Is this Delta drill press a good deal?

[ilya]

I found this bench drill press for sale on CL for $75. Do you think it's a good deal? How do I evaluate its condition?

Thanks!

Heavy Duty Chicago (the original Delta) drill press. 1/2 h.p. induction motor can use 220-110v. New belts. $75

 

[buening]

It looks like a Taiwan/Chinese drill head on an old quality post and table. The post and table are worth that considering it has the table lift, but the drill head (what does all the work) isn't what I'd call quality. Good enough for home light duty work though

 

[Grigg]

Looks like an older import (the head) I had two side by side that looked just like it. The ones I had were very nice, surprisingly tight and never had a problem with them.
At first I was leery being imported but they really were very nice drill presses, my mentor used them for years and years and I did the same.

That said I ended up with 9 or 10 drill presses at one point, more than I needed... those two imported ones weren't the first to go but they did leave (to good friends) and I kept some older Rockwells, a Delta, and a Clausing.

In short that's a good deal and it's very likely better than any imported drill press you'll find today, almost, or even as good, as some of the old american ones.

Grigg

 

[mikew13]

Not an Delta

 

[WWIIjeep]

Heavy Duty Chicago (the original Delta) drill press.

How do I evaluate its condition?

First thing you should check is to see if the seller's nose gets longer while he's talking.

Chicago is not, and never has been, Delta.

To evaluate condition, run it. Check for vibration and noise. Put a sharp drill bit in the chuck and drill a hole in a piece of wood. If the drill causes the workpiece to wobble, the spindle is either bent, or the bearings are worn, or there's play in the quill. Then, with it turned off, hold the chuck and see if there's any play in the quill. Then lock the quill and see if there's any play in the spindle. Ideally, you you'd want to check runout in quill and spindle with a dial indicator, but drilling an actual hole and checking by hand for play is a quick and easy first step.

 

[Grigg]

True it's not what the seller says it is, it's still not a bad deal. If you point out that it's not what he says it is perhaps the price will drop and turn into a better deal..

 

[RCStocker]

$75 is a fair price. I It is form Harbor Freight. I have sold them for $100 in years past. They do the job well for the price.

The bad think is that the chucks are **** and you will spend $70 on a jacobs chuck for the drillpress. The cheap chucks don't always hold the small bits very well. They stick, hang up etc. You should always put the key in every hole to tighten any chuck.
Delta and Jet drill presses are much better in quality and have better chucks.
I would pass at $50 because you should be able to find a good floor model for $150. Don't worry about age as long as the spindle is tight. Everything can be replaced but very seldom needs any work.

 

[Rust]

Junk. pass.
Put the 75 towards a real American made press.
Correct me if i'm wrong; Walker-Turner became Rockwell and Rockwell became Delta.
or something along those lines...

 

[woody 73]

Rockwell left a bad taste in my mouth when they bought out porter cable back in 1960,wow did they kill a good company.

I think for $75.00 dollars you did ok for a small chinese drill press. I have been told many a time that the most copied machines on the planet by the chinese were all from Delta so it must be the case like your old drill press.

 

[WWIIjeep]

Correct me if i'm wrong; Walker-Turner became Rockwell and Rockwell became Delta.
or something along those lines...

Sort of. You're got it more or less backwards, but it hasn't been exactly easy to keep track of some of the players, and it's actually gotten even harder to do in the past 8 years.

Here's most of the timeline for the products now known as Delta and Porter-Cable. The current use of the Rockwell name for some Asian imports sold on late-night infomercials has nothing to do with the original Rockwell Manufacturing Co. other than taking advantage of an old and once-respected name.

1906: Porter-Cable founded.

1919: Delta Manufacturing Co. founded as Delta Specialty Co.

1919: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. founded as Wisconsin Axle Co.

1928: Wisconsin Axle Co. merges with Timken-Detroit Axle Co.

1931: Walker-Turner founded.

1939: Timken-Detroit buys Delta Manufacturing Co.

1941: Timken-Detroit buys Crescent Machine Co. (heavy woodworking machinery).

