1920-60s DELTA / ROCKWELL picture thread - Post your Delta!

[Jim C.]

Hey jmarkwolf,

I‘m glad to hear that your painting project is going well! I don’t specifically remember exactly how long I waited between coats. I just did what I could do as time permitted. As for the rough castings, I don’t know how much more the factory would have done other than hit them with a coat or two of paint and call it good. I don’t know that for sure, maybe someone else will weigh in on that. After applying two coats to the castings, I was very satisfied with the results. If they didn’t come out okay, I would have bead blasted them again and tried primer first. Anyway, I’m glad it’s going good so far. I’m looking forward to seeing the results.

If there’s a spot welded hinge somewhere, my guess is that it got painted over at the factory. When finally used by the end consumer, the paint would naturally break free where parts moved in opposite directions, like a hinge. Again, maybe someone will have the answer. Without seeing what you’re talking about it’s hard to say for sure.

Jim C.

 

[jmarkwolf]

Hey jmarkwolf,

I‘m glad to hear that your painting project is going well! I don’t specifically remember exactly how long I waited between coats. I just did what I could do as time permitted. As for the rough castings, I don’t know how much more the factory would have done other than hit them with a coat or two of paint and call it good. I don’t know that for sure, maybe someone else will weigh in on that. After applying two coats to the castings, I was very satisfied with the results. If they didn’t come out okay, I would have bead blasted them again and tried primer first. Anyway, I’m glad it’s going good so far. I’m looking forward to seeing the results.

If there’s a spot welded hinge somewhere, my guess is that it got painted over at the factory. When finally used by the end consumer, the paint would naturally break free where parts moved in opposite directions, like a hinge. Again, maybe someone will have the answer. Without seeing what you’re talking about it’s hard to say for sure.

Jim C.

Hi Jim

Some pics below:
1. Belt guard upper. Has 2 pieces, upper and lower. Hinge between the two is spot welded at one end. Will make painting interior problematic.
2. Rough base casting. "Machined" surface was factory painted, I did the same. Could always gussy it up by sanding "machined" surface later.
3. Underside of original table
4. Topside of original table. Only one drill hit along right edge. Other holes are tapped. Don't know why.
5. Extended aluminum table my dad made. I've been using this table since I was a kid (probably explains drill hits). Just noticed today that its' offset to the left 2 inches!

The shaft collar above the table knuckle is stock delta. IIRC my dad used it to mount a router. Trying to find another. Wood shaft collar my dad made to help install 3rd pulley mechanism, I think. Old hardwood is cracking under bolt torque, tried gluing it once but alas. Will likely "retire" it.

 

[Hoorn]

Jmarkwolf that's coming out great. That shaft collar is typically referred to as a safety collar and would be mounted under the head or table. Should you ever have to adjust either and loosen the head lock or table lock, they won't fall down the column.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I thank You Mister Craigslist.

 

[Hoorn]

@isb cornbinder nice!!!! That Delta No. 31-700 Finishing machine with 4" belt and 12" disc is awesome. Very uncommon in my neck of the woods. Great find! Would love more photos of that if it's possible. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Tarnished]

I thank You Mister Craigslist.

Cornbinder, Nice belt/disc sander, been looking for that one for a while. I have been collecting and rebuilding/restoring these old Delta's for a while now. Have a nice collection but there is always another piece to add..... LOL
Here is a part of the collection but you'll have to look hard to see those on the back row. (sorry for the dusty pics, way to cold to blow out shop)

 

[Hoorn]

@Tarnished that is one of the most spectacular Delta collections I've ever seen. It's not just the awesome machines, but all the accessories as well. That looks like it took some serious time and effort to put together. In particular those Delta pedestal grinders are on my wish list, I have alerts set on CL, FB and OU should one pop up in my area.

