Pre 1935 Duro 9” bandsaw.

[formariz 11,987]

Scored this tiny 9” Duro bandsaw from pre 1935. All cast iron construction including the one piece cover. It was actually mounted on a Singer sewing machine treadle base being used that way. It will be however fitted with a motor perhaps on same stand. It’s been in the weather for a while but everything functions smoothly. Will be restoring it to use with a narrow 1/8” blade since I keep my regular bandsaw with a 3/4” blade all the time. It will be used as a scroll saw so I don’t need to change blades on the regular one. 

 

 

 

 

 

[ri702bill 8,316]

Great score - both parts. The way quality items USED to be made...

I imagine the base is of greater cash value than the tool itself??

[formariz 11,987]

51 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

Great score - both parts. The way quality items USED to be made...

I imagine the base is of greater cash value than the tool itself??

Very possible. I am not sure what the value of stand is. I paid $40.00 for the pair. My interest was obviously the saw but I think it will be mounted on stand with a motor. 

[oliver2-44 9,739]

Very Nice.

My wives mother had a small simple cedar chest that was her wedding dowry chest made in roughly 1945.

It was made by an old bachelor that had treadle powered tools.  He did wood work in the winter when he wasn't farming.  He traded woodwork to her parents small barber shop/liquor store in New Ulm, Tx. 

I restored it a few years ago.  The spec's of blue you see are Turquoise.  When  I restored it, it had some splits and checks . Wood filler just didn't look right, so I filled them with small Turquoise stones and sanded them flat. 

Sorry if I hijacked your post.

 

 

[formariz 11,987]

2 minutes ago, oliver2-44 said:

Sorry if I hijacked your post

Don’t be sorry. Brings up other subjects which are of interest.

I avoid wood filler for anything that has to retain a natural or stained finish. Filler always looks like filler, it never fools anyone. As a matter of fact once a finish is applied over it , it accentuates it making it stick out. I feel that so called “defects” are actually part of what makes a piece have a certain charm and character. If one wants “perfection “ then one needs to find a board void of so called “flaws”.  I don’t even fill nail holes in trim. What’s the point? Everybody knows there is a nail under filler. Nail hole always looks better and if carefully planned and executed it adds to the craftsmanship of project .The alternative is what you did. Intentionally accent flaw by filling it with stones as you did  ir colored epoxy, molten metal or even inlay a shapely piece of another wood such as a butterfly shape ir rosette. Then when looked at instead of seeing a mundane ugly patch with filler ones sees an artistic touch which always enhances piece. Well done. 

[ebinmaine 67,439]

39 minutes ago, formariz said:

I feel that so called “defects” are actually part of what makes a piece have a certain charm and character

Absolutely agreed.  

Our house is filled with that. Also maintained and remodeled using the wood we find with the right amount of knots, bark, mill marks etc.  

 

 

Nice find on the saw. 

I'll be looking forward to seeing what you do with it.   

 

 

[CCW 1,295]

In the 70's I picked up an 18" Oliver bandsaw from the 50's.  Cast iron top to bottom.  When I moved into my house 40 years ago I carried all the sections down to the basement shop by myself.  When I sold it last year the buyer and I had to work to get each section out. 

 

Nice score on that saw.

 

[peter lena 8,612]

@formariz  that  SINGER TREDDLE PAD  , sure brings back memories for me , grandmother was a seamstress , made a lot of our clothes , also made my 1950,s  cowboys clothes , whoever was the latest movie star , she would  easily make up , pants , shirt / vest  etc., , she also made over a top for grandpa's  Chevy touring car  , when he rolled it over . she could make anything , patched a lot of my clothes , my sisters too. like said, come from an era when things were meant to be used . no expatriation date  , pete

[953 nut 55,194]

6 hours ago, formariz said:

Scored this tiny 9” Duro bandsaw from pre 1935.

You are just out of control, first you post a portable band saw purchase and now a vintage stationery band saw THAT YOU PLAN TO ELECTRIFY!  What ever happened to the no power tools Cas we have become accustomed to?          

