Photo Index - Witherby, Rugg & Richardson - Double Saw Bench

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Witherby, Rugg & Richardson
Worcester, MA

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Table Saw
Machine Size:	2 x 12"
Submitted By:	Jukka Konola

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Double Saw Bench
Date of Manufacturer:	Late 1800s
Serial Number:
Last Updated	8/30/2009 2:02:11 PM

Comments:

I took this saw and an old American swing saw out of an old factory in Worcester MA, the city where this dual-arbor table saw was originally manufactured. The night watch was a friend of mine and said we could take the shafting and machines out for a couple songs. We are both terrible singers but had a great deal of fun getting the stuff on his old chevy pickup many years ago. All of the other factory equipment had long since vanished with the employees and I don't recall what the factory produced before we arrived. The old woodworking machinery was apparently support equipment for the shipping of product and the table and swing saws were converted to "modern" wiring and electric motors but were still setup on the old shafting and flatbelts. The dual-arbor that is shown here is very interesting and is clearly a transitional pierce that dates after the patent double saw bench shown in the 1882 WRR illustrated catalogue of woodworking machinery. That machine is still has more delicate and curved castings whereas the present saw has very heavy box frame construction. Nevertheless, the present machine has what appear to be identical fence and sliding table accessories so it is probably still pretty early. The arbor assembly, tabletop, and shafting etc. also seem to be the same. Interestingly, a nice wood tongue and groove beaded board cabinet surrounds the saw blades but his may have been added later as a dust collection feature. The sliding table is very interesting and features a lead-filled cylinder and pulley mechanism to aid the user in returning the heavy table. Luckily the weight fell off after getting the saw on the truck. There is a nice curved splitter that rides up with the sawblade as the arbor turntable is rotated up with the handwheel. The slider gauge and table have nice inch scales and the fence is quite crude with just thumb screw releases. The tabletop measures 38-1/2" deep and 44-3/4" wide and an additional wing that was either an option or added later bring the top to 56-3/4 wide so it would be real nice for ripping large sheet stock. This is obviously a before scenario as the machine has grey over yellow over perhaps original black paint. It is the only WRR tablesaw I've seen and the first for the great OWWM site. There are lots of interesting things on the inside of this saw and these will be added later.

Photo 1:

Comments: Operator side view: note the flat belt inside
Source: Juk

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Photo 2:

Comments: Heavt duty arbor and drive belting assembly
Source: Juk

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Photo 3:

Comments: Name badge covered in paint
Source: Juk

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Photo 4:

Comments: Sliding table with counterweight and rope pulley for return
Source: Juk

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