1952 Craftsman saw

[rjR]

I bought this saw when the REA came to western ND! That was the fall of 1953.  I had done a small amount of using a coping saw before that. 

It started life as an 11" saw. Sometime in the early 70's I need to make a few bigger things than the throat depth made possible. I took it to 3 different welding shops and was told it was impossible 3 times to lengthen. 

I does have very limited cutting speed and depth though. I have cut over 3" deep material--way back when-- but it was extremely slow going. 

I happened to mention to my uncle one day that I had tried to get it enlarged and was told it was impossible, because the arm is spring steel and cannot be welded! 

He told me it could so I sent the saw with him. It was returned as a much more usable saw. He even added the back foot to help the stability. 

I actually used it last week just for the heck of it. It has been running on home made parts since sometime in the early 60's when the bottom blade hook had broken and Sears told me NONE AVAILQABLE. We then made one. 

Just thought that I would share this. 

 

I wish my other Craftsman tools ahd stood the test of time 1/10 that well!  I buy none of them now of anything!

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, rjR said:

I bought this saw when the REA came to western ND! That was the fall of 1953.  I had done a small amount of using a coping saw before that. 

It started life as an 11" saw. Sometime in the early 70's I need to make a few bigger things than the throat depth made possible. I took it to 3 different welding shops and was told it was impossible 3 times to lengthen. 

I does have very limited cutting speed and depth though. I have cut over 3" deep material--way back when-- but it was extremely slow going. 

I happened to mention to my uncle one day that I had tried to get it enlarged and was told it was impossible, because the arm is spring steel and cannot be welded! 

He told me it could so I sent the saw with him. It was returned as a much more usable saw. He even added the back foot to help the stability. 

I actually used it last week just for the heck of it. It has been running on home made parts since sometime in the early 60's when the bottom blade hook had broken and Sears told me NONE AVAILQABLE. We then made one. 

Just thought that I would share this. 

 

I wish my other Craftsman tools ahd stood the test of time 1/10 that well!  I buy none of them now of anything!

Is it a "vibrating transformer" saw? I had a very small one when I was about 12 or 13. I think I trades a Benjamin single shot pump pellet pistol for it. It had a big old transformer inside of it. Weighed a ton. You'd plug it in, turn it on and it would emit a hum and the blade would go up and down. Didn't work worth a darn.

[rjR]

Yes, it uses an electromagnet to move the blade--Not a heavy duty-- BUT I still LIKE it.   Blade actually moves way under a 1/4 inch at a time. 

[Rockytime]

I had one of those when I was a kid. It was my Christmas present . I loved that thing!

[stoney]

I had one of those in the mid 50's but I remember not being very impressed.   I remember making my mother a corner shelf from 1/2" plywood and the pieces took almost forever to cut.  The stroke on those units was very very short and I can't imagine cutting material over 1/2" thick.  If that type of saw didn't discourage a lot of would be scrollers I would be surprised.  I can't remember how much the saw cost me but I think it was around $30.00.  I know that was a heck of a lot of money for a 11 or 12 year old in my financial situation.   At the time I was working on my dad's sawmill for 25 cents an hour so that scroll saw represented close to a months pay.     

Edited February 26, 2020 by stoney
added more information

[Fedido]

7 minutes ago, stoney said:

I had one of those in the mid 50's but I remember not being very impressed.   I remember making my mother a corner shelf from 1/2" plywood and the pieces took almost forever to cut.  The stroke on those units was very very short and I can't imagine cutting material over 1/2" thick.  If that type of saw didn't discourage a lot of would be scrollers I would be surprised.  I can't remember how much the saw cost me but I think it was around $30.00.  I know that was a heck of a lot of money for a 11 or 12 year old in my financial situation.   At the time I was working on my dad's sawmill for 25 cents an hour so that scroll saw represented close to a months pay.     

While it may be sub par to today's standards, was it lacking then? I ask this because I am in random daily conversations on how older tools were built to last and this one would fall into the category of having a nuclear bomb drop on it and still keep working like nothing happened. 

[OCtoolguy]

4 hours ago, Fedido said:

While it may be sub par to today's standards, was it lacking then? I ask this because I am in random daily conversations on how older tools were built to last and this one would fall into the category of having a nuclear bomb drop on it and still keep working like nothing happened. 

Yeah, it was a tank and it had almost no moving parts to wear out. Just the blade.

 

[Karl S]

I got a Syncro Saw for Christmas from my dad when I was about 10 years old, I still have it and it still works {sort of} but it was from my Dad so it won't be going away until I do. I'm only 84 so it will be a while LOL!

 

Edited February 26, 2020 by Karl S

[Rockytime]

I remember using the saw. Wood came from the sides of apple and fruit crates. Yep, real wood. The sides were perhaps 1/4" as best as I remember. My mom liked it as much as I did.