ANTIQUE MARKET This month: a look at a home-shop favorite since the 1930s; whatever happened to Bingham’s Best Brands? By Dana Martin Batory

THE DELTA NO. 860 is one of the most commonly encountered antique in home shops.

Q: I have an old Craftsman table THE QUESTIONS POSED IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE, though dealing with three , Model No. 102.0213. I would different machines, all have one thing in common: Each asks for information like to know when this was built, on where and how to sell the equipment concerned. As my advice is the same what it is worth, and where to sell for each, I’ll end the column with a generic answer. it. This saw is in good working con- dition. I would appreciate any help Finding parts for Delta No. 860 you can give me.

Q: I have in my shop a Delta Milwaukee Homecraft that has been A: Your Model “80” Table saw in the family since it was purchased new. Recently we moved and my new shop was originally built for Sears, Roe- is downsized considerably. I need to sell the old saw. It is still in good shape and buck & Co.’s well known Craftsman works perfectly. I need to keep my larger table saw as it fits my needs better and line of machinery I only have room for one table saw. If you could give me any further informa- by the famous Walker-Turner Co. tion on its worth and possibly how to sell it, I would appreciate it very much. (Est. 1928) of Plainfield, N.J. Walk- er-Turner was only one of many A: Your table saw appears to be a Delta No. 860 without the optional table original equipment manufacturers extension. The “860” was described in great detail in “Some Home Shop for Sears. Classics,” Woodcraft Magazine, Vol. 1 No. 1 (Jan. 2005) and in the last issue’s The “80” dates to the mid-1940s column. It’s worth about $30-$50. and is prominently featured in

78 WOODCRAFT MAGAZINE | 07.05 ANTIQUE TOOL MARKET

strength and ground smooth and all the necessary bolts and fittings polished. A miter was ma- were included. chined on both sides of the Though clearly an expensive and there was a removable saw at one time, its present value is insert. about $100. The table tilted via a hand wheel up to 45 degrees on oversized Q: I bought a DeWalt radial arm double trunnions fastened to a saw in Chicago for general carpen- cast iron base and was secured by try. My hobby was building and fly- a self-locking screw. If desired, the ing model airplanes. In those days, table could also be locked man- the of choice was balsa wood. I ually. A showed the angle. used the DeWalt to cut out ribs and The1 /2" arbor ran in two precision dado the slots in the wing ribs for high-speed ball bearings. the spars. I also built furniture with The “88” was listed at $62.50 it. The saw has an inlet in the guard (about $500 in today’s dollars) over the blade to suck , but which included blade, machine there was no explanation on how pulley, cast iron rip , splitter, to use the outlet. The saw was sold THE CRAFTSMAN MODEL 80 as it automatic guard with anti-kick- as an all-purpose tool and it has appeared in an early Craftsman cat- back pawls, and miter gauge with some accessories such as a sanding alog during the 1940s. stop rods for repetitive cuts. When disc and a saw attachment. The equipped with the recommended lower cabinet is not useless as in ½-hp, 3,450 rpm motor, the price modern saws, but has a locking door Craftsman’s 1949 Power Cat- jumped to $93.50 ($700). which allows for storage of anything alog. However, it does not appear A special option your saw involved with the saw. The saw was in the 1950 Catalog. possessed was the table extension before Norm Abram, so in my igno- “Woodworkers, model makers, set available at $14.95 ($120). The rance, I used it for everything Norm patternmakers, building main- two ground and polished cast says is the domain of the table saw. tenance men, home craftsmen!” It can even do work to some states the catalog. “Here is the extent. Everything still works, but ideal saw for you men who want a the motor is probably about ½ hp, sturdy, accurate tool. The Crafts- and feed into the blade must be slow. man 8-inch tilting table bench saw The only thing better is the turret meets the most rigid demands of head Delta Radial Arm. amateur and professional crafts- It is still my main tool, but I men and industrial shops. It’s big, would rather have a 12" Delta radial rugged...a real brute of a tool. arm except for the price. This saw Heavy duty, too! It has the famous cost me around $300 in 1952 or Craftsman quality in every detail. ’53 – I can’t remember. Is it worth And it’s priced so you can afford anything? Can I trade it for a Delta it. You’ll agree it’s an outstanding THE CRAFTSMAN MODEL 80 was 12" Turret ? I’m not tilting table bench saw! Just the one really a Walker-Turner table saw real sure I’d part with it. you need for your work and your sold under the Sears brand. workshop.” A: Based on your description The saw had a 21/2" depth-of- iron front extensions (with miter and the photo submitted you own a cut, and dadoes 11/2" deep and 9/16" grooves) and the two stamped-steel DeWalt Power Shop Model MBC 9" wide could be made. Boards up side extensions increased the work- radial arm saw which was equipped 3 to 2" wide could be crosscut and ing surface to 26" x 23 /4". It gave with a 1/2-hp motor. The similar 9 mitered. an additional 5 /16" ahead of the Model MBE came with a 3/4-hp The 151/4" x 183/16" heavy cast saw blade for wider crosscutting. motor. iron table was ribbed for added The required rear support bar and DeWalt’s custom-built motors

