I bought a Delta 17-990x drill press last week at a fire-sale price because it wasn't working properly. Got it cheap enough that even if I can't get it to work it won't be a big deal.
This model has a variable speed control--via a Reeves drive mechanism you can adjust the speed without moving belts from one pulley to another.
The motor appears to work fine; its shaft spins freely. The two shafts with the Reeves pulleys also turn freely.
The problem seems to be that the drive belt (far left of the screen in the video, going from the motor shaft to the shaft with the first Reeves pulley) isn't doing its job. Here's a video:
The belt on there looks to me like a standard automotive v-belt--perhaps the prior owner replaced the original belt with the wrong size or profile of belt and that's the entire problem.
In any event, like with many older Delta products the correct belt is not available for order from any of the online supply places I've been able to find. Hoping someone here will have some insight--either where to get a belt that will work or what the real problem is if you think I'm barking up the wrong tree. (Can I use a small link belt for the drive belt?)
Many thanks,
Jim