1974 10" Delta Unisaw - Good buy at $300?

[Robin Croen]

Hey all,

I've got a line on a 1974 Delta Unisaw. 10", 3hp single phase, right tilt. No fence but does come on a wheeled base. Condition is described as "Light surface rust in spots." Is this a good buy at $300?

Can anyone recommend a fence system so I can get a sense of my full investment if I go this route?

Thanks!

[Thomas McCurnin]

Yes, a good deal. I'd get a Biesmeyer fence.

[Mike Kees]

If the saw runs well and all adjustments work ,it is a good buy. A fence will run you 300-500 if you go new. You may be able to find one used.

[Bill Dufour]

The single phase motor is probably worth that.
A fence will cost $200-300. You can do a lot of cross cutting without a fence or just with a clamped fence rail for now.
Bill D

[Andrew Seemann]

Around here it would be a good deal. I paid close to that for a mostly complete 1986 3 phase Unisaw for parts.

[Curt Harms]

Here's a table saw fence that has intrigued me. It looks like you could use any 8020 extrusions. What they sell appears to be a squared up extrusion.

https://vsctools.com/shop/product-category/table-saw-fence/

The fence can be moved fore and aft and has slots to attach jigs or fixtures.

I don't have one, I have a Mule Cab fence on my G1023. I like it, maintains its settings, stout and the slots are handy for jigs. The only downside is that it can't be lifted off the rail, it has to be slid off an end. I have a router table with its own fence on the right side and I've had to lower the blade and slide the Mule fence off the left side of the saw. I have wanted a short fence when ripping boards that may move when ripped. I made a 1" thick subfence that I can slide back to the blade if I want to.
http://www.mulecab.com/tablesaw.html

[Frank Pratt]

or just with a clamped fence rail for now.
Bill D

That will get old in a hurry, like the first time you do it. A good fence is a big part of what makes a table saw good.

[Steven Cooper2]

I paid similar for an 1944 3 phase model with fence. After adding $100-$200 for a VFD bearings and some other odds and ends, I still feel like it was a good deal.

It's a tank of a saw and an interesting piece.

If it is compatible with your power I'd say go for it and buy a new fence.

[Jon Endres]

Here's a table saw fence that has intrigued me. It looks like you could use any 8020 extrusions. What they sell appears to be a squared up extrusion.

https://vsctools.com/shop/product-category/table-saw-fence/

The fence can be moved fore and aft and has slots to attach jigs or fixtures.

I don't have one, I have a Mule Cab fence on my G1023. I like it, maintains its settings, stout and the slots are handy for jigs. The only downside is that it can't be lifted off the rail, it has to be slid off an end. I have a router table with its own fence on the right side and I've had to lower the blade and slide the Mule fence off the left side of the saw. I have wanted a short fence when ripping boards that may move when ripped. I made a 1" thick subfence that I can slide back to the blade if I want to.
http://www.mulecab.com/tablesaw.html

I also have the Mule Cabinetmaker fence on my Unisaw and it's been fine. Stays in adjustment. It is a pain taking it off the saw, due to needing to slide it out the ends. I have looked at the VSCT fence as a replacement and it seems to be a very good fence. I like the use of 8020 extrusions as the fence. Can do all kinds of clamping, holding and jigs with that concept.

[Brian Biela]

I just upgraded to a VEGA fence from Rockler to my Jet saw and am very happy with it. Install was easy, its square and has a micro-adjust.

[Jay Rasmussen]

Lots of good options on a fence, I would take a good look at Incra if I needed a new one.

Back to the saw - I would take a real close look at the business end of it before putting down cash. Almost sounds a little to good of a deal.

[Jim Becker]

If the machine is sound, it may very well be a very good deal to build up to a nice to use machine.

There are many fence options. I'm partial to the UniFence with hi/lo and have maintained that style preference when I moved to a sliding saw. I like to run with the fence in the low position most of the time...plenty of clearance for the push block/stick, etc., when using the fence up close.

[Dave Sabo]

Is this a good buy at $300?

While you were trying to decide whether it was a good deal, someone who knew it was a good deal beat you too to it . :p

Fence recs will come in all sorts of flavors round here. You can get the current delta Biesmeyer fence for as little as $200 :
https://www.amazon.com/Delta-Equipment-Corporation-847962005250-System/dp/B079TTTWR2

[Sanford Imhoff]

Was very impressed with the Vega Pro on my old Unisaw.

[Robert Hayward]

Here's a table saw fence that has intrigued me. It looks like you could use any 8020 extrusions. What they sell appears to be a squared up extrusion.

https://vsctools.com/shop/product-category/table-saw-fence/[/url]

Their extrusion is similar to 8020 but is thicker and has milled faces. I use one as a face on my PM2000 Accu fence. Mini is dead straight.

[Lisa Starr]

"Here's a table saw fence that has intrigued me. It looks like you could use any 8020 extrusions. What they sell appears to be a squared up extrusion.

https://vsctools.com/shop/product-ca...ble-saw-fence/ (https://vsctools.com/shop/product-category/table-saw-fence/)

The fence can be moved fore and aft and has slots to attach jigs or fixtures.

