1865 Jointer

[Drawbar]

This is kind of a unique rebuild. It is a 1865 18" wide Witherby, Ruggs, and Richardson Jointer.

My wife dragged me to one of those antique stores and I walked around the place but did not find much, and what i did find for the way of old tools was way overpriced. Well just as we were leaving, I saw this old gray thing shoved in the weeds. I went over and looked at it, wrote down the name so I could check it out online. (No camera with me)

A week or so later I went back with my camera to get a picture of it. I figured the guy would want all outdoors for it, but just for kicks I asked him what he wanted. I was shocked when he said 100 bucks. So needless to say I paid him on the spot and dragged it home.

Now I need to either get a 5 hp electric motor for it, or flat-belt pulley it up to the Kubota somehow. I was doing a pretty good job restoring it, but since the baby has been born, I have not had much time to spend with it.

In any case here is a picture and a link to a webpage about this unique jointer:

18 Inch Jointer (http://www.railroadmachinist.com/Workshop_USSRR.html)

http://www.railroadmachinist.com/sitebuilder/images/Jointer-Home-403x567.jpg

[Ingersoll444]

I know what your going through!!!! I have gotten NOTHING done sence the baby came along two months ago!!

Nice jointer!! She shure is a big one!!! I have thought of the flat belt thing before wile looking at old band saws. I am a big fan of Wodden boats, and am planing on building another one soon. Would be awsome to belt the old N up to some big ol' band saw to saw out the peices!!!!

[LilysDad]

What did that have for bearings? Have you thought of maybe putting a gasoline engine on it?Then you wouldn't have to keep unhooking your tractor.

[Maybar]

Could someone explain how a jointer that wide is used and what is jointed with them?

[bontai Joe]

Nice machine for $100! How are the bearings?

[Drawbar]

The babbitt bearings were surprisingly fine. The jointer was only out in the weather for the winter which helped. They were sort of stuck, but then I applied oil, took a firm grip and was able to get the cutterhead to roll over on its own. Since then I have rebuilt the leather seals which held the oil in, gave it some paint and lubricated the dovetail ways on each end of the machine.

As for this machine, it has surprisingly short tables. Witherby, Ruggs and Richardson machines were most often used in shipyards. I think they had short tables to allow for the curvature of the beams used in shipbuilding, but I am not sure. Either way its 18 inches wide and takes one heck of a cut. I'm just afraid it will take too much of a cut...as in half my arm along with the wood.

[Drawbar]

[QUOTE=Ingersoll444]I know what your going through!!!! I have gotten NOTHING done sence the baby came along two months ago!!QUOTE]

I hear you buddy. I switched jobs so I could work during daylight hours, have my weekends off and get holidays off as well, and yet I still haven't got much done.

Still, when I come home and pick up that little girl, give her a botle or even just hold her...well for some reason I just can't think of anything I would rather being doing, or should be doing for that matter.

Time with Alyson is time well spent, but I suspect I am preaching to the choir here. I am sure you feel the same way.

[bigl22]

whewwwwwww doggies -- you got a BEAM jointer-- nice older tool -- and how may knives[ blades] does the rotary have have? 1-2- 3 or 4? and where will you get replacements for them if they are worn down to the nub? makes my 55 year old king seely 4-3/8" bevel jointer look like a toy[ or a precision machine]

[Drawbar]

Interesting, I have never heard of a beam jointer before, but that makes sense, especially for shipbuilding purposes.

As for the cutting edges, surprisingly it only has two, but the cutterhead is round (thankfully as the square cutterheads ate many a woodworkers fingers). The two that are in it are determined to stay there and the cutting edges are already worn into the bolt slots. This means it is going to take some diligence getting those frozen bolts loose, and replacing the jointer blades.

As you may or may not know, I am a machinist/ toolmaker and build high-end hand planes. I am in hopes to see if I can use their blade making machinery to fabricate, anneal, cyrogenic and then heat-treat some A-2 Tool Steel to make the blades. I don't think that will be a problem as long as I do it after-hours.

We'll see.