Delta 17 made it home!!

[383 240z]

Well I have reached the end of my quest. I was hunting high and low looking for a good drill press. I was scouring CL ads for the tri-state region for several months. Went and looked at a bunch of them, all junk. Then I saw another ad on CL, bunch of heavy fab equipment, and a bad pic of a drill press. An eagle eyed GJ member pointed out it was a Delta 17. So I called and went to have a look.

Overall the DP is in pretty decent shape. It is filthy but complete. Here are a few pics of the head. It has the slo-speed pulley system on it.

You can see that the switch is not correct. The handles on the quill are messed up. One is missing, one is a cobbled together mess. The last one might be right. Both sides of the belt guard are in good shape. The motor has been replaced with a Dayton. Not sure of the HP as it is cold out and I'm not that worried about it right now.

Only real damage I can see is the table. It's pretty screwed up. Two large chunks are missing. You can see it here.

I was able to find a good used table for $35 not to far from home. http://www.ebay.com/itm/300969371342?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

When I complained about the table, he tossed in a Palmgreen vise, seen here.

Here is the serial number anybody able to decode it? I would love to know when it was made.

Looks to be 3-2401

Thanks to everybody who helped me out on this. Can't wait to find the time to wash it up and throw on a new coat of paint. Any ideas on what color I should use? Normally I would go with a normal industrial grey. But I'm thinking I might want to go with something funky. Cobalt blue, bright yellow. Something like that. Keith

 

[454ragtop]

Keith, cool old Delta 17. It has part of the foot feed assembly too. As to year, is there possibly a "1" in front of that serial #? 13-0000 to 15-0000 dates to 1941, which is the oldest shown here http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/DeltaSerialNumbers.ashx . !941 looks to be about right with that style belt guard, although you might ask the experts at OWWM.org for their insight. That table is ugly, but usable. It could be repaired, but if you can get a nice one local, probably a better way to go. As to paint, it's not a permanent change, so go with whatever floats your boat, can always repaint it again if you don't like it. I've found Plasticote T10 Machinery Gray to be just about an exact match on my 1943 model. Good hit on the vise too. It looks like the washer that goes between the 2 depth stop nuts is laying on the casting where the depth stop rod goes through. Looks like a block of wood was used to adapt that motor, so might need a different belt than usual, no big deal.
Good luck, Jim

 

[yaidunno]

Nice find! I see it also came with a few parts for the foot pedal feed. You would need to source the lower casting, but the rest could be made pretty easily.

 

[WallynSC]

Very nice, I would keep my eyes out for a table.

 

[Outlawmws]

Very nice, I would keep my eyes out for a table.

RE-read the post; he already found one...

 

[Outlawmws]

383, Glad you finally found such a great DP! you asked about color; How about a really bright red? Brighter than fire engine red!

 

[WallynSC]

RE-read the post; he already found one...

Thanks, I never was a very good reader.

 

[oldldh]

How about a really bright red? Brighter that fire engine red!

Do you mean "ARREST ME RED"???

I had a R/T Charger that color, and the Guardia Civil, in Spain, said it was Arrest Me Red...another one called it the El Grande Rojo Cambion de Carrera...

You'd think folks would know what a 440 Magnum Dodge looks like, wouldn't you???

My vote goes to "Arrest Me Red"!!!

 

[Outlawmws]

Do you mean "ARREST ME RED"???

I had a R/T Charger that color, and the Guardia Civil, in Spain, said it was Arrest Me Red...another one called it the El Grande Rojo Cambion de Carrera...

You'd think folks would know what a 440 Magnum Dodge looks like, wouldn't you???

My vote goes to "Arrest Me Red"!!!

Yeah! That red! Make it look like its speeding while sitting there!

 

[Zeke]

I'm looking for the evidence of the foot feed but nevertheless that is a cool DP!

 

[Outlawmws]

I'm looking for the evidence of the foot feed but nevertheless that is a cool DP!

The lever on the side of the head with the spring on it. Not sure he has the foot pedal, but that would be easy to fab up. The piece in the head is the key piece.

 

[383 240z]

Yea I don't have the foot pedal. I'm thinking I can fab that up easy enough. I have a few drawings of what the whole assembly looked like. Seems a simple enough job to make.

