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.

A second Unisaw Motor for the third Unisaw

Another Delta/Rockwell Unisaw motor of the type we need popped up on eBay recently.  These 115/230 VAC single-phase motors aren't what I would call extremely rare, but they don't show up very often.  From a previous post you know that we bought one for our second Unisaw on eBay a few weeks ago.  It came from a fellow in Washington who's parting out Unisaws.  The motor arrived promptly, was remarkably well packed, and seems to work fine.  Turns out this other, recently posted motor on eBay is also his; but will soon be ours when FedEx arrives.

Despite some waffling back and forth about whether or not to tie up our scarce funds in a motor for the third saw in our restoration queue before we have even started on the second one, we bit.  This second motor for the third saw should be here this coming week.

Meanwhile, we have yet to tear down the second saw that we know as D2.  Waiting for a convergence of available time, people and reasonably warm weather so we can tolerate being in the shop.  Will post details as they emerge.

John E., our busy fundraiser

We're very luck to have John Erikson on The Vermillion Guild leadership team.  His tireless and intrepid work helps keep the gears of our labors greased.  Here's a message from John:

"I just want to thank all those who've been dropping off cans and bottles at my doorstep.  I ran an afternoon's worth of errands in Sioux City yesterday, and netted $15 at the redemption center.  (And who's not in need of some redemption?)

Also - any unwanted household goods can go to the "Vemillion Guild" account at the New 2 You consignment store on the east side of town.  Just designate that the proceeds go to The Guild.

We've just bought a replacement motor for the third vintage Delta Unisaw in our collection, and so our bank account is at a low ebb.  Thanks to all for supporting our efforts!

Cheers to you, John!

Fundraising Thought for The Vermillion Guild

I've recently found several pounds of pennies and nickles -- some rolled, others loose -- in the back of a rarely opened drawer.  In total, there's probably not more that $10, but I've decided to deposit them into The Vermillion Guild's bank account.  The contribution will help with the purchase of parts and other materials we use in restoration of our growing collection of vintage woodworking tools.

If you would like to make a similar contribution, please let me know and together we'll make it happen!

Home Improvement Nightmares or How NOT to DIY

Gotta hand it to This Old House for this slide show with revealing and, um, creative solutions.  YIKES!!

Quick Update on D2 and other things

Greetings, Friends:

Just a few Guild-related updates and thoughts in no particular order.

As of today The Guild's cash-on-hand balance in its checking account is $296.88.  Since my last e-mailed report we've had four expenses: $17.90; and $17.47 at Campbell's and True Value for bits and pieces related to big tool resto work; $241.21 for the replacement motor for D2; and $25.44 for refreshments at the recent business model brainstorming meeting with Steve Howe.

D2's new (used) motor shipped from Washington state on Monday.  The tracking info suggests it will be here mid-week upcoming.  Ever since we acquired our first Unisaw, I've been eyeing eBay off and on for a 110 volt replacement motor and had never seen one until the one appeared that we won at auction.  Here (below) is a picture of the D2's new motor.

Coincidentally, another 110 volt motor  in New Orleans appeared at about the same time.  In the interest of cash flow protection I wasn't going to bid on the second one, but did anyway when, within about a minute of the auction close and the high bid of $125, I tossed in a bid of $140-something just to see what would happen.  Someone else got it for (as I recall) ~$149 plus $60 to ship it.

D2 is still sitting right where she's been since arriving at my hospital.  Been looking for the right combination of free time, sufficiently warm (enough) weather, and -- of course -- Barry's return from Maine.  I've had only the most cursory look inside D2 and am pretty sure she'll need -- in addition to the motor that's coming -- everything I bought from Saw Center in Massachusetts (belts, bearings and such).  She'll need a few other odds and ends too, no doubt.  Will certainly keep everyone posted.

One of the gems we got in Sioux Falls last summer was a jugundo-sized Dremel-like goose neck with an arbor on the business end.  One of those things I just set aside without much thought.  Fast forward to a couple of months ago when John E. appeared with a disused sump pump motor.  Yesterday, I finally managed to put the two together using a section of 3/4" black pipe, a pipe clamp and a homemade bracket-thingy that enables it to clamp to a workbench.  The goose neck hangs from the motor and swings about freely.  I fitted it with a small wire wheel and she's ready for testing.  Methinks it'll come in handy when working on the rest of the big tools we have queued up for restoration.  I know Barry and I could have made use of this thing when we were bringing D1 back to life.  Thanks, John E. for the wood to make up the motor holder.

John's been spending some time down at the big grain elevator measuring and poking around sussing out the prospects for conversion into a Guild workshop and milling operation for Gene.  John and Gene have had a number of conversations around the possibilities.  Much of this conversation started around our need to move all of our stuff out of the Tony & Sarah's garage.  We need to be doing this soon.  February(?).  If and when the elevator project launches there will likely be a lot of disruptive dismantling and rehab activity down there until the dust settles.  Will has very generously offered to let us park our tool cache in the garage of his mom's recently purchased house on S. Yale.  If I recall Will's comment correctly, that space won't be otherwise needed for many months.  Something to consider.

More as it happens.  Here's looking forward to warmer weather and longer days.

Peace.