Jos. O. Colladay jointer?

[eyekode]

I dream of an old battleship of a jointer. And today I see this on CL: http://raleigh.craigslist.org/tls/1766728345.html

Two things hold me back:
1) It probably has babbitt bearings and I have no idea how to care for this type of beast.
2) How on earth would I move such a monster?

Sigh... I can dream.
Salem

 

[jhreed]

Go for it. You can very likely replace with modern bearings. As to moving, do like many of us and put out the word and you will likely have enough help to eat it.
James

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Like James said, if you get it you can probably find enough friends online here to get it moved.

They showed two knives with it and said "extra knives". Does that mean they only have two extra knives, or it is a two knife cutter head. If it is a two knife cutter head, I believe I'd put my money toward a three knife machine. You'll get better, smoother cuts w/ three knives. Almost everything you buy today will have a three knife head, but you won't get a 12" jointer for $500. :wsmile:

Bill

 

[eyekode]

It is a round 2 knife cutterhead. I talked to the guy and it apparently has the original motor. An almost century old motor?!? Wow.
Salem

 

[Sully]

Go for it! Nothing like old iron. The head is probably easily swapped out for a 3 knife system or Byrd head. You can change the bearings to pillow blocks at the same time.

 

[Tarhead]

Search here for Babbitt. SteveD and McRabbet did a re-hab on an old Crescent aircraft carrier 4-5 years ago and repoured the bearings. It's doable and didn't seem like it required a lot of unusual materials or skills. http://wiki.owwm.com/Babbitt.ashx

A Byrd head and nice pillow block bearings would be sweet. You'll need a matching mounting surface for the bearings on both sides and a good supply of shims to square it up.

 

[eyekode]

I went out to see this jointer. It is really in great shape. No significant rust to speak of. All the controls worked. The cutterhead is not the clamshell type that gets such bad press. The tables were flat in all directions I checked (with a 36" LV straight edge). And it sounded reasonable when running.

The motor was a work of art. He thinks it is the original motor and I believe him. It is maybe 18-20" in diameter. Looks like it weighs > 200lbs. It is loverly.

So why isn't it in my garage? Yeah... the garage is the problem. If it were just the 1000lb jointer I think I could have put it on a mobile base. But that monster of a motor means the base has to be some 2-3 feet longer (the distance from the machine is what tensions the belt).

And the guy who owns the jointer ("Rus") seems like a really nice guy. He works on elevators and seems to know a thing or two about babbitt bearings.

It really hurt to walk away from that one. Someone is going to get a great deal.
Salem

 

[Sully]

It is really in great shape. No significant rust to speak of. All the controls worked. The cutterhead is not the clamshell type that gets such bad press. The tables were flat in all directions I checked (with a 36" LV straight edge). And it sounded reasonable when running. The motor was a work of art. He thinks it is the original motor and I believe him. It is maybe 18-20" in diameter. Looks like it weighs > 200lbs. It is loverly.

Now, you are just taunting me ! :gar-La; Please remove your description of this most excellent sounding machine before I am tempted to squeeze it into my ever decreasing square footage.

 

[Mt. Gomer]

Well one of you better buy it. If you don't it will haunt your forever. You don't find machines like this too often.!