The worst TS

Somebody said a well cared for quality machine would be a good
investment; What's the worst machine you ever got?
Mine was a garage sale unisaw, about a 79, which had been left outside
for several years. I already had a uni but believed (mistakenly) you
can never have too many tablesaws. I realized this saw, even free
would be a money losing proposition; consequently, I couldn't resist
it. And it certainly wasn't free.
Everything not rusted solid was broke. The table took a gallon of
muriatic acid to see daylight. The cabinet took 2 days of wirebrushing
and a quart of rust-mort. Sandblasting was out of the question: I was
already over budget.
I can fix everything I break; that came in handy when I busted the
casting holding the arbor; I got a deal (about time) on some special
ABEC-5 bearings for the arbor and motor. Only parts I bought were a
rubber bushing in the fence lock and the safety decal for a buck. I
couldn't very well spend $70 on a matched set of belts, could I?
All painted and wired, I plugged in and fired her up. Not. A buzz
like an alarm bell. Hooked the motor direct to 220. No buzz! A hum!
Pulled out the sawdust packed capacitor to find it hanging by a
thread--one thread. The rivet for the terminal had corroded off.
Disassembled the condenser, got an aluminum screw and fixed it. What
about the deafening buzz? Rust strategically placed on the mag starter
core, quickly wirebrushed off.
Finally fired up and: unbelievably quiet and smooth. Strongly
recommend those fancy bearings.
I think when you bring them back from the dead they appreciate it
and really take care of you from then on. I really like this saw and
run her European style with the CMT General blade or Freud Dado. Howe