Saying goodbye to a friend

[wagner1958]

I’m not sure if a machine can actually be a friend, but if it can this RBI 226 has been my friend since I purchased it in about 1991. It sounds dumb I guess but as I write this I have a few tears in my eyes from all the great memories associated with sawing with this machine. It has made the apostle clock , 4 Lord’s Prayers and so much more over the years. To say it has brought a lot of joy to my life would be an understatement but the motor was surging badly and the poor saw was hammering pretty badly. In all the years I replaced the switch and the back spring, that was it. I did not think I could ever throw it away but, just sitting there was hard , I did not use it anymore, so I took it apart today  and have my 2 favorite parts from it hanging up. If my saw could hear me I would say thank you ,you was the best 

[Scrappile]

I have a few tools I feel that way about.  Nothing wrong with it.  My Hegner and my Steel City table saw are two that I really hope someone in the family takes and gets as much joy from them as I have gotten.  My son says he is going to have most packed up and shipped to him.  That will probably cost more than they would bring if he tried to sell them, but he says he wants them.  My daughter will probably take one of the scroll saws.  I really hope so.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Oh I can relate to this. It will be my brother who discards my tools when I am gone. If I can not operate them any more in a few years they will sit there. Now I have sold off a few tools to make room for newer models. The next tool to go will be my Delta 12" planner. I am waiting to pounce on a deal for a Dewalt 735X planner as soon as I see Amazon runs one of those ridiculous sales like I seen them do before. My entire shop was built with Delta machinery when I first started. Best tools on the market at the time. Now not so much any more.