Antique Box Joint machine

[Ross]

I found this one on Craigslist and picked it up today...
http://www.myoldtools.com/boxjoint/box5.jpg
http://www.myoldtools.com/boxjoint/box4.jpg
Superior Machine Works Chicago purpose made box joint machine. It appears complete. It was converted from babbit to ball bearings, but the original babbit boxes and caps were saved.
http://www.myoldtools.com/boxjoint/box2.jpg
It doesn't appear that the shaft was permanently modified either. It has handwheels with double gears driving double screws to set depth and clamp boards to the carriage.
http://www.myoldtools.com/boxjoint/box7.jpg
The orginal carriage handle is missing. I'm guessing it might have been a ships wheel, but maybe not. It came with a big Western Electric motor, belt drive. It came with a box of extra cutters and spacers. The ones in it are carbide tipped.
http://www.myoldtools.com/boxjoint/box3.jpg

I thought the beekeeping community might like to see what was used historically to produce wooden ware. I imagine the current machines aren't a lot different, just more automated and with better guards. I collect old woodworking machinery as a hobby.

[Bodo]

You find the neatest (is that a word?) stuff! Grats on the find!

[HAB]

Congrats and Cudos! That is one great find. :)

Last year came up on a P&H Excavator that had been parked 200 Ft from its last job (building a 20 acre pond) the owner just drove off and left it in 1997. The property owner let me have it for the value of the steel ($2000) to get it off his property. Spent 1 1/2 days adding fresh fuel, oil, cleaning, and lubing. Installed a new battery and she started right up in less than 30 second. Brought her home where we changed some hoses, added new Hyd-fluids. Then built two ponds on my property that would have cost me $40,000!:):):)

[peggjam]

You don't find many tools like that anymore. Are you going to use it?:)

[Ross]

I'll for sure try it out. Whether I keep it or not I don't know. Some of you already know I have more tools than most factories now.

[magnet-man]

Ross, you will have to post detail video on youtube of it working and how it works.