Kyle VanMeter & Co.
Handcrafted Wood Furniture

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Machinery Restorations

Another hobby that I have picked up is restoring antique woodworking machinery. I have rebuilt every machine in my shop, whether it was required it or not! I will also do general machine rebuilding for a flat rate of $45 an hour, plus materials. I have a few pictures of my favorite restoration projects below:
This was likely the most challenging machine restoration to date. This is an Oliver Model 20-B Patternmaker's Lathe manufactured in 1913. The machine set in a field completely exposed to the elements for more than a decade. Every part of the machine was rusted solid.

I had to soak the lathe in penetrating oils, and then preform weeks of electolysis to pull the rust off of all the lathe parts. I also re-built the drive system with a countershaft installed below the headstock. The lathe cleaned up beautifully, and I do not think I will ever come off of this machine. It is an absolute joy to use, and has an incredible capacity.

This is the before and after of my Delta 18" model 22-200 wedge bed planer. The machine was manufactured in the mid 1960's, and weighs around 950 lbs. 


I completely dis-assembled the machine, replaced the cutterhead bearings, cleaned off the rust, replaced the wiring, and painted. This planer runs as well today as the day it was built.

This interesting machine is an Oliver Model 260-D dual arbor table saw. The machine has a sliding table, rack and pinion fence, and two arbors. The handwheel in front will raise one blade above the table, while lowering the second below. I leave a rip blade and crosscut blade permanently set up on the saw.

I gave it the treatment, dis-assembly, new motor bearings, new paint, and new sliding table bearing retainers. This machine is a real work-horse.

This is an Oliver 173 36" scroll saw. The machine was manufactured in 1939. I got her off of a general contractor who bought the machine 15 years ago to cut gingerbread for a Victorian era home restoration project. After the job was over, he stashed the machine in his unheated barn, where it was exposed to the elements for many years.


I completely disassembled the saw, re-machined a few parts, rebuilt the pitman assembly, painted, and reassembled. This is a really heavily built saw. I plan to use it for producing corbels and restoration millwork projects, in addition to basic scroll sawing.

This is my Wallace No. 9 Portable Mortising Machine. I can only assume that the craftsman's definition of "Portable" was much different in 1917! This cute little machine is approximately 450 lbs, and is very sturdy in construction.

This mortiser was in mostly operable condition when it came into my possession, but was pretty unsightly. It sat unused for the better part of 20 years, and was in need of new bearings, paint, and an overall de-rusting.

Once refurbished, this machine can drill a square hole with the best of them!
This is a 24" Jointer manufactured by The Egan Co. in 1893. The machine was in exceptionally good shape when I picked it up. Especially for being over 120 years old.

I only had to do some minor work, tuneup, and cleaning on the machine. It is in excellent shape once again, and is ready for another 120 years of service.
I picked this machine up at the Wicks Organ auction in St. Louis. The saw is a 14" Hall and Brown Model 131. It was bought new by Wicks sometime after the turn of the century, and had been in their machine room making organ parts up until the day of the auction.

When I got the machine home, I installed a new motor, replaced the pillow block bearings, and repainted the base casting. It is a tilt-top model, which took some getting used to, but preforms very well. At 1,100 lbs, there is absolutely no vibration.
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