Please help identify Unisaw

[Jeff R. King]

A guy I know has a saw he'd like to sell and I'm partially in the market for one. I'm trying to get some details on this saw to see if it is worth the price ($600)....

unisaw.jpgunisaw 2.jpg

He gave me the following information:

10" Saw
52" unifence
1 1/2 horse motor
220 single phase
4 inch dust port

I've been reading this forum almost everyday for a year or so and I'm really trying to get into some woodworking but I don't want to buy junk. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks - Jeff

[Mike Wilkins]

I once owned a 1964 vintage Rockwell/Delta Unisaw. Not much changed on these saws during the 60's, as evidenced by the cast iron base and dust door style. But the Unifence is a later addition. It looks like a good buy, especially with the single phase motor. The one I owned had the same specs with the motor and voltage. For that price you can't go wrong. These machines are built like a tank, and will give many years of service. I say go for it. Go to the OWWM site and look up that serial number to get a born-on date.

[Julian Tracy]

That's a great price for the saw as equipped.

It'd easily sell for that much even with the older Jet-lock style fence. Having the Unifence makes it a very decent deal.

I bought and set up my 1944 Unisaw last year, and paid $600 for the saw alone, with the older Jet fence. Admittedly, mine wasn't all that gloatable, but it did include the cast iron motor cover and had been pretty much restored 15-20 years prior, so I didn't have to do much to it other than buying a decent fence and equipping it with mobile base, O.head dust collection, ect. My saw has the 1HP Bullet motor - I run it on a dedicated 20amp circuit. Seems quite powerful for what I feed through it, and the coolness and pride factor is quite high.

JT

[Jeff R. King]

Thank you for the responses and the suggestion to go to OWWM. I'll take a look at it as soon as I can. I might finally have a Unisaw. Been looking for about a year for one at a decent price.

Jeff

[Scott Schwake]

Jeff,

I agree with what's been said. I paid that much for my 1946 model with a 1 hp motor & original fence and don't regret it. If you've been waiting for a Unisaw, I think your patience has paid off.

Looks like this one is from 1956. You may want to consider changing out arbor and motor bearings if they haven't been replaced. Lot's of Unisaw owner's and information over at OWWM.

[Brian Ross]

I sold the Unisaw I bought new in 1984 several years ago as I had the opportunity to buy one that is very similiar to the one you are looking at. They are bullet proof. I purchased a new arbor and bears as the shaft was worn where the blade sits. I always wanted one with a cast iron base. Mine has a 2 hp motor and has plenty of power. A new arbor and bearings cost me about $130. You can purchase the bearings from a bearing supply outlet a lot cheaper than going to Delta. Just take your old bearings with you and they can match the numbers. There are several sites that you can go to for instructions on changing the bearings if you do in fact need to do that. It is a no brainer to change them. I think that is a very fair price and it will outlast you.

Brian

[Robert Boyd]

Worst case scenario you might have to put in new bearings in the arbor and motor and add a set of belts. Those are very strong motors on those saws. I have been using an 8in Oshlund Dado with no problems and mine is only a one horse.

How to replace the bearings in the motor:
http://wiki.owwm.com/UnisawRIBulletMotor.ashx

Unisaw disassembly:
http://wiki.owwm.com/Unisaw%20Disassembly.ashx

Robert

[Howard Acheson]

The negative I see is the 1 1/2HP motor. Unisaws have been produced since the 80's with 3HP and 5HP motors. With todays carbide blades more horsepower is needed to get faster cuts. My contractor saw is 1 1/2HP.

I have seen a number of 3 and 5 HP saws advertised in recent years and that would be my choice.

[Jeff R. King]

Thanks again for the replies and the information. I've decided to purchase the saw. I'll pick it up this weekend. That should be a process! I've been reading as much as I can on Unisaws and I've read the old 1 1/2 hp motors have more torque than the new ones...is that the case?

[Carl Babel]

Jeff,

I have three suggestions (having bought an old Unisaw in the past):

1. Take off the throat plate, take out the blade and make sure that there are no cracks in the trunnions / yoke assembly. If there are, you will eventually have to replace it. You might want to bring a wire brush to clean off saw dust / gunk build-up. You will also want a nice bright flashlight.

2. Take a straight-edge and check out the table for flatness. Make sure that you are happy with it. You can have the tops re-ground flat, so this might not be a deal breaker.

3. Take some wood and ask to make a few cuts. I would try some straight rips and some bevel rips for sure. You might even want to do a few cross-cuts on thick hard stock. This will tell you if you will be happy with the power. Of course, the seller might have a lousy blade on it, so you might want to bring a nice sharp blade.

Pretty much everything else can be cleaned up with-out a lot of expense. They are great machines and fun to re-build. Best of luck!

Carl

[Chip Lindley]

Comparing with photos of Unisaws on the OWWM site, this one appears to be late '50s, early '60s. I am a bit puzzled at the square motor cover. Perhaps this was added later. This saw should have the 1.5hp repulsion/induction "bullet" motor. Those are strong motors and will rival any commercial 2hp motor today.The saw could have been "hybridized" over the years. That remains to be seen when you inspect the saw.

Unisaws of the later '60s changed to a more standard TEFC motor. If that's the case, you have same power than the average contractor saw. It's still a great starting place for a cabinet saw, if the internal cast iron parts are solid and you like the table's flatness. You can always spring for a 3hp Leeson aftermarket motor if you outgrow 1.5hp. The Delta Unifence is definately a plus.

With only 1.5hp instead of 3hp, $550 or $500 sounds a little better to me. But, it's your cash! Only You know how badly You want an older Unisaw.