Anytime you ever feel like highlighting one or two machines with several pictures from different angles that would be great. Truly a remarkable collection and very well maintained.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I found one more DELTA that I had forgotten. It is the reversible tool-bit grinder. I discovered that these grinders are very difficult to find, for sale. I wanted this one and it took $400 to get the owner to sell. I have no regrets.
The other three pictures are of a shop built copy of a Delta 12 inch disc grinder. I made this disc grinder, in shop class, back in the days when we were allowed to work with hot and sharp things that could injure. I had all of the bits and pieces for this disc grinder for over 60 years. I finally finished it about a few years ago. I put a new US Electric Motor on this disc grinder. I had to "true-up" the hole in the center of the disc. I used my milling machine to cut the slot for the Delta miter gauge. This Delta miter gauge came from a garage sale.

Our Products – US Electric Motors Sales & Service

us-electricmotors.com

 

[Hoorn]

@isb cornbinder thanks for posting. Awesome vintage Delta you've got, those old grinders are so impressive and burly.

I truly wish I still had some of my stuff from shop class from back in the late 70s early '80s. That's got to be so rewarding for you and it looks like you use it.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I like to use all of my machines. Most all of my machines are very old, like me. My oldest machine is a WF and John Barnes 22 inch Camel-back drillpress. It weighs about 450 kilograms. The build date is 1883, December 10, a Monday.
The light green Camel-Back is a HOFER from 1913. I have not come up with a good design for a motor house hold a modern motor. I need to add several belt drives to reduce the rpm and I want (read this as need) to have a flat belt for the final drive.
The tool tray is a modified CRT monitor arm. I built the hand crank and the gear guard (red)
I had a caution sign on the WF and JB that suggested, THIS DRILLPRESS WILL KILL YOU IF IT CAN REACH YOU.

 

[mikegt4]

My 1950 Delta 34-500 8" table saw. I wanted a small table saw for quicky cuts instead of dragging my 10" 220V Delta out from behind a tractor, zero turn and blast cabinet in my garage just for 15 seconds of use. I paid $25 for it, unfortunately the seller lost the guide rails for the rip fence during a move. After watching for a reasonably priced set on Ebay for a couple of years I decided to just make a mini Biesemeyer fence for it but the steel prices have become ridiculous as well.

 

[Hoorn]

Excellent resto Mike. Is that smoke grey or did you go with another color?

 

[trents99]

Picked this table saw on the last day of an estate sale over the weekend for $40. Based on the serial number it looks like a 1952 model.

 

[Hoorn]

@trents99 nice pick! Here is a page from the 1952 Delta catalog (almost identical to the one I posted on page two of this thread) showing how your tilty table saw would have originally been set up with a jointer also on that open steel stand.



If you read through the catalog page you'll see how far we've come regarding portable tools. The setup would have weighed well over 450 lb, yet was described as a portable unit for the job site.

Nice Cutler Hammer push on/off switch also. Looking forward to see what you do with that!

 

[trents99]

Thanks for the catalog scan! I did get the manual from the vintage site so I will put your scan in with the manual.

To be honest the switch is what caught my eye. This one has an older Dayton 1hp motor and the previous owner used double pulleys on the saw and motor with dual belts.

 

[5Prosjeff]

I installed the newest addition to the 6x48” belt sander yesterday, the dust chute, after completely stripping and painting it. It may seem a little redundant since I do have the dust blower but I couldn’t stand looking at the gaping hole in the side of the CI base.
The install took a little more effort than I thought it would but it was all worth it!

 

[5Prosjeff]

Here is another of my restoration projects.
The Tilty! This will have the CI base with the CI belt guard underneath it as soon as I strip and paint them. This was given to me by a good friend and I’ve been tracking down the base and guard for a while now. Part of the fun is the hunt for these old tools and accessories!

 

[5Prosjeff]

Here is another of my restoration projects.
The Tilty! This will have the CI base with the CI belt guard underneath it as soon as I strip and paint them. This was given to me by a good friend and I’ve been tracking down the base and guard for a while now. Part of the fun is the hunt for these old tools and accessories!

 

[Hoorn]

@5Prosjeff that started out just like @trents99 tilty above. How is cutting on a table saw that has the actual table tilt rather than the blade arbor? Can you comfortably do full sheets of plywood?

 

[5Prosjeff]

@5Prosjeff that started out just like @trents99 tilty above. How is cutting on a table saw that has the actual table tilt rather than the blade arbor? Can you comfortably do full sheets of plywood?

