1961 Unisaw gets a good paint job

[Duane McGuire]

I have to admit it. I like old stuff. Maybe its just because I am old stuff. This weekend I spent some time with this particular old stuff, and enjoyed it immensely. Not just the stuff, but the memories it brought up. If you'd enjoy the rest of the story, and some insight into how some old people think, here it is: The Paint Job. Some more photos from this weekend are here: Some of my shop equipment.


The arbor assembly has been shipped out for rebuild. I have a new 1-phase motor (3 HP Leeson), and I'm thinking it will all come together early in December. The saw came with a three-phase motor, and after an internal debate of five months, I decided to replace the motor with single phase rather than go for a 3-phase conversion. I pretty much think that I won't be acquiring additional 3-phase equipment.

[Cary Falk]

That looks great. Are you sure the 3hp Leeson is going to fit in the oval opening. It is my understanding that it will not and that is why Delta went with the rectangular opening in 1968ish. I have a 1970.

[Duane McGuire]

Are you sure the 3hp Leeson is going to fit in the oval opening. It is my understanding that it will not and that is why Delta went with the rectangular opening in 1968ish.

I have not confirmed the geometry, and I'll be pretty disappointed if it doesn't work out! I'll keep you informed!

[Don Jarvie]

I have read that Leeson has a motor that will fit the old Unisaw. May want to check it out.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

Found one of those old style dust doors in my shop. Got $175 on eBay, no kidding.

[Mike Wilkins]

Great looking restoration; and from first-hand information, this is a real bull-hoss of a machine. I recently had a 1964 Rockwell/Delta Unisaw that served me well for 10 years, with nothing more than a fresh paint job, new switch and a Unifence. But after a while I got the itch for one of those Euro-style sliding machines, and got a Laguna Pro 6" Sliding Tablesaw, and sold the Uni.
No regrets, but I am in the process of restoring an old Craftsman for use with a dado set-up and other joint cutting functions. You have a lifetime machine there so enjoy.

[Jim Kountz]

I love these old saws, they just dont make em like that anymore. I know its cliche but dang it, its just true!!

[Duane McGuire]

I love these old saws, they just dont make em like that anymore. I know its cliche but dang it, its just true!!

A number of years ago I worked in a shop that had both a Unisaw and a Powermatic. I liked them both but preferred the Unisaw. I'd been around it, and spent many hours over it, but I'd never got into the works except to change the blade!

Doing a partial dismantle of this saw has given me a new respect for the SOLID engineering that's gone into the Unisaw. Aside from the heft of the mechanicals, the thing I smiled the most at was the construction of the cabinet itself. That's not sheet metal, boys. That's 1/16" steel plating. The 0-45 degree gauge for the tilt mechanism isn't put on with a rivet or a bolt and nut. The bolts are threaded into the cabinet! What a joy! As it came to me, the saw had a 4" dust port in the back. The opening had been hacked out with a torch. I enlarged it to match my 6" DC system, and cut it out nicely with a hacksaw blade in my jig saw. It only cost me four blades.