30 yr old Delta 8" Jointer, Worth???

[Kelvin McConnell]

There is a local cabinet company selling some equipment near me. One of the items is an old 8" Delta Jointer. The guy said that it is about 30-35 years old (he thinks). He said they bed is around 6' long with metal cabinet base. It was last run around 4-5 years ago and has been in storage for ~1-2 years. Asking price is $700. He said that they priced the equipment by looking online at similiar equipment. I was thinking it was on the high side.

Any opinion on what model this might be and what the price should be?

I currently don't have a jointer and was hoping to get a used 8" to start with. They also had a 8" Oliver for $1000. Didn't ask any questions about it though.

Thanks for any info!

[Greg Karol]

There is a local cabinet company selling some equipment near me. One of the items is an old 8" Delta Jointer. The guy said that it is about 30-35 years old (he thinks). He said they bed is around 6' long with metal cabinet base. It was last run around 4-5 years ago and has been in storage for ~1-2 years. Asking price is $700. He said that they priced the equipment by looking online at similiar equipment. I was thinking it was on the high side.

Any opinion on what model this might be and what the price should be?

I currently don't have a jointer and was hoping to get a used 8" to start with. They also had a 8" Oliver for $1000. Didn't ask any questions about it though.

Thanks for any info!


do you know what model it is? or what the condition is? Also how much was it used? does it have original or replacement parts? Alot depends on how much it is worth, as you may have to put some more into it to get it in tip top shape.

[Lee Schierer]

The old Deltas were well built. If the castings aren't broken and nothing is missing, it should clean up and run. You might have to replace the bearings and belts. If any parts are broken or missing you will probably not be able to find them, though you could get them made at a price. Check the tables to insure they aren't dished from excessive use. It may also have a three phase motor in it sounless they run it, you might need to plan on a new motor.

[Peter Quinn]

I'd buy the oliver assuming they both run and are 220V Single phase (and assuming you can move it into your work space). I'm betting you could get bearings if necessary. Check the tables real close with a long accurate straight edge, if they are dovetail make sure they are parallel also.

Tough to say on the price. If its in good working order its cheaper than your next best option by far for a good 8" jointer.

[Kelvin McConnell]

They are both 220V single phase. I'll have to go look at them and see the condition. The idea of buying a jointer at that price and putting $300-400 into it for bearings and a motor don't thrill me. (Not saying that I'd have to though.)

I had been thinking of going with a Grizzly 8" is they had their summer sale like last year. It would be around $900 depending on the sale and if prices increase.

[CPeter James]

The Delta is not worth that much IMHO, but the Oliver might bear looking into.

CPeter

[Paul Simmel]

>>> I had been thinking of going with a Grizzly 8" is they had their summer sale like last year. It would be around $900 depending on the sale and if prices increase.

Since you mentioned it, I'd go that route. Chances of the old Delta being anywhere as reliable would probably be best had by someone who knows and likes to repair/rehab older machinery. Seems like those folks are far and few between and they are the ones who get the "deals".

My Griz' 8" is about 10 years old now and I am very happy with it. My understanding is that the newer machines are equal or better in quality.

[John Thompson]

The Oliver possibly.. a Delta that old might be OK.. but that is too much IMO considering you can get a 8" Griz for not much more. The Oliver is a different story unless it is the new (Orient with the Oliver tag).. but still more than I would pay unless it were mint.

Sarge..

[Pete Bradley]

They're likely both good machines. Bearing replacement on the delta is relatively easy, and replacements + a belt should set you back less than $50. Some of the machines with the Rockwell "peace sign" logo were substantially lower quality than earlier machines.

The Ollie is a much heavier duty machine and the bearings are probably more expensive double row (but may be ok as is).

As always, condition and completeness determine value. Machines are taken out of service for a reason. In some cases they just need to be taken apart completely and cleaned. In others, there's something seriously broken. Restored, either will be as good or better than a $900 Griz.

Pete

[Jack Vines]

IMHO, the Oliver is three times the machine the Grizzly is and the Delta at least twice as good. It is not rocket science to check for cracked castings, complete fence and guards, run up a motor and listen for bearing noise. I've probably bought, used and sold a dozen similar machines without putting anything beyond belts, switches and a couple of bearings on them.

One other intangible is the woodworkers and gearheads who really know quality machinery will give you extra credit for owning the real deal. Walking through a shop which has all new low-end Asian import machinery somehow doesn't get the same respect.

thnx, jack vines

[Kevin Groenke]

Have you thought about a Byrd or other helical head? You could get the Grizzly with one off the bat but would have to retrofit the Delta or Oliver.

BTW I have what is probably the same jointer which I was planning on selling for ~$600. 220 1ph, 1 hp, 3 set's of knifes.

86576

Recently got a Griz 0609 12", it's ok. Haven't put the Byrd in yet, seems like a pita and the straight knives are still sharp.

-kg

[Kurt Loup]

I bought this 50's vintage 8" Delta for $325 about 8 years ago from a machine salvage place in Houston. It could use a repainting, but functionally it is fine.

Kurt

http://www.loup-garou.net/images/jointer.jpg

[Stephen Edwards]

I had been thinking of going with a Grizzly 8" is they had their summer sale like last year. It would be around $900 depending on the sale and if prices increase.

I'd go with the Grizzly unless you're particularly in to old tools. By the time you get it up and running you'll probably have more in it than you would a brand new Griz. Of course, everyone has their opinion and that's just mine. I've been very satisfied with my Grizzly tools and the customer service is unbeatable.

Best of luck with your decision!

