Antique Bandsaw Gloat

[Gary Max]

Went for a 500 mile drive over the weekend to pick this LITTLE bandsaw up.
Of course we also went shopping and stopped in and visted some freinds. I figured I better get the pics posted before Tyler came along with a fresh switch and strapped my legs since I already had the other post up. Thanks for all the help finding a place to purchase new tires.

Made by the Hill tool company--Anderson Indiana-- in the 1940's. It is in outsantding condition, the guides show almost no wear.

[nic obie]

Too cool!

I was expecting to see a monster 36" behemoth, Instead I see this cute little thing. What size is it anyway?

[Gary Max]

Nic the wheels are about 7 1/4 inch round. The neat part of it is the fact that it will make a nice saw. All the gaurds are with it ----some are off in the pic-. I spent about a hour getting the guides cleaned up --they show no wear at all. SWMBO will get alot of use out of it---she will run a 3/16th blade on it I got a 1/2 hp motor that will power it----its the smallest motor I got handy. It's really a shame that this quality of stuff--Made in America--aint around any more.---I better get off here before someone thinks I am getting a soap box out.

[John Miliunas]

Gary, nice find! I've got a small late-model C-Man, but I really wish I had something sturdier like that for some of my smaller chores. The bulk of my BS work requires the larger blades, so I leave one of those on there 95% of the time. A smaller BS ready to go would be nice! Make sure you post some pics of that once you get it all cleaned up and assembled with guards and all!

[Ray Thompson]

I'm from Anderson and I never heard of the Hill Tool co. Gotta go to the library for a little research.

Ray

[Gary Max]

Ray ---this is to funny. I grew up in Anderson---SWMBO is from Farmland but when I meet her she lived in Middletown. I bought the saw off ebay----he had picked it up at a local auction from a person who collected stuff from Anderson Indiana. Hill tool company also made pumps---he had a water pump for sale also. I have talked to several people who have also lived there for ever and they have never heard of Hill Tool either. But if you think about it the saw is 1940's so it's been 60 years now.
It just may of been a small company that was just around for a couple of years.
I bought it just because I thought it was neat, but now that I see the quality of the saw ---it has alot of life in it.

[Ray Thompson]

Ray ---this is to funny. I grew up in Anderson---SWMBO is from Farmland but when I meet her she lived in Middletown. I bought the saw off ebay----he had picked it up at a local auction from a person who collected stuff from Anderson Indiana. Hill tool company also made pumps---he had a water pump for sale also. I have talked to several people who have also lived there for ever and they have never heard of Hill Tool either. But if you think about it the saw is 1940's so it's been 60 years now.
It just may of been a small company that was just around for a couple of years.
I bought it just because I thought it was neat, but now that I see the quality of the saw ---it has alot of life in it.

I think I was at that sale. I glanced in the shop area and saw a small saw over in the corner but didn't go look at it. The guy had enough "stuff" to have two all day auctions. He even had an old Lambert in running condition (made in Anderson) that brought over $20k.

I've been hanging out in tool shops since the late forty's as a kid going to work with dad. He was in tooling for years before that and I never heard him (or anyone else in tooling) mention that company. I am going to the library and do some research. Back at that time there were dozens of small shops in town, it would have been impossible to know about them all. Good luck with it.

Ray

[Gary Max]

The new tires are here---perfect fit. I want to thank Joseph N Meyers for telling me about Iturra Design. These folks know bandsaws from top to bottom.These are 7 1/2 inch Urethane tires that they made for my bandsaw.

[Tyler Howell]

Nice Haul Gary,
I'm a man of peace, here to protect and serve.

[Gary Max]

She's done----I did not repaint it because it is in really good orginal shape.
I ended up useing a full horse for the motor---the 1/2 hp I had was 3450.
Bands are 56 1/2 long and are on the way----SWMBO will be running a 3/16 4 skip flex blade on the saw.

[John Miliunas]

Cool! Just the thing for those smaller projects! One question begs to be asked, though: Are there any other covers or housings for the wheels? Looks like that might otherwise be pretty dangerous plus, it would not contain the dust in any way. I know you guys have a lot of WW experience and know how to work safely, but a broken band is something one can't expect and could be treacherous!

[Gary Max]

You have to think of how the band breakes when it does snap. I know this aint up to modern safety standards and I might have to encase the top part of the wheel for safety. But it does have two gaurds and they are both in place. Margie has a DC that will sit in front of the table bottom and should catch most of the dust.