I finally did it. I bought the saw................

[Mark Rios]

Fianlly after all this time and hemming and hawing I made the deal with a local guy with a complete Delta shop (except for a Geetech 8" jointer) and I bought the Delta Unisaw.

This is the manual for it:

http://media.ptg-online.com/media/dm/Owners%20Manuals/20021115200000_En%20422-04-651-0063%20%20-%2001-15-02.pdf

It's the saw set-up on the bottom with the Beis fence. It comes with everything listed plus a couple of extras.

We negotiated the price to $1015. Please let me know if that's a good, mediocre, fair or a bad deal.

Apparently, the guy bought his garage/shop full of tools about four years ago. He did a few projects and then he lost interest about two years ago and they haven't been used since.

I pick it up on Tuesday.

I have to take the rails and the extension tables off in order to move it. Would you folks be kind enough to let me know what I should be careful of in moving this thing?

Thanks again to all for all of your help, advice, information and patience in my quest to make this purchase.

Thanks to Jim, Greg and Steve for the info on the availability of shorter rails so that perhaps I won't be cutting up these seven foot ones.

Thanks again.






I know, I know.....pics on Tuesday or Wednesday.

[Don Baer]

Saw, I don't see any saw (hmmm see saw). Must not have haapen.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Congrats! Be aware of the shear weight of the thing and bring plenty of help. Not sure how good a deal it is....it's way too new for any evaluation on my part, but the price sounds OK to me.

[Corey Hallagan]

Congrats Mark on the new saw. I am sure you will be happy with it for a long long time!

corey

[Greg Koch]

Mark,

Here's a link showing Amazon sold them for $1,700. If you got it for $1k, no shipping or tax...and in the almost new condition, you got a very good deal, IMO.

http://www.epinions.com/Delta_36_843_Limited_Edition_3_HP_Unisaw_with_50_B iesemeyer_Fence_Shop_Tools

[Bruce Page]

Mark, congrats on the Unisaw. I love mine!
Resist the temptation of grabing hold of one of the wings when moving it and you will be fine.

[Steve Roxberg]

Seems like a lot of money to pay for a Unisaw manual. Heck, I would have sold you a color photo for less. :)


Congrats, looks like a good deal to me.

[Vaughn McMillan]

Congrats on the (alleged) deal, Mark. From what I've seen in the way of Unisaw prices, I think you did good.

- Vaughn

[Mark Pruitt]

Mark, you're gonna love that saw. Great piece of equipment. I bought one six months ago. My advice is, be patient in disassembling. When you remove the rails be careful--they're heavy. Especially the large rectangular guide tube that mounts onto the front rail! It weighs more than you might think. Likewise, when you get it to your shop, be patient and set it up "just right" so you'll get maximum enjoyment out of it. My .02
Mark

[Jesse Cloud]

Hey Mark, sounds like a great saw and I think you got a good deal. I really like my unisaw. My two cents worth of advice would be: 1)if you don't have a mobile base, get one now - it will make moving the beast much easier and you will probably need to move it from time to time in your trailer. 2)Get lots of help, and don't take it apart more than you have to, but if you do take it apart, bring plenty of ziplock bags for the loose parts. Its especially easy to loose any shims under the table. DAMHIKT ;)

The other thing, spend some time setting it up and getting the alignment right and then make your jigs for the saw. A good crosscut jig is a must have! While the wallet is open, think about your sawblades and get any that need upgrades. Make or buy some zero clearance inserts and inserts for dadoing.

Sounds like fun and I know you will love that unisaw!!

Oh, another thought.... if the seller hasn't used the saw for a couple of years, I suspect the belt may be warped. Good time to replace the belt, maybe with a link belt. At least, check the tension on the belt, its probably loose.

[Mark Rios]

Hey Mark, sounds like a great saw and I think you got a good deal. I really like my unisaw. My two cents worth of advice would be: 1)if you don't have a mobile base, get one now - it will make moving the beast much easier and you will probably need to move it from time to time in your trailer. 2)Get lots of help, and don't take it apart more than you have to, but if you do take it apart, bring plenty of ziplock bags for the loose parts. Its especially easy to loose any shims under the table. DAMHIKT ;)

The other thing, spend some time setting it up and getting the alignment right and then make your jigs for the saw. A good crosscut jig is a must have! While the wallet is open, think about your sawblades and get any that need upgrades. Make or buy some zero clearance inserts and inserts for dadoing.

Sounds like fun and I know you will love that unisaw!!

Oh, another thought.... if the seller hasn't used the saw for a couple of years, I suspect the belt may be warped. Good time to replace the belt, maybe with a link belt. At least, check the tension on the belt, its probably loose.


Thanks for the good tips Jesse.

You are exactly right on me needing to move it around in my trailer. In order to get my other wheeled tools out my saw needs to be able to spin 90 degrees. The saw package comes with the mobility kit but I'm going to have a welding shop make me a simple custom mobile base. I want to have 5" double locking casters that are mounted on outriggers to negate some of the 5" height. With the larger wheels I can roll over larger cracks and bumps without being too tippy. Anyone have a source for those double locking casters?

As far as disassembling and reassmebling, as I've mentioned in a couple of threads I come from a body shop background where I repaired and replaced frames and body panels so R&Ring stuff with lots of parts is sometihing I'm very keen on. The old owner will be there and he's a big and buff firefighter so between the two of us we should be able to get it loaded on my trailer.

