Photo Index - Witherby, Rugg & Richardson - 16" Tilt Top

Machinery Photo Index

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

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Table Saw
Machine Size:	16"
Submitted By:	Robert Champagne

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	16" Tilt Top
Date of Manufacturer:	1900 +/-
Serial Number:	None
Last Updated	9/16/2009 2:59:38 PM

Comments:

This machine came out of the maintenance room of the now defunct American Velvet Co. factory in Stonington, CT. It has been a while since American Velvet closed its doors, and the facility has since been leased to a number of artists and contractors as shop and storage space. I responded to a very vague Craigslist ad with the wrong picture. I was told that the saw was a heavy duty saw used in a factory with a tilt top table. The owner, who had purchased the contents of the maintenance room for one of the large metal lathes, told me that it was made by "American Machine." Assuming he meant AWWM Co, I looked at all their tilt top saws on the mothership, then set out on Saturday to take a look.

Instead of being an American, this is a Witherby, Rugg, & Richardson, from Worcester Mass. The saw looks somewhat like an American, but has a longer base casting. The motor is mounted to the base casting behind the saw. It is likely that this is where the line shaft drive was located. The arbor is fixed, and has babbit bearings. As Witherby was acquired by National Woodworking in the first decade of the twentieth century, I would assume the saw dates to about 1900, if not somewhat earlier. It is basiscally the same saw as pictured in a later National catalogue (the 652 "Tipping Table" saw), which, if you look closely, is badged as a Hobbs machine, the company that acquired Witherby before itself becoming part of National. That saw is listed as 1,200 pounds, which seems about right. The table is about 40" x 40," and tilts on a geared trunnion system. The table is raised with the large handwheel at the front and travels on two cylidrical ways. The motor is a 5hp 3ph Lima, with three vee belts. The saw came with a cast iron rip fence that is locked to the cast rail with a screw. The fence is perfectly square to the table and works just like a Biesemeyer. The miter gauges were missing. I put a plug on the starter, cleaned the rust off the top, and the saw fired right up. It came with a dozen or more steel blades, and cuts very nicely. It has a 1" arbor, and everything about the saw is substantial. I haven't found any literature on this company, and most of the machines in the index are bandsaws. If you know anything about the saw, let me know.

Photo 1:

Comments: Right side of saw
Source: Me

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Photo 2:

Comments: Makers name in casting
Source: Me

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Photo 3:

Comments: Underside, showing arbor, trunions, and ways
Source: me

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Photo 4:

Comments: Front tilt gauge trunion
Source: me

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Photo 5:

Comments: Rip Fence
Source: me

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Photo 6:

Comments: Babbit arbor
Source: me

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