Won't be putting much time in on it this winter. Wife let me work on the shop all summer, so I'm working on the house all winter. Keith

 

[tedsters]

nice old dp did the vise come with it too

 

[Outlawmws]

Yea I don't have the foot pedal. I'm thinking I can fab that up easy enough. I have a few drawings of what the whole assembly looked like. Seems a simple enough job to make.

Won't be putting much time in on it this winter. Wife let me work on the shop all summer, so I'm working on the house all winter. Keith

But, but. but,,, you need the DP for doing some of that work on the house, Right?

 

[CNGsaves]

Nice find, and definitely worth full restoration.

However, OP you've forgotten to tell us a couple key facts:
a) How far did you have to drive for your score ?
b) What did you have to give for it ?

As to color, consider 2 color since you've got the red in the Delta tag (thus need a contrast color). So go cobalt blue for most everything except the top head, table, & base which WOULD look too cool in Arrest Me Red !!

 

[383 240z]

AHHH the distance and the price. Two very important factors. It was located less than 15 mins from my house. Yes the Palmgreen vise came with it. The cost, I paid more than full retail in 1941. That was something like $122.90 for the top of the line model with all the options. This one was somwhere around $93 IIRC. I gave full asking price as he was not willing to budge. $300. I did not steal it like I did my Darex sharpener, but I did over pay just a bit. I'm happy with the price. Would have been happier at $250, my rational was I could not buy a cheap chi-com drill press for $300. Also after talking to the guy I bought it from, he let me know that he would toss all his drops off to the side for me and I could pick thru them for material for the mill and lathe. He also let me know if I needed any steel rolled, bent, or punched, let him know. His press brake can handle 1/2" steel to 90* at 12' long, can punch 3/4" thick steel, and can roll what ever the forklift can load. Like I said it was a pretty heavy steel fab shop. Keith

 

[383 240z]

The wife, many years ago, named our race team, Red Head Racing. This came from the red cylinder heads on all my racing engines, and the red rotor housings on hers, plus she is a natural redhead as well.

I carried that over to the shop when I started building cars for other people. I have since added Fabrication and Prototyping to the name when I started putting together the machine shop. So I'm kinda partial to the red color, and I'm liking CNG's idea with the contrasting cobalt blue. Keith

 

[GreenNV]

Congratulations of your find. There is something appealing about owning a vintage piece of American iron and restoring it to its one-time beauty. As an old Pittsburgh boy myself, it conjures up memories of the industrial belt that was once my home.

Take pictures of the rebuilding process as it will be a large part of the joy of owning this classic.

 

[Outlawmws]

The wife, many years ago, named our race team, Red Head Racing. This came from the red cylinder heads on all my raceing engines, and the red rotor housings on hers, plus she is a natural redhead as well.

I carried that over to the shop when I started building cars for other people. I have since added Fabrication and Prototyping to the name when I started putting together the machine shop. So I'm kinda partial to the red color, and I'm liking CNG's idea with the contrasting cobalt blue. Keith

Hey, that's a cool tie in! You can so one step further; if the main DP head is the Cobalt Blue, do you have anyone that could paint a cartoon red head lady on it like they did the WWII bombers? Maye even one of SWMBO!

 

[Outlawmws]

Hmmm Delta 17; B-17, > D-17!

 

[Jim C.]

If that's a three piece, undamaged, cast iron belt and pulley guard, you scored a nice drill press for that reason alone. Old Delta cast iron belt and pulley guards are frequently missing and/or damaged. As for the rest of the drill press, well, it looks like it needs some work. An intact cast iron belt and pulley guard was a nice find.

Jim C.

 

[zkling]

Congrats, now aren't you glad you waited? That is a nice complete machine. Dirty, yes, but not too bad.

As for the serial number, yea that is an oldie. I'm thinking late 30's. Mine is a 1- and I'm fairly certain it is from 39'.

That is a shame about the table. It survived an arc of shame to be only smashed on both sides. I wonder of it was dropped or hit.

You may not have the entire foot pedal, but you have the most important parts, and the full belt guard. I think the good(s) outweight the bad(s) on this one.

 

[383 240z]

454Ragtop. Were you talking about moving the part I circled supposed to be where I drew the line?

Keith

 

[454ragtop]

Yup!

 

[bisley45]

Very cool find there with the cast belt guard and all BTW that is a very rare thing to have found intact. and as far as age that is a very early second generation 17" dp 1940 + or - a year. I finished on of them about 6 months ago mine dates to around 1936 first generation before the started using ser numbers.

