Delta DP220 Identification

[RHJO51]

Hello All, I was hoping someone could help me to identify the year of my Delta DP220 drill press. I can across it recently for $25 without a motor and felt I had to rescue it. I've not done anything to it other that install a newer motor and pulley, Runs great, quiet, bearings seem real nice. The serial number is 39-3776. From looking at pics on Vintage Machinery, I had some questions. Is that the slow speed spindle pulley? The feed handle has threaded ends and there was a funky white plastic knobs. Is this a original feed handle for the 220, or is this handle from another Delta DP? doesn't look like it was modified. I was also wondering about the table clamp handle, it's not ball end. Is this original to this DP? I have too many DPs already and will be moving this one on, but trying to see what I've got here, Thanks for your help.

 

[exmaxima1]

First off, that was an excellent buy for $25

The motor should clearly be mounted lower so that all the pulley grooves mesh properly. That does not look like a slow-speed pulley to me---I think they are more like 7" in diameter.

Some Delta handles had knobs, in particular the version that had the adjustable hub to adjust the start of the swing. I did not think they had the grooves as well though, so you might have a modded handle. But who really cares? Put some balls on it and enjoy the comfort.

Did you check the serial number? I come up with 1945

 

[Packard V8]

Getting a floor model 14" Delta for $25 is a steal.

Agree, move the motor down to get the pulley grooves aligned, but don't spend any time or money on it. That motor is just a generic washing machine pickup, doesn't have the mounting holes in the right place and thus not really suitable for a DP. Watch craigslist for a 1/3 or 1/2 hp ball bearing 1725 RPM with a 1/2" or 5/8" shaft.

jack vines

 

[RHJO51]

Thanks Guys! I agree - it's not a good motor for that machine but it's 1/3 1725 and I wanted to see how the DP Worked. Worked just fine. There is basically no adjustment on it due to the mounting bracket. If I can find another motor soon, that would be great. her's a couple more pictures. The top of the spindle pulley is approx 4 3/4". Sounds like the feed handle was modified so I'll have to see if I can measure the threads and find some acrylic balls. - Jim

 

[7th Kahuna]

Ok, no one else has said it, so I guess I will, 'You ****'. There it's official. That machine was a steal at $25 and I'm glad that you rescued it and can pass it along. It certainly would have come home with me. I've come across a few deals on old Craftsman drill presses but have yet to find a decent Delta.

1945 sounds right to me. I have a 1945 Delta saw that also starts with '39' as I recall.

There is (or was) a company on eBay that sold a wide range of knobs for machinery. They have the brass inserts and weren't too expensive. The knobs shouldn't be hard to find in any case.

 

[exmaxima1]

Thanks Guys! I agree - it's not a good motor for that machine but it's 1/3 1725 and I wanted to see how the DP Worked. Worked just fine. There is basically no adjustment on it due to the mounting bracket. If I can find another motor soon, that would be great. her's a couple more pictures. The top of the spindle pulley is approx 4 3/4". Sounds like the feed handle was modified so I'll have to see if I can measure the threads and find some acrylic balls. - Jim

With that pic I can now see that you have the slow-speed pulley. You really lucked out!

And it looks like coarse thread on those handle ends: 7/16-14. Your best option would be to buy a cheap tap and re-thread some plastic balls.

 

[Carla]

Thanks Guys! I agree - it's not a good motor for that machine but it's 1/3 1725 and I wanted to see how the DP Worked. Worked just fine. There is basically no adjustment on it due to the mounting bracket. If I can find another motor soon, that would be great. her's a couple more pictures. The top of the spindle pulley is approx 4 3/4". Sounds like the feed handle was modified so I'll have to see if I can measure the threads and find some acrylic balls. - Jim

The 'correct' models of Delta-badged motor for your DP220 are actually quite common, and are often found in the adverts on internet sites like 'OWWM', or on ebay. The three-phase version of that motor is often offered very cheaply, and could be used for 'electrically variable speed' with a VFD device.

You can have a look at the old Delta catalogues on the 'vintagemachinery' internet site, for the details of the motors (an option of capacitor starting, or the higher grade 'repulsion-induction' type) supplied by Delta for that drill press, and also several other varieties of light power tools.

In the mean-time, you could, if you like, simply weld or braze a couple short lengths of, say, 3/16x1 or 1/4x1 steel flat stock to the mounting base on the motor you have, and re-drill to place the motor in the correct level for pulley alignment. This class of 'fix' may be 'quick, cheap, and dirty', but it would work well for the purpose.

cheers

Carla

 

[driftpin]

Look on the underside of the table for a date cast-into it. I recently sold a DP220 I wasn't using, it was built during the WW II Battle of the Bulge in late 1944. It also had the 'Alien'-looking belt shroud, something missing on most I've seen online.

 

[ttpete]

MSC has a decent selection of balls and knobs.

 

[Packard V8]

There is basically no adjustment on it due to the mounting bracket

.

Move the top hole in the motor base down to where the lower bolt is now and use a couple of large washers to clamp the edge of the top of the motor base with bolts in the top holes.

If that doesn't align, drill new holes in the motor base. It's just sheet steel and you'll be junking it soon anyway.

jack vines

 

[BradnCali]

Nice pickup for $25. I have one from 1948 and recently sold one from 1944. Neither of these had ball ends on the feed lever and I don't recall seeing any that did. However, you can get a replacement feed lever complete with new ball ends for $45 here http://www.hammerscale.com/HTML/Products/DrillPress/DP220B.html .

Brad

 

[RHJO51]

Hello folks, thanks everyone for the comments - very helpful. After reading the posts last night I thought I'd peek at craigslist to see if I could find a vintage motor - and I did! It's a vintage Delta 1/3 1725 motor, but connected to a older DP220 benchtop DP. $40 this AM and it's now mine. I only was interested in the motor (not sure if it's OK yet, cord is bad), but the rest is not bad. It does have a nasty weld on the headstock but the rest is there including the stock feed lever, ball end table lever, etc., that I was looking for. The table is perfect, not a mark on it. Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet but probably put this motor on the floor model DP220. With the weld on the head this benchtop DP might be just a parts machine, but otherwise it sseems to be in good condition. I haven't played with it yet and don't know if the bearings etc.. are OK. Hopefully the motor is OK but for $40 buks I figured it was worth getting it. Yikes... Also, the DP had some other Delta attachment with it - not a DP piece. Has numbers DDL 32 and DDL30 on it. I think it's a Delta lathe sanding table? Somthing interesting?

 

[RHJO51]

I tried the motor on this benchtop and it tried to move but then stopped. Checked the belt and it was really tight, old and hard. Once I removed the belt the motor spun up just fine, and quiet. Tried another belt and the spindle was fine, bearing seem good. I have some questions though. I've redone several old Craftsmans DPs but never a Delta. How do you remove the chuck on these, and then the spindle? And the feed tension spring - how do you release the tension safely? do you back off the nuts, pull he hub out past the notches and turn it clockwise? Thanks for you help. - Jim