While scanning Workbench Magazine plans for our files sharing center, I ran across this old article, featuring the Workbench model shop, not to build models, but a shot at the time I am sure is a shop the home hobbyist would drool over.

Just fun stuff

 

 

Look at those old machines, I recognize most of them , all US made.

Enough room to park your car in there at quiting time. Thanks for posting ,John.

Herb

you didn't tell us you were published Herb...

Here is the cover for that issue, showing the shop in color.

 

 

Dust collector.  Lower right hand corner.  Has been big improvements since then.

Edited March 17, 20188 yr by HandyDan

Thanks John...brings back some great memories of simpler times including the 35 cent cover price.

4 hours ago, Dadio said:

Look at those old machines, I recognize most of them , all US made.

Me too...in fact I have this RAS. Missing the table. I bought it a few years back at a garage sale for $20 I thought about making it a horizontal boring or mortising machine. I'm still thinking about it.

 

Pretty sure I have this table saw too. It looks like an 8" Black & Decker; all steel top. It was one of my first yard sale purchases after retiring. The guy wanted $10 for it. It had a 7-1/4" blade on it that looked like it had been cutting cement blocks but it was on a nice stand which was worth the $10.

 

The cord had been cut in two and patched several times, but it did run. I hum-hawed around, looked at some other stuff, bought a couple items and started to leave. He came chasing after me, "Aren't you going to take that saw with you? Make me an offer." "Will you take five bucks?" I asked. He said, "Get your truck backed up here so we can load it up."

 

I replaced the cord with one of my H-F 10', 14 ga Neon extension cords, installed a H-F 8" 40T carbide blade I gave <$10 for and used it for several small projects. The rip fence isn't much but can be set to get a decent rip with patience. I had to replace the switch finally. I keep a few of these from Grizzly on hand...at the time I think it was $3.95...took a little modifying to the original switch/breaker overload box, but works great. A year or so ago I stumbled upon the original arbor nut wrench at a flea market for a buck, so it's complete. About 2-3x a year I see one on CL or at a flea market from $20 to $100. Wish I had more room.

 

I mainly use it now with my 10" sanding disc kit that came with my Craftsman saw I purchased in 1977.