Working on Delta Two

Here's evidence that we've started working on the restoration of our second Delta Unisaw.  We call this one Delta 2.  Clever, eh?  Delta 2 was made in 1972.  It's virtually identical to Delta 1 (see earlier posts).  In this picture, Guilder Barry is using our homemade wire-wheel-on-a-repurposed-sump-pump-motor to prep the cast iron base for fresh paint.  Yes, it was cold that day, but we were weary of winter and eager to get out in the shop!

Barry prepping for paint

Delta 2 cabinet in for surgery

Funding Progress!!

Guilder John Erikson deposited $50 in The Guild's bank account. That'll pay for a couple of arbor bearings! Well done, John!!

Delta One :: Before; During; After

Some folks have asked questions about the Delta Unisaw that graces the landing page of this blog.  It's a 1956 cabinet saw that the Guild purchased from the estate of a serious hobbyist woodworker in Sioux Falls, SD.  We believe that the saw was a one-owner and spent its entire life in his shop.  Despite apparent neglect in its later years, it was obviously well cared for, well respected, and undoubtedly, well loved.

Here's a picture of the 1956 Unisaw as it sat in the shop in Sioux Falls.

Fellow Guilder, Barry Timms and I spent several weekends tearing the machine down to its component level.  We polished, wire brushed, and thoroughly cleaned every nut, bolt, lock washer, trunnion, gear, wheel, rod, and all of the other parts we could extract.  We then sanded and repainted the cabinet and the cast iron base, polished the rust off the table and waxed it with car wax, fitted the innards with new arbor bearings, a new arbor washer, three new drive belts, new electrical wiring, a new throat plate, and a new 60 tooth blade.  The fence got a complete tear down, cleaning, paint and new sacrificial fence guides.  We didn't get any shots of the tear down, but Barry had the clear headedness to grab the camera as we were putting the saw back together.

The newly polished and painted front wheel is reattached

Original switchplate

Fence being reattached. Wax on table surface. Pay no mind to the Band Aid.

Barry (l) and John (r) with the 1956 Delta Unisaw aka Delta One

Bird's eye view of Delta One sans sacrificial fence guides

Thanks, Will !!

Founding Guilder, Will Schweinle, chipped in most of the proceeds of his knife sharpening services at the Vermillion Farmers Market. Will's gift is helping us save up for the parts we'll need to restore Delta 2, one of the commercial-grade table saws we aim to use in our community workshop. THANKS, Will!!!

Remarkable tool in need of a new home (ours?)

This tool may not look like much, but restored, it could have tremendous utility in The Vermillion Guild's shop.  It's available on Craig's list in Rapid City, SD for $125.  Anyone interested in acquiring it on behalf of The Guild as a donation to our cause?

John Erikson's Research Project

Guilder John Erikson shares this amusing sentiment:

      A friend sent me a clipping from one of those catalogs that get distributed in a hopeful way to the unnecessarily wealthy.  It depicts a diminutive chicken coup on an immaculate lawn, complete with a green gable roof, white cedar trim, the classic ramp with wooden cross-steps, and a sun-deck displaying ornamental potted plants.  The write-up emphasizes the double-digit square-footage provided for the fortunate guests, who are free to range into whichever corner is closest.  Though solitary confinement seems the intention, three chickens (smelling of hair-spray) are featured in the photo.  They have evidently just been introduced for the occasion of the shoot, having not yet attempted to peck each other to death in their cell.  

The concept here is clearly flawed - unless the goal is to sell backyard knickknacks to the over-privileged - in which case, we witness genius at work.  ($1299.00.  $65 delivery.  Chickens not included.  Some assembly required.  Results may vary.  May cause dizziness.  Void where prohibited.*)  The obvious omission here is a means of egress, so that after a long day of accentuating the picturesque barnyard-like ambiance, the little darlings can retreat indoors to watch TV, safe from the big bad wolf.  The key piece of missing technology is some kind of clever door hardware that chickens can learn to operate.  I've secured a research grant to look into this.

P.S.  I can always tell if Philip and his friends are still at after-school debate practice by whether or not the front door is standing open.  Its nice to know at a glance what sort of scene awaits me inside, but I find no encouragement there for my new research project.

*Note: when a doctor uses the term "void," chances are it's not checks being discussed - it's your bowels.  This seems like bad advice, then.  

 

New, used Unisaw motos have arrived!

Here are the two 115/230 VAC single phase motors we've bought on eBay.  They're identical.  On initial bench tests they are performing very well.  They both need a thorough cleaning.  One of them will be deployed in our second Unisaw that we call D2 (see below).  That saw was made in 1972.  The other motor is destined for our third Unisaw, D3, from 1974.

Two identical used Delta/Rockwell Unisaw motors.

Here's a snapshot of D2 from the front.  Her table has obviously been removed.  She's going to be treated to a full restoration, including a paint job.

1972 Delta Unisaw, aka D2, before restoration.

In this shot (below) you can see D2's open cabinet, sans motor.  She was originally rigged up with a 220 VAC three-phase motor for an industrial installation.  As of this writing we have not done a full triage, but we know that in addition to a new, single-phase motor she'll need a set of new belts, arbor bearings, some knobs, a motor cover, some electrical work, a paint job, a new blade insert, a new blade, plus some TLC on the fence. 

D2, side view, sans motor and table.