Look at the size of my peen! (garage sale scores)

[Mecha]

I hit up a random estate sale the other day, and found an old workshop packed with old tools, mostly stuff I don't need, but got a few treasures!

Foremost is a big cast steel table. It used to be an old shaft-driven table saw, but it will become my main work table, a centerpiece of the workshop. The top is about as dead flat as something like this could be, and it weighs at least 200 lbs. Getting ahold of a great steel table like this isn't as easy as you'd think, an I'm thrilled to fix it up and use it.

Next is this enormous ball peen hammer. The thing is positively pendulous. Shown next to a utility knife for scale.

Also got a decent vice, and a belt-driven bench grinder with a coarse and fine stones. It will be good for sharpening tungsten for the TIG welder, if nothing else.

Big scores!

 

[Lorien]

that table is awesome!
I will not comment on your peen.

 

[Mecha]

that table is awesome!
I will not comment on your peen.

Gaze upon it!

 

[A.McPherson]

Your peen is crusty... I believe they make topical treatments for that.

 

[WValtakis]

Your peen is crusty... I believe they make topical treatments for that.

I'm also concerned about the tape on the shaft...if you gotta splint your peen you've got problems

 

[Mecha]

Here's where it gets weird.

The shop also contains an old, amazing metal lathe. Belt-driven, a bed about 6 feet long, heavy, smooth and beautiful. The people don't even know how they would move it without a forklift, and it may remain in the shop whenever the property goes to market, unless someone with the know-how and ability to move it shows up.

The second thing is a small horizontal mill. It's not very big but it's built like a brick shithouse, and very old. Other than the screw shafts for the X, Y and Z axis being a bit worn, it seems to function well, with all other parts being clean and with no slop. The neighbor guy is interested in it and has dibs, but if he declines, then I have the next shot at it.

 

[DanF]

Here's where it gets weird.

Lol, only there??

Great find on the table.

 

[Mecha]

Lol, only there??

Great find on the table.

It’s great. Looks to be 1/2” thick, with 1/4” ribbing reinforcing the underside. The skirting around the edges is about 5/16” thick on the short ends and 1/4” on the longer sides.

 

[Mecha]

Surface of the table has been given a preliminary cleaning and descaling. To totally revamp the table, I might have to give it an Evap-O-Rust treatment.

 

[Mecha]

Update: after a little of this and that, I ended up getting the mill. It's sitting in my living room like a work of art. I'm now like those guys who pull their nice motorcycle right into their house and park it next to the TV.

The whole thing is just square right angles of steel bolted to a cast steel frame. It's beautiful. A piece of state-of-the-art technology, as you can see. My big bro and I had to take it apart into several sections in order to move it by hand. After it's been gone through and shined up, I'll post better photos.

There are a ton of arbors and cutters and things that came with it, some of which I don't even know what they are, so there will be questions.

I plan to power it with a DC motor and speed control.

 

[Mecha]

It's in great condition. Everything is well-lubricated, and there's no play in the X, Y or Z axis of the table thing.

 

[WValtakis]

I had a benchtop lathe mounted on the coffee table in my first apartment...rock on

 

[Mecha]

I had a benchtop lathe mounted on the coffee table in my first apartment...rock on

Can't say I'm surprised.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

In my first place (duplex) as a single guy I built an 8-foot long 36HP mini-rail (super go-cart) in the living room. When it was done we had to take the rear end and motor off to get it out the door.

 

[Mecha]

This horizontal mill should be very useful. For one, it will cut fullers into swords.

Looking at it further, I think an arbor can be fit with a 4" solid roller, and a matching one mounted to the table beneath. Instant small rolling mill!

 

[Mecha]

All right, I found out who the original owner of the mill is (I am now the 3rd??? owner). Supposedly it's from the 1940s.

Irving Weisenborn, born in 1912, died at age 93, still using this mill. His good friend had it next, and now I have it.

"Irving was a master machinist and mechanic. He built and owned Baker Creek Lumber Co. in Hockinson, WA with his brother Bill. He had a machine shop in Hockinson and did repairs and built things for family and friends. He and his brother Bill worked in Viet Nam during the war from 1968-1972 In 1989 he and his wife Virginia moved to the Washington coast at Klipsan Beach. His last project was a Model T "Tin Lizzy". He was an honest, kind and gentle man. He and Virginia celebrated 70-1/2 years of marriage."

Irving Ferdinand “Irv” Weisenborn (1912-2006) -...

Irving was a master machinist and mechanic. He built and owned Baker Creek Lumber Co. in Hockinson, WA with his brother Bill. He had a machine shop in Hockinson and did repairs and built things for family and friends. He and his brother Bill worked in Viet Nam during the war from 1968-1972 In...

www.findagrave.com

He took good care of this machine. As will I.