Just obtained a GE Workshop planning to restore.

Any advice or suggestions from experience of others will be appreciated. 
 

@Larry Buskirk might be able to give you some help.

Hi, and Welcome to The Patriot Woodworker.

 

...Interesting machine, here's a catalog.

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=2879

 

And an instruction guide.

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=5819

 

And an ad for an earlier model from the 1934-36 time period.

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=20331

Thanks for the information 

This will help me a lot.

Any sources for missing parts ?

59 minutes ago, Snook Mckinley said:

Any sources for missing parts ?

...I've only ever seen 3 or 4 of the GE Workshops.  We like photos. 

 

There's a few sources for finding missing parts for old machines.

Ebay! is one. You may have to watch for awhile but parts usually show up. 

Craig's-List is another. It's not uncommon to find the older machines rather cheap. 

And my favorite  Curb Shopping!!!

You'd be amazed at what people put out by the curb!!

 

I got this one from a friend while cleaning out the barn after his father died at 97 years old.

Disassembled and painted the cabinet. Working on cleaning and repair of parts I have.

missing the parts for lathe that fit the drill chuck, saw blades, and one of the saber saw drivers.

i think this will be useful in my Gunsmithing business. 
making wood stocks and fabrication of small parts.

 

Nice,

I'll see if I can find more information. 

Thank You 

WoW!!

That's coming along nicely! 

Thank you so much for this entire thread. I inherited a GE Workshop from my father 20 years ago and it has been in my garage since, but I've been wanting to make use of it, especially the lathe feature. The motor works and I have most of the parts, though not the platform for when using the disk sander attachment or the pipe extension for longer lathe pieces. And there may be a missing attachment for the lathe tailstock. The instruction manual mentions a "hollow center" to be screwed into the tailstock spindle. What does that look like? I have 2 spur centers of different sizes, but neither looks hollow. Slightly backing up the tailstock to apply oil "to prevent burning" is also mentioned. Does that mean that the hollow center does not rotate with the piece being turned? I have photos of my Workshop, but I can't figure out how to attach them, since they are not at a URL. Thank you for any information you can provide.

@Larry Buskirk

@Paul W Welcome to The Patriot Woodworker.

Photos can be drag, and dropped into the area at the bottom of the space where you type your messages.

12 hours ago, Paul W said:

I have photos of my Workshop, but I can't figure out how to attach them, since they are not at a URL. Thank you for any information you can provide.

Check out this post-

 

@Paul W...Welcome Paul to The Patriot Woodworker. Glad you found us. Looking forward to seeing pictures of your shop as well as your participation. We'll help however possible for you to get them here.

Paul, the hollow tail stock does not spin.  Those were the cheapest to make and provided to the customer by the manufacturer.  I would explore to see if it will accept a number 1 or number 2 Morse taper.  If that is so, you can can easily purchase a new one or one in good condition from almost anywhere.  

 

I had a friend who had a collection of these machines.  Sadly, he contracted Parkinsons and expired.  His wife did sell his whole collection. They are not the most productive machines, but for hobbyist they were good enough for the intent.  You are doing an excellent job on restoring.  

Here are a couple of photos of my GE Workshop.  

It looks the same as Snook's, except that I do have the guard over the circular saw. The second photo is of the lathe tailstock. That does look the same as Snook's, but I'm wondering if there should be another piece to hold the wood being turned. Though, if I understand FlGatorwood correctly, there isn't another piece and the wood being turned rubs against the stationary tailstock, hence the instructions to add a "drop or two of oil ... to prevent burning." That does sound kind of risky, so I'll see about a Morse taper. And I sort of recall that when my father used the lathe that ensuring that the piece didn't come off unexpectedly was an issue.

Thanks for the feedback!

Images show up in reverse order! So, it's the first photo that is of the tailstock.

The scrollsaw attachment is a puzzle to me also. There may be some parts missing to connect it to the motor. 

Snook, does your scrollsaw work?

Welcome aboard Paul, glad to have you here.

Paul, can you slide the tail stock to the end of the bed and get a picture of it from the point of view from the headstock? I am thinking that is the cavity where the morse taper goes. It appears to me that the piece is missing.