Photo Index - Yates-American Machine Co., Inc. - Y 20 Snowflake

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Yates-American Machine Co., Inc.
Beloit, WI; Roscoe, IL; Liberty, NC

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Band Saw
Machine Size:	20" Wheel 140" Band
Submitted By:	Chuck Hess

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Y 20 Snowflake
Date of Manufacturer:	1938 give or take
Serial Number:	B 12567
Last Updated	6/10/2006 7:47:43 AM

Comments:

Yates American Y20 Snowflake Bandsaw Serial # B 12567, 1938. 5/12/06

Aloha,
Here is my new example of the rare and sought after Y20 with tilting table. This is another that has been on my want list for a long time. A fellow OWWMer, Ron Curry, picked it up at an industrial auction in Southern California. He told me that most of the machines were being bought up by some guys that were going to take them south of the border to Mexico. Ron did not need the saw but said he couldn't stand the thought of it going across the border since it was such a rare saw. So instead this cool little saw went on a sea cruise. I am glad that he felt that way and it is now in Maui (still part of the United States), thanks Ron.
CAUTION; the next paragraph contains graphic material that might be too real for some, but I have included it because it is an insight into what my life in Maui is like at times. The trucking company that delivered the last leg of the journey to my shop brought it over in small box van. I couldnt believe it when I looked in the back of the box van and saw the bottom of the pallet and the shiny heads of the carriage bolts that were obviously bolted to the foot of the saw. I was horrified to realize they had laid the crate on its side to get it into the truck. I immediately visualized cracked base castings and mangled aluminum snowflake doors! When I saw that I snapped, the 2 drivers were smiling until they looked at me and they suddenly got much more serious and frightened. The one driver said to me "bra, dis da only truck we get" and my reply was "I ain't signing sh*t til we open that crate" (with my very best Ill kick you're f*cking *ss look)!!!!!! So one of my guys and I quickly righted the crate and attacked it with pry bars, while the subdued drivers waited meekly, to find that Ron had very fortunately done a lot of internal bracing, completely supporting the neck of the saw. Miraculously there was no damage at all thanks to a superb crating job. After he realized that there was not going to be a claim, the driver came over to me and humbly apologized and admitted it was his fault, he could have waited for a bigger truck. Since the saw wasn't hurt forgiveness was much easier. I have been seeing those 2 gorillas a lot because the trucking company is next door to one of my vendors, and now when they see me they just hang their heads in plenty shame and try to avoid me, but Maui is a small town.
So I test fired the saw and it ran very smoothly and we could probably just install tires and a blade and run it for a couple of centuries. The entire saw looks completely original including all the electrics and all the badges are present and accounted for. The only apology is that it is missing the blade guard on the upper guide, and that should be easy to fabricate. The lower wheel is solid steel and coasts forever. The upper wheel is solid aluminum. These saws are built like little Sherman Tanks. There was no rust but the paint was pretty ugly/thick/peeling so we started a tear down to strip and repaint. The teardown went smoothly, everything came apart easily. I dont think this machine had ever spent time outdoors. I had one of my underlings try an angle grinder with a knotted cup wheel and the next thing I knew he had it mostly stripped very quickly. I use a catalyzed urethane buff primer and my Oliver green Centuari, you can see that here.
http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=3475
I dont make em smooth as a car, I like em a little rough. As best I can tell the original color was olive drab. As usual once the prep work was done the painting went very quickly and we moved into reassembly the next morning. The bearings were shot and we installed new Fafnir bearings, 306s, on the motor shaft and 205s on the upper shaft. This is a 1HP 900 RPM direct drive motor that must weight at least 100 and something, a real handfull. The Y20s do not use the collet system of the bigger saws. The lower wheel is keyed to the motor shaft and held on with 2 set screws.
There is something really cool about working on a bandsaw that is hard to describe. I guess it is all those little things that are unique to a bandsaw restoration that seem to make it very interesting to me. As this one started going back together I was struck with what a beautiful saw this is. Is this a beautiful saw or wat? Thanks for a beautiful saw Ron!
Aloha,
Chuck
Maui Hawaii

Photo 1:

Comments: Front shot
Source: Mines

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Photo 2:

Comments: Doors Open
Source: Mines

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Photo 3:

Comments: Next to 18" Oliver
Source: Mines

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