Good question. This blog features links to various Delta and Rockwell related tools on the web, including eBay and non-eBay listings. I suggest that you right click on a link and open it in a new window or tab. If there are items to see they will be displayed, but if no items are displayed that simply means there are no results at that moment. Simply close the window and move on to a new category. Any of the links can be added to your RSS reader, so you can subscribe to a search and get updates on your RSS reader! Check back often as the web is constantly changing.
One last thought... If you have a blog or are a member of a Woodworking newsgroup please post a link to this blog to help boost our Google ranking. Thanks, Scott
The DeWalt DW788 Scroll Saw becomes the Delta 40-690 Scroll Saw
First, a little history.
There have been quite a number of changes in the woodworking power tool industry in recent years, but perhaps the biggest change has been experienced by the folks who make the Delta line of tools. Started as the Delta Specialty Company in 1919 by the original designer of their tool line, Mr. Herbert Tautz. Mr. Tautz is credited with inventing the world’s first motorized scroll saw. The Delta Specialty Company grew and introduced such advanced tools as the Uni-Saw, as well as the ground-breaking publication for DIY woodworkers; DeltaGram. In the 1940’s Delta was purchased by Rockwell Manufacturing, and expanded to include industrial tools that were used to help build the USA’s was machine. In the early 1980’s Pentair purchased Delta (and Porter-Cable) from Rockwell and until the late 1990’s when they were merged they were run as two separate companies. In 2005 Delta was purchased by Black and Decker, who had purchased DeWalt many years earlier. Somewhere around this time Stanley Tool Works acquired Black and Decker and after a short time in 2011 sold off the Delta brand and most of the patents of the Delta and even some of the DeWalt line to a Taiwanese company, Chang Type Industrial Co., Ltd. Chang Type formed the company “DELTA Power Equipment Corporation” (AKA: DELTA PEC)
That brings us to today. If you’ve been paying attention you may have noticed that Delta has recently introduced two new scroll saws (the 40-690 & the new 40-692) that are dead-ringers for the popular and dare I say excellent DW788. This makes a lot of sense that DeWalt sold or licensed this saw to Delta PEC, as the Delta name is far more synonymous with stationary power tools, while for most folks the DeWalt name means portable tools. Yes, you and I may know more about DeWalt’s original claim to fame as a radial arm saw manufacturer, but a lot of moons have passed since those days!
One exciting advantage of this new Delta saw is that it now comes with a 5 year warranty! Anyway, as I’ve stated before, we LOVE our DW788, and as a Delta tool you can’t go wrong.
NOTE: This saw is currently on an incredible sale at Woodcraft! On a stand with a goose neck light, normally you’d pay $619, but at the moment it’s available for $349! That’s a $270 savings!
UPDATE: Well, that didn't take long at all! These saws are all sold out, and now Delta is introducing an upgraded version. I guess that explains the blow-out price, huh? Anyway, the new model is the 40-695, and it will be available in March 2012. Here's a preview pic, which you can click on to Biggie-Size.
Certainly this will be sold by Woodcraft, so check it out here: Link to Delta Scroll Saws for sale at Woodcraft.
DEWALT DWP611PK Compact Router Kit Killer Deal!
DeWalt and Porter-Cable (Both manufactured by B&D) recently introduced similar compact router sets. The motor is slightly larger than a traditional trim router, but what you get for the extra girth is a height adjustment that is second to none.Below is a video from "John the TIA guru" that runs the Dewalt Owners Group. In the video John does a run down on the DEWALT DWP611PK Compact Router.
Click this link for the DEWALT DWP611PK Compact Router Kit
at WoodcraftClick this link for the Porter-Cable 450PK Compact Router Kit
at WoodcraftA Great Deal on a Great Mortiser
If you are interested in handsome and strong joinery you already know that mortise and tenon joints are the way to go. Yes, pocket hole joinery is all the rage, and I have three Kreg jigs myself, but when I want to build furniture that will be passed-down to my grand kids I know I'll be making mortises and dovetails.
Try as I might I was never able to get good results mortising with my Mark V. It takes a LOT of force to drive a four-sided chisel into a block of hardwood, and not only does the quill handle suffer from a size problem, but just as you make some progress the table wants to move on ya. This is not a good prize, especially because Murphy's Law dictates that you won't notice that your mortises are not as deep as you planned until some time after removing all of the mortising gear from your Mark V.
My mortiser is a PowerMatic 719, which wouldn't ya know I purchased just months before the 719T with tilting table was released. (Grumble). Before forking out the big bucks for my mortiser I researched all the tabletop units, and I just wasn't going to be able to cut the mortise depths that many of the projects I had planned would require. At the time the market was dominated by Delta, Jet and a couple questionable no-name imports.