...



Last edited by Curt Harms; Yesterday at 8:57 AM. "

I have this fence and I love it. It was easy to make the rail assemblies to fit my Grizzly G1023 saw and it was simple to adjust perpendicular to the table and parallel to the blade. It has stayed adjusted since intital setup 2+ years ago. It also allowed me to make 60" rails, which is what I wanted.

[Robin Croen]

I appreciate everyone’s feedback. I’ve been waffling on this and to my surprise, nobody else has snapped up the saw which almost makes me more nervous that there is something off. It’s wired for 230v which the seller doesn’t have at his location so I wouldn’t be able to test in on site without re-wiring first. At 115v it needs 32 amps which my poor old little panel isn’t set up for and I don’t have 230 in the garage, though I’ve been meaning to put that in anyway. Decisions, decisions...

Having recently gotten out of a relationship with a fussy tool, I’m wary of diving back into spending more time and money on getting the tool running than actually using it to make stuff.

[Frank Pratt]

I appreciate everyone’s feedback. I’ve been waffling on this and to my surprise, nobody else has snapped up the saw which almost makes me more nervous that there is something off. It’s wired for 230v which the seller doesn’t have at his location so I wouldn’t be able to test in on site without re-wiring first. At 115v it needs 32 amps which my poor old little panel isn’t set up for and I don’t have 230 in the garage, though I’ve been meaning to put that in anyway. Decisions, decisions...

Having recently gotten out of a relationship with a fussy tool, I’m wary of diving back into spending more time and money on getting the tool running than actually using it to make stuff.

Well, if you wait long enough, you won't have to make a decision, because someone else will buy it :) Good stuff sells fast. When you see something interesting, rush over with a pocket full of cash, cause if it's a good deal, it'll be gone. But maybe you should be looking at something new if you don't want to have to fix it up.

[Jim Becker]

Robin, most cabinet saws require 240v and it will cost similar money to put in a 240v circuit for it as to put in a 120v 40 amp if anyone will actually do that for you. You'd have to replace the motor with a typical 1.5-1.75hp motor to comfortably run the saw on a typical 20 amp 120v circuit.

[Andrew Seemann]

I don't think you can rewire a 3hp single phase Unisaw motor to 120V. I'm pretty sure its is 230/240V or nothing, at least for a stock motor, or standard Leeson/Baldor replacement. If the person doesn't have 240V currently, they didn't run that saw at that location.

[Robin Croen]

This motor can be rewired, it's got the diagram on the motor housing. In any case I'd be better off installing a 240v circuit as Jim mentioned above anyway.

[Andrew Seemann]

I stand corrected.

And yes, a 3HP motor is a lot of startup current at 120V, although at least a table saw doesn't have a lot of load on startup.

[Mike Kees]

Robin buy that saw already. I snap up every one I see in that price range. Have flipped two so far and sold parts to a couple guys. Have another one to sell. You will not lose money on a Unisaw if you get it for that kind of price.

[jared herbert]

If I was within driving distance of that saw it would have been in the back of my pickup a long time ago

[Jeffrey Benedict]

If I was within driving distance of that saw it would have been in the back of my pickup a long time ago


I agree with the above quote. While parting out an older saw is troublesome in its own right (but something you could do if you 'give up' on trying to fix this), $300 to get the basics of a very nice piece of american heavy metal is a relatively small investment. Go for it.

I am no electrician but I tend to think 3hp motors are in the domain of 220/240V, no question. Get your shop wired for 220/240 and you'll never look back.

As far as the fence goes, I have a Unifence so I am partial to what I have. Look around now for fence bargains.

Think of this saw as a bit of a project, but not that much of a project. Get a fence installed, put in a splitter, clean it up, get things running fairly straight, and 'gosh golly' I am pretty sure you'll be happy with the results.

Like everything else in life, the more time and effort and TLC you put into something, the better off you will be.

I spent months looking around at $900 - $1500 used units before I settled on my 1968 34-450 Unisaw with Unifence and an unassembled 31" extension table ($500). Some surface rust on the cabinet, the top was in great shape, and I rewired for 220V which was done by following the directions on the side of the motor. So as a way of comparison, if your saw has a bigger motor but doesn't have a fence you are plus or minus similar to what I bought, and you are getting in at $200 less. Spend that $200 and a bit more and get a fence and you'll be happy I think.

JDB

[Steven Cooper2]

Keep in mind on my older 3 phase motors may it was listed as 220/440V whereas newer motors would carry a 208V/460V or 208-230V/460V type rating on 3 phase power. The 220 listed is not the same as the 220 split phase mentioned above (240V service).

I guess the motor nameplate often reflects operating voltage as slightly reduced compared to line voltage to account for voltage drop in distribution (though someone more knowledgeable may be able to correct me)

When I called about the Unisaw I purchased, I asked if it was a 240 model, not considering that the above and was expecting a single phase model, it wasn't but the saw was in great shape so I bought it anyway. With A VFD, I now have a variable speed saw which is not terribly useful, but I did use it to dress the arbor flange to reduce a touch of blade wobble. It also stops in 3 seconds.

Good luck!