Help with Delta 37-315 jointer

[Ty wayne]

I've been looking for a jointer for awhile now. I've missed out on a few 6" jointers but from what I've read the 8" is better to have anyway. I found an 8" Rockwell 37-315 Jointer with made in Pittsburgh stamp with a serial number from it looks like around 1980. The jointer looks to be in decent shape from the pictures. The asking price is $500 and I wanted to get some feedback. Price seems high for the age but new 8" jointers run 1k+ easy. Any thoughts or concerns I should have.

[Dave Sabo]

If you havne't responed by now , it's probably already spoken for.

Why do you feel the price is high ? What other jointers can you buy for $500 ?

There are automobiles even older that aren't running and often sell for millions.

[Stan Coryell]

I'd say 500 is cheap, at least in my area.

I have a 6" Rockwell. I like it. I would rather have the long bed 8", mostly for the bed length.

As with buying anything used, make sure the bed isn't dished, the fence is straight, and there isn't anything broken.

Mine was gunked up pretty good. I took the beds off to get it in the basement. There were a bunch of shims in one of the ways, I have no idea why. Also, one of the knives was way too narrow. Cleaned it up, new bearings, belt, and knives. I'm happy with it.

[glenn bradley]

Agreed, you may have already missed it. Being a large dovetail way jointer the main thing I look for is someone having sat their big butt on the end of the table and bent something. The leverage on those ways can be substantial if someone picked the machine up by the tables or did some other random thing. Easy enough to check out with a straight edge. At $500 there would have to be something seriously wrong with it to make it not worth it.

[Alex Zeller]

I've seen several US made Powermatic model 60s go for around a grand in New England. For $500 I would expect that it's not going to last long unless it's got a lot of wear on the dovetails.

[Ty wayne]

Thanks for the replies all. I messaged the seller so I'll see what happens. I'm newer to woodworking and I'm acquiring tools as I feel I need them. I was just apprehensive due to the age. I know I shouldn't be because the older stuff was built with better materials but I fall into that mindset from time to time. I recently purchased a 90s model unisaw with biesemeyer fence and absolutely love it. I'll update if I end up snagging it. I appreciate the help.

[Ty wayne]

I was able to get in touch with the seller and I'm going to pick it up tomorrow for $450. I'll post pictures after I get it home. Thank you all again.

[Mike Kees]

I paid $1000 for the one I used to own. Great machine.

[Tom M King]

I paid $625 for the one I have, at a school auction in the late '70's. Others asked me why I went so high on it. I said I was getting ready to buy a new one (I was), and they were $1095 new then. It's a good jointer, if it hasn't been abused. I've never needed to adjust the flatness of mine, and it's been moved over 30 times, when I was building one new house a year for 33 years.

Glad you were able to lock it down.

It takes 3/32" thick blades. You can't tighten the gib screws if you get 1/8" blades for it, unless you find, or make, a thin wrench.

[Ty wayne]

Well I picked it up today. It fired right up and appeared to run smoothly. Seems to be in great shape for the age expect for a belt and the power cord. The lady threw in a roll of newer cord and a belt that may fit though. All in all I feel it's a win.

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[Dave Sabo]

Glad you got it.

You wouldn’t have been able to get anything comparable , new for the price paid. Bonus is it’s USA made.

The power switch has obviously been replaced. Double check it when you replace the cord.

[Ty wayne]

Dave thanks for the info on the switch.

I went to replace the power cord last night with the roll of cord that was thrown in. When I went to strip the ends to wire it up I realized the electrical wire was bad. I need to grab new cord.

Anything specific or just match the gauge and wiring of the old cord?

[Andy D Jones]

Look for type SOOW or SJOOW (power cord, with stranded conductors), with conductor gauge to match original or better (lower gauge number). Note S(J)OOW specified number of conductors includes the insulated ground (green) wire, unlike romex.

HD has it in numerous gauges, but "by the foot" purchase will likely be shipped (free) to store. They are apparently phasing out cut to length wire in their retail stores.

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[Robert L Stewart]

I have that same model jointer, still going strong and holds setting very well. Picked it up in 1977

[Ty wayne]

Thank you Andy.

[lowell holmes]

try this link

https://www.google.com/search?q=used+jointer&oq=used+jointer&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l7.10443j1j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[Ty wayne]

So I got the power cord wired up yesterday and now I need to replace the belt. I've found the belt online using the part number but I was wondering if there would be any issues with purchasing a belt from an auto parts store provided it's the same size. I'd rather not wait for shipping.

