Help with 60's-70's Craftsman Table Saw ID and parts, please.

I am looking for some help for the Craftsman 10" Table Saw that I inherited from my Dad. I remember him buying it used in the early

70's, so my guess is that it is a late 60's early 70's model. I have looked all over it in search of a part number in hopes of fixing it up a little but the only thing that I can find is the word "Emerson" and a part number that no one recognizes on the bottom of the insert. The insert has a little lever that you lift to install and remove the insert. The Saw is belt driven, with the motor hanging out back of the saw, and a V-belt running to a pulley driving the blade. The Tilt adjust is on the left, the height adjust in on the front, and the adjustments are made with 4" or so plastic knobs with plastic handles. There is a angle scale on the front with a metal indicator. The Top is cast iron and it has one open grid cast iron wing. The fence is a "T" type with a lever that you push down to lock it in place, the fence also has a knob for "fine adjustments" that is spring loaded and engages a track under the metal rail that is attached to the front of the saw and the wing. There is a nice big "Craftsman" logo on the front. There are no markings on the motor, but it is wired for 110V. The on/off switch is mounted under the table just to the right of the blade on the front of the saw. It is a grey rocker switch with no "safety key". The saw body looks like bent sheet metal and is painted black. It has a leg set attached that is made similar to the body of the saw.

With that said, There are several things that I would like to fix on the saw if I could. The angle and elevation controls have about a 1-2 turn "slop" in them before they engage to move the blade, and the "lock down" bolt that is on the front seems to have no effect. What is needed to fix these? It also sounds like some bearings may be going, is there a good place to get information on how to replace those?

Thanks.

Mike

Reply to
Goose
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The saw was manufactured by Emerson Electric. The motor might be a 1 hp unit. Motors have gotten more powerful over the years. Your saw sounds a lot like mine, but mine is much older as it has a repulsion-induction motor (Emerson discontinued this type of motor in 1953). Your motor may be capacitor start induction run.

As far as I know, parts for the angle and elevation controls are no longer available, and they haven't been for quite some time.

Replacing the bearings is rather easy. You need to remove the arbor, and then remove the bearings. Then you go to an electric repair shop or an automotive parts store for replacement. After putting grease on the bearings, you insert them back in the housing, insert the arbor, and tighten the nuts which hold everything together.

Jim

Reply to
Jim

I also inherited my my father-in-law's Sears table saw. He bought the saw in about 1969. From the description it sounds the same as mine.

I have always assumed that the adjustment wheels were made from aluminum not plastic. As for the gages on the saw, I never use them. To square the blade I use a solid square triangle or a protractor if other angles are required.

With the design of the saw I have to periodically take a wire brush to the adjustment screws and the locking bolt to get the sawdust and grim from the threads. It sounds like the set screw in the adjustment wheels are loose or the shafts badly scored from being loose. If so this should be an easy fix.

Fortunately my father was a saver, so I have the original paperwork from the saw. It has all of the part numbers, etc. I can make a copy, (which I should have done years ago as the paper is wearing out) and send you a copy of you would like. It will be a big file. Once copied the file would be at least 2 to 3 mb and will be in the PDF format.

As for Sears having the parts, you may be surprised.

Additionally you may wish to check the following site.

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you would like the file please use email not the newsgroup.

Reply to
Keith nuttle

Dang,

I've got one of those, or its cousin.

Dad gave it to me when I bought my first house, a fixer upper.

It still works great, has the slop you mentioned, and cuts wood real good.

I replaced the fence with a t-square type fence because it would always move when I locked it.

Also replaced the belt with a link type belt, with a great improvement in vibration.

Enjoy.

Old guy.

Reply to
Old Guy

Old Guy?

Wow, that's what my kids call me, at least my grandkid is too young to know better.

Fortunately the fence seems to hold well, the miter seems pretty true, I just need to adjust the blade so that it is parallel to the miter slot, the back of the blade is farther from the fence than the front.

Well, in the continuing saga the power switch died. would anyone have a newer style pull-on-push-off that they would sell? I missed a couple on epay.

Thanks for the help, y'all

Mike

Reply to
Goose

If it's set up like other contractor saws, take a look at the PALS system:

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put one on my saw and it sure made aligning it a lot easier.

Don't forget to check it with the blade at both 90 and 45 degrees. If it's on for one and off for the other, the rods connecting the two trunnions are not in the same plane - a real pain to fix as shims seem to be the only way.

