I've been using a horizontal bandsaw in the vertical position for some time. It worked but for some operations it was awkward at best. I started looking for a Powermatic 143 only to discover that the 143 with gearbox was typically priced $1000 higher than the 141 wood cutting version of this saw. So I decided to look for a PM 141 with the idea I would add a speed reducing gear box to a motor and slow the speed down in that manner. I advertised on the OWWM forum that I wanted to buy a PM 141 bandsaw. I was contacted by a gentleman that had a 143 he was willing to sell. The price was fair and more in line with what I had been seeing on the 141s so I purchased the PM 143. This saw spent most of it's time in a Bay County school systems shop. This is the area around Panama City Florida right on the gulf coast. I guess when they closed down the school shop this saw and I'm sure several other machines were most probably moved to a non climate control storage area. High humidity and salt air is not good for machines. This one surely had it's share of rust and as usual with most school machines it had been painted some time in it's life in the school shop. Some parts were gray and some parts were gold.

Luckily the tires and bearings all seemed good and that certainly helped by eliminating a few steps in the restoration process. I disassembled the saw keeping all the sub assembly parts together in boxes. I cleaned everything and removed the rust. I painted the trunnion assembly and other interior parts satin black and the other parts Rustoleum Sage Green. Parts that did not get painted were cleaned and cold gun blue was applied. The blued parts then were buffed with carnauba wax for extra protection. I replaced most of the hardware with button socket head screws, bronze flat washers and some red fiber washers.

I've put this saw to work outfitted with new Lenox bi-metal blade. It's a much more appropriate saw for the type work I do.

Ron Brese

As purchased with the unusual paint job



Base, trunnion and very rusty table



The main casting and the critical parts for function, dusty grimy and even a bit oily



See next post for the going back together part