As I mentioned in a prior post, I was at my local Woodcraft the other day and at a Rockler a couple weeks back and was amazed at the improvements that have been made in benchtop units. The one that caught my eye was the WoodRiver at Woodcraft, which as a huge base with extensions that expand to 35" in width to support for your stock. This unit has a firm fence and rollers that act as hold-ins to keep your stock firmly against the fence. The fence is made of cast iron and is adjusted with a rack and pinion that reminds me of a mini version of the fence on my Delta jointer.
One of the biggest hassles that benchtop mortisers tend to introduce is caused by very limited access to the drill chuck. The WoodRiver has two HUGE clear plastic doors that swing open for practically unhindered access. Another neat thing about this design is that because the doors are clear they allow plenty of light to make bit changes as easy as I've ever seen.
Another advantage of this unit wasn't obvious from a study of the manual: It's ambidextrous. The two access doors swing open on both the right and the left. Likewise, as you can see from the bottom photo, the lever handle can be mounted left or right. With the switchbox on the left I thought there might be a problem using it on the left, but nope, she worked just fine. 
The thing that really surprised me was that it comes with a full set of four chisels and bits and the mortiser has a full 5" depth of cut! Seeing this made me curious, so I measured my PowerMatic and learned that while it has a 6" stroke, all of my chisels are 5" long! So, if you are in the market for a great looking, reasonably priced mortiser, check the WoodRiver out at:
WoodRiver Mortiser with Chisels and Bits
Delta is sold by Stanley Black and Decker to Taiwan company
DELTA® Woodworking Machinery Has A New Home – In Anderson, South Carolina
(Anderson, SC, January 18, 2011) – Chang Type Industrial Co. Ltd., a Taiwan-based manufacturing company, has agreed to purchase the Delta brand of woodworking equipment and machinery from Stanley Black & Decker. The deal is expected to close on February 4, 2011.
The new, independent company, Delta Power Equipment Corporation, will be based in Anderson County, South Carolina and led by Bryan Whiffen, who has been named President & Chief Executive Officer. Norm MacDonald has also joined the company as an Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer. Both Whiffen and MacDonald have years of experience in the power tool industry, and have been responsible for manufacturing and marketing such brands as Ryobi, Homelite, Milwaukee and Ridgid.
The new Delta company will continue to provide a complete line of professional woodworking equipment and machinery, and will continue to build the world-class Unisaw, as well as the Biesemeyer® accessories, in the United States. Plans are to move the manufacturing equipment from Jackson, Tennessee to the company’s facility in Anderson.
Once fully operational, the Anderson facility will include manufacturing, R&D, engineering, sales and administrative functions.
“We are pleased to be able to say that the Unisaw will continue to be made in the USA,” said Whiffen. “We are also excited for this opportunity to invest in the great Delta brand so that we can bring high quality, innovative woodworking equipment to Delta’s loyal customers.
Delta Power Equipment Corp. is working to ensure that the fine sales and service that Delta dealers and woodworkers have come to expect will continue.
“Stanley Black & Decker has been very supportive of this sale and have agreed to help us make the transition as seamless as possible for our dealers and our customers,” added Whiffen.
Customers and dealers can continue to obtain information on sales and service for Delta woodworking equipment at www.deltamachinery.com.
(Anderson, SC, January 18, 2011) – Chang Type Industrial Co. Ltd., a Taiwan-based manufacturing company, has agreed to purchase the Delta brand of woodworking equipment and machinery from Stanley Black & Decker. The deal is expected to close on February 4, 2011.
The new, independent company, Delta Power Equipment Corporation, will be based in Anderson County, South Carolina and led by Bryan Whiffen, who has been named President & Chief Executive Officer. Norm MacDonald has also joined the company as an Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer. Both Whiffen and MacDonald have years of experience in the power tool industry, and have been responsible for manufacturing and marketing such brands as Ryobi, Homelite, Milwaukee and Ridgid.
The new Delta company will continue to provide a complete line of professional woodworking equipment and machinery, and will continue to build the world-class Unisaw, as well as the Biesemeyer® accessories, in the United States. Plans are to move the manufacturing equipment from Jackson, Tennessee to the company’s facility in Anderson.
Once fully operational, the Anderson facility will include manufacturing, R&D, engineering, sales and administrative functions.
“We are pleased to be able to say that the Unisaw will continue to be made in the USA,” said Whiffen. “We are also excited for this opportunity to invest in the great Delta brand so that we can bring high quality, innovative woodworking equipment to Delta’s loyal customers.
