Delta 14" bandsaw tune up and motor swap

We swap the newer motor out for a time period correct delta motor and fabricate a push pull rod for the on off switch. I then go over how to do a tune up which involves new thrust bearings. Adjusting the blade guide blocks and how to make sure the table is at a 90 degree angle to the blade.
Huge thanks to www.vintagemach... for the history of delta and it's founder that I talk about on this video.
Herbert Tautz history
www.findagrave...
wiki.vintagemac...

[@danielbuck]

thank you for showing the basics of how these are adjusted! I just picked up one from the 1940's, it seems to work really well but I want to take it apart and clean it and adjust it.

[@porthose2002]

Hi there. Just stumbled on your channel looking for information on how to replace the bottom thrust bearing on my (new to me) Delta 14" bandsaw. You answered my questions perfectly with your demonstration. I like your presentation style and the info is very useful. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with us!

[@restoration-projects]

Thank you, restoring old tools is a fun hobby and I've learned a lot from KZbin so I'm glad other have gotten value from these videos.

[@rondeak6873]

I appreciate your great video. I am working on a similar vintage Delta. Mine has the same logo badge on the upper wheel cover as yours. Great saw compared to the new imports, well worth the effort. Regards from Ron in Florida

[@Rebel9668]

I'm amazed that that capacitor wouldn't need replacing. Surely it's no longer the same uF value it started out as? I know in old radios of that period the caps all get changed along with any out of tolerance resistors when restoring one. The paper ones get leaky as over time the beeswax in them melts out, letting moisture in and in electrolytic caps the liquid in them dries up, causing the loud hum that you'll hear when plugging one up and turning it on. At least the lube has only thickened. I restored a floor model Brunswick phonograph player a while back from 1917 and the grease inside it had basically turned into cement. Fortunately, old lube will clean up easily if ya take some lacquer thinner to it. Love that saw, man! Wish I could find something like that around here but it's hard to even find the modern stuff here. I drove 176 miles round trip last weekend just to get a model 28-276 because I was tired of the little useless 9" Skil in my garage, lol.

[@RYwoodview]

Thinking of upgrading my Delta bandsaw's 3/4 hp motor to 1.5 hp. In your video, I would also think that the wood supports under the motor will also be beneficial in absorbing vibrations. Thank you for your video!

[@Rebel9668]

That cracking insulation is common in old radios too necessitating either covering it all in spaghetti tubing or replacing altogether on the early rubber coated wires. Oddly, the cloth covered stuff is usually in the best shape and often doesn't need replacing as the cloth insulation is usually intact unless it's a wire that gets moved around a lot, then the cloth stuff frays and/or breaks. My garage is a 1 car garage built in the '40's. I had room for a 60 gallon 2 stage compressor as it stands upright, but alas, my ceiling is far too low for any kind of hoist. I'm 6'8" and I think the ceiling is about 7'. I can barely clear the shop lights, lol. Those bearings look to be sealed, but you can pop the seals off with an awl and re-grease those bearings the same as you would wheel bearings in an older car, the seals will snap right back into place. I learned that trick with the spindle bearings on my mowing deck and in the upgrade kits to replace the riding mower's wheel bushings with bearings. To me, regreasing is how they would have been handled back in the day as folks from that time period had the philosophy of "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without", sort of like using the wood under the motor to use the belt you have instead of "gasp" buying the one that would fit. :)

[@Rebel9668]

I wonder if a dry lubricant like graphite powder would be good around that bottom guide. I use it on my old truck's door locks to keep them from freezing up in winter and they always operate smoothly.

[@eric5137]

Tips for tensioning the blade on a model like this? I have a 28-290 from 1964, i followed your advice for setting the guides and bearings, but it bogs badly under load and it made me realize ive never checked the tension, because this unit was originally at a school, it definitely may be set incorrectly. I see the indications on the back for tension at x blade thickness (mine is currently 3/8") but dont know what part of the adjuster is used to reference the indicator. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[@f.p.strassler1768]

Hi Jim - I need a pulley for my 1939 Delta 28-300 - can you tell me the correct diameter for the upper pulley for the part LBS-296-S

[@Oldtimeytools]

Nice job 👍

[@njoogle]

Hi Jim, I appreciate all the information in this video. I have the same saw that, somehow, lost its motor and stand before I got it. I'm currently replacing the stand and motor that I had and will soon be putting the saw back in service. Can you share information about the bearings (sizes and where they were purchased)? I should probably replace those as well.

[@restoration-projects]

there are different bearing for different years. the older style I believe had extended race bearings. the new ones do not have the extended race. if you take your bearings out you can enter the bearing number in google with the keyword delta band saw and you should get some kits that will fit it. hope that helps

[@daveheckman9388]

Great video!

[@restoration-projects]

Thanks!

[@bobnethery5488]

Just bought 1955 14" looks the same as your video. Great shape but someone removed fence rails. Any help appreciated !

[@antoniopecora9837]

Thanks for the video. This is the exact one I restored. Can you tell me what’s the hp of the Delta motor?

[@restoration-projects]

I believe it was rated as 1/3 hp. The older delta motors were underrated in their power. In reality, it's probably closer to 3/4hp

[@antoniopecora9837]

@@restoration-projects thanks. I have a 1/4 hp motor and thinking of upgrading it to a 3/4 or 1 hp which makes sense.

[@trep53]

I can agree not to paint a vintage machine. I call the accumulation of scrapes witness marks showing how much work this machine did. My Rockwell version of this saw is from the ‘80s but looks the same in an off white color. I just got mine in Sep of 2024, turned down others but with the prices going up I pulled the trigger and got one off Craig’s list. It’s in tougher shape than yours but runs fine. I’m not inclined to buy the Carter guide bearing upgrade kit or add the 6” riser. If I wanted that I would have bought a new 14” Rikon. These vintage band saws lack some of the nice features features the new saws have. So I don’t plan on getting another vintage machine for woodworking.

[@RobReidGuitar]

appreciate the video, but man let us see it running for a sec after all that! ;)

[@عاوزافهمليهكدا]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@johncanter6996]

This is probably made early 1940 based on that serial and tag.