Sunday I am picking up a 1914 16” jointer made by the Greenlee Bothers company back in the day. It weighs 1800 pounds and is close to 8 feet long and it comes with a 16” cutterhead. The order for this machine was placed in April, 1914. What was going on in April, 1914? WWI?
It resides in New Lebanon, NY. These old machines have style. I think of the foundry workers pouring the molten iron into the molds, sweating their keisters off, and going home at the end of the shift only to do it again the following day. Industrial America at a time when cars and trucks were just hitting the dirt roads, and many were still living in rural America without plumbing and electricity. And yet today, with a couple days investing into elbow grease, fresh paint, and applying new grease and oil; it will be going back to work - better than new- and outlast me.
Admittedly, this machine is stretching my envelope both in size and capability. I will learn how to pour and scrape Babbitt bearings to fit the cutterhead journals.
When I stretch the envelope I always feel a sense of “what am I getting myself into? …” and some unease. But someone once said to me ; “it’s either guts or stupidity “. Time will tell. I typically get over the trepidation and end up in a better or maybe different; neither better or worse…but just a different place. Will see, I guess. LOL!
If it doesn’t work - I’ll practice RC scale airplane carrier landings and post you-tube videos to fund it. I’m calling it the Enterprise.
