Need help---- delta lathe just stopped

[Sam Beagle]

It's a delta 46-715. Maybe 25 bowls made from it. Normal use today, and i turned it off to sharpen a tool, and it would never restart again. I tried the obvious things. Power source is there, switch wires are right. My next step is to bypass the switch. Any ideas from you veterans. I know this is not the most highly regarded lathe, but its gotta work till I get a really nice one. (robust).

[Brian Morgan]

Try blowing dust out of the switch and see if that solves the problem.

[daryl moses]

Could be the start capacitor, seems to be a rash of them going bad lately.

[Marvin Hasenak]

It is the switch, get a 30 amp light switch, an electrical box with a switch plate cover and rewire it. I wouldn't even contact Delta even if is under warranty, you will just have to do it again in a few years.

[Walter Mooney]

I agree with Daryl. It could be the starter capacitor. Have you tried to start it by spinning it by hand after turning on the switch? If it kicks on and spins normally after you've manually 'started' it (by spinning it by hand), then it's the starter capacitor. I've had this problem with my Delta midi.

[Barry Richardson]

Most likely the switch, Seems all the tool makers use cheap Chinese switches now, even the Laguna bandsaw we have at work. As someone mentioned above, it's an easy fix with a standard light switch or toggle switch.

[Sam Beagle]

Thank you very much..
Normally I wouldn't sweat it so bad, however We lost our best friend this week, a 9 year old Weimaraner, so my way of closure is to make him the best cremation urn that I can make. So I panicked when the lathe stopped.

[Doug Ladendorf]

Hey Sam. First of all I'm so sorry for your loss. Nine years is not long enough. We have a 5 year old black lab that was just diagnosed with really bad hips and we may be looking at the same timeframe. I completely get wanting to get this urn right.

I have that lathe too. You're right, not a highly regarded lathe but it spins wood pretty well and has a decent capacity. I suspect it's the switch - those switches were cr@p. I replaced mine with one from Grizzly and it worked fine. I think it's this one: http://www.grizzly.com/products/Safety-Paddle-Switch/G8988 You will need to trim off the ears on the switch plate, but the back plug is the same. Let us know how it goes.

Doug

[Dale Gillaspy]

I had the Jet 1642 and had the same problem. The difference is Jet made it right and got me another switch right away. No problems again.

[James Combs]

I had the Jet 1642 and had the same problem. The difference is Jet made it right and got me another switch right away. No problems again.
Ditto what Dale said.

[Rick Gibson]

Not for everyone but my bandsaw, table saw, delta lathe all have the same junk of a switch. I've taken the one on my bandsaw apart a couple times now and cleaned it up. Put it back together and good for another couple years. It's getting to that point again as every so often I am having to operate it a couple times to get it to come on.

[Russell Neyman]

I'll add another layer to the "carbon deposits on the switch" theory:

Years ago, my Jet quit, and the first thing I checked was the switch. I was happy to see that Jet had it bundled in plastic and sealed up quite well, but opened it up and blew it out anyway. That didn't seem to be the problem. It still sat lifeless.

So, I figured it was something with the motor -- capacitor, centrifugal cutout, or the motor itself -- and took that off the machine and over to Red's Electric to have it bench tested. Nope. Red said everything checked out perfectly.

Scratching my head, I took another, closer look at the switch. There, between the contacts, was a small pinhead-sized speck of burnt sawdust. I flicked it off with an exacto blade, sprayed it with contact cleaner, and it has been perfect ever since.

The point is -- even with all those seals and cellophane wraps -- that micro fine dust we create is pesky stuff. I don't think any manufacturer can make a switch that's able to keep every bit out. I seriously doubt replacing it will improve things much. Just add that to your annual maintenance checklist.

[Doug Ladendorf]

In case it's useful here is my switch fix.

316710

[Sam Beagle]

Well,
It was the switch. Grizzly is literally right down the road from me, so I went there and got hooked up. I'm not a big grizzly fan, however it is nice to have close for times like these. Almost got my buddies urn done, making a finial and other accents to hang his collar and paw print from. It's an awful feeling to lose a pet. Thanks to all who made this possible. Sam