Not sure where you live, but do you ever just keep a couple of smaller bottles inside your house overnight? Seems like that'd be easier than hauling the whole gallon jug back and forth.

...and I'd argue that's actually kind of a problem, not a feature. That old motor is probably way less efficient than anything you'd buy today, sucking up way more electricity than it needs to. Plus it's probably packed with asbestos insulation and lead paint, things nobody wants hanging around their shop anymore. People romanticize old machines like they're indestructible, but they forget that half the time those things are dangerous and cost a fortune to run. Newer stuff might break sooner, but at least it can be fixed with parts you can order online and won't give you cancer.

Try a 0 guard with the lever halfway next time. It blends tricky spots like magic.