1930s Delta Multi-Tool Workstation

[Maui]

I just bought this 1930s Delta home workstation for $100. It consists of a 14" Sprunger bandsaw, a Delta lathe with chisels, and an 8" Delta bandsaw. They are all powered by the 1/2 HP motor through the line shaft on the lower shelf. It's like a 1930s version of a shopsmith. The bandsaw dates to the late 1940s, so it isn't original to the unit I think. But everything else appears to be. Even the table legs show the same classic delta logo (see the last photo). The guy I bought it from apparently purchased it from a local railroad museum. I bought it mainly for the bandsaw and the table. The bandsaw cuts perfectly straight - no blade wander at all. The rubber tires are badly weather checked and will have to be replaced, but the bearings actually sound pretty good. And the motor is quiet but powerful. I'm planning on removing the bandsaw from the table and mounting it on a separate stand with its own motor. I'll strip the paint from the wood and sand it down and refinish it with a tongue oil. It should look beautiful when it's done. And I've got a larger 1930s Delta Double Duty lathe that might go on the stand in place of this little lathe.

I'd like to be able to reproduce the original Delta logos that appear on these tools. Does anyone have a suggestion about how best to do this? It should be an interesting restoration.

Maui

 

[Maui]

I think this is the original logo. I just found it on a Google search.

Maui

 

[Maui]

Yes, it vibrates quite a bit. That would definitely need to be fixed. I think that the simplest solution would be to significantly shorten the line shaft and install a second motor. And I have one from the same time period. It came with my Delta double duty lathe. I'll post some photos of that lathe later on tonight.

Maui

 

[FJ 432]

Interesting. You see Shop Smiths all the time but this is the first for me at least on Delta. Thanks for sharing.

Curious if these have the same major flaw of Shop Smiths, master of none.

 

[woody 73]

Very cool thanks for sharing, I just wish we could move it over to the vintage tool section.

 

[Maui]

I didn't even think of posting this over there in the vintage tool forum, but I think that you're right. Can the forum moderator move it over there?

Maui

 

[Maui]

Yes, you're right that this is a different design strategy than the Shopsmith. But it allows you to position several common tools into a compact space, which is ultimately what the Shopsmith was meant to accomplish too.

Scimonetti, I've attached a few photos of the Delta Double Duty lathe. The table legs that supported it were a broken mess, so I tossed most of them away. And I didn't have a table to mount it on until now. I love the fact that I found a period correct original Delta table for it! I don't think that the lathe really needs anything more than a thorough cleaning and it should be good to go!

Maui

 

[1930artdeco]

Try posting this over on OWWM. They would love to see the pics and can give you plenty of tips on how to work with it. I saw a picture of Delta set up similar to this over there.

Mike

p.s. Really cool tools you got there!