07.05 | WOODCRAFT MAGAZINE 79 ANTIQUE TOOL MARKET A STRONG CASE FOR with their flat-bottomed hous- ings enabled the motor to move closer to the table, allowing for a cut deeper than that on standard AMERICAN direct-drive motors. At the time, the MBC and MBE were the only 9" saws capable of a 21/2" depth- CRAFTSMANSHIP of-cut. This was especially handy when working with a 6" dado head since it gave more room and better visibility. A measuring scale on the right side of the semi-steel arm gave an instant readout for in-rip and out- rip, while a calibrated scale on the electro-plated column automatical- ly gave the angle of the arm, which could move a full 360 degrees. The heat-treated aluminum yoke carrying the motor swiveled a full 360 degrees with automatic locks at 90-degree intervals. The motor could be tilted to allow for com- pound angles and cuts. The carriage moved on grease-packed, shielded ball bearings. A 1953 brochure stated the saw could perform 18 different oper- ations with a saw blade, 14 with Basic 7 pc. a dado head, six with a Router Bit Set #401 head, six with a sanding disk, and six as a ; plus it could act as a router and surface, grind, and cut metal. •Uses the highest quality American made micrograin carbide Attachments consisted of a jig- •Made from solid alloy steel saw, a lathe and a belt . •Precision ground for proper balance at high rpms The had a 16" throat and •High hook and relief angles make for better chip ejection would cut material up to 2" thick. It fastened quickly and firmly to •Made with thick carbide for extra sharpenings the saw table with thumb screws •Superior edge quality compared to other manufacturers and was driven by a belted pulley, •Made with only high quality American made grinding wheels taking its power from the saw mo- •Even the storage cases are made in the U.S.A.! tor. The lathe had a ball bearing tail stock and took its power directly Tested #1 by Fine Woodworking Magazine in a from the motor. Turnings up to 36" head to head router bit test of 17 different brands. long could be done. The 3" sander, belt-driven from the motor, had a “American Made for the American Woodworker” working surface 291/2" long. The steel cabinet was optional Whiteside Machine Co. for all the MB models. Claremont, North Carolina A March 15, 1953, price sheet 800-225-3982 whitesiderouterbits.com

80 WOODCRAFT MAGAZINE | 07.05 ANTIQUE TOOL MARKET

lists the MBC at $229, the 8" disc models, it would pay to run an at $8.70, the jigsaw at $43.50, the advertisement in a woodworking lathe at $43.50, and the magazine offering classified ads. at $23.30. The $300 you spent in However, in most cases the values 1952 is about the equivalent of of the machines discussed above $2,400 today. DeWalts always were would nearly equal the price of pricey. such an ad. I’d suggest running an The port on the saw was meant ad in the local newspaper or simply to be joined by a flexible coupling pinning a notice on a community to the shop’s dust system. bulletin board. Set them out at Since your saw and its attach- your next yard sale. ments are worth roughly $150- The sites eBay and oldwwma- $200 it is very unlikely you can chines.com are excellent places to buy and sell equipment. A good reference for would-be buyers and sellers is the annual Schroeder’s Antiques Price Guide edited by Sharon and Bob Huxford of Collector Books, a division of Schroeder’s Publishing Co., Inc., Paducah, Ky. The book identifies and values over 50,000 antiques in some 500 categories. There is a sec- tion on woodworking machinery. Prices are given for both industrial and hobbyist equipment ranging THE CRAFTSMAN MODEL 80 as it from 1876 to the 1950s. The well- appeared in an early Craftsman cat- known guide is Collector Books’ alog during the 1940s. best seller.

work out a trade for a Delta 12" We can help identify or determine radial arm saw, which now lists at the value of an old tool or machine. $1600-$1800. Send a description, along with a Now, as to selling old machines, clear photograph and your contact the following applies to all three of info, to: the questions above. Antique Tool Market Unfortunately, there is no magic Woodcraft Magazine formula for selling vintage wood- 1101 Rosemar Rd. working machinery. The obvious P.O. Box 7020 ways are still the best ways. If your Parkersburg, WV 26102-7020 machines were the more expen- [email protected] sive, more sought-after production Dana Martin Batory

Formerly a geologist, Dana Martin Batory is a cabinetmaker who runs a one-man shop (filled with antique machines) in Crestline, Ohio. He is the author of “Vintage Woodworking Machinery: An Illustrated Guide to Four Manufacturers, Volume II” published by Astragal Press.

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