Picked Up an Old Marvel Series 8 Bandsaw. How to Determine Age?

Arc-On · May 2, 2020

Picked this saw up yesterday from the local machinery dealer. Its an oldie for sure, but it seems to be in pretty dang good shape. He said they bought it out of a GM maintenance shop, so it probably saw some regular maintenance over its life there.

The paint job is pretty horrible, but it seems to be mechanically sound. Just ugly.

I have the drip tray sides off screen.

Does anyone know how to age these old girls? I can't find a cross reference to either the saw itself or the motor online.

Here's some pics of both, maybe someone more knowledgeable than me can narrow down age based on either serial number of the saw or the old GE motor.

Thanks!

thermite · May 2, 2020

Arc-On said:
Picked this saw up yesterday from the local machinery dealer. Its an oldie for sure, but it seems to be in pretty dang good shape. He said they bought it out of a GM maintenance shop, so it probably saw some regular maintenance over its life there.

The paint job is pretty horrible, but it seems to be mechanically sound. Just ugly.

I have the drip tray sides off screen.

Does anyone know how to age these old girls? I can't find a cross reference to either the saw itself or the motor online.

Here's some pics of both, maybe someone more knowledgeable than me can narrow down age based on either serial number of the saw or the old GE motor.

Thanks!

Yep. REALLY "ugly". Yah do know that if you cannot place the age accurately within a 24 hour period the f**ker won't RUN AT ALL?

So here's the deal.. you sell me that "ugly" saw, and I'll use old spook-trade skill to torture the sumbich into confessing its birthdate .. and get some serious-good use out of it...

Low price, of course. Lesser skilled folk who torture bandsaws are legion - but those fools get only grief, nary a bit of cooperation atall!

PS: If you think that SAW is "ugly"? Best pray you never meet my half-sister!

.... Who lives in Michigan.

NOW are you ready to cut a deal?

Arc-On · May 2, 2020

Seriously dude? I’m just curious about the age, I plan to run it. It being old doesn’t bother me.

And I really don’t care about the paint, it’s just whoever painted it did a really sloppy job.

LD · May 2, 2020

Marvel has been making them for about a hundred years and are still in business. Give them a call with the serial number.. I'll bet that they could probably help you out.

awander · May 2, 2020

Arc-On said:
Seriously dude? I’m just curious about the age, I plan to run it. It being old doesn’t bother me.

And I really don’t care about the paint, it’s just whoever painted it did a really sloppy job.

Don't take what Thermite writes too seriously, and you'll have a much more enjoyable time here.

johnoder · May 2, 2020

83001 is from late 1946

Big B · May 2, 2020

I have that same saw but don't know how old it is either. And if you guys think the OP's saw is ugly you should see mine.

Arc-On · May 2, 2020

John, thanks. Just out of curiosity, how did you determine that? Which digits are the date?

johnoder · May 2, 2020

Arc-On said:
John, thanks. Just out of curiosity, how did you determine that? Which digits are the date?

None of them - but the serial book does have a page on Armstrong Blum and the various stuff they made - with their respective serials per year.

Book is Serial Number Reference Book for Metalworking Machinery. Mine is from 1975

Arc-On · May 2, 2020

Gotcha. Cool, now I need to chase down a copy, seems like a handy book to have. Thanks again.

thermite · May 2, 2020

Arc-On said:
Seriously dude? I’m just curious about the age, I plan to run it. It being old doesn’t bother me.

And I really don’t care about the paint, it’s just whoever painted it did a really sloppy job.

Hell NO not "seriously".

Looks a Helluva good deal to me. Paint isn't even THAT bad. I mean it's just a saw.... not a staggerwing Beech.

Rob F. · May 2, 2020

LD said:
Marvel has been making them for about a hundred years and are still in business. Give them a call with the serial number.. I'll bet that they could probably help you out.