Honestly, I haven’t ever used it as I’ve been waiting for the CI base. I’ll have to let you know when I’m finished but I’m guessing cutting a whole sheet of plywood is not fun.
Plan on using it for small pieces or maybe just dados.

 

[Tarnished]

I installed the newest addition to the 6x48” belt sander yesterday, the dust chute, after completely stripping and painting it. It may seem a little redundant since I do have the dust blower but I couldn’t stand looking at the gaping hole in the side of the CI base.
The install took a little more effort than I thought it would but it was all worth it!

5prosjeff, that's a good looking sander. There pretty rare around here, especially in decent shape. The belt seems to have cut most of the side off of them by now. LOL. Your really lucky to have the blower. I have been looking for one of those for years with no luck. My favorite part is the CI base. The CI top for the belt guard on yours is a hard to find piece also. Don't know why they went missing so often? I need one more 886 stand to finish my tilt and then I will quit! (yea right! LOL) Looks like you have another CI base on the jointer in the background. Just so much more attractive with the bases. I agree that dust chute is a bear to remove or do any thing with but doesn't look right without it. Haven't started on my Tilty yet as I have been waiting to find a base also. Don't think it will take the place of my Unisaw anyway so willing to wait.
Like you I also think part of the fun of collecting these old machines is the hunt. My goal is to have one example of all the machines Delta made up until the 60's, but I keep finding more machines that I don't have and I'm running out of space! LOL.
Thanks for sharing.
Couple of quick pics of some grinders and the Delta Que. waiting for they're time.

 

[5Prosjeff]

5prosjeff, that's a good looking sander. There pretty rare around here, especially in decent shape. The belt seems to have cut most of the side off of them by now. LOL. Your really lucky to have the blower. I have been looking for one of those for years with no luck. My favorite part is the CI base. The CI top for the belt guard on yours is a hard to find piece also. Don't know why they went missing so often? I need one more 886 stand to finish my tilt and then I will quit! (yea right! LOL) Looks like you have another CI base on the jointer in the background. Just so much more attractive with the bases. I agree that dust chute is a bear to remove or do any thing with but doesn't look right without it. Haven't started on my Tilty yet as I have been waiting to find a base also. Don't think it will take the place of my Unisaw anyway so willing to wait.
Like you I also think part of the fun of collecting these old machines is the hunt. My goal is to have one example of all the machines Delta made up until the 60's, but I keep finding more machines that I don't have and I'm running out of space! LOL.
Thanks for sharing.
Couple of quick pics of some grinders and the Delta Que. waiting for they're time.

Thanks Tarnished for the kudos for my sander. It’s definitely been a work of love. I also have a que of machines that need to be restored/put back together, including a WWII era lathe with the “oil card” serial number.
I think my next project is to finish off the Tilty since I now have the CI base for it as well as the CI belt guard.
Is that a 20” bandsaw you have? That’s definitely a rare piece, very cool!
I love your collection!

 

[Tarnished]

Thanks Tarnished for the kudos for my sander. It’s definitely been a work of love. I also have a que of machines that need to be restored/put back together, including a WWII era lathe with the “oil card” serial number.
I think my next project is to finish off the Tilty since I now have the CI base for it as well as the CI belt guard.
Is that a 20” bandsaw you have? That’s definitely a rare piece, very cool!
I love your collection!

Wish they made more machines to fit the CI base. They're just so much better looking than the sheet metal bases.
Yea that is a 20" bandsaw. Was one of my first Delta's. Haven't done much to it as it was working condition when I got it. Did have to change out the 3ph motor. Surprised to hear you think there rare. Seems to pop up pretty regular on CL around here. Have to say pretty $$ though. Great machine. Use it much more than the 14" ones that I restored.
Thanks for looking.

 

[5Prosjeff]

Wish they made more machines to fit the CI base. They're just so much better looking than the sheet metal bases.
Yea that is a 20" bandsaw. Was one of my first Delta's. Haven't done much to it as it was working condition when I got it. Did have to change out the 3ph motor. Surprised to hear you think there rare. Seems to pop up pretty regular on CL around here. Have to say pretty $$ though. Great machine. Use it much more than the 14" ones that I restored.
Thanks for looking.