We have a Singer Treadle base just like yours that has a glass topped collectables case on it. When I say we I mean us and the momma cat, she takes naps there.

[formariz 11,987]

1 minute ago, 953 nut said:

You are just out of control, first you post a portable band saw purchase and now a vintage stationery band saw THAT YOU PLAN TO ELECTRIFY!  What ever happened to the no power tools Cas we have become accustomed to?   

I know. I must really be getting old. That’s it I promise. I think I exhausted my slippage entitlement. No more power tools. 

[formariz 11,987]

Needed a change of routine today since I get bored very easily so I dismantled the little guy which took no more than 10 minutes and proceeded to strip it and prime the castings. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,439]

3 minutes ago, formariz said:

I know. I must really be getting old. That’s it I promise. I think I exhausted my slippage entitlement. No more power tools. 

 

I'm willing to allow additional "slippage" because you purchased high quality tools. 

It's also fascinating to see how you bring a once unused relic back to prime condition.  

 

[ebinmaine 67,439]

1 minute ago, formariz said:

Needed a change of routine today since I get bored very easily

You stop up. 

I'd BET we could find a project or 6 for you to get un-bored on. 

[formariz 11,987]

17 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

You stop up. 

I'd BET we could find a project or 6 for you to get un-bored on. 

That is part of the problem. I am always handling several projects at the same time which inevitably I get bored with. A new one always provides the motivation to get back to the others. It’s a vicious cycle.

[ebinmaine 67,439]

29 minutes ago, formariz said:

That is part of the problem. I am always handling several projects at the same time which inevitably I get bored with. A new one always provides the motivation to get back to the others. It’s a vicious cycle.

 

I ABSOLUTELY understand this all too well. 

 

I'm exactly the same. 

 

I've had to learn and understand over the last few years that I simply can't stick to one thing until it's done. 

And...

That is perfectly fine.  

 

[8ntruck 6,998]

Nice find.  That one piece front cover was probably a tricky one to make - looks like it has several 'break here' features in it.

 

We were talking to the new owners of the house next door to our Mo.location.  It was built in the late 1890's.  They spent last weekend pulling carpet out, preparing to have the floors refinished.  They invited us in to look around.  I he entery way, somebody installed fiber type acoustic tile.  They did save the cornice moldings and reinstalled them over the tile - with drywall screws.  Not my idea of fine craftsmanship.

 

On the subject of foot powered machinery: A manager at one of the tool shops I did business with collected antique machinery.  A job came into that shop for a small quantity of stepped shafts - just right size for his pedal powered lathe.  He decided that he would fill the order using his old lathe.  I happened to be at the shop the next day.  Turned out that that easy order was a bit more work than he expected - he was hobbling around with very sore legs.

[formariz 11,987]

16 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

On the subject of foot powered machinery

Most people cannot imagine the effort and coordination that it takes to operate any treadle machine, wether it be a lathe or a scroll saw those two being the most common ones. Not only one needs to concentrate in providing a constant even power, some in the right direction, but one needs also to concentrate on the work piece. Sounds easy but it’s not. Besides the physical effort it’s actually mentally exhausting. 
  Personally I have only slightly dabbled in such process. I had in Europe however a family member who was a master carver his specialty being making very fancy gun stocks.

 He turned them on a lathe that was foot driven and totally built out of wood. There was a long actually skinny tree branch attached to ceiling that acted as a spring from which a rope went to lathe and was wound once around a shaft and from there to a foot pedal. Now, that system turned piece in both directions intermittently as pedal was pressed. Cuts can only be made when piece is turning towards you. Now keeping that in mind imagine the gun stock being turned off centered and turning just about like a crankshaft. It was an incredible sight to watch, the skill ,coordination and intensity that it required . The sounds that emanated out of that operation from the bending of the branch in ceiling, the sounds of the foot pedal, the wooden bearings on lathe and the intermittent sound of the chisel cuts is something that is forever etched in my mind. 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,537]

Any pictures of that setup?

