I received a Baldor metal grinder with 10-inch wheels, on its own pedestal floor stand, discarded from a school metal shop program. Several owners before me did not know what to do with it, mainly because the motor is wired for three-phase industrial power which is not found in U.S. residential homes. My job was to fix it up and get it working.

There were two major tasks to the restoration: cleaning/repainting, and making the three-phase motor work.

Any trained machinist will tell you that a drill press with a cheap jig is no substitute for a proper lathe. I'm not a trained machinist, so now that I've said that, let's get on to accomplishing something interesting.

Many people have light-up Christmas decorations in their yard. A popular one is the white-wire reindeer, covered with mini lights. Having another yard with another reindeer sounded boring. What really sounded good would be to have what almost nobody else has: a moose.

Many woodworkers have dust collection systems, which use suction and large pipes and hoses to collect sawdust and other particles from power tools.  For the hobbyist, these systems can be affordable, below $1000 for a decent system.  Naturally, I therefore wondered what I could accomplish with my old shop vacuum, some junk from the garbage can, and about 20 bucks.

As a handyman and hobbyist, I find there are many everyday plastic objects that can be used to make interesting things.  Some of the most common useful plastics, such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) just cannot be glued.  But they can be welded with hot air.  You may be surprised at what you can make with an old plastic bucket and a heat gun from the discount tool store.

 

After I made the mounting bracket, then I proceeded to create the blade guard and splitter.

I acquired a table saw last summer at a local estate sale for $20. It needed some repair, but looked like it was likely still in fairly good condition.

The label identifies it as a Powr-Kraft model TMG-3332A from Montgomery-Wards; date unkown. Looking at it, I guessed it was from the 1960s.

My used tablesaw came without a splitter/blade guard. This is an important safety item, so I am making one for the saw. The first step was to create a mounting bracket where it could attach.

When working with electricity, it is important to ensure you have electrical wires large enough to carry the load. The diameter of the wire is referred to as the wire gauge. A smaller number is a larger wire.

If your wires are too small for the current, they can overheat and start a fire. Of course, for any questions, consult a licensed electrician.

Wire size requirements are based on amperage, not voltage. There are tables available to tell you what wire gauge you need for a given amperage.

After I repaired the electrical wiring on my garage-sale table saw, I inspected the mechanical workings. It appeared to be in good working condition. There were, however, no modern safety controls. I later found that this table saw was made somewhere around 1956, when blade guards were optional and belt guards weren't even offered.

My used tablesaw needed a new power cord and switch. The cord was clearly in bad shape. The on-off switch was spliced in with a mess of wire nuts and electrical tape. It was time for some basic electrical repair.