Official Luthiers Forum!

[QUOTE=Steve Kinnaird]

Off topic comment: I love words, and their proper usage. Mattia has used a grand one here, plethora. Which begs the question, Mattia-- since you are what, half Italian, half Dutch, how do you come by such a good command of the English tongue. I marvel at this frequently.[/QUOTE]

As the humorist, Dave Barry, said, "In Holland, even the dogs and cats speak better English than most Americans".

If you visit the western part of The Netherlands you will experiance the eerie phenomenon where you enter a shop, walk up to the counter and the clerk asks "May I help you?" in English even though you haven't said a word and you are wearing locally purchased clothes. In the eastern part of the country, where they don't get so many tourists, you will actually run into people who don't speak English.

Dutch is a difficult language to learn because the Dutch won't let you speak it. Their English is better and they want to practice it with you.

Once I was in Holland and I was having trouble reading instructions on a parking kiosk. The person behind me in line was getting a little impatient I apologized and said in my best Dutch "My Dutch is not so good". He nodded and helped me with the machine. Later on I realized that that sentence was unique in that the listener understands what you said regardless of whether they understood the words.
Mike Mahar38439.9996990741

I used to have a production woodworking shop so I am machinery rich and cant seem to part with older machines so I just dedicate them to a specific purpose.

For Tablesaws I have a 10" 1948 Walker-Turner (looks like a Unisaw but with a 32 inch deep cast iron top) with a Unifence so I can cut scarf joints and such. I have a 8" 1937 Walker-Turner tilting table saw which I alternate between having setup for neck join slots (for classical), kerfing or leaving tilted to saw veneer packs for making herringbone, rope and other purfling.

For bandsaws I have a 12" 1942 Walker-Turner Bandsaw that I use for scroll cuts, a 14" 1978 Rockwell/Delta with the height adapter for necks, sides and such and a 20" 1990 Hitachi Resaw (16.5" with a 3" wide carbide or stellite tip blade for resawing.

All of that stuff and I still do 80+ percent by hand as the only way I learned classical construction was old school spanish with a plane, a bow saw, a luthiers knife and a gramil. Many times I will work something by hand and after the fact realize I could have done it easier and faster using machinery.

The only reason I have so much Walker-Turner was that I lived in New Jersey where they had been (before being swallowed up by Rockwell/Delta) so I would always find pieces at yard sales.

Machinery is great and I wouldnt give it up but it is just like the means to a end to eliminate manual operations so that time can be spent on the steps that require craftsmanship and art.

[QUOTE=Steve Kinnaird] [QUOTE=HankMauel] I have had a Powermatic 66 table saw for about 30 years. [/QUOTE]

Oooooh, that's what I'd reeeeallly like to have. So many fine tools... so little money. [/QUOTE]

Well, 30 years ago it was a lot less expensive than now, but those were "REAL" dollars! Still, I have gotten more than my money's worth out of the saw with no problems.

shawn

don't you love those old walker-turner tools. i have an old 16" 8 speed via gearbox wood/metal bandsaw. don't know the date of mfg, but it is a goody. overengineered by todays standards but it sure is a keeper. tablesaw is a '53 unisaw.

i use both on a horses for courses basis.

michael mcclain

For information, parts lists and sources of parts for vintage woodworking machinery, check out http://www.oldwwmachines.com/ and
http://www.vintageamerican.com/.

These have information on all kinds of old machines and even help on identifying the year and model of machinery.

These old machines can be cool and can sometimes be picked up at a low price.Shawn38445.7075347222