1945: Crescent and Delta became part of Rockwell Manufacturing Co.

1948: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. buys Red Star Products (radial arm saws).

1949: Kearney & Trecker Corp. buys Walker-Turner.

1956: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. buys Walker-Turner from Kearney & Trecker Corp.

1960: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. buys Porter-Cable.

c1964: Walker-Turner brand discontinued by Rockwell. Rockwell stops using the Porter-Cable name about the same time, but continues making Porter-Cable products under the Rockwell brand. Some Walker-Turner products continue under the Delta-Rockwell brand.

1967: North American Rockwell formed by the merger of Rockwell Standard (originally formed from Timken Detroit Axle Co.) and North American Aviation.

1969: North American Rockwell helps put man on the moon.

1973: North American Rockwell and Rockwell Manufacturing Co., and all their subsidiaries (Delta, Collins Radio, and so on) merge to form Rockwell International. Rockwell International stops using the Delta brand name at the same time.

1981: Rockwell International sells the portable power tool division that was formerly the Porter-Cable brand to Pentair, Inc., who renames it Porter-Cable Corp.

1984: Rockwell International sells the stationary machine tool division that was formerly Delta and Delta-Rockwell to Pentair, Inc., who renames it Delta International Machinery Corp.

2004: Pentair, Inc. sells its Porter-Cable and Delta International Machinery brands to Black & Decker.

2010: The Stanley Works and Black & Decker Corp. merge to form Stanley Black & Decker.

2011: Stanley Black & Decker sells the Delta International Machinery brand to Chang Type Industrial Co. Ltd., who moves it to South Carolina and renames it Delta Power Equipment Co.

So, over the past 93 years, Delta has been, in order:

Delta Specialty Co.
Delta Manufacturing Co.
Delta Power Tool Division of Rockwell Manufacturing Co.
Rockwell International
Delta International
Delta Power Equipment Co.

And over the past 106 years, Porter-Cable has been, in order:

Porter-Cable
Rockwell
Rockwell International
Porter-Cable

And Walker-Turner was, in order:

Walker-Turner
Walker-Turner Divison of Kearney & Trecker Corp.
Walker-Turner Division of Rockwell Manufacturing Co.
Done and gone, c1964.

And Rockwell was, in order:

Wisconsin Axle Company
Timken-Detroit Axle Company
Rockwell Manufacturing Co.
Rockwell International Corp.
Out of the power and machine tool business in 1984, and not in it now except by name association.

Quite possibly more than anyone really cares to know about the company histories, but there you have it.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Thanks for all the info on Delta, Rockwell and P-C. As a woodworker, I own and use many tools that fit along your timeline. Pretty cool to think about each tool in the context of corporate ownership.

 

[mrbreezeet1]

Junk. pass.
Put the 75 towards a real American made press.
Correct me if i'm wrong; Walker-Turner became Rockwell and Rockwell became Delta.
or something along those lines...

looks like a delta clone, I see nothing wrong with it, as long as everything is tight as outlined above.

 

[Outlawmws]

Sort of. You're got it more or less backwards, but it hasn't been exactly easy to keep track of some of the players, and it's actually gotten even harder to do in the past 8 years.

Here's most of the timeline for the products now known as Delta and Porter-Cable. The current use of the Rockwell name for some Asian imports sold on late-night infomercials has nothing to do with the original Rockwell Manufacturing Co. other than taking advantage of an old and once-respected name.

1906: Porter-Cable founded.

1919: Delta Manufacturing Co. founded as Delta Specialty Co.

1919: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. founded as Wisconsin Axle Co.

1928: Wisconsin Axle Co. merges with Timken-Detroit Axle Co.

1931: Walker-Turner founded.

1939: Timken-Detroit buys Delta Manufacturing Co.

1941: Timken-Detroit buys Crescent Machine Co. (heavy woodworking machinery).

1945: Crescent and Delta became part of Rockwell Manufacturing Co.

1948: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. buys Red Star Products (radial arm saws).

1949: Kearney & Trecker Corp. buys Walker-Turner.

