Worth it or not? 1947 Unisaw

[Tony De Masi]

Local CL ad. I won't give details as the ad gives all I know. Worth looking at? I let this go a month or so ago with the same price.

Any opinions/advice certainly appreciated.

Tony

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/n...780611350.html

[Steve Bishop]

Tony,

That’s a nice looking Unisaw.
Looks like he put a lot of work into its restoration.
But, he is asking a collectors price. I'm not saying it’s not worth it, just that you can find an old Unisaw for a lot less (they just won’t look that good).

A couple of things that up the price for this saw are,
The fence,
Goose egg motor cover, if it is original cast iron (not a fiberglass reproduction) that’s worth several hundred dollars.
Power switch plate, original or repo.

I just found one for $225, just had to drive 500 miles round trip to get it.
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg57/techie470/P7190001.jpg

Steve

[Brian Ross]

Seems like a lot for a saw that old but I would have no hesitation in buying it for that price. The fence alone is probably worth half that price.Read yesterday where a collector paid 1.6 million for a baseball card. Makes the Unisaw look like a steal and a small price for a bit of woodworking history.

Brian

[steve reeves]

I wouldn't go near it at anywhere near that price.

Seems everyone one else passed on it a month ago too!

The unisaw is a great tool but a 61 year old machine at that price?

I responded to an ad in the paper the other day... "28 hand tools, $200" I called the lady who said these were her long dead husbands woodworking tools and she didn't know exactly what they were.... etc. etc. So I rushed across town to claim my prize!

Turned out it consisted of three old wooden planes that were in terrible condition with missing parts to boot... and 25 very rusty brace bits....

LOL... but it turns out the "little old lady" owns an antique shop in town and proceeded to put a sales job on me that only a used car salesman could appreciate! Telling how "antique" all this stuff was and some "collector" would be happy to have them at any price.... LOL

I don't collect tools (my wife disagrees), I use them.

The planes had no markings on them whatever and appeared to have been shop built (home made so to speak)

[Rollie Meyers]

That machine is of much higher quality then the Chinese & Tiawanese sold today with their peanut butter cast iron & overrated HP motors that said, you should be able to find one at a better price that that one in the CL advert., Powermatic made a good saw also.

[John Shuk]

Seems pretty expensive to me as well.

[Chris Zenda]

That saw is an absolute bargain IMO.

[Matt Meiser]

First, a disclaimer that I happen to know the seller because he used to live here. I've never seen this saw except in pictures but it is restored inside and out.

That said, you could probably could find a cheaper saw but not in that nice of condition. There's a good chance you'll have to buy a fence. You'll probably be missing a few parts and/or find a couple damaged ones. You'll want to replace bearings and belts while you've got it apart. On top of that, if you want to restore it to that condition you'll probably spend a few hundred on supplies for cleaning and painting.

I paid $650 for mine with the same fence. It had been torn down and rebuilt and was in really nice shape, but I think this one is nicer. I had to build the side table which probably would used ~$50 in materials. Mine didn't have a cast iron motor cover so I bought a fiberglass replacement for $130. Real replacements are in the $300 range. So I spent a little over $800 on mine and a whole weekend building the side table, mounting the fence, etc. If I'd gotten a CI motor cover I'd have spent the $1000 he's asking plus the time I spent (though that is enjoyable.)

The more old iron I work on the more I'd rather spend $1000 on a 61 year old saw any day than $1000 on a new one. There's simply no comparison in the quality of the parts.

[John Thompson]

The older motors will come close to the actual rating of the newer 3 HP.. true. The older build is a bit more substantial than the newer design.. true. An excellent saw.. true. Something is worth what someone is willing to pay.. true.

But.. the potential buyer has to weigh what he intends to accomplish. Is the stigma of old iron worth the extra to them or is he or she just looking for a dependable saw for less? I sold a Uni-saw yesterday without a speck of rust.. almost new motor.. 30" Biesemeyer.. custom Shark Guard (almost the same).. side extension.. and mobile base for $800.

Will the new owner have any problems cutting thousands of feet of stock in the future? I didn't and I predict many thousands more to be severed by the newer style saw with a new owner. A TS was built to cut stock and if it does that.. I see no real advantage of old or new as long as both are in excellent mechanical condition.

So.. depending on what the potential buyer has available in his area and what his intentions are would make it worth $1000 or not without the mobile base thrown in. In my area I would probably give $900 with the base thrown in max.

But... something is worth what someone is willing to pay and not a penny more.

Good luck with your decision...

Sarge..

[Rick Fisher]

If your a person that feels pride in a 61 year old saw in mint condition, buy it.
A few hundred dollars, this way or that? You will likely own it when its 75 years old. So whats a couple hundred dollars?

If the saw is as pristine as the add says, and you really want a vintage saw. Go for it.

I think those old saws are beautiful. If it where near me, I would go have a look.

As another poster said, if you dont care, and just want to cut up wood. Shop around for a used saw for less money.

[Rick Fisher]

Personally, I take more pride in an old tool that is so well kept, than a new tool that is perfect.

[Chris Zenda]

Just think, Its only $200.00 more than a domino.

[Pete Bradley]

An old one fully restored should be at least as good as a new one, and the one in the picture has the sought-after goose egg cover.

I'd be just a little cautious though as I thought I saw this same machine posted on Boston cragislist recently. Could be fine, just be sure you can inspect and run the machine before you buy.

Pete