Tool Talk

Woodworking Forum => Woodworking Forum => Topic started by: jimwrench on August 05, 2013, 05:04:32 PM

Title: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: jimwrench on August 05, 2013, 05:04:32 PM
 Heres my newest old scroll saw. Its a Hummer which was made in Springfield,IL which is only about 40 min from here. How could I pass it up? Got every thing freed up except upper blade slide but am confident that it will succumb to Deep Creep. Do not plan on it replacing my RBI Hawk saw. Hummer related to Sattley and made many things but found no reference to scroll saw. Haven't checked to see if they got patent. Anyone got a cache of blades for it? Guess I don't need them since is for display only.
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: Art Rafael on August 05, 2013, 05:44:24 PM
WOW, Jim.  What a beauty!  I can see how you couldn't pass it up.  I'd love to have one like that in my shop.  Ralph
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: oldtools on August 05, 2013, 05:58:32 PM
That is Too Cool Tool, looks like a belt driven pulley drive?
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: Plyerman on August 05, 2013, 06:48:13 PM
Very nice. Ever notice how the old toolmakers gave their products an elegant/artistic look? You don't tend to see that today.
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: HeelSpur on August 05, 2013, 07:17:32 PM
Sure is a beauty.
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: Helleri on August 05, 2013, 09:36:22 PM
wow, that's nice...you going to re-paint it?
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: Branson on August 06, 2013, 08:06:40 AM
That's an irresistible scroll saw!  Blades?  It ought to make do with coping saw blades or fret saw blades easily enough.
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: jimwrench on August 06, 2013, 09:16:28 AM
 Do not plan to repaint.
 Hummer eventually became part of Montgomery Ward. FDR issued an executive order forcing them back to work during WWII.
 Have found no patent for this saw.
Top slide freed up overnight; ready to saw.
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: scottg on August 06, 2013, 10:09:52 AM
This is a coolest scroll saw I ever saw!
Wow!!
 
 I expect it takes regular blades. Either 5 or 6 1/2", pin end or plain.

  I would true it up, and paint it, and use it!
 How could you resist?
 I'm seeing candy apple red with gold and blue pinstripes!!
    yours Scott
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: Helleri on August 06, 2013, 10:53:13 AM
well it does say patent pending on it. Doesn't that usually mean it is acting under preexisting patents (of things like internal components), and that they had not yet applied for a patent, or had and were denied?

I have a pipe wrench that says patent pending, I looked it up on USPTO site and only found it as patented later on with significant changes to the design (but still basically the same pipe wrench by the same makers)...Maybe they changed a few things later and this predates a slightly more familiar look?
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: jimwrench on August 06, 2013, 05:15:37 PM
 Hummer Mfg. Co. evidently was started as Post Implement Co. That would be Charles William Post who invented Post Toasties,Grapenuts and Postum as well as having numerous patents for farm implements. Have found list of implements he had patents for but can't find any patents. Datamp doesn't list any patents for him in years corresponding to years 1879-1890 which are years listed as when he received patents. None of found categories list a saw but I would like to see drawing of this saw and means of operating it. I assume it was foot operated with treadle but have no clue as to what additional mechanism was used.
 Time line evidently went Post implement,Hummer,Sattley,Montgomery Ward. Any help appreciated.
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: rusty on August 06, 2013, 08:30:11 PM
Nada on a saw.
256,044   1882-04-04    Post,C.W.    Cultivator.
279,980   1883-06-26    Post,C.W.    Cultivator.
294,806   1884-03-11    Post,C.W.    Cultivator.
363,762   1887-05-24    Post,C.W.    Harrow..
424,128   1890-03-25    Post,C.W.    Hay-stacker.
817,935   1906-04-17    Post,C.W.    Combined propelling and steering appa atus fo boats.

>that they had not yet applied for a patent, or had and were denied?

Making before applying would lose you the patent, once sold to the public, it becomes general knowledge, and isn't novel anymore. Several inventors learned this the hard way., Pending was only supposed to be used after application, at which point the invention is protected.

In theory, stamping patent pending on something after being denied the patent isn't allowed, but it was most likely common (what else are you going to do with them all?)


[Is there a patent class for scroll saws as such?]
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: jimwrench on August 06, 2013, 08:51:52 PM
Thanks rusty. List I found on internet had some wrong dates and one wrong year. I'll trust your info. Don't know how scroll saw would be classed.
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: johnsironsanctuary on August 06, 2013, 10:41:14 PM
Hey Jim, that is way cool! Could you post a photo of the other side? 
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: jimwrench on August 07, 2013, 08:47:47 AM
 Glad to John and a free end view.
 Maybe I'm chasing patent wrong. C W Post was prolific inventor for Post Implement Co. but this saw was after it became Hummer Manufacturing Co. Don't have a clue as to how much later this was.
 can one of you knowlegible patent guys like Rusty tell me if it is possible to search assignees ?
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: Helleri on August 07, 2013, 02:49:45 PM
I could picture something like that setup nicely with this.

(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll87/Xemem/Treadle_zps39f9010c.jpg)
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: scottg on August 07, 2013, 04:27:19 PM
I have an old treadle base very similar to this.
  I have seen lots of guys try to set up treadle operated tools, none of them very successful.
 
  Piercing cloth with a pinpoint? Requires torque, and a treadle can sew 8 layers of Levis. I have seen it many times. All the women I knew used treadles for years. I pretty much worked on them all, over time.
 
 But other jobs just require too much torque. Treadle tools for larger jobs than sewing used much larger heavier flywheels.
 The most successful lathe I know about was made by Larry Holland, from Washington state.
His has a 4 foot flywheel, 5 inches thick!

You need mass on your side if you are going to treadle though wood.
  I would expect a 3 foot flywheel about 3" thick (cast cement is popular in the modern world) would do a jigsaw well.
     yours Scott
       
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: Helleri on August 07, 2013, 05:34:10 PM
ahhhh...like the one on that drill press I got. thing is a monster. it isn't fast but it can go through just about anything.
Title: Re: Hummer scroll saw
Post by: Bill Houghton on August 09, 2013, 09:26:41 PM
All the women I knew used treadles for years. I pretty much worked on them all, over time.

You're referring here to the sewing machines, right, Scott?