Restoration of a Stenner ABM 18" Table Saw

[Camoz]

Hi all,

I am currently in the process of restoring a Stenner ABM 18" Table Saw. I have already started a post on the Australian Woodwork Forum (woodworkforums "dot" com "/" stenner-abm-table-saw-restoration-157563/), but I figured that given this saw was manufactured in Tiverton England, that I might find someone on this forum that has some details about the saw. Melbourne Matty has found three drawing of the saw from "Woodworking Machinist" by R.H. Hordern, and I have searched just about every google combination I can think of, and have only come up with a handful of pictures of others that have sold in the past.

I wanted to list some photos, but unfortunately it looks like I don't have permission to do so yet (hopefully someone can grab some photos from my Australian post and add them for me).

If anyone has any information about the saw, photos, dates of manufacture, if the machine number (Number 2010) is relevent to anything, happens to own one, or has a user manual, I would be very interested.

I intend to strip the saw right down and will be listing my progress on the above post if anyone is interested in dropping in for a look or to give some advice (I am by no means an expert at restoring old machinery, but love taking what might otherwise have been scrapped and bringing it back to life).

Thanks,

Camoz

 

[Camoz]

I think I should have permission now (or I will know in a second).

The website address for the post was:

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f163/sten ... on-157563/

 

[Camoz]

Tried to add pictures, but no luck just get the message "The image file you tried to attach is invalid." (I'm sure I am doing something wrong), so I will have to add a link for the photos:

http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i32 ... 020328.jpg
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i32 ... 020295.jpg
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i32 ... 020294.jpg
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i32 ... 020293.jpg

and the motor plate:

http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i32 ... 020359.jpg

Thanks,

Camoz

 

[marcros]

i cant help a great deal, but the OP in 10hp-3phase-415v-for-120-t62357.html?hilit=brook%20motors worked at the motor factory for 24 years (see last post on link).

an 18" saw sounds like a beast!

 

[Camoz]

Hi Marcros,

Thanks for your help with directing me to this post; I have sent him a PM, as I have been having issues trying to work out the correct way to replace the front bearing on the motor (I am really hoping he can help me with this question).

Your right this table saw is definitely no light weight, I also have a Wadkin 12 BGP that needed some work when I got it, but the big difference with this saw is in the strip down, I have needed to use an engine hoist just to safely lift each part off. Today I removed the tilt adjust mechanism and found that the pivot point that the threaded shaft screws through consisted of nearly 4 pounds of brass :shock:

Camoz

 

[beech1948]

Camoz,

Just a thought but motors from all kinds of suppliers tend to be of similar design and similar repair methods. I have found the web site below to be a good first source for "how to" approaches and techniques. Things such as bearing replacement including hard to get at, hard to even move bearings as well as internal centrifugal switches etc etc.

It may be worth a look as they have a web stream for electrical issues.

[urlhttp://www.owwm.org/][/url]

regards
Al

 

[Camoz]

Hey all,

Thanks for the input regarding getting the motor bearing off. I decide, well OK my wife made me , take the motor to the local motor rewind guys, and it even had him scratching his head initially (which made me feel a bit better).

I left it with him and this afternoon he called me to let me know he had got the bearing off. Turns out that everything did need to come off the shaft, rotor and all. The shaft has been machined down from larger stock to leave a shoulder at the front that the bearing rests against. The rewind guy admitted it was a great old motor, but he did not quite see eye to eye with the original designer of the motor, I had to also admit that it really didn't seem too logical to have to take everything off just to replace the front bearing. I was glad that the rotor had to come off, so I don't feel so bad about not doing it myself (that is something that I just don't have the right tools or experience to be doing right now (hammer) ).

Still keen to hear from anyone who might have some history about this saw, and I will be adding some more pictures of today's progress later tonight (or early afternoon your time) on the Australian forum.

Cheers,

Camoz

 

[beech1948]

Well Stenner is still in business in Tiverton at the following address:-

http://www.stenner.co.uk/home/ maybe an email to see what they have.

Al

 

[Camoz]

Hey Al,

Thanks for the suggestion (it was a good one), but unfortunately I have sent them an email, but they did not have any information. I have done this before with Wadkin equipment, and got lots of info, but stenner look to be focussing on only their current equipment.

Cheers,

Camoz

 

[beech1948]

Camoz,
Ok then...the next even more dodgy suggestion is that you need to try to find a guy who uses the online name of Scrit.

He used to pop up here and also in owwm.org. His claim to fame is that he has a exceptional knowledge of old kit and also it seems a vast store of old manuals, brochures etc etc. I think he is a Brit.

He seems to have gone into hiding though and has not been seen for a while here.

Worth a search or enquiry though.

Al

 

[beech1948]

Also try http://www.richardjonesfurniture.com/Articles/gathering-09/gath5-600px-web.jpg

Richard is known on here as Sgiandubn and has a knowledge of old machines and may known where/what Scrit is doing.

Al

 

[beech1948]

Just found this.


Re: scrit
by tool613 » Sat Jul 21, 2012 12:08 am

Scrit is helping us on the vintage machinery site with all the UK manufactures and will be loading his great wealth of information into the archives. He is doing well and I have regular email conversion with him on a weekly basis. I believe(not that he has said this) his wish is to be privet as the forums go. I will say he is the best on UK machines knowledge you will ever come across. We are proud to have him as part of the UK historian team. The man is a genius.

jack
English machines
tool613

So you can message Jack as tool613 on owwm.org to see if he can get in touch for you or even find any info re Stenner.

