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Thread: What is the deal with Delta Tools and replacement parts ?

  1. #1

    What is the deal with Delta Tools and replacement parts ?

    This goes back some years, but I remember the old Delta ad with the old woodworker in the woodworking magazines; and it went something like this. " You can still get parts for your old Unisaw , even if it was made back in 1938 " Not the exact words, but it was the same meaning. So, the question is this:

    If you are lucky enough to have one of those old Delta Unisaws , when things were BUILT TO LAST !!!, can you still get parts for those old saws ?

  2. #2
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    The decline and near-death of the Delta we grew up with is pretty well documented. Parts for any but the current half a dozen Taiwan (Chang Type Industrial) models are like hen's teeth. The Unisaw has a good following so it, the DJ20's and so forth have good internet discussions with tribal knowledge steering folks to parts now and again. Nuts, bolts, spacers, o-rings and so forth can be sourced from McMaster Carr and the like. Castings or machined parts would probably have to be fabricated. Unless you are a restoration buff I would think fabricating a trunnion yolk would cost more than the saw was worth. Buying junkers and cannibalizing them works for machines, car, motorcycles and even classic stereos ;-)
    Last edited by glenn bradley; 07-11-2020 at 5:33 PM.
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  3. #3
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    Glenn, thanks for the Wiki post. My Unisaw is from the Pentair/Delta Machinery era, and it has always seemed to me like it was "built to last." So far, I've had no need for replacement parts.

    You'd think that the Delta brand of cabinet saw could complete better than it's doing today, against the much higher priced Sawstop, somewhat higher priced Powermatic, and once-comparably priced Jet saws. Maybe Delta's recent owners have redesigned the Unisaw "down" and left quality behind? I rarely hear of someone buying a new Unisaw. For my part, I don't miss being able to destroy the mechanism by running a hot dog into the blade.

    But the same lament can be made about Porter Cable routers. Once the standard, they have nearly fallen off the map. How hard can it be to keep making them to perform well and hold up, and keep replacement parts available? Maybe the home-shop woodworking market is mature, saturated, and not that large?

    My still-running-strong shop tools include a Unisaw, a Delta 16" drill press, and three Porter Cable routers. Does that make me a dinosaur? Even if I have a Gyokucho S-372?

  4. #4
    Bob: you are not alone. I have a 1980's delta contractors which has served me almost daily, 3-4 PC routers, and a delta drill press from the 80's too. None have needed anything in my 30 yrs I've had them. Not even a belt on the contractor saw. They made great products then. Today they have all been bought up by huge conglomerates.
    Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning, the devil says, "oh crap she's up!"


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  5. #5
    B&D bought Delta / Porter Cable from Pentair with the specific purpose of putting them out of business. Take away the competition, and increase market share, plain and simple. Unfortunately we live in a time when short term profits out weigh long term viability. As one of the political ads says "Wall Street didn't make America great, the working middle class did." Look at the railroads with Precision Scheduling. Sure it reduces their cost with large labor lay offs, but look at how much trucking's share of the market has gone up. Right now the best advertising the trucking industry has is the railroads. When enough customers leave the RR's, only then will they see their foolishness. FYI, only BNSF of the class ones doesn't practice PSR.
    Last edited by Bruce Wrenn; 07-11-2020 at 7:54 PM.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Clarence Martinn View Post
    This goes back some years, but I remember the old Delta ad with the old woodworker in the woodworking magazines; and it went something like this. " You can still get parts for your old Unisaw , even if it was made back in 1938 " Not the exact words, but it was the same meaning. So, the question is this:

    If you are lucky enough to have one of those old Delta Unisaws , when things were BUILT TO LAST !!!, can you still get parts for those old saws ?
    Depending on where you're at, there is a lot of old machinery hitting Craigslist now. I assume that as folks retire and move, they shed the stuff they no longer need.
    Unless it's something specifically rare and unique, you can buy complete, ready to go, working Unisaws , of all vintages, all day long on Craigslist for $500-$1000.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Jones 5443 View Post
    Glenn, thanks for the Wiki post. My Unisaw is from the Pentair/Delta Machinery era, and it has always seemed to me like it was "built to last." So far, I've had no need for replacement parts.

    You'd think that the Delta brand of cabinet saw could complete better than it's doing today, against the much higher priced Sawstop, somewhat higher priced Powermatic, and once-comparably priced Jet saws. Maybe Delta's recent owners have redesigned the Unisaw "down" and left quality behind? I rarely hear of someone buying a new Unisaw. For my part, I don't miss being able to destroy the mechanism by running a hot dog into the blade.