[Jim Andrew]

I like the parallelagram type of jointer. Got my G0609 a few months ago, put the byrd head on and I really like it. Old Oliver stuff is cool though. Jim

[Paul Simmel]

One other intangible is the woodworkers and gearheads who really know quality machinery will give you extra credit for owning the real deal. Walking through a shop which has all new low-end Asian import machinery somehow doesn't get the same respect.



The reference to woodworkers, though, is misguided. :D

[Rob Russell]

A 30 year old 8" Delta is basically a DJ-20. I can't see one of those being worth $700 used - not at 30-35 years old and coming out of a cabinet shop. That'll have seen a lot more use than a similar machine that was in a home shop for the same amount of time. For a few hundred more you can pickup a 10-year old, lightly used DJ-20 that's the same basic design and has been in a home shop.

[Robert Strebler]

The Sunhill 8" is $595 right now which would make it hard to want an older machine of unknown wear and tear for more money.

[Per Swenson]

I agree with everybody.

Cab shop tools even properly maintained gonna

have endless hours. If you look around, for a grand

you can pick up a new/reconditioned dj20.

Check that auction site.

Per

[Kelvin McConnell]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll go Friday and look at them. It also seemed that most people thought the price was high. Thanks for the pics Kevin and Kurt, that will give me something to go off of when I go look. The reason they are out of service is the shop switched over to melamine from hardwood.

[Pete Bradley]

By the time you get it up and running you'll probably have more in it than you would a brand new Griz.

For any used machine, the asking price is only relevant for judging whether it's worth your trip. You calculate your offer price back from what you want to spend on the restored machine and how much you'll have to put into it (including some bucks for the problems that you don't see at first). Sometimes a seller won't budge off their notion of what it's worth and you just have to walk away.

I once offered a third of the asking price on a jointer. The seller looked shocked at first, but when I explained what I would have to do to make it right, he agreed to the deal.

Pete

[Rick Gooden]

Sometimes I lose track of what my objective is. In this case I would say what I really want are boards with flat faces and straight edges. I would buy the Grizzly. Its new and has a warranty and will be ready shortly after delivery. Properly set up will the Oliver or Delta give you flatter faces and straighter edges? If I was operating a commercial shop, or money was not an issue, things would be different. Some people love machines, some love woodworking, some love both.

[Jack Vines]

Some people love machines, some love woodworking, some love both.Agree completely. Any human endeavor is on a bell curve. At one extreme, some of the nicest furniture I have ever seen comes from a guy with a shop with only a few tools and those look like rejects from a low-rent yard sale. On the other extreme are those who have gotten out of woodworking entirely to restore and collect old woodworking machinery - many thousands of dollars invested in rare and beautiful equipment, fresh paint and decals, but not a speck of sawdust in sight. We each have to find our own point on the woodworking machinery curve.

thnx, jack vines

[Sean Kinn]

We each have to find our own point on the woodworking machinery curve.

thnx, jack vines


Well said! While I'm still a relatively new woodworker, I've also become interested in the old machines. I only have 1 (a restored a late 40's Unisaw) but using it brings great joy to a normally mundane task. I enjoyed the time spent re-habbing it, and take great pride in knowing that it did't get melted down. Heck, I often find myself staring at it while sweeping the shop (garage...I can dream right). Does it cut any better than a Grizz 1023? Probably not, but it cost about half as much and was a great experience. I was actually looking for an older jointer too, but I ran out of time and had to pick up a used 6" Jet to get me by for now.

[Eric Larsen]

With all the "is this tool worth it" threads, I'm surprised someone hasn't written a "Kelly's Blue Book for Power Tools."

I'm sure most of us would buy one if it was available...

[Joe Meazle]

I wish you were clos to me I have one too many 8 inch jointers.

[Kelvin McConnell]

Update: I went and looked at the jointer Friday. It's the same one that Kurt Loup posted a pic of in his post on the first page. So it appears to be around 50 years old, it's in worse shape that the one in the pic (paint wise), the blades are missing, and it is a 3 phase instead of single phase. :( The jointer looked complete (all guards, knobs, and handles). Should I even make an offer on this? I guess I would either have to replace the motor, wiring, & switch or get a phase converter (not to mention getting blades.

[Robert Strebler]

If you enjoy working on machinery and want to make an offer, then it might be worth it. If you don't like working on old machinery or aren't sure, then you're probably better off walking away, IMO.

You can get a nice parallelogram ShopFox for less than $900 delivered if you check the bay. It's essentially a DJ-20 clone with a more powerful motor. You can get a brand new Sunhill 8" delivered for about $750. Grizzly falls in between.

[Pete Bradley]

Depends. Do you have the time and ability to fix it up? This isn't a terribly difficult machine to work on, but the time to clean up a ratty one will be significant.

Before you make an offer, take a good look for what's missing and broken. In particular are the cutterhead gibs and gib screws present? I believe the screws are an odd size and expensive from Delta, and that isn't the kind of component you want to improvise. Also, look at the ends of the dovetail ways and make sure they're not cracked. Sometimes some yahoo overtightens the ways and cracks one.

Really ratty machines can be an opportunity because the average buyer won't touch them. However, you need to get realistic estimates for belts, bearings (allow $30 including shipping from a bearing supplier, twice that if you do the motor), knives (check Charles GG Schmidt for price), paint (2 spray cans industrial enamel like Benj Moore Iron clad), and a motor or VFD, plus another $50 or so for what you don't find missing or broken until you get it home. The seller may choke on your offer, but stick to your guns and don't feel bad about walking away if the seller thinks its worth more than you do.

Pete

Here's a rough diamond I just finished restoring to "like new" condition. Sorry, I don't have an "after" pic yet.

http://www.owwm.com/photoindex/images/7102-A.JPG