Old Startrite table saw identification

[RC23]

Hi all,
Just obtained a lovely old startrite table saw, fully working and solid.
Chap said it has been in his family for at least 60yrs.
Will be in the process of restoring soon, however I cannot work out what model it is, any help appreciated!
It has its original saw guard but never seen anything like it before.
Rupert

 

[sploo]

Send Lee at A.L.T Saws and Spares (ALT Saws and Spares - Contact Us) an email. He knows his stuff, and might be able to get you spare parts.

 

[RC23]

Thanks, I will send him an email. Apart from the guard possible upgrade or modification it seems to all be working perfectly fine.
Looked on his website for all the different models but no match. Looks like it must be a very early model.

 

[Ttrees]

Maybe @JimmyStartrite might have an idea about it, I've not seen those before.
Seen that style label on older bandsaws, but never on a tablesaw, and was hoping to
find some snippet out, but not so.
The fence looks quite Wadkin like.

Tom

 

[smugdruggler]

I have the exact same table saw!!!

See my post on this forum HERE

Nobody on this forum so far has had any idea.

I got it from a friend of my mum's after he sadly passed away, my understanding is that he worked in the maintenance dept' of a large company and when the company closed he was able to retain the table saw.

I have no idea of its age but it runs perfectly.

Here's hoping you have more luck than me and I will be following your thread with interest.

I love the saw and it is in regular use.

 

[smugdruggler]

Additional : Mine does not have a riving knife so is there any chance you could give me some details about yours please?

 

[RC23]

Just checked your thread, what a great restoration. Did you get it sand blasted? And how did you get the top so clean? I was thinking of sanding it all down and giving it a new paint job myself, startrite green applied either by a brush or rattle can.
Sure I will measure up the riving knife and post a picture later when I get a chance.

 

[RC23]

Hi photos of the riving knife as requested, held on via two bolts

 

[smugdruggler]

Hi, many thanks for the praise and the photos of the riving knife. I am particularly interested in the thickness.

I did not have it sand blasted I just used good old elbow grease and a sturdy scraper. I had no idea it should have been green as it was Ferguson grey when I got it. Once clear of the old paint I gave it a sand and the two coats of metal primer and the two top coats of Ferguson grey again using a roller (this gave a much more even finish than a brush as the paint was very like Hammerite in consistency.

All the cast top and fence components had surface rust so I used (right or wrong) a flapper wheel to clean the top and the bars of the fence held in my metalwork lathe chuck and wet and dry paper.

Once all smooth and shiny I applied several coats paste wax.

I had to use shims when mounting the motor assembly to the top to get the blade parallel to the mitre slots and 90o to the top.

Arbor and motor bearings are still as good as new.

I noticed from your pictures that the control box is up the other way compared to mine so that the power cable exits at the bottom which makes way more sense, I put mine back the way I found it so I am now going to take it off and put it on correctly.

 

[sploo]

Hi, many thanks for the praise and the photos of the riving knife. I am particularly interested in the thickness.

Use a thickness of knife that corresponds to the blades you're using. My Startrite 175/275 manual considers carbide tipped blades to be new fangled stuff, so it's possible that the thickness of old blades vs new might have changed since the machine was designed. The riving knife needs to be slightly thinner than the kerf of the teeth, but thicker than the saw plate itself. Indeed, if the original knife didn't comply to those measurements vs a modern carbide toothed blade it would be a bad idea to use it.

 

[Ttrees]

If it's a 12" machine then might be worth looking for some 3mm stainless plate.
Mine seems very solid.
That's likely a very suitable, workable with hacksaw and files, and hopefully affordable material which you can get for the job.
As good or better a material than the original RK that came with my 275 (which was for thin blades)
I have heard of folks using saw plate from larger tablesaws also,
it may be even stiffer again, not that I've noticed any movement from the SS RK
Not ever cut a circular saw plate before, I wonder if it's workable like SS?

 

[clogs]

as an add on....
if u have the machine totally stripped look into getting it powder coated...any colour u like...
even with sand blasting it's not very expensive...proper job....
I've found that even after weeks enamal paints today are still markable...
It's only two pack that survives the workshop rigors well..

 

[RC23]

Just measured the RK, not convinced it’s the original as it seems to be 2mm thick, rather than an imperial measurement, see attached photo.
I think out of precaution I will get some 3mm stainless plate and cut out a replacement.

 

[RC23]

as an add on....
if u have the machine totally stripped look into getting it powder coated...any colour u like...
even with sand blasting it's not very expensive...proper job....
I've found that even after weeks enamal paints today are still markable...
It's only two pack that survives the workshop rigors well..

I did ponder this but there wasn’t anywhere that local, plus I want to keep the old sticker decals which blasting would make short work of.
I’m going to use a 120 flap disc for the cast iron top (rightly or wrongly) as it is so pitted that I am not getting far with wet and dry plus WD40.
I will probably hand sand the sides, two coats of paragon zinc phosphate primer, and a coat of paragon high gloss anthracite enamel paint. Was going to use startrite green however changed my mind at the last moment.

 

[RC23]

Hi, many thanks for the praise and the photos of the riving knife. I am particularly interested in the thickness.

I did not have it sand blasted I just used good old elbow grease and a sturdy scraper. I had no idea it should have been green as it was Ferguson grey when I got it. Once clear of the old paint I gave it a sand and the two coats of metal primer and the two top coats of Ferguson grey again using a roller (this gave a much more even finish than a brush as the paint was very like Hammerite in consistency.

All the cast top and fence components had surface rust so I used (right or wrong) a flapper wheel to clean the top and the bars of the fence held in my metalwork lathe chuck and wet and dry paper.

Once all smooth and shiny I applied several coats paste wax.

I had to use shims when mounting the motor assembly to the top to get the blade parallel to the mitre slots and 90o to the top.

Arbor and motor bearings are still as good as new.

I noticed from your pictures that the control box is up the other way compared to mine so that the power cable exits at the bottom which makes way more sense, I put mine back the way I found it so I am now going to take it off and put it on correctly.

What paste wax did you use as I am probably going do the same?
If you want I could always make a paper template of the knife and send to you in the post?

 

[smugdruggler]

What paste wax did you use as I am probably going do the same?
If you want I could always make a paper template of the knife and send to you in the post?

I use this

And yes I would appreciate a template but at the moment I have no idea how to DM you to give my address.

 

[jcassidy]

And yes I would appreciate a template but at the moment I have no idea how to DM you to give my address.

Click on his username and 'start conversation'.

 

[smugdruggler]

Click on his username and 'start conversation'.

Many thanks! So simple when you know how