Photo Index - Sears | Craftsman - 112.23580 18" Band Saw

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Sears | Craftsman
Chicago, IL

True Manufacturer:
Parks Woodworking Machine Co., Cincinnati, OH.

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery & Metal Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Band Saw
Machine Size:	18"
Submitted By:	Jim Johnson

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	112.23580 18" Band Saw
Date of Manufacturer:	early 1960's
Serial Number:	N/A
Last Updated	5/9/2012 8:43:57 AM

Comments:

I found this saw on a local Craigslist. Could tell it was a Parks, but not much more. What I found was a Craftsman-badged Parks 18" BS - 112.23580 in amazing condition. The saw has 'shop wear' in the external paint, and a bit of rust on the outside, but it is in dust-off-and-use condition. The internals look like they were either cleaned regularly, or not used much at all.

I learned that this saw was purchased new by the Whirlpool World HQ in Benton Harbor, MI, and was in service in their prototyping shop. This saw show up in the 1958 catalogs, but the Craftsman name plate does not show up until the 1960-61 catalog. Motor was estimated to be a 1963 model. Apparently it was recently replaced by a newer vintage bandsaw.

The saw is set up as a metal-working saw ( slow-speed) with a wood blade - so I guess they used it for wood or composites?
The gearbox does have some oil that leaked out of the gearbox when i laid it down for a ride home - so they may have used oil, not grease that is spec'd out in the dirty paper. Sounds certainly coming from the gearbox area. Also missing the higher-speed wood pulley - looks like a call to DC Morrison?

The motor is an OEM Craftsman single phase 1 1/2 HP, 1750RPM with the Craftsman 'crown',reported by Brian K. to be made by Brown-Brockmeyer. The upper and lower wheel areas are nearly spotless; has what appears to be an original C'man worklight.

The tires were not crowned, and has had only a 3/8 blade in it, based on the depression in the tires. Tires are cracked in several places - time to replace and crown. The sounds the PO described are there - not sure if it all bearings, as the saw obviously has not seen heavy use. Overall, the saw is noisy - sheetmetal sounds as well as blades running, gearbox noises - I think a bit of tuning should remove some of that.

I wanted a saw that will handle some light resawing, cut bowl turning blanks, etc - pretty sure this will do that and more.

Photo 1:

Comments: Front view of saw
Source: S600

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Photo 2:

Comments: gearbox
Source: S600

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Photo 3:

Comments: Upper wheel compartment - pretty clean
Source: S600

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Photo 4:

Comments: Lower wheel compartment and motor
Source: S600

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Photo 5:

Comments: Head-on view of saw
Source: S600

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Photo 6:

Comments: Craftsman Nameplate
Source: S600

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