[Ron Selzer]

go for it, I would install a segmented or link belt(red with individual links)
at least get a high horsepower belt
good luck
Ron

[Alex Zeller]

My personal opinion is not to use automotive belts. They will work but I feel they are stiffer and will vibrate more than a belt designed to work on equipment. If in a hurry you can get a link belt. Usually you can find them locally (although maybe not at an auto parts store.

[Ty wayne]

I decided against the automotive belt at your guys advice. I ended up just ordering the exact one needed on ebay. It was $25 and will be delivered by Tuesday. Thanks for the help.

[Mike Kees]

I buy belts for electric motors ( not automotive) but the ones designed for machines at my local NAPA all the time. Do they not get these type belts at auto stores in the States ?

[Ron Selzer]

I buy belts for electric motors ( not automotive) but the ones designed for machines at my local NAPA all the time. Do they not get these type belts at auto stores in the States ?

Yup used to buy thousands of dollars of belts at local NAPA, then different guy buying belts went to another supplier

[glenn bradley]

Nice score. That fence mechanism is the same as on my Grizzly clone and works great, really solid.

[Ty wayne]

The knives are shot. Should I go with carbide or HSS. Anyone know where to source them?

[Bruce King]

NAPA will cross reference most any belt to one of theirs but it might be considerably different. I had to get my blades off eBay. The ones listed as OEM online were like $130 since Deltacrap stopped making parts for older machines and gold diggers on eBay are waiting in the shadows. I caught an eBay vendor listing an obsolete automotive part as new with a price 5 times too high. He said good job when I told him how I could see that it was used. Turned him in and eBay did nothing.

[Mike Kees]

Ty I buy all my knives from my local sharpening service. They have stock that they cut to the length I need. I buy 18% tungsten or T1. These knives are way better than average high speed steel. Measure the thickness and width of your old knives and match this up. When I owned my Delta ,I used a thinner knife than the ones it had in the head when I bought it. (I am not sure what the thickness was now.) The reason I did this was when I removed the knives there was almost no space to loosen the gib screws more than half a turn.I figured that someone had substituted knives thicker than they should have been at some point.

[Ty wayne]

Mike, I will check with some of the local sharpening services to see if that is something they can do. I did find a couple places online that sold them. From my research and someone earlier in the thread the knives are 3/32" thick and a few of the sellers are selling 1/8" thick. One website had new HSS knives for around $35 and carbide knives for $105, but they'd have to ship from Canada.

[Mike Kees]

The knives that were too thick in my head were more that 1/8" . I know lots of these machines end up with 1/8'' thick knives in them,if you can find the 3/32" go with them. The point I was trying to make besides the size is all HSS is not created equal. The tungsten content really makes a difference in how long they stay sharp. T1 or 18% tungsten is at the top of the heap in HSS. The knives I have used from this steel easily last 2-3 times longer between sharpening than the crap knives that come in most new machines.

[Mike Kees]

Ty,for a source check out Oealla saw and tool.

[james dziemianzuk]

Hi, I am looking at picking one of these up this weekend if I win the auction. How much do you think it weighs. Can two men pick it up? we have a pickup truck. Thanks

[Tom M King]

I have one. Just guessing, I would say 325. Google says 414,

[Marc Fenneuff]

Hi, I am looking at picking one of these up this weekend if I win the auction. How much do you think it weighs. Can two men pick it up? we have a pickup truck. Thanks

Yes, I moved mine out of my truck bed with a helper. We removed it from the base (three bolts in not the most convenient locations).

Don't repeat don't lift it from the ends of the tables, whether by machine or by human.

[Cameron Wood]

I got one of those just last month. Removed the fence and the casting that holds it (Slightly awkward allen head bolts),

and used a mini chain hoist from the van rack to lift it and lay sideways in the raised bed of the van. The seller was competent but I wouldn't want to dead-lift it. Got it out and in place solo with no issues.

Laying it on a hand truck and pushing that up some planks should be OK.

[ray grundhoefer]

At $450 you got a great deal. Should work very well for you once you get it running.

[Bill Dufour]

[QUOTE=Cameron Wood;3297374]I got one of those just last month. Removed the fence and the casting that holds it (Slightly awkward allen head bolts),

Use ball end socket allen key adapters for a 3/8 ratchet.
Bill D