Gloatworthy Unisaw Purchase?

[Tim Lynch]

I picked up this Model 36-L51 Unisaw on eBay for $760, plus $145 for shipping right to my shop. It's brand new, not reconditioned, with 5HP 1Ph motor. It came with no fence, but that was okay since I already had the T2 fence on my old saw (wish I lived near the $80 Lowe's Bies'!).

It went together fairly well, except the splitter interfered with the insert plate and it took a little cutting and filing to coerce it all together.

Thanks to this site, I just ordered the $64 Forrest blade, so I'm looking forward to that arriving. I'm cutting 3/4" birch ply with an 80 tooth Freud crosscut blade and it's powering through it no problem, leaving no tearout. I couldn't have done that with my old saw. I threw some 4/4 maple through as well and even that came out with no burning. It didn't seem possible to even slow the blade.

I had picked up a 30A breaker to accommodate the 21A motor, but so far it has started and run fine on the 20A breaker that I already had in there. Not sure now if I need to change it out; I'll probably need the 30A breaker (at least) once I add dust collection. The circuit is wired w/ #8 wire.

Finally, I Amazoned an HTC mobile base and some ZCI's too. For the cost of one dado insert, I can buy 3 ZCI's and make a few different widths. Is this a reasonable strategy?

[John Thompson]

Evening Tim..

Well done on your purchase... and the numbers speak for themselves on getting the 3 zero inserts.

May I sugguest a Leecraft for the main squeeze on your Uni-saw. There might be a better fitting one out there somewhere.. but I haven't found it yet.

Regards...

Sarge..

[Allen Bookout]

What a deal! You are going to really love that saw. From a Uni owner, Allen

[Mark Rios]

Evening Tim..

Well done on your purchase... and the numbers speak for themselves on getting the 3 zero inserts.

May I sugguest a Leecraft for the main squeeze on your Uni-saw. There might be a better fitting one out there somewhere.. but I haven't found it yet.

Regards...

Sarge..

Ditto on the Leecraft ZCI's. They are VERY nice. I bought two and after I put in the first one I went and ordered two more right away. They are VERY nice.

As far as the breaker. wiring thing, as a reminder, a circuit breaker protects the wire in the circuit, not the tool/machine/appliance. You should put in a breaker of an appropriate size for the wire. In your case, 8ga wire should have a 40 amp breaker.


A whole lot of people like that Forrest b;ade.

Sounds like a very nice set-up you've got there Tim. WTG!!!!!!!!

[Eugene A. Manzo III]

Very nice job !!!! Excellent use of your money

[Nancy Laird]

Congrats on your new saw. You're gonna love it!

Nancy (117 days)

[Mike Heidrick]

I am not a UNI owner but own a ton of other Delta tools. You will love that saw and you got a great price on it. Congrats!!

[Jamie Buxton]

Five horsepower on 115 volts? My handbook says that would be 56 amps.

[David Sims]

I re-read his post and it did not say anything about 115 volts; just 5 hp, 1ph. What a great buy, how did you get it for that price?

[Brian Jarnell]

So how many volts does he have?

[Tim Lynch]

Thanks for the comments!

It's 220V, and wired with #8 wire, which was murder to work with!

I bought the saw on eBay. I had been a regular watcher for Unisaws and Powermatics. I've passed on a few used ones. The person who listed this on ebay had two identical saws (who knows where people get these things!). The auctions closed at the exact same time. I bid on one and got it for $760 against 2 other bidders. The other saw went for $725 with only two people bidding . The seller did me right on shipping.

So far I'm very happy, and I'll be ordering a Leecraft ZCI I think!

Thanks again!

[Frederick Rowe]

As far as the breaker. wiring thing, as a reminder, a circuit breaker protects the wire in the circuit, not the tool/machine/appliance. You should put in a breaker of an appropriate size for the wire. In your case, 8ga wire should have a 40 amp breaker.

I believe the breaker is sized to protect the outlet, not the wire. Code requires the breaker not to exceed the rated capacity of the outlet.

Enjoy your Unisaw, great saw at a fantastic price. I've got the 3 HP model. I found the HTC to be a good mobile base, but think about one sized for the an extension table should you want one in the future.

[Tim Lynch]

Thanks again for the comments...

Originally I installed the 20A breaker because I had one available. That was fine for my other machines. After I ordered the saw, I stopped at Lowe's and grabbed a 30A breaker because I read here that a 30A breaker would start a 5HP motor and I didn't want to have a new saw that I couldn't fire right up!

The only reason I didn't get a 40A was because I assumed it would cost significantly more than a 30. I didn't even bother to look at them at Lowe's. My curiosity has gotten the better of me and a little online research shows that the 40A breaker is only about $2 more...

I guess I can return the 30A and get a 40A, but I'm not going to make a special trip because that would be probably $6 in gas! LOL.

[Chuck Lenz]

The Delta 36-L51 Unisaw manual says : For five horsepower single phase ( 230 V ) units the circuit should not be less than #10 wire and should be protected with a 40 Amp time lag fuse. I suggest you read the manual before you ruin your saw, and maybe even call a electrician if you have any doubts.

[Tim Lynch]

The manual says use a 40A slo-blow fuse. The motor is rated at 21A.