However, I would ask you, why would there be shims under the table? Is the top of the cabinet that uneven? Perhaps I need to find a set-up procedure for this saw. The saw (as well as ALL of his tools) comes with the original manual; would the set-up procedure/shimming info be in there?

I've got good blades and some of them are brand new so I think I'm covered there. Some of the extras include a few extra jigs including a crosscut sled. I haven't looked very closely at the jigs though so I don't know their quality or usability.


Good idea about the belts also. Since the saw has a triple belt set-up, I assume you mean to replace all three belts. Any good sources for the belts? Can I take them to my local belt manufacturer and match them up or do they need to be some sort of special belts. They're just regular v-belts aren't they? Would three new link belts be in order? Has anyone used three link belts on their Unisaw? Is there a benifit to link belts on a triple belt set-up?

Thanks very much again. All your help is greatly appreciated.

[Kyle Kraft]

I have a Jet cabinet saw which is basically a clone of the Uni, and I run three Power twist link belts on it. Cost was around $70 from Applied Industrial. I believe HF sells a Chinese knock off for less $$. We used the power twist belts at the last job on a machine with a belt drive which took a full day to disassemble and replace ordinary belts. They were running in an oil mist which destroys ordinary belts in a few weeks.

Bottom line is I love the link belts!!

[Cecil Arnold]

Mark, most mobile bases for the Uni, and others with the large fence, will have an extension to the outriggers that also have wheels on the extension. Jet offered (and may still offer) a setup that gave you storage under the table and was mounted to the extension arm. As far as alignment, I think if you took 10 saws each from Delta, Jet, Griz, and General you would find a number of each that would need some shimming when put together. Could be paint or anything that causes it to be off slightly.

[Don Baer]

Mark,
In you other post you mentioned about cutting off the rails. You can order new ones from Biesemeyer. They make them in a variaty of sizes.
from 26" to the right all the way to 122" and 12" on the left all the way to 48". This may save you a lot of time and you can still keep the longer ones in case you need them later.

Here is there web site. Also check in there section of scratch and dent stuff. You might be able to save some $$

http://www.biesemeyer.com/commer_fence/index.htm



Enjoy the new saw even if it is only a figment of you imagination.:D

db

[Mark Rios]

Mark, most mobile bases for the Uni, and others with the large fence, will have an extension to the outriggers that also have wheels on the extension. Jet offered (and may still offer) a setup that gave you storage under the table and was mounted to the extension arm. As far as alignment, I think if you took 10 saws each from Delta, Jet, Griz, and General you would find a number of each that would need some shimming when put together. Could be paint or anything that causes it to be off slightly.


Thanks Cecil. So apparently when I go to reattach the table I should shim any gap discrepancies instead of just tightening down the table? I guess I need to be continually checking the surface with a straightedge during assembly.

I'm not going to be using most of the table extensions. I need to either cut down the rails or get a shorter set. I will appropriately support whatever length (if there is any excessive length) there is on the right side when I get my table length needs figured out.

Thanks very much again.

[Mark Rios]

Mark,
In you other post you mentioned about cutting off the rails. You can order new ones from Biesemeyer. They make them in a variaty of sizes.
from 26" to the right all the way to 122" and 12" on the left all the way to 48". This may save you a lot of time and you can still keep the longer ones in case you need them later.

Here is there web site. Also check in there section of scratch and dent stuff. You might be able to save some $$

http://www.biesemeyer.com/commer_fence/index.htmeven


Enjoy the new saw if it is only a figment of you imagination.:D

db


Thanks for the link Don. (May I suggest that you remove the word "even" from the end of the link) The website will be a big help. I'lll give them a call.

I'll take pics when I get it on Tuesday and I'll wear my new SMC shirt too. :D

[Jesse Cloud]

hey Mark,
looks like you have this one thought through. If a body shop guy and a firefighter can't get it done, I don't know who could. The shims aren't a big deal. The manufacturer will use shims to get the table level - shouldn't have to be done more than once.
Send us a pic of that trailer!
Jess

[Cory Newman]

Thanks Cecil. So apparently when I go to reattach the table I should shim any gap discrepancies instead of just tightening down the table? I guess I need to be continually checking the surface with a straightedge during assembly.



Mark - I don't know if I can properly put this into words, but the shims come into play on bevel cuts. Keep in mind, you align the blade with the miterslot in the saw, and you square the blade to the table. With the blade at 90 degrees to the table, its irrelevant if the front of the table is a little higher or lower than the back of the table, or vice versa. But if you bevel the blade, it does make a difference. Thats where you need the shims.

HTH

[Mark Rios]

Mark - I don't know if I can properly put this into words, but the shims come into play on bevel cuts. Keep in mind, you align the blade with the miterslot in the saw, and you square the blade to the table. With the blade at 90 degrees to the table, its irrelevant if the front of the table is a little higher or lower than the back of the table, or vice versa. But if you bevel the blade, it does make a difference. Thats where you need the shims.

HTH


So, I think what you're saying is that I should be checking the flatness of the table with my straightedge (in mutliple directions) while I'm attaching it to the base. Is this what you're saying?

Thanks very much.