[toolie]

the motor on the c-man is missing a cover that prevents contact with the motor pulley. with a little work, and the purchase of CI wings and a delta t2, they can be first rate tools. but i'm probably biased as i have two of them. and stumbling across a ridgid herc-u-lift will give it terrific mobility and bolt directly to the leg stand.

 

[CaptainMarvel]

toolie writes:
"the motor on the c-man is missing a cover that prevents contact with the motor pulley"

Any idea which part this is - and if one can still order/obtain a replacement part for this?

 

[toolie]

probably available from sears, ereplacements.com or M and D mower.com. the saw model number is needed to find the missing guard part number.

 

[CaptainMarvel]

So I believe I am going to go for that Craftsman TS …. seller's asking price is $140.

What (if anything different) do you think I should check for and - based on such - offer ???

 

[Loren]

I would offer $100. Ask about extra blades.

Prices in your area may be higher than mine though -
a lot depends on population density.

Saw looks complete and unabused. Check the
fence to make sure it tightens down. As
I recall you have to push forward as you turn
the handle to make those fences clamp square.

You don't need a belt guard.

 

[RibsBrisket4me]

Yep, what Toolie/Loren said…offer $100, go up to $120 if need be. That saw looks in super shape for it's age.

Work with the fence best you can and save pennies until you can score a Delta T2 or a Craftsman/Ridgid fence on CL or E-bay.

Get a SPLITTER of some sort!!! MJ, one from EBay, etc…

That saw can do a ton of stuff once you get to "know" it.

I dont have a belt cover on mine and it's never been an issue for almost 20 yrs.

 

[wormil]

Push on the back of the fence, it will flex and he will know it flexes if he's ever used it; then go, 'hmmmm'. Might get you a few dollars off.

 

[CaptainMarvel]

Hey Guys … I just saw this Craftsman Table Saw on my local CL - seller asking $80.

Description:
10" Table Saw-Craftsman. Excellent condition-about 10 years old. Includes spare blades, legs, all accessories that came with original. 3 blades.

What do you think? How well do you think I would be able to clean up the rusty top?

What do you think about this compared to the other Craftsman TS (still an option/available for me) I mentioned above?

 

[JayT]

Similar model to the one above, do you have any other pictures of the front & rear?

Cleaning the rusty top is pretty simple and straight forward, just takes some time and elbow grease. As long as everything checks out, $80 is a good price. The price difference is basically the time and effort it will take to clean up the second, while the first looks pretty much ready to go. Your call on how much your time is worth.

Don't get caught up in analysis, find a saw you will be happy with at a price you are willing to pay and start making sawdust. It is too easy to continually second guess and end up not making a decision at all and so not do any woodworking.

BTW, it is more than 10 years old, not really a bad thing, just sayin'. Maybe the seller just doesn't know much about it.

 

[CaptainMarvel]

Second guessing myself is my greatest personal enemy/roadblock to getting anything done . . .
I truly hate that about myself (though I love everything else about me, so it all balances out in the end) ;-)

I'm leaning toward agreeing with you about the first one - in terms of it being "ready to go" with the "clean" factor. Of course, both saws (I believe) will require some relative work to bring it up to specs … most notably, a decent fence system and new blades.

Either way, I'm planning on getting it this weekend - so just doing my last minute due diligence research/education before I take the plunge.

 

[toolie]

assuming their operational condition is equal, get the $80 saw. the saved $60 can be put towards a new fence system.

 

[RibsBrisket4me]

Tom be careful. The second C-man saw could be "direct drive" I had one of those and you don't want one. Weak, weak, weak…no torque. Or even WORSE a FLEX DRIVE saw!!!

The first C-man saw is good because it is a true contractor saw with a belt driven motor. With just a pic of the top of the second C-man saw, you really can't tell…..also both saws are way older than 10 yrs old.

 

[wormil]

Too many unknowns about the 2nd saw but it's clearly not in "excellent condition" and your first weekend will be spent cleaning off rust before you even get to any other issues.

 

[CaptainMarvel]

See … THIS is why I love this community - because I get real-world insight, advice and education about this kind of thing.

THANKS TO ALL !!!

Incidentally, I am giving a great deal of consideration to going in this direction for upgrading the fence system--> http://lumberjocks.com/Hutch/blog/2740

 

[toolie]

The second C-man saw could be "direct drive"

good catch. flex and direct drive TSs should be avoided if at all possible. but dont let a little rust deter you from a saw. it cleans fairly easily and the more work you do on a saw, the better you know it and how it operates.

 

[CaptainMarvel]

@ toolie:

In post #20 above, you mention the following:
"the motor on the c-man is missing a cover that prevents contact with the motor pulley."

Do you have any idea what that part is called - so I can try to look it up/find a replacement part for it?

 

[JayT]

TOM, check here. It is part # A-59 Beltguard-just a plastic piece that goes over the belt pulley. You could easily make one out of some scrap wood and 1/4in ply, as well.

 

[CaptainMarvel]

THANK YOU !!!

 

[CaptainMarvel]

UPDATE:

I picked up the Craftsman Table Saw this weekend (see post #17 to see which one).

It looks to be in great shape for it's age - better than I expected, actually. Belt-driven and relatively quiet. The table top looks to be in great shape - though a little "aged dark" ... which I intend to work on this week.

 

[JayT]

Congrats on your new tool. Be safe, have fun and make some sawdust!