Old Craftsman 12" band saws

[Mac Cool]

They're everywhere, popping up on craigslist all the time. Question is, can they be tuned up to be decent band saws. I've only looked at one and it shook like Elvis on speed.

[Leon]

I had one, there is s reason there are a lot of them for sale. IMHO they will only be marginally better than a $35 jig saw.

[jo4hn]

I have one albeit from about 1939. A fresh drive shaft (supplied gratis by a rec. reader), new guides and a general tune up and it has done a lot of fine work (3/16" Timberwolf blade) on hardwoods (up to perhaps

4") and softwoods. Cost me $50 about 35 years ago. Well worth it. It is one of the tools that I kept after giving the shop to a daughter.

mahalo, jo4hn

[Mac Cool]

jo4hn:

Is it a Companion? I tried to buy one last year and someone beat me to it. Around here you'd think band saws and drill presses were solid gold, they sell so fast.

[jo4hn]

Craftsman model 103.0103. If you're really desperate, I can let it go for under a half million. ;-) It is not a Companion and finding references to this Craftsman is rather difficult. I do have a "sort of" manual published in 1969 but be assured that no parts are available through Sears. mahalo, jo4hn

[dpb]

'Pends on what it is that's wrong and how much "tuning" one wants to do...and a lot has to do w/ how old it really is/what model it is. Craftsman stuff is all over from some the really, really old stuff is quite nice, actually, to some of the 70s and 80s was pretty much worthless from the git-go to everything in between...

Bearings, tires, balancing the wheels and perhaps a set of aftermarket guides and you've invested what a decent recent knockoff might cost if all are needed. OTOH, if all it is is a set of replacement tires and cleaning up, could be good deal...

IOW, no way to be at all definitive from afar; only evaluating each is really apropos to each, unfortunately.