One of the machines on my wish list for my work shop was a jointer. I had a planer and wanted a big jointer to be able to save money on rough boards and to be able to mill to any size I needed fro my projects. The 8” jointers I was interested in were all thousands of dollars, way beyond my means. I started to research older cast iron machines and went searching for one I could restore.
I bought a 1950, Northfield 8 inch jointer on the “bay” for $800. The machine was just past Gettysburg, PA and I’m in Ft Myers Fl. The owner thought I was nuts, my wife already knows I’m nuts, so I loaded up and my trailer and headed out on a three day, 2000 mile road trip to claim my prize. This thing weighs 1150 lbs. so I made a cradle to bolt the machine to for the ride on my little utility trailer.
Here is the machine safe at home as I found it
I had to disassemble the machine to get it off the trailer. Just the base alone is over 300lbs. I took digital photos of the disassembly and carefully labeled and bagged parts and bolts together. The jointer was completely disassembled down to every last nut and bolt.
Northfield Foundry in Minnistoa is still in business, almost a hundred years now. They still make this jointer, not close, this one. They have every part available for it. They even have the part and service manuals online!
A new jointer from them is $10,400…....
Taking it apart
Once I had it apart, I carefully masked all machined areas with duct tape to protect it from the sand blaster.
I hauled the parts over to a guy who does this and then primed all the parts the same day to protect the parts.
Northfield uses a forest green color and they just told me to use a Rustoleum paint that I got from the bog box store. I sanded all the parts and painted them.
I painted the base and made a mobilre plarform for the machine. It has a plywood base with a one inch hardwood border aoriund the base of the machine, I made 3×3 inch UHVM plastic feet that I milled a 45degree bevel around and screwed it to the base. I can move the 1150lb machine by sliding it around the shop, but the friction from the feet hold it firmly unless I move it. Toal cost about $10 and some scraps.
Going back together
Northfield sent me all new decals.
Before the restoration
The pride of my shop, total cost including machine, travel, and restoration $ 1700.
Thanks for looking!
15 comments so far
Max
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13981 posts in 1152 days
posted 366 days ago
That is one heavy duty machine. Great restoration job!!!!!
-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT
Mario
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880 posts in 930 days
posted 366 days ago
Great restoration job.
WOW
-- Hope Never fails
HokieMojo
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1136 posts in 607 days
posted 366 days ago
Sorry, but I’ve got to ask a few questions. How many hours did you put into this? Were all the parts in good working order or did you need to replace the motor, bearings, etc? Was the table flat before and after sandblasting? Just wondering if you had to remachine any of it.
this is a great project. Thanks for taking the time to blog it. I learn so much from this. GREAT WORK!
BigBob
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59 posts in 368 days
posted 366 days ago
Great questions.
The restoration took me about 3 weeks to do . I’m guessing about 100 hrs. The jointer worked when I bought it, it had a new motor in it. I brought a Starrett straight edge with me and checked the tables.
Dead Flat.
The beds have dovetail shaped keys, so there are no adjustments. I did no machine work other than sending out the blades to be sharpened and polishing the beds. I talked to the people at Northfield ,and they told me that they still season their castings the same way. They throw them out in the snow for the winter and machine them in the spring!
He said they just do not move after that. The bearings are sealed. I cleaned them and put in all new grease fittings .
This jointer cuts dead flat, and glass smooth.
Bob42
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285 posts in 669 days
posted 366 days ago
Great restoration job!!
When you turn it on do you still have power for the house?? That’s a monster.. An oldie but goodie.
Good luck with it.
-- Bob K. East Northport, NY
Damian Penney
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1022 posts in 870 days
posted 366 days ago
Very cool, congrats
-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso
Grant Davis
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481 posts in 787 days
posted 366 days ago
Very impressive, that machine will be around for many more years.
-- Grant...."GO BUCKEYES"
Thos. Angle
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4015 posts in 841 days
posted 366 days ago
That is a great machine, Bob. Now I know not to steer away from Northfield machinery. You are one lucky dog.
-- Thos. Angle
HokieMojo
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1136 posts in 607 days
posted 366 days ago
cool. thanks for the answers. i don’t have room, but someday I will and maybe I’ll try something this ambitious. It looks like fun, even if it’s a lot of hard work.
Scott Bryan
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20080 posts in 701 days
posted 366 days ago
Bob, you did a wonderful job on the restoration. You have a quality machine that is well worth the time, effort and expense that went into it.
Thanks for sharing.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
thetimberkid
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1944 posts in 582 days
posted 366 days ago
Looks great!
Thanks for the post
Callum
-- For wood working podcasts with a twist check out http://thetimberkid.com/
lightweightladyleftie
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407 posts in 591 days
posted 365 days ago
Bob,
That’s incredible! I’m green with envy.
-- "But godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6
John Gray
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1722 posts in 764 days
posted 365 days ago
Great job it really looks nice.
-- Only the Shadow knows....................
Praki
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139 posts in 875 days
posted 365 days ago
fantastic restoration. i think you have a really nice jointer for a nice price. I wish I could be nuts like you are :)
-- Praki, Aspiring Woodworker
BigBob
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59 posts in 368 days
posted 363 days ago
Thanks eveyone, I had a good time restoring the machine and I think it has almost paid for itself because I can cut rough stock for a lot less than finished stock. The 8” wide bed handles just about all my needs and the rabbeting edge of the jointer cuts a very sharp rabbet.
I’m currently looking for a 32” Cresent band saw to do the same thing with. I really like these vintage tools.