Found an early G4

[Rickbaro]

This guy is an oldie it appears. The S/N is 1772. The patent numbers are as high as Nov. 1938.

It's been ignored for a while and is missing some stuff. The micrometer gauge is incomplete. But it does have the work holder, and the trolley bucket is in good condition including the pull out handle.

Cast iron base with the name cast into it. The table slides pretty decently considering how dirty it is.

I'm dying to keep this saw, but I absolutely have no room left in the shop, and I don't really do anything that requires precision like this thing can do.

The pics are crappy, sorry, but I don't have my truck until Saturday, so I have to let it sit at the PO's place.






Motor missing

[crzypete]

Hi Rick,

Thanks for logging in and posting the pictures. I have already added your serial number to my master list.

I am curious- the other early G4 that I know of has the steel instrips like the G4b, I am thinking I see them on this saw as well, but could be just hallucinating. Any chance for a better pic and some personal inspection?

Otherwise, looks like you or whomever is the next owner has quite a bit of clean up to do there. A diamond in the rough!

Pete

[Rickbaro]

I'm going to move the saw tomorrow, and clean it up some. I looked at those guides, but didn't understand what I was looking for at the time. I should know tomorrow afternoon.

I'll try to get some better pics as well.

[Rickbaro]

Hi Pete,

The ways are indeed bolted in and appear to be steel. So this may be an odd duck.

I tried to get some pics of the ways tonight, but it's too dark. I'll see what I can get in the next few days.

I took the top off to help move the saw, and it's a heavy sucker! Probably weighs as much as the base.

[crzypete]

Hey Rick, I am guessing that it is not an odd duck, but an interesting piece of knowledge in Hammond history. It seems they invented the steel inset ways before the G4b, discontinued them for numerous years while making the G4, and then brought them back for good with the G4b.

Yours is the second cast iron base G4 that I have noted with steel insets. So to me, that is more than a freak occurrence. I have seen cast iron base G4's that do not have the steel ways, so that is not a connecting element.

FYI, the later G4's and all saws beyond had welded bases- formed out of heavy gage sheet metal to resemble cast iron.

pete

[AustinTom]

I recently purchased this saw so I figured I'd continue this post. Is there any way to date it? Roughly when did they stop using the cast base?

Thanks
Austin

[Rickbaro]

I recently purchased this saw so I figured I'd continue this post. Is there any way to date it? Roughly when did they stop using the cast base?

Thanks
Austin

Looking at Pete's post, I would say that this was before the end of the CI base production. If they used the inserts first, then went to plain cast iron ways, and then went back to inserts with the introduction of the steel base, this should be a very early G4?

Rickbaro, relieved to have another person carry the important burden of helping this saw find its family tree!

[AustinTom]

I feel fairly certain its an old one based on the serial number. Just curious as to the dates/history of the different models

[crzypete]

Guys, My answers to vintage are not going to be very fulfilling. Truthfully, I do not know much about the actual dates that the saws were made.

To start with. They are all old. Even the newest ones.

While the saw that Tom now owns is the lowest serial numbered G4 that I have encountered, There is a huge gap in my serial number list between the G3 that I own, #892 and Tom's G4 #1772. Plus I do not have dates to fill in the gaps with anyway.

I have always been curious about the dates, but also realize that knowing when it was made doesn't affect the use of the saw, and I am really a user in the end (even though I sometimes play a historian on the internet)

If I was forced to wager a guess, I would say your saw was made in the late 1930's. but this is a guess.

Now, Lets get on to talking about what you are going to do to get that diamond in the rough back to operation condition. The cast iron base saws truly have a great potential for being beautiful. Most that I have encountered are in rough shape. the steel ways on this saw should hopefully have preserved the sliding tables accuracy and in the end you should have a dream machine.

Pete