Easy to call Marvel and ask them. I have a #8 that has no serial #, the guy at marvel asked what the patent date on the upper frame was (1917) and said the best he could do to date it was between 1917 and 1922. 1922 is when they started to put serial #'s on them.

I would be sure to check the oil in the worm gear housing on the right front, behind the crank. It is known for collecting dust as turning the oil to gear eating lapping compound. Either change that oil regularly or remove the dirt collecting sump and oil with each use.

SIP6A · May 2, 2020

Arc-On said:
Seriously dude? I’m just curious about the age, I plan to run it. It being old doesn’t bother me.

And I really don’t care about the paint, it’s just whoever painted it did a really sloppy job.

What you need to understand about thermite is that he is somebody that knows everything about everything, he just never did anything.

He can't write standard English so he spews his verbal vomit and thinks he's clever.

Big B · May 2, 2020

Arc-On said:
Picked this saw up yesterday from the local machinery dealer. Its an oldie for sure, but it seems to be in pretty dang good shape. He said they bought it out of a GM maintenance shop, so it probably saw some regular maintenance over its life there.

The paint job is pretty horrible, but it seems to be mechanically sound. Just ugly.

I have the drip tray sides off screen.

Does anyone know how to age these old girls? I can't find a cross reference to either the saw itself or the motor online.

Here's some pics of both, maybe someone more knowledgeable than me can narrow down age based on either serial number of the saw or the old GE motor.

Thanks!

Do you have a stock stop for your saw? If not I made one for mine in a few hours and can take a picture of it and post it. Very handy item that I copied more/less from one that I saw at work.

mark52621 · May 5, 2020

I have one of these that make this one look like a newborn. I think mine has 1908 cast into it.

Hey Big B, I would love to see your stock stop.

AD Design · May 6, 2020

Have used several similar/larger models at different companies. Has a larger footprint than other band saws but for cutting plates/assemblies (clamp to table) or needing an angular cut on bar stock (tilt head) I really liked using this saw with the moveable auto shut-off and adjustable cutting feed. Congratulations on the purchase, wish I had one.

ChipSplitter · May 6, 2020

thermite said:
Yep. REALLY "ugly". Yah do know that if you cannot place the age accurately within a 24 hour period the f**ker won't RUN AT ALL?

So here's the deal.. you sell me that "ugly" saw, and I'll use old spook-trade skill to torture the sumbich into confessing its birthdate .. and get some serious-good use out of it...

Low price, of course. Lesser skilled folk who torture bandsaws are legion - but those fools get only grief, nary a bit of cooperation atall!

PS: If you think that SAW is "ugly"? Best pray you never meet my half-sister!

.... Who lives in Michigan.

NOW are you ready to cut a deal?

Who are you, Merlin.....??? :eek:

Biolog · May 6, 2020

Funny, I have one that is painted with the same color scheme. It may have come from a GM auction as well, I am not sure. Dont know the age, but it is older than yours. The guards are castings and the motor looks like it came out of the machine shop of the Mayflower. Still cuts well though, and straight. If you need them, Marvel does put a high value on replacement parts.

Arc-On · May 10, 2020

Big B said:
Do you have a stock stop for your saw? If not I made one for mine in a few hours and can take a picture of it and post it. Very handy item that I copied more/less from one that I saw at work.

Yeah man, throw up a picture of your stock stop. Always cool to see other ideas.

Julien.granger · Feb 11, 2022

Same question

johnoder said:
None of them - but the serial book does have a page on Armstrong Blum and the various stuff they made - with their respective serials per year.

Book is Serial Number Reference Book for Metalworking Machinery. Mine is from 1975

Hi, I have the exact same question . Do you still have that book? Would it be possible for you to check for my saw too? I would greatly appreciate it. Cant find any other source on the web. The serial number on my saw is 84728.
Thanks!!
Julien

Picked Up an Old Marvel Series 8 Bandsaw. How to Determine Age?

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