1956: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. buys Walker-Turner from Kearney & Trecker Corp.

1960: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. buys Porter-Cable.

c1964: Walker-Turner brand discontinued by Rockwell. Rockwell stops using the Porter-Cable name about the same time, but continues making Porter-Cable products under the Rockwell brand. Some Walker-Turner products continue under the Delta-Rockwell brand.

1967: North American Rockwell formed by the merger of Rockwell Standard (originally formed from Timken Detroit Axle Co.) and North American Aviation.

1969: North American Rockwell helps put man on the moon.

1973: North American Rockwell and Rockwell Manufacturing Co., and all their subsidiaries (Delta, Collins Radio, and so on) merge to form Rockwell International. Rockwell International stops using the Delta brand name at the same time.

1981: Rockwell International sells the portable power tool division that was formerly the Porter-Cable brand to Pentair, Inc., who renames it Porter-Cable Corp.

1984: Rockwell International sells the stationary machine tool division that was formerly Delta and Delta-Rockwell to Pentair, Inc., who renames it Delta International Machinery Corp.

2004: Pentair, Inc. sells its Porter-Cable and Delta International Machinery brands to Black & Decker.

2010: The Stanley Works and Black & Decker Corp. merge to form Stanley Black & Decker.

2011: Stanley Black & Decker sells the Delta International Machinery brand to Chang Type Industrial Co. Ltd., who moves it to South Carolina and renames it Delta Power Equipment Co.

So, over the past 93 years, Delta has been, in order:

Delta Specialty Co.
Delta Manufacturing Co.
Delta Power Tool Division of Rockwell Manufacturing Co.
Rockwell International
Delta International
Delta Power Equipment Co.

And over the past 106 years, Porter-Cable has been, in order:

Porter-Cable
Rockwell
Rockwell International
Porter-Cable

And Walker-Turner was, in order:

Walker-Turner
Walker-Turner Divison of Kearney & Trecker Corp.
Walker-Turner Division of Rockwell Manufacturing Co.
Done and gone, c1964.

And Rockwell was, in order:

Wisconsin Axle Company
Timken-Detroit Axle Company
Rockwell Manufacturing Co.
Rockwell International Corp.
Out of the power and machine tool business in 1984, and not in it now except by name association.

Quite possibly more than anyone really cares to know about the company histories, but there you have it.

 

[mikew13]

Look at the motor, maybe its a real Delta/Rockwell motor due to the condom, maybe thats why the Seller thought it was a Delta.

 

[WWIIjeep]

Look at the motor, maybe its a real Delta/Rockwell motor due to the condom, maybe thats why the Seller thought it was a Delta.

Good point. Studying the single side view, it looks more like a Century or Packard motor, but it might be a Delta too. If it's an older Delta motor in good condition, the price tag is almost fair for the motor by itself.

Thank you, sir. History is one of my interests. Throw in tools, and it's even more interesting.

There may be a date or two in that list that's off by a year or two, because I wrote some of it from memory, but that doesn't affect the sequence of the sales and name changes.

Thanks for all the info on Delta, Rockwell and P-C. As a woodworker, I own and use many tools that fit along your timeline. Pretty cool to think about each tool in the context of corporate ownership.

For anyone who buys tools based on brand name, and especially used tools based on brand name, I think it's necessary to look at them in the context of history and corporate ownership, because the people in the penthouse offices often have a lot to do with the quality of the product. If one studies a particular brand across changes in corporate ownership, direction, or priorities, some very clear-cut differences can often be seen.

For example, with Delta, there was a time when the Rockwell bean-counters seemed to have more say in product design than the Rockwell engineers did, and the quality of certain products suffered significantly for a while, regardless of the COO. Also, looking at time before and after Black & Decker bought Delta and Porter-Cable, differences in quality (and in the COO) of many products are significant.

 

[Outlawmws]

For anyone who buys tools based on brand name, and especially used tools based on brand name, I think it's necessary to look at them in the context of history and corporate ownership, because the people in the penthouse offices often have a lot to do with the quality of the product. If one studies a particular brand across changes in corporate ownership, direction, or priorities, some very clear-cut differences can often be seen.

