Help identify my old bandsaw.

Weekend_Sawyer · January 17, 2018, 05:42:56 PM

I don't know how long this old bandsaw has been in my family but it's been in the dirt floor portion of my basement all my life. ( I inherited my father's house)

I just moved onto a concrete pad and started cleaning it up. I replaced the upper guide roller bearing, plugged it in and it works!

All these years and I've seen it used maybe twice.
I hope to change that.

The tag in the front is unreadable but I think it's a delta because of the guide adjustment knobs under the table. Thank you YouTube.

What do you think?
Jon

btulloh · January 17, 2018, 06:22:51 PM

Looks to be an old Delta. I've got one just like that - except mine is a mid-70's Taiwan copy of the Delta.

You'll probably need to replace the tires. Check it over and align it and it will still do a lot of work.

Kbeitz · January 17, 2018, 06:27:14 PM

Yep that round brass tag on the front gives it away. It's Delta

http://www.old-woodworking-tools.net/10-delta-bandsaw.html

Weekend_Sawyer · January 17, 2018, 06:33:17 PM

Thanks guys.

Kbeitz, I was thinking you would know when I posted this.

Magicman · January 17, 2018, 08:37:45 PM

Kb prolly has three. ;D

Kbeitz · January 18, 2018, 02:24:20 AM

Quote from: Magicman on January 17, 2018, 08:37:45 PM
Kb prolly has three. ;D

No Delta stuff here. I had a Delta milling machine and lathe but I
sold it to a collector that had nothing but Delta tools. My old
bandsaw is made by crescent.

Weekend_Sawyer · January 18, 2018, 03:20:34 PM

Btulloh, the tires look good.
I just found that the bottom guide roller is bad but it's the same as the one I just replaced on the top so no biggie. the table is a little wobbly, have to figure out how to tighten that up. Other than that it operates fine.

Jon

btulloh · January 18, 2018, 08:05:49 PM

You're in bidness then. The table wobble shouldn't be a big deal. What size motor does it have? Looks pretty beefy, but back then the motors were bigger per hp than now. Mine has 2hp motor and I keep a 1" bi-metal blade on it. Good on bigger stuff and green wood. Before I got a new 14" saw, I used to use it for everything. Worked fine.

Kbeitz · January 19, 2018, 06:55:49 AM

This is one I picked up last summer... 5 Hp.

shinnlinger · January 19, 2018, 07:07:45 AM

It is a Delta as you have already learned, but as FYI they are no longer making parts for these. Probably not a big deal as they are reliable machines and you obviously are creative in keeping things going but might make sense to get new tires while you can and any part of the guide system you think is suspect.

Dave

Weekend_Sawyer · January 19, 2018, 07:51:57 AM

Quote from: btulloh on January 18, 2018, 08:05:49 PM
What size motor does it have? Looks pretty beefy, but back then the motors were bigger per hp than now.

I don't know, I was noticing how much bigger that motor is than any of the pictures I have seen of similar units. I am guessing it's a replacement. My father worked in a machine shop at the University of Maryland and it might have come from there. Way back when (he said) you could pick up old equipment when they brought in new stuff.

Jon

TKehl · January 19, 2018, 11:37:15 AM

Yup, Delta. I'm not an expert, but looks like late 40's to early 50's. The retirement lamp and base are big pluses and it doesn't seem to have suffered too bad from years on dirt. They are fairly common, but good quality and reliable, and as such still desirable.

There are a bunch of guys on owwm.org that can can tell a lot more about them. If it needs a part, dollars to donuts someone there has already figured out where to source one or a work around.

Here is the link to company info for Delta on Vintage Machine (associated with OWWM).

http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgIndex/detail.aspx?id=1141&tab=4

They have a lot of photos and vintage ads you can look through of other owners saws. I'm guessing your's is a 14 inch and I can tell you it is not a "Homecraft" model.

Larry · January 19, 2018, 12:21:16 PM

Early Delta 14" saws had a hollow tube for the backbone. After Rockwell bought Delta all the machines were cheapened. Plastic knobs first and than they changed the backbone to a skeleton design. I don't know if one was better than the other, but I always liked the hollow tube the best.

Your saw is a good general purpose saw. Bands up to 3/8" - 1/2" are fine. Many so called upgrades are available for that saw. Most are only good for one thing.....transferring $$$$'s from the owners pocket to the sellers.