Table Saw

[Churchill Co Museum]

Hello, all. I am a new member here and the Director of a County Museum in Fallon, NV.

We have a Delta, Milwaukie combination table-saw and planer that we still used to create exhibits. From tracing the serial number it was manufactured in 1944; and from our location, there is a good chance that it was used out at NAS Fallon, the home of the Top Gun school, regardless what Tom Cruise movies try to depict. The saw runs like a monster and I think I could cut whole oak trees in half if I had a large enough blade. I've not tried the planer since the only safety features this sucker's got are "Don't stand too closes to it while it's running." The rip fence is hard to move, since all it has is a crank knob, and I cannot get the blade to raise or lower for the life of me.

Is there any monetary or historical value to this little workhorse? I've already purchased a new Dewalt table saw to actually work around here, but I'm uncertain as to what to do with ol' Bessie. My registrar and I have discussed putting an accession number on it and bringing it into our collection.

I would very much appreciate your thoughts on this. Thank you.

 

[dave*99]

Photo?

 

[Churchill Co Museum]

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Hello, all. I am a new member here and the Director of a County Museum in Fallon, NV.

We have a Delta, Milwaukie combination table-saw and planer that we still used to create exhibits. From tracing the serial number it was manufactured in 1944; and from our location, there is a good chance that it was used out at NAS Fallon, the home of the Top Gun school, regardless what Tom Cruise movies try to depict. The saw runs like a monster and I think I could cut whole oak trees in half if I had a large enough blade. I've not tried the planer since the only safety features this sucker's got are "Don't stand too closes to it while it's running." The rip fence is hard to move, since all it has is a crank knob, and I cannot get the blade to raise or lower for the life of me.

Is there any monetary or historical value to this little workhorse? I've already purchased a new Dewalt table saw to actually work around here, but I'm uncertain as to what to do with ol' Bessie. My registrar and I have discussed putting an accession number on it and bringing it into our collection.

I would very much appreciate your thoughts on this. Thank you.

I wouldn't think it would have too much value. I see those sitting on my local CL from time to time. If it was in pristine condition and 100% complete, a collector might bay a couple hundred at most I'd say. It's just really big and heavy and not particularly aesthetically pleasing like say some of the power bronze craftsman machines. If its historically connected to your museum I'd say keep it. You might get $50-100 for it if you're willing to wait a long time.

Good luck and welcome to GJ

 

[Churchill Co Museum]

That's pretty much what I expected. Thank you for the confirmation, Mr Wonderfull. And since you're in the Great Northwest have Red Hook beer for me. I'll feel it through the cosmos and be happy.

 

[Pexto]

That is a fine old Delta combination. I believe that is an #1160 saw, affectionately known as a "tiltie" for the tilting table. The fence should slide back and forth easily if you loosen the locking lever that sticks out the front. It looks like that lever is missing the knob. The little metal knob to the right is for making fine adjustments. Take a good look at the cast trunnions under the table - a lot of these saws have broken trunnions, which can happen if you pick them up by the table top.

The jointer (not a planer) might be a #654? You should be able to find a tag on it somewhere with the model number. With the model number you should be able to find a manual at Vintage Machinery (http://www.vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=1141&tab=3).

The jointer has the normal blade guard, which is about the same as you would find on a modern jointer. If it is functioning correctly that jointer is every bit as safe as a brand new one.

Those are good solid machines and they look to be in excellent overall condition. If it were up to me I would clean, lubricate, and adjust them, and then put them to use!

Edited to add: On reflection, I think to move the fence freely on this saw, you have to release the locking lever, and also pull out on the fine-adjust knob to disengage the little gear wheel. But it's been a while since I used one and I might be misremembering.

 

[RoninB4]

It may be old and not as aesthetically pleasing to the eye as a new one but I'd sooner have that one than a new one made with crappy sheet metal table wings and plastic. Maybe that's because I'm not as aesthetically pleasing to the eye as I once was.

 

[PugetDude]

Great first post! and a nice piece of vintage US iron. As others have mentioned it's just as functional and safe as any new Chinese stamped sheet metal/plastic version. (And the cool factor is way higher.) Neighbor had one when i was a kid and i remember really wanting to have one someday.
Sadly, not worth much today in our throw-away society.

 

[DenisG]

Hello, all. I am a new member here and the Director of a County Museum in Fallon, NV.

We have a Delta, Milwaukie combination table-saw and planer that we still used to create exhibits. From tracing the serial number it was manufactured in 1944; and from our location, there is a good chance that it was used out at NAS Fallon, the home of the Top Gun school, regardless what Tom Cruise movies try to depict. The saw runs like a monster and I think I could cut whole oak trees in half if I had a large enough blade. I've not tried the planer since the only safety features this sucker's got are "Don't stand too closes to it while it's running." The rip fence is hard to move, since all it has is a crank knob, and I cannot get the blade to raise or lower for the life of me.

Is there any monetary or historical value to this little workhorse? I've already purchased a new Dewalt table saw to actually work around here, but I'm uncertain as to what to do with ol' Bessie. My registrar and I have discussed putting an accession number on it and bringing it into our collection.

I would very much appreciate your thoughts on this. Thank you.

If there's only one hand crank on the table saw, it might be a tilting table circular saw (as opposed to a tilting arbor table saw).

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/1141/7033.pdf

For the stuck raising/lowering crank, I'd check to see if there is a locking screw that is preventing you from adjusting the blade height. Barring that, I remove the top to investigate the matter. (But then, I like to fix things - no matter what)

 

[Roberts210]

Well... that combo Delta is worth something to somebody. I say polish Old Bessie up, get her all adjusted, and bring her out for people to see and appreciate. That motor looks to be a beast. What does the date plate say on it as to H.P. I'm assuming its a 1725 RPM motor.

 

[Roberts210]

You should check out the OWWM website. (Old WoodWorking Machines) I'll bet if you post there, you'd get 4-5 guys within driving distance of you who could whip that old gal into servicable condition in no time.

 

[y'sguy]

Completely serviceable and useful. Just not so much to a collector or "new" type of buyer. As some others have said keep it, use it. You might try some wd-40 or the like in some adjustment areas to free them up.

 

[imagineer]

About a month ago, I gave away one of these to a shop floor employees who is developing a woodworking hobby.

The unit had the same base, motor and jointer side, but until now I didn't realize the order side was for a table saw.

 

[exmaxima1]

My neighbor offered me the same saw (no planer) for free and I turned it down. Tilting table saws are unsafe for anything except straight cuts, and AFAIK are even outlawed in much of Europe due to safety issues.

 

[dave*99]

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