Quoted for truth!

 

[Rust]

Sort of. You're got it more or less backwards, but it hasn't been exactly easy to keep track of some of the players, and it's actually gotten even harder to do in the past 8 years.

Here's most of the timeline for the products now known as Delta and Porter-Cable. The current use of the Rockwell name for some Asian imports sold on late-night infomercials has nothing to do with the original Rockwell Manufacturing Co. other than taking advantage of an old and once-respected name.

1906: Porter-Cable founded.

1919: Delta Manufacturing Co. founded as Delta Specialty Co.

1919: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. founded as Wisconsin Axle Co.

1928: Wisconsin Axle Co. merges with Timken-Detroit Axle Co.

1931: Walker-Turner founded.

1939: Timken-Detroit buys Delta Manufacturing Co.

1941: Timken-Detroit buys Crescent Machine Co. (heavy woodworking machinery).

1945: Crescent and Delta became part of Rockwell Manufacturing Co.

1948: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. buys Red Star Products (radial arm saws).

1949: Kearney & Trecker Corp. buys Walker-Turner.

1956: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. buys Walker-Turner from Kearney & Trecker Corp.

1960: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. buys Porter-Cable.

c1964: Walker-Turner brand discontinued by Rockwell. Rockwell stops using the Porter-Cable name about the same time, but continues making Porter-Cable products under the Rockwell brand. Some Walker-Turner products continue under the Delta-Rockwell brand.

1967: North American Rockwell formed by the merger of Rockwell Standard (originally formed from Timken Detroit Axle Co.) and North American Aviation.

1969: North American Rockwell helps put man on the moon.

1973: North American Rockwell and Rockwell Manufacturing Co., and all their subsidiaries (Delta, Collins Radio, and so on) merge to form Rockwell International. Rockwell International stops using the Delta brand name at the same time.

1981: Rockwell International sells the portable power tool division that was formerly the Porter-Cable brand to Pentair, Inc., who renames it Porter-Cable Corp.

1984: Rockwell International sells the stationary machine tool division that was formerly Delta and Delta-Rockwell to Pentair, Inc., who renames it Delta International Machinery Corp.

2004: Pentair, Inc. sells its Porter-Cable and Delta International Machinery brands to Black & Decker.

2010: The Stanley Works and Black & Decker Corp. merge to form Stanley Black & Decker.

2011: Stanley Black & Decker sells the Delta International Machinery brand to Chang Type Industrial Co. Ltd., who moves it to South Carolina and renames it Delta Power Equipment Co.

So, over the past 93 years, Delta has been, in order:

Delta Specialty Co.
Delta Manufacturing Co.
Delta Power Tool Division of Rockwell Manufacturing Co.
Rockwell International
Delta International
Delta Power Equipment Co.

And over the past 106 years, Porter-Cable has been, in order:

Porter-Cable
Rockwell
Rockwell International
Porter-Cable

And Walker-Turner was, in order:

Walker-Turner
Walker-Turner Divison of Kearney & Trecker Corp.
Walker-Turner Division of Rockwell Manufacturing Co.
Done and gone, c1964.

And Rockwell was, in order:

Wisconsin Axle Company
Timken-Detroit Axle Company
Rockwell Manufacturing Co.
Rockwell International Corp.
Out of the power and machine tool business in 1984, and not in it now except by name association.

Quite possibly more than anyone really cares to know about the company histories, but there you have it.

Thanks for that clarification, I've see this timeline before, but was unsure and probably too tired to google,copy and paste it.
I'm a bit of self professed Walker Turner freak. I'm slowly building a shop comprised of all vintage Walker Turner tooling.
It's not easy.

 

[Rust]

looks like a delta clone, I see nothing wrong with it, as long as everything is tight as outlined above.

Yeah it looks like a great beginner press

 

[BWS]

75 will get a real Delta....beater 'round here.