Al

 

[kirkpoore1]

There's no info on Stenner on Vintagemachinery.org yet. But you can be the first! Go here:

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/mfginde ... 3071&tab=3

Kirk
who wonders why Jack hasn't posted his mortiser yet...

 

[Camoz]

Al,

Thanks for the leads, I will give them a go. I thought scrit was just a myth, I am relatively new to the woodwork forums, but he certainly has a great reputation, it's a shame he is no longer posting, if he is even half as knowledgable as his reputation suggest, I can't wait to see what comes of this project he is working on.

I might send Richard a PM (I hope he won't mind).

Kirk,

I have just registered on the OWWM website, I have used this site before to gather information on some old pieces of machinery I have been working on in the past. Once I get the table saw fully stripped I intend on trying to catalogue the different parts with part numbers (just about every part has a part number as part of the casting). I found it interesting that there is absolutely no machines listed under stenner, I felt certain at least Jacks mortiser would have been listed.

Cheers,

Camo

 

[wallace]

Hi Camo, Scrit (Phill) does not venture into the wood forum world anymore. Jack talks to him quite regularly. Sorry cant help with any history, quite new to this old iron stuff myself. More than happy to help with anything else.
Mark

 

[kirkpoore1]

...
Kirk,

I have just registered on the OWWM website, I have used this site before to gather information on some old pieces of machinery I have been working on in the past. Once I get the table saw fully stripped I intend on trying to catalogue the different parts with part numbers (just about every part has a part number as part of the casting). I found it interesting that there is absolutely no machines listed under stenner, I felt certain at least Jacks mortiser would have been listed.

Cheers,

Camo

Camo:
OWWM.org and Vintagemachinery.org (formerly owwm.com) are associated sites but are not run by the same folks. They need separate registrations.

I'm not sure why Jack hasn't uploaded pics of his Stenner, but he probably just overlooked it. It's not like you can call him lazy.

Kirk
who also has a few machines he hasn't uploaded to Vintagemachinery.org...

 

[Camoz]

Hi kirkpoore1,

Jack is definately far from lazy, I dream of being able to do restorations to his standard. I like to try to save old machinery from being scrapped, I think more should be saved, and someone like Jack inspires others to do the same. I was just surprised not to see it listed.

I will need to check now and see which forum I have just registered with, thanks for letting me know.

Cheers,

Camoz

 

[Camoz]

Well I am like a kid in a candy shop. Today I received a reply from the Managing Director of Stenner Ltd. I asked him last week if he may be able to help with some information and given that he is obviously a very busy man, I am more than pleased with the information he has been able to provide =D>.

Firstly I now have a date for my machine :mrgreen: . My table saw was sent to Australia in 1957, that in my opinion is amazing to find out, at best I was hoping to discover what years this model was manufactured (I was beginning to think even that was not going to be possible), but to find out the actual year my saw was made, makes me very happy.

The guys at Stenner have also been nice enough to scan a copy of a leaflet produced in 1955, which shows some of the equipment available at the time, including my table saw.

Jack if you drop in on this post, I might also have a little present for you :ho2 . Check out the 5th page I think you might find something that looks familiar.

They were also nice enough to summarise a bit of a history of the company which is as follows:

==========================================================================

Stenner began in the late 19th century as an agricultural business making implement for the local farmers.

The first recorded instance of saw making was in 1875 when a circular saw bench was made. At that time the business was owned by the Stenner family, later it became Messrs Stenner and Gunn Ltd when another local engineer joined the business.

Mr Gunn then left to create Messrs Gunn Bros. at a workshop in Castle Street in Tiverton.

The company was, up to then, building circular saw machinery, in the early part of the 20th century the first bandsaw was produced, this was a great advance on circular saws as they offered much smaller kerfs and so improved the yield from logs. Early machines had spoked pulleys and were exclusively hand fed, this made sawmilling a very strenuous job.

The company continued as Stenners of Tiverton Ltd.

At around that time, just before the second world war, the company was bought by Messrs Heathcoat and Co Ltd and formed part of the Heathcoat engineering division.

After the war several engineers joined the company having spent the war years on engineering research and development, this enabled Stenner to implement many of the new technologies developed during the war in the fields of hydraulics, pneumatics, electrics and electronics to become world leaders in the manufacture of sawmilling machinery.

The name was changed to Stenner of Tiverton Ltd. In the 1960’s.

In the late 1980’s the industry was contracting due to the importation of foreign machinery and Stenner was the subject of a management buy-out and became Stenner Ltd.

In 2009 as a result of the economic recession the company went into administration and after negotiations with the administrators the company was purchased by a group of investors comprising some of the directors, a major component supplier and our major UK distributor.

The company continues to use the name Stenner Ltd.

========================================================================

Again I would really like to thank the guys at Stenner Ltd. for taking the time to help me with this information. I have spent many hours on the computer trying to find information and there just isn’t anything available.
Cheers,

Camoz

 

[Camoz]

Hi again,

I would also like to just thank all the people who offered assistance with the issue of removing the bearing from the motor. I am pleased to say that the motor is all fully back together and running very smoothly. I ended up having the motor completely degreased and baked. Although I am glad I did, I did not really have a choice anyway as some idiot had pumped so much grease into it (obviously to try to fix the stuffed front bearing), that grease had gone all through the windings, which was causing a very low resistance between the windings and the case. I am pleased to say that the reading is now infinity and with the bearings replaced hopefully it will last at least another 55 years.

Thanks,

Camoz

 

[tool613]

camoz

thank you for finding and doing the work to get this information. I now see what is missing on the bottom of my BL chain chisel mortiser. great news on the motor.

jack
English machines