I can honestly say that I’ve never seen one come up for sale in my neck of the woods.
It looks as if the 14” CI base would fit the 20”. Is that true?

 

[Tarnished]

5Prosjeff, I hope I haven't confused you. The 14" bandsaw is quite a bit smaller then the 20" saw. The 14" was offered with the CI base as an option. The 20" as far as I know was never offered with any other base option.
I don't have a photo of the 2 side by side, but you can see from these pics that the 20" would never fit on the 886 CI base. There is a good explanation of the Delta CI base study here "Vintage Machinery" if you have not seen it.
Hope this helps.

 

[Corndoggeh]

This is my kind of thread. Here is a 1957 Delta Rockwell 6" jointer on cast iron stand I finished restoring. I replaced the dust chute with some 4" dust hose adapters that hooks right under the jointer and fills in the hole in the stand for a clean finish, made the adapter plates out of aluminum by milling them on the router table. I also fit an outboard switch to above the fence using cast iron boxes and a cutler hammer switch.

Heres also a 12" lathe with cross slide, it came with miltiple rests and bases and 2 steady rests.

 

[Hoorn]

@Corndoggeh thanks for posting your Delta! That jointer is gorgeous!

 

[Tarnished]

Corndoggeh, great job on the jointer. Really like the way you moved the power switch. Dust collection looks good. does it work good? Your lathe looks like it has some very hard to find tooling, did it come with it or did you have to find them all? looks like someone did a little metal work with it. I have one like it waiting in the rat hole, and would love to find that tooling. Thanks for the inspiration. LOL

 

[Corndoggeh]

Corndoggeh, great job on the jointer. Really like the way you moved the power switch. Dust collection looks good. does it work good? Your lathe looks like it has some very hard to find tooling, did it come with it or did you have to find them all? looks like someone did a little metal work with it. I have one like it waiting in the rat hole, and would love to find that tooling. Thanks for the inspiration. LOL

Thanks!

Dust collection works perfect. I made special adapter plates that completely matches the underside of the jointer and seals it. Picture attached, not the prettiest looking thing I made but it functions perfectly and is hidden.

I also made up a plate that adapts the original holes on the cast iron stand and lets me mount the electrical box to. This dramatically reduces the stress on the cast iron stand since the original holes do not have much meat around them. The plate now fills that hole and uses the surrounding cast iron to support the whole switch assembly.

If you check out my post on the garage sale thread I picked up a large horde of Delta equipment that included tons of hard to find things. I found the lathe and all of its parts/accessories together

 

[Hoorn]

@Corndoggeh great score at the garage sale.

Also really like that you went with red on the jointer pork chop. Adds great pop.

 

[Tarnished]

Corndoggeh: Very Nice! Nice way to exit the stand with 4". I really like that you could take the time and were able to make this and not wack up the stand with a bunch on new holes. Fits nicely into existing openings.

 

[11b30b4]

Hoorn, thank you for starting this thread and I apologize it took me so long to post on here. Lots of really nice-looking machines and some of you guys have workshops that I drool over.

So, my contribution to this thread is my one and only Delta Rockwell Bellefountaine years (1955) 7” Grinder 23-105. I picked this grinder and the accompanying cast iron pedestal from an estate sale for $75.00. I did not have any idea of its value at the time and really did not need another grinder, but I liked the look and the price was right.

After posting some pics here on GJ I was told that I sucked. researched this model and similar grinder and learned that I did get a great deal and that this Delta Rockwell stuff is well respected.

I collect classic Craftsman tools like the 100 and 150 series drill presses and that is why I was not as interested in this grinder at the time; however, throughout my restoration I gained a level of appreciation for the manufacturers of this incredible machine. Since sometime has passed since I rebuilt this grinder, I have really noticed just how overbuilt so much of the Delta tool line was.

Anyway, here is my before pic.

And here are some after pics.

If anyone is interested, here is the rebuild thread.

