26" Silver Mgf Restoration

Nice job, gotta luv some of that old iron, neat lookin saw.

Very cool looking saw!

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

awesome! good job on bringing that machine back to life…look forward to seeing the end result!
I’m a big fan of salvaging the old…
that will be one nice machine once done! what year is it from?

-- Pabs

Thanks Pabs ….Me too. I have old 1923 26” Cresent bandsaw, 159B Oliver Lathe, and a 10” & 12” Dewalt radial arm saw in line for restoration.

Silver in Salem OH started putting guards on their machines I’ve been told around 1920-22. This one does not have any and based on pictures from adds back then I speculate it’s around 1912 -14.

I plan on putting some kind of guards on for saftey reasons. Its pretty intimidation when it gets up to speed and your head is only a few inchs away. I want something safe but isn’t going to take away from the athestics, I think it’s just the neatest looking saw.

You can bet I will post a pic when done.

-- Andy...... 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands...

LOL I was going to ask you where the blade guards were ? She’s a real beauty .

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

I love watching old arn being restored! Please more pics when you are done.

-- "Find out what you cannot do and then go do it!"

That is a beautiful job. Though I would consider some way of putting some gaurds around the wheels. I also like how you moved the motor behind from the front.

-- The wood slayer - Yes dear I did plan to make more kindling out of that wood I have been drying for the last year - honest!

Now THAT is a thing of beauty! I wish I could find and afford some of that old woodworking machinery. I would love to have something that beautiful in my shop!

-- "Give me your poor tools, your tired steel, your huddled masses of rust." Yep, I ripped off the Statue of Liberty. That's how I roll!

Pardon me if I drool. I look forward to following your progress. A friend here in Portland has a couple of the combination machines of that vintage, one of which he has restored. He also has a couple of bandsaws like yours; one in use with a speed control made from an old transmission!

Have fun!

Good for you Andy. Recently I finished a restore of an original Walker Turner 16” bandsaw (before being bought out and produced by Rockwell) and mounted a Brett Guard on it. They have fittings for many vintage saws so you may want to check them out. It has a built-in light which I like.

-- Phil in British Columbia

Great job on the restoration. It goes to show that it’s not the age of a machine that determines it’s usefulness.

I use a Fay-Egan table saw 16” blade. I didn’t have to do anything to it, Just plug it in. It does have a problem though the top cast iron is bowed.

I bet you want to see it in action.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

I had a Oliver 159MW. It had a new single phase 240V motor

Nice work that will be a great saw.

-- Brian, Eternal Furniture & Design http://www.eternal-furniture.com Repurpose Reclaim,Stay Green

WOW!!! Great job. Thanks for posting.

-- Dennis Zongker

Thanks everyone for the inspiring comments. I will keep you updated with new pictures. Just got back from the hardware store with a possible guard solution !

Stanly2.....Walker Turner made great bandsaws. May I ask….What/who is a Brett guard? Never heard of that before and “who” has fittings for many vintage saws?

Brian..... Did you pick the color on your saw. I contemplated for a long time before going with white. Never seen anybody else use white until now. Your saw looks wonderful. Like the way you used clear door guards. Any chance you have a picture from the other side so I can see how you managed dust collection. Really like on your website your Back Walnut with mahogany coffee table with the floating top.

Woodchuck..... How did you like your 159 Oliver. Looks like a great vintage piece. The one I have is going to require a lot of work to get it running. Just wondered because you said “had”

Karson...... Woud love to see your saw run…. have any vids handy?

TNWoodchuck..... I have a var. speed control transmission planned for my Cresent. Do you remember if he had any comments about using it.

Thanks everyone

-- Andy...... 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands...

The Oliver 159MW I had was probably the best piece of woodworking machinery I’ve ever owned, built like a tank. Unfortunatly I didn’t use it much, turning really never got into my blood, so I sold it to a guy in South Dakota so I’d have room for a different piece of machinery that I would use more, plus I needed the funds. But I think if I would of had more room in my shop I’d still have it. It was really sad to see it go, It originally came from a schoool in Michigan I was told, it was in really nice condition.