Delta Power Equipment Corp. is working to ensure that the fine sales and service that Delta dealers and woodworkers have come to expect will continue.
“Stanley Black & Decker has been very supportive of this sale and have agreed to help us make the transition as seamless as possible for our dealers and our customers,” added Whiffen.
Customers and dealers can continue to obtain information on sales and service for Delta woodworking equipment at www.deltamachinery.com.
Woodcraft has a great deal going on a nice 170 piece Brad Point Drill Bit Set
Until the end of October they have sets of 170 titanium nitride coated brad point drill bits for $39! This is 1/2 price, or if you prefer, 50% off.
The set has 5 - 10 bits of each size: 1⁄16", 5⁄64", 3⁄32", 7⁄64", 1⁄8", 9⁄64", 5⁄32", 11⁄64", 3⁄16", 13⁄64", 7⁄32", 15⁄64", 1⁄4", 17⁄64", 9⁄32", 5⁄16", 21⁄64", 11⁄32" & 3⁄8"
The set is in a nice box, and it also includes a drill size gauge.
I'm not usually a sucker for TiN coated bits, because I've seen too many sets at Harbor Freight where the manufacturer obviously coats the bits that have the worse edges in order to hide their sins. What a scam! They take their scraps and put 50 cents of electroplating on them and charge a premium! Anyway, TiN coatings help to reduce heat on the cutting edge for increased bit life, and this Woodcraft set looks very nice.
They also have a set of standard metal-drilling bits at half price. Take a look at these sets at Woodcraft.com
Sale ends October 30th. Don't ask me why it's not through the 31st.
Porter Cable Introduces the Qick Jig Pocket Hole Tool
I own two Kreg jigs; one that's 10-12 years old and made of aluminum. It does a fine jog, but was limited to 3/4" lumber. It has no dust collection option and the two hole pattern is not adjustable. If I want to space the holes closer or further apart I have to unclamp the part and relocate it.
My second Kreg jig was purchased about two ears ago and is made entirly of plastic. It does not make provisions for dust collection, and though it requires me to take it apart and add or remove parts, it will allow me to drill stock up to 2" thick. It has three drilling locations, but they are not adjustable, so I still wind-up moving the parts between drilling operations. Kreg has since change this tool and has added a dust chute. I gave it a go one afternoon at my local Woodcraft and am convinced that the version I have is superior. They did relocate the clamp, so at least it's not on the opposite side of the stock from the drilling action.
Enter the Porter Cable Qick Jig:
This tool was introduced at the IWF show in Atlanta in Aug and it is purported to be accurate and repeatable. I can't believe with as slow as the show was this year that I was still unable to leave our hall and visit the tool hall, so at this point I have to take the word of my buddy Scott Philips. He says that you simply place the material in the jig, slide the guide mechanism into place, tighten down and drill.
Unlike the Kreg jig, there's a single location for the stop collar on the drill bit, and there's even a fixture built into the jig to help you set it. On my Kreg jig I have to change the stop collar for different material thicknesses and even have purchased a second bit and collar because it was such a hasstle.
It's got an automatic depth control that allows for different material thicknesses, so again, there's no adding and subtracting of parts.
One of the most interesting things about the jig is that you can adjust the distance between the drill holes with its Variable Spaced Bushings. No more clamping and unclamping between every hole.
The first time I watched the video it apeared that there was quite a bit of fumbeling between drilling operations, but upon further investigation it turns out that once you have it set for your project you simply lock and unlock the mail (lower) clamp between joints. The top clamp is only adjusted if you need to change the board thickness or the hole spacing.
And though it's not a huge deal, the dust that's created from a pocket hole jig does pile-up fater that you'd believe, so a dust chute would be nice. The PC Quick Jig has just such a dust port.
Click here to see (and buy) the Porter Cable Qick Jig from Woodcraft.com
Watch my buddy Scott Philips as Doug Harmon walks him through the new Qick Jig.
"Guards? We don't need no stinkin' guards!"
OK, not really, but woodworkers ARE an independent lot, and we don't need a nanny to tell us how to be safe in our own shops. Wear this shirt in the shop, while you shop or anywhere you feel like telling the world that you know what you're doing.
This shirt features an image from one of the original US Patents for the Unisaw. Click on the image to see the shirt at Zazzle, or on the PatentPlaceUSA link below to see other woodworking tool tees and gifts.
This shirt features an image from one of the original US Patents for the Unisaw. Click on the image to see the shirt at Zazzle, or on the PatentPlaceUSA link below to see other woodworking tool tees and gifts.