Reason for post was....if you happen to get a cheap import or somebody has a benchtop thats spent(FUBAR'd)....I swear,they make the best paint stirrer's.You chuck up either shop-made or gasp,buy one of those dickified little stir things.....and you can turn them on,walk away.

 

[camarotoolman]

Its worth more like 35 to 45$ If it runs good. imo 75 is too much. If the guy lied about the make, what else is wrong with it?

 

[Skyline]

Sort of. You're got it more or less backwards, but it hasn't been exactly easy to keep track of some of the players, and it's actually gotten even harder to do in the past 8 years.

Here's most of the timeline for the products now known as Delta and Porter-Cable. The current use of the Rockwell name for some Asian imports sold on late-night infomercials has nothing to do with the original Rockwell Manufacturing Co. other than taking advantage of an old and once-respected name.

1906: Porter-Cable founded.

1919: Delta Manufacturing Co. founded as Delta Specialty Co.

1919: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. founded as Wisconsin Axle Co.

1928: Wisconsin Axle Co. merges with Timken-Detroit Axle Co.

1931: Walker-Turner founded.

1939: Timken-Detroit buys Delta Manufacturing Co.

1941: Timken-Detroit buys Crescent Machine Co. (heavy woodworking machinery).

1945: Crescent and Delta became part of Rockwell Manufacturing Co.

1948: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. buys Red Star Products (radial arm saws).

1949: Kearney & Trecker Corp. buys Walker-Turner.

1956: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. buys Walker-Turner from Kearney & Trecker Corp.

1960: Rockwell Manufacturing Co. buys Porter-Cable.

c1964: Walker-Turner brand discontinued by Rockwell. Rockwell stops using the Porter-Cable name about the same time, but continues making Porter-Cable products under the Rockwell brand. Some Walker-Turner products continue under the Delta-Rockwell brand.

1967: North American Rockwell formed by the merger of Rockwell Standard (originally formed from Timken Detroit Axle Co.) and North American Aviation.

1969: North American Rockwell helps put man on the moon.

1973: North American Rockwell and Rockwell Manufacturing Co., and all their subsidiaries (Delta, Collins Radio, and so on) merge to form Rockwell International. Rockwell International stops using the Delta brand name at the same time.

1981: Rockwell International sells the portable power tool division that was formerly the Porter-Cable brand to Pentair, Inc., who renames it Porter-Cable Corp.

1984: Rockwell International sells the stationary machine tool division that was formerly Delta and Delta-Rockwell to Pentair, Inc., who renames it Delta International Machinery Corp.

2004: Pentair, Inc. sells its Porter-Cable and Delta International Machinery brands to Black & Decker.

2010: The Stanley Works and Black & Decker Corp. merge to form Stanley Black & Decker.

2011: Stanley Black & Decker sells the Delta International Machinery brand to Chang Type Industrial Co. Ltd., who moves it to South Carolina and renames it Delta Power Equipment Co.

So, over the past 93 years, Delta has been, in order:

Delta Specialty Co.
Delta Manufacturing Co.
Delta Power Tool Division of Rockwell Manufacturing Co.
Rockwell International
Delta International
Delta Power Equipment Co.

And over the past 106 years, Porter-Cable has been, in order:

Porter-Cable
Rockwell
Rockwell International
Porter-Cable

And Walker-Turner was, in order:

Walker-Turner
Walker-Turner Divison of Kearney & Trecker Corp.
Walker-Turner Division of Rockwell Manufacturing Co.
Done and gone, c1964.

And Rockwell was, in order:

Wisconsin Axle Company
Timken-Detroit Axle Company
Rockwell Manufacturing Co.
Rockwell International Corp.
Out of the power and machine tool business in 1984, and not in it now except by name association.

Quite possibly more than anyone really cares to know about the company histories, but there you have it.

Cool. You just helped me date my drill press. It has both Walker Turner AND Rockwell labels, so from this timeline, that means it has to be between '56 and '64.

To the OP...save your money and wait for an old American drill press to come up on CL. They don't go for that much. I paid $175 for my floor model.