Delta Contractor saw

[Kent E. Matthew]

Who here has one of these? Rated at 1.5 horse. 115v, 15 amps on 230 , 7.5 amps. Do any of you have this saw hook up for 220? I found this saw at Lowes. I didn't get a model number. I am just a hobbiest. I have access to a Uni saw at work but the expense is just plain beyond me. If I get a contractor I will have enough left over for some other things. Any thoughts?

[Dave MacArthur]

Hi Kent. I have an older 1996 Delta Contractor saw that served me well. Hooking the saw up to 220 vs. 110 doesn't make any difference to the saw--just the wiring, plugs, and breaker you need to power it.

Usually when I see posts like yours, I will do a search on CraigsList for used machines in the guy's area... Ok, is that addicted to looking for tools on CL or WHAT? LOL. Anyways, if you were to go in and edit your profile to show your location, often times someone nearby you will have used equip or advice.

Good luck!

[Ken Shoemaker]

Kent,
I have the X5 version of the saw our talking about running on 110.VAC. I think the only difference is the warranty.

Anyway, I have many feet of white and reed oak through it with not so much as a hiccup. Although I did upgrade the standard T2 fence to a Bes when the recent Lowes fenzy was on. Greatest thing I ever did.

I thin you'll like it if you get it.

Good luck, Ken

[Bruce Wrenn]

I second the "look for used." Here on CL we find used, AMERICAN MADE, Delta 10" contractor saws from $75-$600, depending on the condition and the owner's desire to get rid of it. Don't forget that rust can be removed from a top with some elbow grease. The rustyer the saw, the cheaper. The only downside is most will come with the "Jet Lock Fence" system. Not a deal breaker, but a slight negative. I have four of the Delta 10" belt drive contractor's saws. (It's a LONG story.) The oldest has the one piece cast iron assembly, where later versions use the round tie rods. All have been up graded to either a shop made Biese clone, or a Unifence. They all cut the same.

[Chuck Lenz]

I have a Delta Contractors tablesaw that I bought new in 1995. I had it hooked up to 110 volts for many years, the light in the shop would dim for a split second on startup and occassionally it would trip the breaker in the breaker panel in the house if I really pushed it. Last year I had a breaker panel installed in the shop ( detached garage ) with some 220 circuits put in for the tablesaw, a dust collector and a air compressor and there is a world of difference, the saw starts up really quick, no dimmining of lights and haven't triped the breaker yet. This discusion has been brought up in here before and the general concenses is I think when I had my saw wired for 110 I had too much other stuff on that circuit I was pluging the saw into, such as lights, a radio, etc. From what I've been told in here the saw should run just as strong on 110 as 220. I still have the saw on 220 but I think if I would of had a dedicated 110 outlet with nothing else on a breaker but one outlet the performance of the saw at 110 would be the same as if it was run on 220. If you allready have 220 in the shop go for 220, if you don't have 220 run the saw on a outlet that has nothing else running on it at the time, or wire in a dedicated 110 outlet on a 20 amp breaker.

[Von Bickley]

My Delta Contractors saw is wired up on 120 volts and works just fine. I want to leave mine on 120 volts in case I have to take it somewhere to use and may not have 220 volts available.

I also like to keep my lighting circuits separate from the receptacle circuits.

[Rob Cohen]

Kent
I went through the same process 20 years ago when I started woodworking. The cont saw is a good saw, but the main difference with a true cabinet saw is not just power, but the precision of the cut.
After a few years with my cont. saw, after trying all sorts of blades, stabilizers, feed rates to get a precise cut, I found an old unisaw for a good price. Wow , what a difference! The cuts were clean and straight and it plowed through all sorts of hardwoods.
Point being if you can find a good used cabinet saw, you might save yourself a lot of grief, especially if you want to make furniture etc

just my 2 cents

Rob

[James Waters]

Kent,

I have the exact saw that you are looking at. I bought mine last year. I have ran alont of red oak and. more recently, 1 1/2" thick ash making a kitchen table. The saw has doone all that I could have asked...especially considering the price difference between that and a uni. Don't get me wrong, I would love to have a uni but I have not stepped up to that level yet.


If I was going to do alot of work with this thicker stock I would definately want a more powerful cabinet saw but I personally think it is a really good saw for the money. It has cut everthing that I have ever put through it with excellent results. Mine is wired at 110.

[Dave MacArthur]

http://denver.craigslist.org/tls/435893453.html Rockwell Unisaw $650
http://denver.craigslist.org/tls/426338337.html jet table saw $500

You might try looking in the yellow pages and calling EVERYTHING under tools. I have lived in Phoenix for 11 years, and last month I ran across a used tool warehouse I never even knew existed here... guy had about 100 unisaws or powermatic 66, NONE of them advertised anywhere.

Honestly, having looked at CraigsList for about 9 months daily now, I don't know that I'd ever buy a new "entry level" tool--there are just too many great deals out there on tools, if you can afford to wait a month or two.

Good luck!