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Check out what I picked up yesterday....

4K views 31 replies 19 participants last post by  Zasquatch 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I am new to the site, but I've used it as a resource for quite a while. This is my first post, and I'm eager to get some opinions from more experienced people!

I am just getting into woodworking and have been using a DeWalt dw745 for the past year. I started browsing Craigslist for full size saws so I can tackle bigger projects, and stumbled on what I believe to be the deal of a lifetime… I have no idea what type of saw it is, and neither did the previous owner. All he knew was that the original owner was a tool and die maker, and heavily customized the saw.

In a nutshell, it has a 3hp motor with a wide poly-v belt, right tilt blade (12" capacity, a 10" diablo was installed when I picked it up), precision machined steel top, aluminum table mounted trunnions, and a delta unifence (I think?). It needs a good cleaning as seen in the interior pictures, but I couldn't believe how robust all the internals were. I have never seen a cabinet saw before, so I'm not sure how this compares to the rest. As a mechanical engineer though, I was very pleased to see all the precision machine work.

I ended up getting the saw, miter gage, a few zero clearance throat plates, 10" diablo blade, 12" unknown blade, a couple junk blades that will go in the trash, a freud wobble dado (which I've heard isn't very good), 2 feather boards, a wolfcraft router table which I plan on cannibalizing to build my own, and a 2hp Grizzly dust collector for $360…......... I am confident I got a ridiculous deal.

Without further ado, here's some pictures! Let me know what you think, because I honestly have not much of a clue…

Wheel Bicycle Tire Automotive tire Motor vehicle


Automotive tire Motor vehicle Hood Automotive fuel system Electrical wiring


Table Wood Tool Workbench Hardwood


Wood Motor vehicle Gas Machine Electrical wiring


Motor vehicle Gas Engineering Automotive wheel system Machine


Wood Gas Font Rectangle Tints and shades


Motor vehicle Vehicle Wood Gas Engineering
 

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#3 ·
Excellent deal!! I hope you won't wait too long before getting rid of the fence and rails, and putting on square tube rails and a T-square fence. There are several different brands and a range of prices. You'll find them much more accurate and easier to live with. I also hope you can find a riving knife for it. The BORK comes to mind, or something from Leeway Workshops (Shark Guard).

The blue paint is suggestive of older Jet tools. You can't find a logo anywhere on it?
 
#7 ·
Yeah, I would say that you have earned yourself a….
Oh wait, I see some one already gave you the official LJ recognition!!!

However, you deserve another, for getting such a great deal….
YOU SUCK!!! ;^)

That and welcome to Lumberjocks.
 
#10 ·
Correction… The support structure is 3/4" steel.

No wonder this thing weighs over 500lbs

There is no logo or writing anywhere! As I go trough the cleanup I ll post more pictures and details about what I find. For reference, the top is solid 1/2" steel machined flat. Here s a pic of the table support structure… which is also 1/2" steel.

Wood Gas Machine tool Machine Bumper


- Zasquatch
 

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#11 ·
Typically, the table and guts on cabinet saws are from cast iron, machined where critical components, such as the arbor, are installed . But the underside of the table doesn't look like anything I've seen before, such as the butt joint at the table's front and side reenforcement ridges or "bars.". Also, I can't see seams where the wings would join to the main table. Maybe I'm just missing them.
 
#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
Typically, the table and guts on cabinet saws are from cast iron, machined where critical components, such as the arbor, are installed . But the underside of the table doesn t look like anything I ve seen before, such as the butt joint at the table s front and side reenforcement ridges or "bars.". Also, I can t see seams where the wings would join to the main table. Maybe I m just missing them.

- runswithscissors
I took some more pics showing the table construction. Looks like each wing is one big piece, mates to the center with a slight overlap. The center section has an extension in the front to match the length of the wings, and everything is welded together.

The table was then machined flat, and the support structure bolted on, then bolted to the cabinet.

You can see the overlap just outside the slots.. The outer wall of the slot is the start of the wing and the center runs under the wing for about 3/4" :
Window Hood Table Motor vehicle Wood


Top view showing the extension piece and the spot welds machined flush
Rectangle Wood Automotive exterior Gas Tints and shades


Bottom view showing welds and lots of bolts
Automotive tire Motor vehicle Bumper Alloy wheel Wood
 

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#16 ·
Has Grizzly ever gone by the name "Grizzley"? The dust collector has that extra "e" in the name so I'm wondering if its some knock-off or if it's legit? It really doesn't matter to me either way, since I basically got it for free with the saw but I am curious.
 
#17 ·
Yeah I'm an idiot…. it just says Grizzly but the cursive L is so short it looked like an E…. oops!

Has Grizzly ever gone by the name "Grizzley"? The dust collector has that extra "e" in the name so I m wondering if its some knock-off or if it s legit? It really doesn t matter to me either way, since I basically got it for free with the saw but I am curious.

- Zasquatch
 
#19 · (Edited by Moderator)
The delta saws had vertical corners with a much larger radius and a different trunnion setup as well as no blade dust shroud. It kind of looks like an older General, especially since Unisaws take 10" blades. I'm doubting it's a JET also as it was a close copy of the original Unisaw and this, again, deviates greatly from that design. If you can get a picture of how the motor is mounted to the trunnions that might be somewhat revealing as the Unisaw used a proprietary mount whereas some of the General offerings and the larger Delta RT-40 employed motors using standard NEMA frame sizes. At any rate, for $360 you got one heck of a deal!
 
#20 ·
Here's some more details on the motor mounting design:

Motor vehicle Electrical wiring Automotive fuel system Gas Hood


The delta saws had vertical corners with a much larger radius and a different trunnion setup as well as no blade dust shroud. It kind of looks like an older General, especially since Unisaws take 10" blades. I m doubting it s a JET also as it was a close copy of the original Unisaw and this, again, deviates greatly from that design. If you can get a picture of how the motor is mounted to the trunnions that might be somewhat revealing as the Unisaw used a proprietary mount whereas some of the General offerings and the larger Delta RT-40 employed motors using standard NEMA frame sizes. At any rate, for $360 you got one heck of a deal!

- bigblockyeti
 

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