Photo Index - Marcus B. Tidey - Non-tilting saw

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Marcus B. Tidey
Newark, NJ

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Table Saw
Machine Size:	16"
Submitted By:	Thomas Brown

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Non-tilting saw
Date of Manufacturer:	~1870
Serial Number:	none
Last Updated	4/9/2013 3:07:43 PM

Comments:

Found in the basement of Skarie Inc., Baltimore in 1991. It is the oldest Tidey saw I have seen. The logo matches the one posted here as an ad image, except that image shows "Superior Wood Working Machinery" while this one says "Superior Machinery." That could have been an error on the part of the engraver, as they seem otherwise identical to the smallest detail.

Rip/crosscut only; nothing tilts. Top raises up to access bearings. I foolishly melted the babbitt and it will need to be re-poured. I was young and stupid then; now I'm old and... well, never mind.) Arbor shaft has a series of swellings that the babbitt is poured around, to eliminate side motion of the shaft. The gizmo on the left raises and lowers the blade, and the saw was obviously made for close work because the gizmo includes a very fine height adjustment. At some point I will take pictures of the inside and post them too.

Old Marcus seems to have preferred handles to wheels. The Tidey badged jointer I posted has a complex lever-actuated system to spread the tables apart and bring them back without changing the table adjustments. I believe he invented that system for a jointer Fay & Egan produced (making mine a prototype?), but it doesn't seem to have been used in production.

Found the cross-cut slider on Ebay. It is unmarked, but I recognized Tidey's signature design element of intersecting circles and sure enough it fits the slot, which is an odd size. Saw came with a fence that had been repaired, but I am following a listing for an intact fence. I just came back and posted the seller's shots of the fence. Looks like it's even got the factory-supplied wooden part. Seller had no idea what it was, commenting "Would make a great steampunk lamp or thing. Object d' Arte or such...." Yikes. With any luck I will reunite it with a Tidey saw at least.

Don't know if Aumen Machinery sold it new or used. Quick look finds mentions of Aumen back to 1906. That's about it.

Photo 1:

Comments: Left side and Front.
Source: My camera, such as it is.

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Photo 2:

Comments: Tidey badge.
Source: My camera.

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Photo 3:

Comments: Tidey (probably) Crosscut
Source: My camera.

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Photo 4:

Comments: Tidey Saw Fence, top
Source: Ebay seller, "collectcache"

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Photo 5:

Comments: Tidey Saw Fence, bottom
Source: Ebay seller, "collectcache"

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