Photo Index - Louis E. Rechtin & Bro. - (Cresent?)

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Louis E. Rechtin & Bro.
Cincinnati, OH

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Band Saw
Machine Size:	26"
Submitted By:	Dennis Pyritz

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	(Cresent?)
Date of Manufacturer:	1905 (approx)
Serial Number:	none
Last Updated	12/21/2016 8:08:01 PM

Comments:

I bought this back in 1998 on my father's birthday. We drove to a small rural commercial woodshop in southern Indiana. Paid $225 for the machine, some blades, and a Baldor motor which was specified as not working. We disassembled it for transport in my compact pickup truck. No smart phones then so I did not take photos. At home we cleaned it up and spray-painted the cast iron frame in the same industrial green as my Darra-James 95 cabinet saw. Needing the babbitt bearings repoured was enough of an excuse to let it lanquish until recently. Now I am ready to do this. I partially put it back together but still have some questions. There are no casting numbers on any of the parts but the adjustment tower. Reviewing all table saws in the Photo Index, this most resembles Crescent machines. The only band saw similar are some machines by distributed by Silver Manufacturing (also made by Crescent).

I looked through the Crescent reprints. In only one, a catalog from 1898, does the same adjustment tower assembly appear. Interestingly that adjustment tower also appears on an 1897 Silver 26" saw. Both towers are simply in design from later mechanisms. The adjustment wheel in mounted on the top rather than the bottom of the mechanism. Lateral adjustment is only made by 2 bolts that push to top of the top wheel out a bit. The table angle adjustment is also different, as well as simpler, from other later band saws. Both the 1898 Crescent and 1897 Silver 26" machine have similar frames, each shaped like a "flattened" C. My frame, like most other frames, are more open C-shapes. However, Rechtin was not listed as a business until 1905. Members helped me research this a few years ago - search "Rechtin bandsaw".

I have a few other questions which I will try to list next to the relevant photos. I will add more complete photos when I finish restoration.

Photo 1:

Comments: Adjustment tower comprised of 2 cast pieces, one bolted to the frame, the other holds the top wheel
Source: my camera

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Photo 2:

Comments: tension tower w/ wheel and frame
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Photo 3:

Comments: Table tilt adjustment
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Photo 4:

Comments: Cradle for lower wheel. No rod for the arm at right. What is its function?
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Photo 5:

Comments: Base design. Wide belt wheel and gray wheel on bottom arbor. Black wheel to motor.
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Photo 6:

Comments: Top wheel and 1.25" dia arbor shaft. Seems to be pressed on? I would like to remove shaft for repouring operation.
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