - Gas Engines¶

• A Brief History of the Internal Combustion Engine (1914)
• Farm Motors-Gas and Oil Engines (1917)
• Modern Gas and Oil Engines (Part 1)(1893)
• Modern Gas and Oil Engines (Part 2)(1893)
• Modern Gas and Oil Engines (Part 3)(1893)
• Modern Gas and Oil Engines (Part 4)(1893)
• Modern Gas and Oil Engines (Part 5)(1893)
• Modern Gas and Oil Engines (Part 6)(1893)
• Modern Gas and Oil Engines (Part 7)(1893)
• Modern Gas and Oil Engines (Part 8)(1893)
• The Modern Gas Engine (1895)
• Various Types of Engines and Motors (Part 1)(1898)
• Various Types of Engines and Motors (Part 2)(1898)
• Various Types of Engines and Motors (Part 3)(1898)
  

8 - Gas Traction Engines¶

• Farm Motors-Gas Traction Engines (1917)
  

9 - Metalworking Machinery¶

• American Standard Lathe Spindle Nose Dimensions
• Leveling a Machine
• Metalworking Machinery Serial Numbers
• History of Metalworking Machines (1890)
• Development of the Turret Lathe (1900)
• Milling Machine Dividing Heads (1902)
• Milling Machines in the United States (1902)
• Power Hammers and Their Uses (1908)
• Principles of Tool Room Grinding (pdf) (1944)
• Techinical Manual-Lathes Part 1 (pdf) (1940)
• Techinical Manual-Lathes Part 2 (pdf) (1940)
• Treatise on the Heavy Milling Machines (1903)
• Treatise on the Plano Millers (1903)
  

10 - Publication Reprints¶

• Publication Reprints
  

11 - Sawmills¶

• Small Sawmill Operator's Manual (pdf) (1958)
  

11 - Steam Engines¶

• Steam Engines at the World’s Fair (Parts 1-2) (1893)
• Steam Engines at the World’s Fair (Parts 3-4) (1893)
• Steam Engine Frequently Asked Questions (1902)
• Early American High Speed Engines (1903)
• Early History of the Steam Engine (1902)
• Historical Sketch of the Steam Engine (1908)
• Production Figures for Agricultural Steam Engines (1953)
• The History of the Steam Engine (1890)
• Steam Engine Foundations (1902)
• Steam Engine Parts (1902)
• Materials and Workmanship of the Steam Engine (1902)
• Care and Management of the Steam Engine (1902)
• Farm Motors-Stationary Steam Engines (1917)
  

12 - Steam Traction Engines¶

• Development of the Steam Traction Engine in America (Part 1) (Aug. 1916)
• Development of the Steam Traction Engine in America (Part 2) (Oct. 1916)
• General Description of Traction Engines (1908)
• Farm Motors-Steam Traction Engines (1917)
• Modern English Traction Engines (1896)
• Steam Traction Engine Manufacturers
• The Thresher’s (Steam Traction Engine) Guide, Volume 1, Foreword & Table of Contents (1910)
• The Thresher’s (Steam Traction Engine) Guide, Volume 1, Chapter 1 (1910)
• The Thresher’s (Steam Traction Engine) Guide, Volume 1, Chapter 2 (1910)
• The Thresher’s (Steam Traction Engine) Guide, Volume 1, Chapter 3 (1910)
• The Thresher’s (Steam Traction Engine) Guide, Volume 1, Chapter 4 (1910)
• The Thresher’s (Steam Traction Engine) Guide, Volume 1, Chapter 5 (1910)
• The Thresher’s (Steam Traction Engine) Guide, Volume 1, Chapter 6 (1910)
• The Thresher’s (Steam Traction Engine) Guide, Volume 1, Chapter 7 (1910)
• The Thresher’s (Steam Traction Engine) Guide, Volume 1, Chapter 8 (1910)
• The Thresher’s (Steam Traction Engine) Guide, Volume 1, Chapter 9 (1910)
• The Thresher’s (Steam Traction Engine) Guide, Volume 1, Chapter 10 (1910)
  

13 - Videos¶

• Videos from the Georgia Agrirama
• Jointer and Planer Knife Setting Videos
• Yates J180 Planer - Collection of Restoration Videos by Paul Novelli on YouTube
  

14 - Woodworking Machinery History¶

• Band Saw History
  • Pre History of Band Saws
  • Early History of Band Saws
• Jointer History
  • Pre History of Jointers
  • Early History of Jointers
• Lathe History
  • History of Lathes (1900)
• Radial Arm Saw History
  • Pre History of Radial Arm Saws
  • Early History of Radial Arm Saws
• Table Saw History
  • Origins Of Two Bladed Table Saws
• Early History of Wood-Working Machines (1870)
• Histories of Woodworking Machinery
• History of Rockwell-Delta in South Africa