Rockwell Answers the Shopsmith With A Multi-Tool Of Their Own: The Delta-Shop
In 1953 Rockwell (AKA Delta Milwaukee) finally decided to respond to the popularity of the Shopsmith 10er, which was the first of the Shopsmith line of multi-tools introduced in 1947. While I'm sure that the Shopsmith tools funneled some of the tools sales away from Sears and Delta for a time, but in the end they all owe Shopsmith Thank-You note for getting thousands of DIY'ers into woodworking. The Delta-Shop was quite a bit different than the Shopsmith. Where the Shopsmith was a lathe-based tool, the DeltaShop was built around a tablesaw. A single motor with a dual shaft drove the saw and the jointer which were mounted on a common stand, the drill press and disc sander were a different story. For use them you first removed the saw blade and swapped it with a drive pulley. To use the drill press you flipped it into position from the right end of the saw, where it is hinged, and from there you feed the belt over a pair of pulleys and through the table's throat plate and around the pulley beneath the table. Lowering the bland (now a pulley) adds the proper tension to the belt. Most of these tools that exist today have long since had their drill presses removed and permanently mounted on a bench or tossed into the trash, as they have a very small capacity.
Are you looking for great tools at a great price? Think "Tool Hunter"
We were looking over some of the nerd-level analytical data that we get for our blogs and have noticed an interesting trend: When folks find tools on our blogs, and bid, they run a good chance of winning the item! Take a look at the info at right (Click on it to Biggie-size).This is from the dashboard that eBay gives us to track the traffic from our Tool-Hunter blogs, and what it shows is the number of bids placed by our readers and the success rate of their bids. Now, not everyone is successful, but what this shows is a trend that has been improving over the past two years that we've been blogging. Granted, our blogs aren't traditional "blogs", in that we don't feel the need to post when we have nothing fresh to say. No, our goal is connecting lovers of fine tools with , well, more fine tools! We hope this describes you and if so we encourage you to check-out all of our "Tool-Hunter" blogs. You'll find them listed on our launch page at this link: http://tool-hunter.blogspot.com
Thanks for joining us, and please drop us a line if anything comes to mind that you'd like to see on these blogs; or if you have a tool to promote.
Scott
New Gerstner Tool Chest Blog
Yes, it's absolutely true that I need another blog like I need another hole in my head; but that doesn't seem to stop me, does it? As a Dayton boy there are several local companies that you just know. There's Shopsmith, NCR, Mead, Standard Register, Delco, and more. The city of Dayton is even promoting these home-grown companies with a new "Dayton Patented" promotion. As a woodworker Shopsmith stands out as a great supplier of tools, but H. Gerstner & Sons is the pinnacle of craftsmanship. They've made machinist's tool chest from wood since 1906! I've been shopping for them for some time, and like this blog I've started a blog to make it easy for me to store my refined eBay search links and other data that I've collected over the years. Some of the links on the blog will lead to tool chests from resellers like Woodcraft and Amazon, and other links will be to tool chest plans and parts.
Drop by http://gerstner-tool-chest-hunter.blogspot.com and check it out.
Scott
Here's a great FREE site that will keep you informed if anything new gets posted!
You can be the first to know if something new is added to this blog (Or any other site of interest for that matter). Visit http://www.watchthatpage.com/ and sign up for a free account. You can then add any url to your personal list and you'll be emailed should anything change. I've used this site for several years to keep track of changes on one of my favorite sites: http://www.woodshopdemos.com/ which is a site that rarely changes. Test it out with our blog and you'll be the first to know if anything changes!
Porter-Cable 513 Mortise Lock Mortiser (AKA: Speedmatic ULM)
I’m not sure that this fits this blog or not, but seeing that Porter-Cable is owned by the same company as Delta, I’m going to let it slide in either way.If you are not familiar with a mortise lock, it helps to study the lockset on the door closest to you at this moment. On most doors on modern homes in the USA the lockset is what is called a bored lock. This means that the door most often has a 2 1/8” in diameter through hole that the mechanism that the knobs are mounted to is inserted. From the edge of the door another hole is bored that intersects with the large through hole. This is for the bolt, which is the little plunger that latches the door.
In most of Europe and in high-end applications in the USA, the lock of choice is called a mortised lock. Unlike the bored lock the majority of the machining takes place on the edge of the door; where a slot (or mortise) is cut. The mortise is usually around ¾” (19mm) wide, 5-6 inches long and 3 ½” deep. These dimensions vary quite a bit, and I’ve seen these lock that required a mortise that was 1 ¼” wide. The mortise permits a very complex and versatile lock box to be installed into the door, yet from the face of the door only a small hole is required for the levers or knobs and the cylinder that the key enters.