11b30b4’s Delta Rockwell 23-105 7” Grinder Rebuild

11b30b4’s Delta Rockwell 23-105 7” Grinder Rebuild I picked this grinder up at an estate sale this morning for $75.00. It is a Delta Rockwell 7” grinder manufactured by Marathon Electric Mfg. Corp. and according to VM and the serial number it was produced in 1955 during the Bellefountaine...

www.garagejournal.com

Again, Hoorn thank you for this thread. Stay safe brother.

 

[Hoorn]

@11b30b4 and still my favorite grinder ever. Thanks for posting!

 

[BarryWells]

They don't make them like they used to ---in pics !
Makes a guy want to send the current bunch on a tour of a live volcano, for a swim

 

[Hoorn]

With 11b's recent posting of his Delta 7" grinder, a little background on these burly Delta machines.

First appearing in the 1936 catalog, the Delta 7-in "Triple Duty" grinder was offered in both a bench model and pedestal mount. The early pedestal grinders had a large pedestal mount tool tray with inset water quench cups.

These mid 30s cast iron pedestals were tapered and the initial 1/3 or 1/2 HP motor that was mounted to them required Delta's removal of the entire lower motor housing. The first grinders had 3/4-in wide wheels but once the 1/2 HP motor was standard only a few years later, the wheels became 1-in wide.

With the huge "twin-lite safety shields" they were touted as grinders "that cannot forget their goggles". The engineers and designers knocked it out of the park with this one, the graceful pedestal and beautiful badges represent art deco style at its finest.





In 1940 a large dust collection system was offered that mounted to the back of the grinder pedestal. These are exceptionally rare today.



By 1942 the pedestal was redesigned and was capable of having a bench-top model attached directly to it without removal of the lower grinder base. In addition the tool rest was no longer offered and the water cup that was mounted directly to the bench model lower grinder wheel cover was now used for the pedestal mount as well. The original water cup was cast iron.

By this time there were 18 different motor options for the bench top and pedestal mount grinder, with options such as 2850 or 3450 RPMs, single or three phase, cycles, etc







Schematic below is from a mid 1940s Owners manual.



These grinders have a well deserved reputation and many are still in service 80+ years later. Delta made larger 10" grinders and an awesome carbide tool grinder, but for a 7" grinder these are almost impossible to beat.

 

[Tarnished]

Hoorn: Here's a few pics of the Delta Grinders and Buffers on Delta stands-

 

[Hoorn]

@Tarnished you've got perhaps the most extensive collection of Delta tools of all GJ. Accessories on top of accessories, pedestals everywhere, "hard to find" means nothing to you! Very impressive. Lots of other eye candy in your workshop as well.

 

[Hoorn]

@Tarnished is the early version of the grinder pedestal three pieces?



That top pedestal piece, does it secure onto the tool tray? And the tray onto the base?

 

[Tarnished]

Thanks Hoorn. Spend a lot of time out there. LOL.
Living in Ohio, we had all those old great machine and tool shops and employees that ran a little shop at home. Thankfully a lot of stuff just shows up on the C-list waiting to take may money. Been at a while

Yes, the stand is a 3 piece unit. Base, Tray, Tower. Stack up that way, and then just the 2 side bolts you can see hold the whole thing together. The motor's for these Delta 7" grinders are mounted to all the bases's with just 1 bolt in the bottom. I think any of these grinder motors can be made to fit this stand,. The posted pic is not 100% original in that respect. The motors on both of these old stands have been replaced with the more readily available bend grinders. Other than the motor swap the stands are pretty original. Even the water pots on these are original lucky. I will say that the tray on these bases seem to be fragile. I have seen 1 couple cracked in the center. My favorite base for the grinders.

 

[5Prosjeff]

I was asked by Hoorn to post some pics of my 14” Metal/Wood Delta Bandsaw and I finally found the time to take some.
Here is my $100 bandsaw that I really didn’t do too much to after purchasing it other than a cleanup and new tires. I gave the wheel covers a quick spray as they were in need of some TLC. Oh, and the fence was bought by my wife as a Christmas present to me.