 

[exmaxima1]

Only real damage I can see is the table. It's pretty screwed up. Two large chunks are missing.630-377-7952

I know you bought a new table, but I don't see why you bothered. The original table is so small and difficult to clamp onto it. I bought the same drill press as you a few months ago, though mine is much newer---1944! It took a few hours to de-grease it, but now I really like how smooth and quiet it operates. My table had the usual drill scars so i added a much larger table top.

BTW, like you, I also had a problem with loose handles so I simply bored them out to 1/2" and pressed/hammered in new handles (McMaster sells the knobs for about $2).

Maybe I should paint it???

 

[383 240z]

What does the knob opposite the quill feed do? Looks like it is just to lock the a numeric depth stop. I ran the quill thru the full range of motion, its a little tight at the top end of the travel. I'm hoping it is just dirty dried grease. I don't feel any binding, just tight. The quill is indeed MT2. I LOVE the table adjuster, that thing is freaking AWESOME!!!! Does anybody know the center to center distance of the pulleys? I want to make a proper spacer for the motor, and get rid of the 2x6 that is in there now.

I did a little cleaning yesterday, very little. Just some bra-kleen on a paper towel. Here are the results.

I do love that big "Made in the United States of America" on that head plate. Keith

 

[383 240z]

What the handles screw into is in very nice shape, just missing 2 of the handles. I'm wanting the new table so that I have something substantial to bolt a large chunk of steel to. Either t-slot or 1" thick plate. 20"x 24" should be about right. If I go with the steel plate, I'll drill it 1/2"-13 for hold down studs. Keith

 

[exmaxima1]

What the handles screw into is in very nice shape, just missing 2 of the handles. h

I actually have the threaded handles from my press. They are not all exactly the same (don't know why) but they have the correct 7/16 thread. You can have them for the cost of shipping....

 

[exmaxima1]

Does anybody know the center to center distance of the pulleys? I want to make a proper spacer for the motor, and get rid of the 2x6 that is in there now.

I have the slo-speed pulleys on mine, but not sure if the belt is original. I measure 19.25" centers.

 

[thundermug]

That Delta 17 is a thing of beauty. Great find.

 

[MAYOR28]

Very cool DP. Gotta love vintage iron!

 

[383 240z]

Here are a few pics of the table I found. As you can see it does have the "arc of shame" and a bit of rusting on the mounting face. I think it would be pretty easy to braze over the damage and machine it flat again, them bore the center hole oversize to bring it back to round. The rust is another story, I would epoxy over the pitting and bring it back to flat as well. Anyway, for a project I'm not working on, it sure is shaping up well.

Keith

 

[sasquatch12]

JMO, but adding a 1inch thick plate to the already existing table weight is way overkill.
1/2 inch would be enough.
Problem is compounded when drilling pressure also strains that table mounting bracket, combined with the weight of the cast table, combined with a 1 inch thick plate that size, you will not be able to drill a straight hole of any depth. Just sayin, if you plan on tapping any drilled holes.

 

[bisley45]

Here is what I did for my arc of shame JB weld

 

[383 240z]

Bisley45 that is a pretty nice job, did not know how well JB Weld would hold up on the work surface. I was planning on the 1" plate as a plate I would cut t-slots into. I told you guys I wanted a production table. Now however I'm thinking that this would be a better idea for me:

Keith

 

[BMcC]

This is cool, I'm looking forward to see your restoration of this. Coincidentally, I got a 1947 Delta drill press for Christmas. I've been spending a lot of time on OWWM for info on restoring it. I was leaning toward painting it a cobalt blue too, so if you go that route just know I wasn't copying you on purpose...

 

[sasquatch12]

Agree, those tables are real slick, i plan on buying one in the future.

 

[383 240z]

This is cool, I'm looking forward to see your restoration of this. Coincidentally, I got a 1947 Delta drill press for Christmas. I've been spending a lot of time on OWWM for info on restoring it. I was leaning toward painting it a cobalt blue too, so if you go that route just know I wasn't copying you on purpose...

Any links from over there your wanting to share? Not been over there yet, I waste too much time on this site at work. Keith

 

[sasquatch12]

Keith,,,,,,,,,,, Time is NEVER wasted on old tools or machinery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lol