Anyone else love old tools?
#1
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Anyone else love old tools?
I really needed a drill press but didn't like the cheap stuff I saw at Lowes and HD so I began searching craigslist.
Last night I found a Rockwell-Delta 4-speed radial drill press and picked it up for $50! The guy I bought it from has owned it for 20 years and from what I can tell, it was made in the late 50's. The only thing I need to add is a work light and come up with a clamping system to hold my work to the bench.
Does anyone else love vintage tools?
Last night I found a Rockwell-Delta 4-speed radial drill press and picked it up for $50! The guy I bought it from has owned it for 20 years and from what I can tell, it was made in the late 50's. The only thing I need to add is a work light and come up with a clamping system to hold my work to the bench.
Does anyone else love vintage tools?
#3
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Re: Anyone else love old tools?
I lucked out, the shop where I do fab work, had a beltsander, bandsaw, benchgrinder, and drill press from the early 80's. These are all heavy machinery, all I did was buy the comsumables
Adriano
Adriano
#4
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Re: Anyone else love old tools?
I got a pedastal grinder from 1968 or so, and a belt sander of similar age for free when I moved to RI and opened my shop. I bought a drill press for $40 a few weeks ago from CL which has 1981 stamped on it... and my welder is a 1979 Sync 500 I picked up for $600 haha. Old tools are great... until you get the electric bill. My welder draws like 40A at idle!
#5
Re: Anyone else love old tools?
I love old tools. We have a pair of 60s drill presses from some kind of assembly line at my work as well as a vertical bandsaw from the 70s. I really like old hand tools too. I have a few hammers and file handles that are at least 50 years old. Something about that old, oil-soaked wood...
#6
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Re: Anyone else love old tools?
It doesnt get any better. The quality just isnt there anymore unless you buy the really expensive top end stuff. And who can afford that? Im sure some fab shops can justify it, but for the rest of us we're screwed
#7
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Re: Anyone else love old tools?
I prefer old tools to newer ones, they are just built better and use better materials. ill take a 60's-70's mill over a newer one that was made in china.
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#8
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Re: Anyone else love old tools?
I think it has to do with the price. The new stuff is just as good or better but way to expensive for most of us. They made shitty old tools back in the day they just didn't last for us to see them
Although we probably have some shittier tools today than they did back then and the same with the nice stuff. Lets just say there are more options now.
Although we probably have some shittier tools today than they did back then and the same with the nice stuff. Lets just say there are more options now.
#9
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Re: Anyone else love old tools?
Yeah because materials were cheap then, so when they designed something, they over designed it without worrying about it costing them too much to make. Old machinery is so bulky but its also so damn bulletproof!
#10
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Anyone else love old tools?
i have a Walker jack from i think the 50s, it gets rebuilt about every 20-30 years, and is really a quality piece. i also have some JC Penny tools, back when snap-on made tools for them, and they're pretty nice, but i only use them on light stuff since i don't want to break them and either not be able to replace it, or replace it with a snap-on. i'd rather buy a new snap-on.
also the old company i used to work for had some old fabrication equipment that was cool, and since the building was an old train station, it had a HUGE overhead crane that you actually climbed a ladder and sat in to operate.
also the old company i used to work for had some old fabrication equipment that was cool, and since the building was an old train station, it had a HUGE overhead crane that you actually climbed a ladder and sat in to operate.
#11
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Re: Anyone else love old tools?
this thread needs pics really bad, lol
i think the newest piece of heavy equipment i have is my miller aircrafter which is from 1989. my bridgeport, doall, and pexto shear are all much older haha. some of my sanders are newer but only because i cant seem to find a retro burr king...
i think the newest piece of heavy equipment i have is my miller aircrafter which is from 1989. my bridgeport, doall, and pexto shear are all much older haha. some of my sanders are newer but only because i cant seem to find a retro burr king...
#13
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#14
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Re: Anyone else love old tools?
some of my older stuff:
my bridgeport and kalamazoo 220v sander
my 195x variable do-all and 1989 miller aircrafter (400 amps!!!)
pexto shear and jf kidder corner notcher (shear was from a highschool and painted school colors, lol)
and some random drills and saws for quick small work:
i also work at a machine shop where i get to play with super nice equipment all day so my shop always seems like a junkyard and a dungeon, haha. next on the list is a cnc mill and a good lathe. then a dope 2" burrking with interchangeable radius', and maybe a good horizontal saw.
my bridgeport and kalamazoo 220v sander
my 195x variable do-all and 1989 miller aircrafter (400 amps!!!)
pexto shear and jf kidder corner notcher (shear was from a highschool and painted school colors, lol)
and some random drills and saws for quick small work:
i also work at a machine shop where i get to play with super nice equipment all day so my shop always seems like a junkyard and a dungeon, haha. next on the list is a cnc mill and a good lathe. then a dope 2" burrking with interchangeable radius', and maybe a good horizontal saw.
#15
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Re: Anyone else love old tools?
#16
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Re: Anyone else love old tools?
i'd rather have old tools.
Garage sales are awesome and replacing a motor on a something that wasn't built in designer plastic is so much eaiser
Garage sales are awesome and replacing a motor on a something that wasn't built in designer plastic is so much eaiser
#18
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Re: Anyone else love old tools?
That old Sears grinder looks the business. I wish I had spent more time shopping around for a bench grinder but I ended up with a new Skil bench grinder. All I do is sharpen tungsten with it but rescuing an old USA made grinder like yours would have been much cooler.
Speaking of rescuing old tools, I just picked up a mid-to-late 70's Rockwell International jigsaw. I can't wait for it to come in so I can start cutting some wooden jigs for my welding projects.
Speaking of rescuing old tools, I just picked up a mid-to-late 70's Rockwell International jigsaw. I can't wait for it to come in so I can start cutting some wooden jigs for my welding projects.
Last edited by Jasper_db1; 04-27-2009 at 07:41 PM.
#19
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Anyone else love old tools?
I have been buying - reconditioning and selling old us made machines for the last few years. (mostly delta stuff)
Here is a picture of my delta 14" bandsaw (1951) ...i love this saw.
only mods i did were cool blocks, new bearings, new tires, new lenox bi metal blade and a vfd. i don't seem to have an up to date picture of it however
Here is a picture of my delta 14" bandsaw (1951) ...i love this saw.
only mods i did were cool blocks, new bearings, new tires, new lenox bi metal blade and a vfd. i don't seem to have an up to date picture of it however
#20
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Re: Anyone else love old tools?
That's a sweet bandsaw. I've got an older Milwaukee portable bandsaw because of the lack of space but if I had my way, I'd add one of those units to my garage.
Did you repaint the saw? I'm going to repaint my Rockwell drill but need to find the green paint.
Did you repaint the saw? I'm going to repaint my Rockwell drill but need to find the green paint.
#21
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Anyone else love old tools?
no, i have too many projects on the go right now. i am thinking of doing some sort of 50's style diner paint job on it, since it has the deco ci base
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