I've got a un-healthly obsession with a few of my Jensen 100 workshops and have acquired a complete #100 blue model in original condition. I am comfortable removing the machine tools from the base, performing a light cleaning of the base to not not remove the original paint. The question is, what to do with the machine tools. I think attempting to disassemble would be a mistake as the die cast metal could easily crack. The paint on the machine tools is faded and some peeling, a proper restore would be to disassemble and re-paint. Anybody have thoughts or tool recommendations for disassembly. I'm thinking, don't mess with it, clean it up a bit and enjoy.
Welcome from MN, curious do you have a solid wood blue base or plywood blue base?
As for the tools, I’d have to see a picture of how bad the red paint has gotten before deciding if I’d keep original or repaint... Remember, everything is only original once, so you can clean the base, gently clean the tools and re-assemble. Then, if you still are not happy, a repaint can be done.
Welcome to the forum from the South Coast of New South Wales Australia.
Can you post some photos up of the workshop?
Very sage advice "Remember, everything is only original once" from Nick.
I have 2 blue base Jensen #100 workshops , the one on the right was repainted , I took special care to tape up the parts I didn't want painted, I bead blasted them all & carefully repainted them. If you try to disassemble them your liable to break something as the parts seem to be pressed on. I differ from the others sometimes about whether to restore or not....its not like its the Mona Lisa your trying to retouch , its at best a $150 steam toy that there are literally thousands of. I did leave the board untouched though.
https://youtu.be/u_AqgpKaLkw
Hello Nick,
Yes we have same lovely sub-zero as MN in Wi. Attached are a few photo's, as you can see it is mechanically complete, no missing parts (often see the machine tool handle broken or missing) wood base is good. It would look great paired with my Jensen #35 "Brass Tag" obtained from St. Paul Steam a while back, a set of 1940's Jensen in good condition steaming away.
Cheers,
Dave
That one’s nice enough that I would leave as is, just a light cleaning and have some fun playing with it.
Agreed! I won't break a good thing when it's there to enjoy.Don't know what it is about the #100 that I obsess over more than the multitude of other machine shops, probably the simplicity and agelessness. Here are a couple of photo's of a non-painted #100 that I did a clean up on, the machine tools have original paint that I touched up with matching color, polished the line shaft and pulleys, cleaned the plated machine tools parts with a non-abrasive polish and the base with a mineral spirit wipe down, then light sanding to clean only and application of tongoil.