10-13-2015, 03:05 PM
I know "No pictures, didn't happen.". Pics will follow after I get the thing down into my shop and back together.
I was following a Mini Max FS35 (14") J/P on E-Bay. It was located near Albany, NY so about 5 hours away. They seller wanted a starting bid of $2750. No one bid on it, including me. I contacted him after the auction ended and we struck a deal. Not a gloat, but I'm happy as the machine is in nearly new condition. I paid $2100 for it. The only thing missing is the mortising chuck. The mortising table is there but not the chuck, and the cutter head does not look like a chuck can be installed on it, which seems strange unless the cutter head was changed to one that does not support a mortising chuck.
When I walked into the guy's shop on Sunday AM I found the J/P and also a Mini Max sliding table saw and a shaper with power feeder. I almost bought the shaper, too, but I hardly use the one I own and may even get rid of it so I passed. The TS was beautiful, but I doubt he'll get $2450 for it. Turns out the guy who owned all the tools had died and his son was liquidating everything. If anyone wants a beautiful Mini Max TS or shaper let me know and I'll put you in touch with the estate agent selling the stuff. He wanted $1750 for the shaper, but I know he'll take less.
So I ran the J/P and it just purred. All good. No mortising chuck, but he did have a set of wrenches for it, a spare set of knives, the knife setting gauge, and a set of gauges to set the outfeed table level with the knives. I went over to the nearest U-Haul and picked up the 1-way trailer I had reserved and went back. Thankfully, the machine was on an HTC mobile base and we were able to roll it up onto the trailer by putting some 1/2" plywood over the mesh trailer gate. Still, it took three of us to get the 750 lb beast aboard. Driving home was uneventful behind my Subaru Outback, but my gas mileage was only 16 mpg! Thank goodness gas is cheap at the moment. My wife and I were able to get it off the trailer with no additional help.
With the help of a chain fall I removed the in and out feed tables; they weigh around 100 lbs each. I've also removed the cutter head, drive rolls, planer table and lift cylinder, and motor; pretty much everything but the frame. I think that probably weighs only around 250 lbs now so two people should be able to get it down the basement stairs on a hand truck - I hope. Taking the machine apart makes me appreciate how well this machine is built. They spared no opportunity to add mass in this thing, and everything fits together perfectly; no over sized holes, shims, etc.
Pics to follow in a few days, hopefully.
And I'll be putting my faithful 10-1/4" Inca 510 J/P and 12-1/2" Foley-Belsaw planer/molder up for sale shortly. Ain't gonna need them anymore.
John
I was following a Mini Max FS35 (14") J/P on E-Bay. It was located near Albany, NY so about 5 hours away. They seller wanted a starting bid of $2750. No one bid on it, including me. I contacted him after the auction ended and we struck a deal. Not a gloat, but I'm happy as the machine is in nearly new condition. I paid $2100 for it. The only thing missing is the mortising chuck. The mortising table is there but not the chuck, and the cutter head does not look like a chuck can be installed on it, which seems strange unless the cutter head was changed to one that does not support a mortising chuck.
When I walked into the guy's shop on Sunday AM I found the J/P and also a Mini Max sliding table saw and a shaper with power feeder. I almost bought the shaper, too, but I hardly use the one I own and may even get rid of it so I passed. The TS was beautiful, but I doubt he'll get $2450 for it. Turns out the guy who owned all the tools had died and his son was liquidating everything. If anyone wants a beautiful Mini Max TS or shaper let me know and I'll put you in touch with the estate agent selling the stuff. He wanted $1750 for the shaper, but I know he'll take less.
So I ran the J/P and it just purred. All good. No mortising chuck, but he did have a set of wrenches for it, a spare set of knives, the knife setting gauge, and a set of gauges to set the outfeed table level with the knives. I went over to the nearest U-Haul and picked up the 1-way trailer I had reserved and went back. Thankfully, the machine was on an HTC mobile base and we were able to roll it up onto the trailer by putting some 1/2" plywood over the mesh trailer gate. Still, it took three of us to get the 750 lb beast aboard. Driving home was uneventful behind my Subaru Outback, but my gas mileage was only 16 mpg! Thank goodness gas is cheap at the moment. My wife and I were able to get it off the trailer with no additional help.
With the help of a chain fall I removed the in and out feed tables; they weigh around 100 lbs each. I've also removed the cutter head, drive rolls, planer table and lift cylinder, and motor; pretty much everything but the frame. I think that probably weighs only around 250 lbs now so two people should be able to get it down the basement stairs on a hand truck - I hope. Taking the machine apart makes me appreciate how well this machine is built. They spared no opportunity to add mass in this thing, and everything fits together perfectly; no over sized holes, shims, etc.
Pics to follow in a few days, hopefully.
And I'll be putting my faithful 10-1/4" Inca 510 J/P and 12-1/2" Foley-Belsaw planer/molder up for sale shortly. Ain't gonna need them anymore.
John
