MacGregor Gourlay Co. 12" Jointer

I originally posted this jointer thread in the Woodworking forum, but as I posted it, I wondered if it would be a better fit here. I will request that the other thread be deleted.

I will be picking up this MacGregor and Gourlay jointer tomorrow, if all goes well. I currently have a modern 8" jointer, but was looking for a wider jointer for some time. It will be a bit of a project, but I am reaching "maximum packing density" in my shop.

Unfortunately, the previous owner, threw out the top "clam shells" of the babbit bearings, as well as the original square, 2-bladed cutter head. He still has the main babbit bearing base casting.

It was originally a 12" jointer, with a 17" wide top. He will include a 20" 4-knife planer head, and a 5hp motor, which he was going to retro fit this jointer with.

I believe that this jointer is from the very early 1900's. I just love the hand painted machine number...











Brian

Stunning! Thanks for posting. Please post some more pics as you get it back in action.

Brian ,
I thought I had seen a Catalogue of McGregor Gourlay machines on line somewhere and saved a link but I could be mistaken or I just haven’t found it yet.
There are some shown here but no photo of a Jointer .
Picturesque and industrial Galt
from this book
Picturesque and industrial Galt : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
It looks like the pictures would have to be saved and rotated to display properly .
Williams and Wilson sold McGregor and Gourlay lathes that I think became part of the C.M.C. or Canada Machinery Corp. merger .
I can’t remember the details now but they are likely posted somewhere on this forum or on Vintage Machinery .
One of the pictures from the McCord Museum from 1920 shows a jointer much like yours in the Williams and Wilson show room but I can see some differences and the Planer beside it says C.M.C. on the front of the base.
Musee McCord Museum - Interior, Williams & Wilson Inc. machinery suppliers, Montreal, QC, 192
Found in this search link
Musee McCord Museum - Results
that was posted here ,
https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...real-quebec-238317/?highlight=Williams+Wilson

The jointer may have ay have had a knife head and or knives knives made by Galt Machine Knife works .
https://archive.org/details/picturegalt00unknuoft/page/n143
I think I remember seeing another catalogue or pages of their products on line as well but can’t find them now.
Grand River Brewing now occupies the building of Galt Knife
Their Web site shows some historical photos and has a short video .
http://grandriverbrewing.com/about-us/
another video here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLn-upx1kNk
I think putting a modern cutter head with ball bearings and thin knives should make for a much safer and more practical tool to work with although having all the original parts to put back as a museum piece would have been something nice as well.

Regards,
Jim

Hello Jim

Thanks for all of the good links that you provided.... According to the Vintage Machinery site, the name MacGregor Gourlay Co. first appeared in 1885 or 1886. Then, sometime between 1895 and 1902, the name changed to MacGregor Gourlay, Co. , Ltd. This change was most likely made in 1901 to comply with Canada's new "Companies" Act.

There are just a few examples of these jointers out there, as far as images are concerned, with two distinct table adjustment mechanisms. While mine has the traditional inclined ways, some, of the same vintage have the base as a one piece casting, and the infeed and outfeed tables, adjusted by, likely a 4-point contact, with short, inclined ways. This second method may have been cheaper to produce.

As it is, on my jointer, there is really only 4-points of contact with short sections of ways, as the casting is relieved between these contact points.

I may end up taking the jointer to pieces to get it off the trailer, and will take more detailed photos when I get it home.

The fellow that I am purchasing the jointer from, is an accomplished wood worker, with a very nice compliment of machinery, including a massively built, modern 16" General jointer.

Well, I'd better get myself out the door and on my way.....

Brian

Brian,
Nice machine you picked up.
I used to have an old CMC 12” three legged jointer and it had the best front table adjustment of any machine I have ever used before or since.
If my guess is correct the large handwheel is for the front table adjust, this is the same as my favorite, you can spin it up or down very quickly for heavy or light cuts. The speed makes it so beautiful to use.
I set the fence up so the gap below the fence indicated the cut depth, worked very well.

Some things are meant to be upgraded and an old square head with babbit bearings is one of them.
Hope you get this up and running, you will apreciate the beef when you drop an 8’ 3 x 10 on there and take a 1/4” off the 3” edge in one pass.

On all my latest 16” jointer I added a rollback roller on the end of the outfeed table. It is set just below table height and greatly assists when pulling back the heavy boards.

Cheers,
Michael

Hello Michael...

Yes, the large hand wheel adjusts the infeed table, through a couple of bevel gears...



I don't disagree with updating the cutter head and bearings, but it just seemed a shame to have thrown original those items out.

This jointer still has most of the planing marks visible in the table tops, and should clean up nicely.



The outfeed table is adjusted directly by a smaller hand wheel and screw...



I used just mild soap and water to gently clean the area with the hand painted machine number...



The company name's cast letters, seem to have most of it's original hand painted letters as well...



I will likely just gently clean the painted surfaces with soap and water, and may end up trying to clear coat it with a satin lacquer. I'll experiment with it, before I do anything.

Machining the 20" cutter head will be the most challenging part of getting this jointer back in operation.

Brian

The McGregor Gourlay building is shown in the attached pictures that I copied and rotated from the links below
Picturesque and industrial Galt : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Picturesque and industrial Galt : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
I think this may be the old McGregor Gourlay building given the photo and address mentioned above.
Google Maps
Google Maps
It looks like it is being re developed for housing ,
See also the Galt Knife works and Peter Hay Page
Picturesque and industrial Galt : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

I found the pictures of the Galt Knife works booklet that I was thinking of.
I have the booklet here and had taken pictures of some of the pages.
I can’t put my hands on it at the moment to get some pictures of the other pages.
But I have attached some of them here.

Nice looking early machine. I am very fond of 3-toed jointers. I think they are the best design. I have owned several, and currently have a 16" Yates American that I restored, in my workshop. Like Michael stated upthread, it adjusts with a large ships wheel, very smoothly.

Good luck with getting back together. Incidentally, I have seen several different machines restored where the tops of the babbitt bearing covers were missing. I've seen them fabricated out of pipe of the appropriate dimension, with flat stock ears welded on for bolt holding. A very convincing repair that works quite well, if you wish to keep the babbitt bearings. I don't know if your 20" cutterhead is long enough to have enough exposure for babbitt bearings or not. Just a thought.

Found jointer

hawkfan9 said:

Nice looking early machine. I am very fond of 3-toed jointers. I think they are the best design. I have owned several, and currently have a 16" Yates American that I restored, in my workshop. Like Michael stated upthread, it adjusts with a large ships wheel, very smoothly.

Good luck with getting back together. Incidentally, I have seen several different machines restored where the tops of the babbitt bearing covers were missing. I've seen them fabricated out of pipe of the appropriate dimension, with flat stock ears welded on for bolt holding. A very convincing repair that works quite well, if you wish to keep the babbitt bearings. I don't know if your 20" cutterhead is long enough to have enough exposure for babbitt bearings or not. Just a thought.

Click to expand...

I’ve recently found one of these in my grandfather’s old shop I believe it has all the parts. I don’t have space for it myself. If you know anyone who may be interested in acquiring it, please feel free to message me.