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

Harbor Freight has generic motor switch. You can also go the starter and push button route. Takes some time but well worth it.

Bob AZ

Reply to
Bob AZ

Bob, Thanks for the tip,that gives me a couple more ideas to look into.

While I am asking questions, where could I find a replacement insert for this saw?

Mike

Reply to
Goose

Why not make some?

That way, you can have a collection of zero clearance inserts.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

[1] Drill holes for adjusters with a #7 drill bit. [2] Tap 1/4-20 [3] Use a toothpick to smear a /tiny/ bit of silicone caulk on threads [4] Insert Allen screw and adjust flush [5] Allow time for caulk to set

:-)

Reply to
Morris Dovey

Probably - but might be a bit more difficult to adjust with dowels. I kinda like the "all-wood" aspect, tho.

A maple insert with dark walnut or cherry dowels might be pretty. :-)

Reply to
Morris Dovey

Trap it with the fence so blade is at least 1/2" away from fence.

Use 1/4-20 socket head set screws for adjustment.

I make mine from 3 pieces of 1/4 hardboard held together with double back tape, then sanded flush. No screws req'd.

YMMV

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

I've only done this one time, and the insert got lost in a long-past move. Once I had it the way I wanted it I never tried to re-adjust. I'd guess that I could've used Allen screws without the caulk.

Try your idea. It sounds workable, and if it doesn't pan out there's always the Allen screw option. I haven't tapped wood very often, but doing so hasn't produced problems for me.

Another option is to glue in a threaded brass insert or a Propel nut (kinda like a T-nut without teeth), which would provide metal threads for the Allen screws - but that'd be more expensive and take more screwing [sorry] around.

I'm sure you've seen the brass inserts, and LV carries Propel nuts (I used 'em for the Allen screws that level the table on my RAS - there's a peek-a-boo photo at the link below)

Reply to
Morris Dovey

For those of you reading this thread, I have a question in regard to zero clearance inserts. The table saw I have is a 35 year old Rockwell Beaver

34050. Cutting the outline of an insert is no problem, but I'm a little stumped on a workable method to properly raise the insert flush with table saw top. The metal insert I have has adjustable Allen screws which don't seem all that workable in a home made wooden zero clearance insert.

How do you raise your insert?

Thanks.

Reply to
Upscale

Thanks, good method. All thing being equal, I'm betting something similar would work with 1/4 dowel.

Reply to
Upscale

I wondered about the use of the Allen screws in that regard. With the caulk set, are they fixed in position or thread height adjustable? I was thinking that using dowel in their stead, I could make them over-long and file them off as needed to optimum length.

Reply to
Upscale

Made mine from 1/2" UHMW PE with a dovetailed recess for 1/4" replaceable inserts. Drilled and tapped holes for #6 setscrews in the appropriate locations. Would work just as well with a hardwood body. I frequently drill and tap UNC threads in hardwood and BB plywood.

Tom Veatch Wichita, KS USA

Reply to
Tom Veatch

The Craftsman table saw of roughly mid '60s to mid '90s are basically the same design, and probably share inner parts such as trunnions and arbor assembly throughout the range of dates. The principal differences from one model to the next were primarily in sheet metal, fence construction, handles, switches, and other external paraphernalia, with an ever decreasing cost/quality from earliest to latest, in order to meet a contemporary final price point.

The previously mentioned

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website should have at least one manual for a table saw/craftsman/10", one each which, if you compare more than one, you'll likely note the common heritage.

There is nothing magic regarding the externals cited in paragraph one with regards to fit. A crank handle from the '90s should fit just fine on a saw from the '60s. In fact, generic crank handles from secondary suppliers have often been cited as replacements/upgrades for older Sears' saws. Switches are even more so--anything which will interrupt power to the motor (and is rated for the voltage/current) will work, and with proper selection will be a much better choice than the OEM switch.

Others have mentioned things such as PALS, pulleys, belts, and rip fence. In fact, I've long maintained a page at my website devoted to upgrading a Craftsman table saw, and you might find it informative.

Reply to
LRod

I took 9/16" cedar (fence pickets) and planed/sanded it to the thickness I needed (about 1/2"). No raising needed.

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

I cut the insert (MDF) very close to the desired depth and then used tape layers for a flush fit.....works fine but for my next go around I think I'll try hot melt glue (should be less fiddle till its just right time), probably wax or oil the saw side (no stick). A press fit before the glue hardens should make a easy exact flush edge. Rod

Reply to
Rod & Betty Jo

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