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Startrite made a 'Bantam' model, which is a Mercury with a shorter column and no table. I have one of these. I looked briefly for the same head elevating mechanism, but didn't find anything. I then found that after cleaning/refurbing the machine and waxing the column, it's not especially...

I have a wickes wet and dry vac. It is bomb proof, but also rather uncouth - the filter is rudimentary and it is loud. If you suck up a pile of dust, it will redistribute the fine stuff far and wide. If I were in your shoes and found I needed a dedicated vacuum (which is debatable with hand...

Does the floor feel springy? How wide is the pit?

Bummer, but good on you for trying to find a good use for it. That doesn't like like an original table. Nevertheless, hopefully someone can put this back together again. I guess it will require someone who can weld aluminium?

Yes please. I'm told there is something along these lines in my future.

I've drunk a lot of monsoon Malabar from Mancoco, a Manchester outfit. Good crema. I'm quite picky with my beans and am mostly currently using Forge roasters (Sheffield) beans as I can get them locally and they're pretty decent. Monmouth are pretty good too, so if I had to buy online, they'd get...

Right you are. Was looking on my phone and mistook it for a lamp housing. I only see 2 wires to it, so would guess it is a simple start capacitor.

I don't think it has a capacitor. If it's equivalent to the earlier motors it will be split phase/resistance start. It's possible the centrifugal switch is stuck. It should be possible to take the bottom off and check.

Your motor is the correct size. 1/2HP is about 2.5A in a single phase induction motor.

My Startrite Bantam (same head as the mercury) has a 1/2 HP motor, which is an original Ranco. See here: https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/startrite-bantam-drill-refurb.123627/ Your motor is quite different, but from the state of the drill, it looks like yours is a bit newer. In any case...

Are the doors thick enough to take butt hinges?

I think what cabinetman said, is you make it symmetrical by laying one side out on something else, cut it out and copy round it than flip it over and copy for the other side. At least, that's what I'd do.

That looks like pitch pine. See: another wood identification please

I stand corrected. Thanks.

I bought a couple of table inserts from 3D.plastic too. I think I paid about 10 quid for 2 of them. They fit nicely and seem to be holding up ok. It looks like it should be fairly straightforward to make the fretsaw guides. I think the channel in the picture is just for shipping and the shaft...

Vice looks ace. My bench has a leg vice and the chop is made from 2" construction grade softwood. It has cupped a bit, but being softwood it will also flex when you do up the vice, so it works fine. Your vice chop will probably move a bit, but unless the cupping gets really bad or it splits...

Those carbon comp resistors are pretty old. May have been rewired at some point? As long as the earth is intact I'd happily plug it in and test with a lamp. Don't exceed the max current draw, although the resistors may be there to help with that.

It depends on how much and which way it's out of square. It could work in your favour - much like we fit vice chops to toe in to prevent racking - but it could also stop you pulling the vice chop hard against the bench at the screw end. Perhaps you could drill the hole for the screw and see how...

Does the tenon pull up square in the other side? Either way, is the guide piece square to the chop in both axes? If so, I'd be inclined to call it good enough and glue it up. It's tidy on the face and that gap isn't going to cause it to fail.

Watched it on YouTube. Was pleasantly surprised I didn't have to waid through loads of adds. Found the commentary and editing both deeply annoying. Watched most of it on 2x speed just to see the final products. Some of the contestants are quite handy, but there's not much time spent watching...