Photo Index - Ekstrom, Carlson & Co. - Model E Rip Saw; After

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Ekstrom, Carlson & Co.
Rockford, IL

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Rip Saw
Machine Size:	18" Blade, 225 Feet Per Minute
Submitted By:	Chuck Hess

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Model E Rip Saw; After
Date of Manufacturer:	1958
Serial Number:	58-1033
Last Updated	4/18/2006 3:14:05 AM

Comments:

Ekstrom Carlson Model E Straightline Rip Saw, 1958. After.

Aloha,
Here are the after photos of this restoration project. We did a disassembly of everything except the feed track system, which seemed to be working very well so I did not want to get into that right now. The previous owner told me they had switched sides on the tracks about 5 years ago and they look good. Im not really sure what they should look like, but that is what I am telling myself for now. Most of the time when I do a strip down restoration it is because the machine is really rusty or has 17 coats of battleship gray paint on it. This machine had no rust and very little paint on it. This was a different restoration for me because we didnt have to strip rust and paint, but we did have to strip all the oil and grease that was everywhere. It was still a lot of prep work which I delegated to any one I could find, collar, or coerce. The process of degreasing also removed most of the old paint. This has been a larger project than what I am used to; the parts in the spray booth were on 6 carts. The carcass stayed outside under one of our canvas carport things because it is really hard to pick this with the lift. Our 4' forks arent long enough for this one; I can only pick it from one direction when the left table is off. I think the manual puts the weight at 4950 pounds. Once the prep work was done, I shot it in one day, and things started moving pretty quickly into reassembly. I wanted to paint it a different color but everyone here wanted Oliver green to match a lot of our other machines. I was undecided but the day I finally got the time to shoot it, Oliver green was what we had in stock. So, in the heat of the battle, Oliver green it is. I think the original color was light gray.
The sugar mill machine shop did the shaft/ bearing work for us. My homie over there retired and is moving to Washington state, and we picked the shaft up the day before his last day here. I am going to miss him a lot, I have really enjoyed the relationship and he has been a great help to me over the years in machine work. He set it up so they will still do my work but it wont be quite as much fun. They installed new bearings and trued the flange for us. The bearings installed are open inside and sealed outside. He encouraged me to keep the drip oiler system for the shaft bearings. These are the old brass and glass oilers set to drip about 6 drops per hour. We will have to remember to turn them on. They didnt do the flange on the shaft and it was still .009 out after mounting it. We have spent a lot of time tuning it up by hand with a file. The flange is 8 in diameter and the way it is designed the flange goes right up to the bottom of the track, pretty cool.
I have to admit that I have enjoyed the process on this machine partly because I have never operated one of these before. I have literally gotten to know this machine inside out before ever running a stick through it. One of the most time consuming things was to rehab both sets of anti-kickback fingers. I spent about 8 hours one day just on those #$%^$%^&* savages. They were in terrible/pretty much non working order, and the last people to operate this machine must have been bored with life! Or, almost board to death, ;^). After all that I just bit the bullet and ordered a new set of fingers and throat plates from D&R Autochuck to the tune of $775.66, to put the safety devices back to new condition. I know what you are thinking, but I am at heart a bottom feeder with the best of you, but in the areas of safety I do not scrimp. I have seen a lot of injuries in my career and I am reaching an age which my body parts take way too long to grow back. I am thinking of having the Cattail foundry cast me an iron cod piece, think Jethro Tull here, as an extra anti-kickback safety device. A 20 HP kickback would not be my idea of a good time!
So we have been starting to use the saw in our daily operation and this baby runs smooth now. We are getting glue line rips in a hurry and it sure has taken the labor out of edging on a jointer. I am getting a little more comfortable with it now and it seems a lot safer than using a big jointer. Where ya been all my life baby? For some reason none of the other shops in Maui have SLRs and all my peers really stop and gawk at this one when they come in.
This story is getting a little long, so if youre still awake Ill wrap it up. As you can see this a now a beautiful and exciting saw again. I am very impressed with the workmanship those Ekstrom Carlson boys did. I also want to thank OWWMer Brudda Barry Stup for valuable advice given to me during this process. Is life good or what?
Aloha,
Chuck

Photo 1:

Comments: Tunin' her up
Source: Mines

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Photo 2:

Comments: New anti kick back fingers
Source: Mines

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Photo 3:

Comments: In business, Baby!
Source: Mines

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