[formariz 11,987]

1 minute ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Any pictures of that setup?

Unfortunately none. I don’t even think one single camera existed in the whole area in those times. Only the image in my mind and of those fortunate to have witnessed such a symphony of extraordinary talent at work.

 I have seen similar types here over the years. I am sure I can find some photos of those although they may not be designed to specifically work on gun stocks. 

[formariz 11,987]

Took me a bit but found it. Did not know it is called a pole lathe. Sure enough good old Roy would know about those things. He is seen here with a small one. Zeca’s was massive and specialized for gun stocks. His set up was more like the pole saw in the other drawing with pole way up attached to rafters. I guess he never had the idea of putting one of the kids at work like in drawing. I can hear him say” darn it, why couldn’t I think of that”.

 

Edited October 10, 2023 by formariz

[953 nut 55,194]

5 hours ago, formariz said:

ost people cannot imagine the effort and coordination that it takes to operate any treadle machine, wether it be a lathe or a scroll saw those two being the most common ones. Not only one needs to concentrate in providing a constant even power, some in the right direction, but one needs also to concentrate on the work piece. Sounds easy but it’s not. Besides the physical effort it’s actually mentally exhausting

I have some recollection of operating my mother's Singer treadle sewing machine before she got an electric motor for it. As you said, keeping two feet in synchronization while matching your hands movement to the feed of the machine was a trick. My mother and grandmother could do this without batting an eye and cary on a conversation at the same time.

3 hours ago, formariz said:

Roy would know about those things.

Roy Underhill is my hero!   I understand he will be coming back to PBS the year.

New episodes air in the fall. For more than 37 years, Roy Underhill has shared his love of American woodcraft. Using only the hand tools of early America, Roy proves that woodworking doesn't have to be noisy, dangerous or expensive.

[John2189 452]

2 hours ago, 953 nut said:

I have some recollection of operating my mother's Singer treadle sewing machine before she got an electric motor for it. As you said, keeping two feet in synchronization while matching your hands movement to the feed of the machine was a trick. My mother and grandmother could do this without batting an eye and cary on a conversation at the same time.

Roy Underhill is my hero!   I understand he will be coming back to PBS the year.

New episodes air in the fall. For more than 37 years, Roy Underhill has shared his love of American woodcraft. Using only the hand tools of early America, Roy proves that woodworking doesn't have to be noisy, dangerous or expensive.

Watched Roy Underhill all the time. Seemed like he always cut himself in every show or at least had a bandaid on. 😀

[formariz 11,987]

16 minutes ago, John2189 said:

Watched Roy Underhill all the time. Seemed like he always cut himself in every show or at least had a bandaid on. 😀

Funny you mention that. It’s true. Two things always  happen when always using hand tools considering that they are kept razor sharp and one’s hands are usually very close to the cutting edges . First when showing or demonstrating how to do something while using them, it’s about a sure thing that you are going to cut yourself. Pretty normal and routine just don’t bleed on work. Second , not while using them but wether picking them up or picking up something else close one accidentally bumps a hand on an edge. Happens about every day specially on carving tools which are kept with cutting edges facing you for quick identification. 

 

Stain on bottom below rosette. Blood. I cut myself and managed to bleed on work. Decided to leave it. My signature. 
 

[953 nut 55,194]

10 hours ago, John2189 said:

Watched Roy Underhill all the time. Seemed like he always cut himself in every show or at least had a bandaid on. 😀

 

12 hours ago, 953 nut said:

Roy proves that woodworking doesn't have to be noisy, dangerous or expensive.

Having an insignificant wound that can be covered with a bandage is not an indication that woodworking utilizing hand tools is dangerous,  It just shows that he is actually doing the work.       If he was using power tools he would probably be missing a few digits.

[SylvanLakeWH 25,537]

11 hours ago, formariz said:

Stain on bottom below rosette. Blood. I cut myself and managed to bleed on work. Decided to leave it. My signature. 

 

Reminds me of the movie "The Red Violin"...