My "LAST" machine!!

My "LAST" machine!! · 10-26-2009, 02:16 PM

I finally got my "LAST" machine. When I started buying tools for my last and current shops in the mid 90's, at the bottom of the list was an oscillating spindle sander. I really didn't have much use for one and have been able to get by with some crappy drill press mounted spindles.

Though I never discounted a benchtop unit like the Delta, Jet, or Rigid and am not sure why, but I really wanted a stand-up unit with tilting table. Maybe it was because they are usually better made in every respect, have larger, cast iron, tilting tables, and the spindles and stroke are much longer than benchtop units. I was hoping to get a used one - something like a cabinet Grizzly or Jet, at a good price- a few hundred $. I have been watching Ebay, Craigslist, etc. for over 6 years, and have been either outbid, the price has exceeded my undefined limit, or it was too far away.

Sooo, when a US-made Max showed up recently on Ebay and was located in Wilmington (a few hours drive from me), I watched it closely. MAX and State are two of the good ones- hefty old-time machines. I just did a search and it appears MAX is still in business- check out what my model goes for new, yikes !!!!)

I bid and won it (sorry if I sniped another North Carolina Woodworker!). Though I probably paid too much (I'm not saying, but it was less than $400), I am glad to get this off my "wanted forever" list. I plan to drive down and pick it up when I get back from a woodworking (

) business trip to Texas. It will need to be cleaned up since it was left outside for a few days and got rained on and now has surface rust on the table and spindle. It is supposed to come with a bunch of spindles and works fine (it was sold by a machine shop that doesn't need it). I will see. Also, I will need to put my spare VFD on it or swap out the motor with one of my spare motors since it has a 220V 3 phase motor on it now.

I can't tell, but in the pic it looks like there is a dust port.

Here is what a new, clean one looks like on the MAX site:

Ken Massingale · 10-26-2009, 02:26 PM

Well done Alan!

Gonna paint it white like the current models?, looks a lot better than the Grizz green to me. How long are the spindles and what's the stroke on that bad boy?
Congrats!

Oh, your last machine???? Yeah right!

Travis Porter · 10-26-2009, 02:27 PM

Congrats!

I would say Max will probably offer some discounts on a new one. The lower cost unit on their website is the same that Grizzly sells for about $500 less. Still $3K for a new one is a substantial sum.

Not a lightweight unit for sure.

Alan in Little Washington · 10-26-2009, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by Ken Massingale

Well done Alan!
Gonna paint it white like the current models?, looks a lot better than the Grizz green to me. How long are the spindles and what's the stroke on that bad boy?
Congrats!

Oh, your last machine???? Yeah right!

Really, my last machine, unless . . . . .

I'l probably paint it gray.

Stroke is 1-1/2". I don't know how many of the 10 spindles it will come with. It also looks like the motor will be easy to swap out if I choose to do so.

I found some better specs on the Tannewitz site.

Footnote for Machine-nuts- The original MAX company a division of Reliable Foundry San Jose, CA was bought in the 80's by Beachmont-Tabor who ceased operation in 1986. Tannewitz of bandsaw fame purchased the name two years later and the company which also includes RAMCO wide-belt sanders is now called MAX Industries. So I could have a made-in-San Jose MAX, a Beachmont-Tabor made MAX, or a made-in-Jenison, MI MAX Industries/Tannewitz MAX (all made in USA.) Max also outsources their cheaper OSS model to a Tiawanese company who makes the identical looking, Grizzly, Jet, etc.

Bas · 10-26-2009, 11:33 PM

Nice score Alan. I want one of those as well, except I'm so far behind on tool buying it's not even on my list yet!
Needless to say, a plethora of pictures is expected as you pick up/ refurbish/ install/ pimp this machine. I'm thinking it needs a variable stroke control modulator relay mechanism system, a tachoyspeedometer and, needless to say, improved dust collection

Planning any curved projects?

scsmith42 · 10-27-2009, 12:28 AM

Very nice score Alan! I use my Grizz OSS all the time.

Scott

bwat · 10-27-2009, 08:43 AM

Awesome machine and I'm sure you will give it the refurb it deserves.

I have a benchtop Jet and am surprised how much use it gets. Looking forward to pics of your rehab progress.

Mike Wilkins · 10-28-2009, 10:48 AM

Real nice score Alan. Would love to have a floor model someday in the future, but for now I live with the Porter Cable handheld OSS, with plans to make it table mounted soon.
Last tool purchase?? Yeah, right.

cpowell · 10-28-2009, 10:23 PM

LAST machine...yeh, right!!

That looks like a beast of a ROS. I look forward to the play-by-play as you get her all fixed up.

Chuck