Antique 36 inch Scroll Saw

I bought this Jones Superior saw at a woodworking plant auction in Richmond, VA back in 1986. Jones Superior was out of Chicago and was actually still in business unil the mid 1980's. Restored it a few years later...all is original except the leather belts on the spring mech. (it came with the original belts, they were a bit worn). No date or patent numbers anywhere on the machine but based on Jones Superior and old magazine research, would put it at 1870's.

That's my neighbor, Hubert Sikes, in the photo (taken in 1988). He used to run bandsaws at the old White Furniture plant in Mebane, NC, so was a natural for the shot. The photo is a little grainy because it is actually a reduced scan of a printed calendar cover....I never did get an actual print made from the transparency...went straight to the offset press.

On an ironic note, while that fancy fretwork piece I leaned againt the saw is the type of work that would have been done on this saw, that particular piece was cut on a laser. I got it as scrap from a laser outfit in Greensboro, NC....damned if I was gonna spend time cutting out something like that just for a photograph ! I produced a blank of the same outline for Hubert to pretend he was cutting out the fretwork of the next piece.



















[This message has been edited by D. Thomas (edited 02-28-2002).]

If ever looking to sell… holy, this is almost twenty years later already….

I have always like this picture. What a great shot of a grand saw.
The old man makes the picture.

Hal