    But the same lament can be made about Porter Cable routers. Once the standard, they have nearly fallen off the map. How hard can it be to keep making them to perform well and hold up, and keep replacement parts available? Maybe the home-shop woodworking market is mature, saturated, and not that large?

    My still-running-strong shop tools include a Unisaw, a Delta 16" drill press, and three Porter Cable routers. Does that make me a dinosaur? Even if I have a Gyokucho S-372?
    That is a very nice Unisaw and I would certainly expect it to last. My 17" Delta drill press is good enough to keep me from buying a newer one. Unless someone brings something like the Nova or the Delta 18-900 along for under a grand I will probably use this thing till I die.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


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  8. #8
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    Unique parts to Delta (castings and such) can be found on EBay or OWWM. As said, a lot of smaller things like nuts and bolts and even hand wheels can be found at McMaster.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Jones 5443 View Post
    You'd think that the Delta brand of cabinet saw could complete better than it's doing today, against the much higher priced Sawstop, somewhat higher priced Powermatic, and once-comparably priced Jet saws. Maybe Delta's recent owners have redesigned the Unisaw "down" and left quality behind? I rarely hear of someone buying a new Unisaw. For my part, I don't miss being able to destroy the mechanism by running a hot dog into the blade.
    I think your impression of Sawstop may be inaccurate:

    New 3HP unisaw: $2650 (https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/delta-36-l336)
    New 3HP Sawstop: $2880 (https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools...inet-table-saw)

    I think that says everything that needs to be said about why no one is buying new Unisaws. For <$250 extra, you get the safety feature and better fit and finish.
    Last edited by Dan Friedrichs; 07-11-2020 at 10:36 PM.

  10. I really like the Delta X5 shaper with the nicer fence. It took me 3 years to find a router bit adaptor for it, and it cost more than the price of a new one. It seems a lot of people scalp parts on eBay. It is a shame about parts and the direction of their business. I liked all the other delta tools I have owned as well.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Friedrichs View Post
    I think your impression of Sawstop may be inaccurate:

    New 3HP unisaw: $2650 (https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/delta-36-l336)
    New 3HP Sawstop: $2880 (https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools...inet-table-saw)

    I think that says everything that needs to be said about why no one is buying new Unisaws. For <$250 extra, you get the safety feature and better fit and finish.
    Well, I stand corrected. Thank you for setting me straight. I haven't shopped for either product, but you can't avoid the constant barrage of ads for new Sawstops. I think I was looking at the high-$2000s-low-$3000s Sawstop prices (and the fully souped-up trims hitting the highest price notes) and comparing them with my $1,300 Unisaw (from the previous millennium). Time marches on.

    This information makes me worry even more about Delta's future.

  12. #12
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    When I worked at Woodworker's Journal in 1996, I was invited to travel to Delta Machinery Corporate Headquarters in Pittsburgh. Even then they knew they were going to be in trouble selling Unisaws for years to come. That was around the start of older saws being passed on to family members and total sales numbers of new saws were already dropping. Many of those guys were either let go, or left to start Steel City. Steel City didn't survive, and Delta is useless for serious woodworkers.

  13. #13
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    I have a Delta pro jointer, 12.5 planer and dust collector. All 20 years old and performing perfectly. Just new blades when needed. Planer doesn’t even snipe.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Jones 5443 View Post
    .................................................. ..................
    But the same lament can be made about Porter Cable routers. Once the standard, they have nearly fallen off the map. How hard can it be to keep making them to perform well and hold up, and keep replacement parts available? Maybe the home-shop woodworking market is mature, saturated, and not that large?
    .................................................. .................
    One of the problems with making things "built to last" is that you might sell one with very good margins but that might be the only one you'll sell to that person in their lifetime. Replacement parts? Rarely required on high quality machines. Look at Northfield for how to survive making traditional industrial quality woodworking machinery. New Consumer/small shop machines? Real tough to compete with Pacific Rim sources today.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Clarence Martinn View Post
    This goes back some years, but I remember the old Delta ad with the old woodworker in the woodworking magazines; and it went something like this. " You can still get parts for your old Unisaw , even if it was made back in 1938 " Not the exact words, but it was the same meaning. So, the question is this:

    If you are lucky enough to have one of those old Delta Unisaws , when things were BUILT TO LAST !!!, can you still get parts for those old saws ?
    Are you kidding me? Parts for my 20 year old Unisaw are getting to be hard to find.
    ~mike

    happy in my mud hut

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