1950's Delta table saw

[Jeff Yates]

Ok, I've gotten my hands on an old table saw...and it runs beautifully....

I would however like to put a new top on it, the top itself is pitted a bit and I think replacing it is an option...

Anyone know of plans on the web for making a new lid for this beast?

Thanks,

Jeff

[Jim Becker]

If you mean replacing the cast iron top...I'm not sure I'd consider that and "making" one is not something I've ever seen anyone do. Some pitting, outside of aesthetics, shouldn't affect its ability to accurately cut wood. That's the bottom line...how it cuts. IMHO, of course. ;)

[Rick Whitehead]

I actually have made a table saw top from Baltic Birch plywood for a Delta tilt-table saw that was missing its table.It worked, but I have to say if you have the original cast-iron top on your saw, that you're MUCH better off cleaning it up and using it, no matter how pitted it is. Try using some 220 grit wet-or-dry sandpaper with a sanding block and mineral spirits. I think you'll be surprised how well you can clean it up.
For more info on restoring old machinery, try the Old Woodworking Machines website at www.owwm.com.
Hope this helps.
Rick

[Nick Roper]

Having grown up in the Houston area I know for a fact that, "pitted a bit" has an entirely different meaning as it does in most other places. I would think however, with all the machinists in that part of the country it would be a much cheaper option to find a machine shop with a good sized surface grinder. I'd think if that were possible, you may even come out with a better surface than it had the day it rolled off the line.

[Ron Blaise]

Replace your top Jeff. That's a good piece of cast Iron that can be resurfaced. Find a Machine Shop in your area that specializes in grinding or one that has a "Blanchard" grinder large enough to do it for you. Be prepared to shell out $50 to $75 an hour but it will be worth it. You don't have to remove all the rust pits and dings, just enough to flatten her back out. Reason why, the older casting were not artificially aged and are much better quality castings than most of the cast iron available today. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I would however like to put a new top on it, the top itself is pitted a bit and I think replacing it is an option...

The word "foundry" comes to mind. First draw the top you want placing all locations for bolts etc. For a a figure between $3 - $8 grand a foundry will happily make a pattern then a mold and then cast you a new top. Then you can take that to to a grinder to have it ground, trued up and polished. Then a machine shop will bore all your holes.

If I were going to replace a cast top and couldn't get a factory one I'd simply buy a slab of Jig Plate Aluminum 1" thick or more. Then of course I'd need access to a miller to cut the insert hole. Theoretically you can do it with a router. Theoretically that is. I'd not think it to be a very good thing to do to the router.

[Mike Wilkins]

Pitting of a table saw top should not be a problem, unless a workpiece gets caught on one of these craters. Then it becomes a serious safety issue.
I once used a product called JB Weld on an old 8" tablesaw table to fill in a very large pit, and it worked well. Auto mechanics used it all the time.
Cures to a rock-hard finish that can be leveled to the rest of the top.
Good luck.

[Ron Franssen]

If the pits are really just minor, just clean the top up using steel wool, sandpaper, wd-40 or mineral spirits for lubrication. Once finished, top coat with wax or one of the specialty products made to resist rust (just don't use anything with silicon)

If you really have some large holes, consider using an auto body filler (aka bondo) and fill them. It will probably take a couple of tries to get the filler completely in the hole. Then you can sand down to a flush finish and get on with woodworking.

good luck

[Bill White]

If you can't find a shop that can blanchard, try to find one with a surface grinder. They can indicate to the original edges then grind it some to resurface the whole table.
Bill

[Alan DuBoff]

Is it pitted to the point that wood won't move flat across it?

If not, don't worry about it, that's considered character!;)