Traditionally mortise locks have been installed by chopping the waste away with a set of chisels or with a traditional mortising machine; but both methods were slow and prone to tear-out, but all that changed when Porter-Cable introduced the Speedmatic ULM. “Speedmatic” was Porter-Cable’s catch-all name for their router line, but the ULM was something totally new. The tool clamped onto the edge of the door with two integral clamps, which also automatically centered the mortise on the door’s edge. Once everything was clamped into position the stop is set for the mortise’s depth; usually about 1/8 - 1/4" deeper than the actual measurement of the lock box. The router is turned-on and then the fun begins. As you turn a crank the unit slowly climbs and then descends the length of the jig, moving slightly deeper for each successive pass. Your reward for all this is a beautifully machined mortise that is dead-center on the door’s edge.
Porter-Cable made some improvements to the tool over the years, primarily as their routers improved. The current tool is known as the Porter-Cable 513 and it comes equipped with the venerable Porter Cable 690 router motor. ¾” and 1” carbide-tipped cutters are available which allow the tool to produce the proper width mortise. Unlike standard router bits, these cutters have female threads and mount like a flycutter on the threaded end of a mandrel which is chucked into the router motor. This long and strong steel mandrel is further supported by a massive ball-bearing. These cutters are readily available online from Amazon.com for around $25 each.
The list price, which I firmly believe is only paid by fools and Government officials (but I repeat myself) is $2092.10. If you have the grey matter to read this far into a long and boring post , then you are the kind of person who will find this tool online for around $1000. Used 513's run between $400-800, depending on the age and condition of the tool. In my opinion you want to own the newer Porter-Cable 513 version; not only because of the improvements that have been made in the tool, but because of the readily available support parts which can be found on P-C’s own support site and even on Amazon.
Here’s a link to a pdf of the current owners manual: Porter-Cable 513 Lock Mortiser Owners Manual
For whatever reason, there's suddenly a lot of action on eBay with used P-C 513 mortisers! Here's a link to any current Porter-Cable 513 Lock Mortiser for Sale on eBay
Here's a link to the Porter-Cable 513 Lock Mortiser on Amazon
Delta & Rockwell Unisaw Tablesaws For Sale
The Unisaw is a classic! Finally available in left-tilt, the right-tilt version has been a hit since the 1930's. The photo also shows the spectacular newer version of the Uniguard and the great Unifence. Watch out for 3-phase saws, which will require an expensive phase converter in order to operate on household current.Click here for Delta/Rockwell Unisaw Tablesaws For Sale
Click here for Delta/Rockwell UniFence Uni-Fence For Sale
Click here for Delta/Rockwell Uniguard Uni-Guards For Sale (Very light activity)
Click here for Mobile Base For Sale
Delta to release a new UNISAW table saw in 2009
In August 2008 at the IFW (International Woodworking Fair) trade show in Atlanta, GA, Delta had the show buzzing with it's new take on the classic Unisaw. The saw is a dramatic departure from the classic Unisaw primarily due to two things; It's blade is left-tilting (which the current model also offers) and more importantly the tilt wheel is mounted on the front of the cabinet. This is one sexy saw! The blade-tilt dial is reminiscent of the speedometer on a sports car and is accurate to 1/2º.Oh, and did we mention that this new Unisaw is Made in the USA! Finally.
The saw has been re-engineered to feature a unique one-piece cast-iron trunnion that should make vibration a thing of the past. Blade tilt can be fine-tuned from the front of the cabinet with a hex-wrench so there's no need to work through a tight saw table insert.
There's also a convenient access on the front of the cabinet, though I'm note sure why such a large door exposes such a small opening.
For the first time in the USA the Unisaw will feature a true riving knife which and be used with or without a blade guard. The table in front of the blade has been increased to help you support your stock prior to entering the blade. This saw even has a tool-less arbor lock (like a plunge router) and a one-piece combination washer and nut for mounting the saw blade.
This saw has already been named by Wood Magazine as on of the Top New Tools for 2009!
Here's a couple videos of the New Delta Unisaw from IWF
See more pictures of the new Uni-Saw at Popular Woodworking
Delta & Rockwell Jointers For Sale
Here's another tool that Rockwell and Delta just keeps getting right. Pass on the bench top version, but otherwise you can't go wrong. I like the DJ-15 (6") and the DJ-20 (8").Click here for Delta/Rockwell Jointers For Sale
Delta & Rockwell Thickness Planers For Sale
The planer offering from Rockwell and Delta was and is ever changing. With very few exceptions these are all great tools. The stationary tools are heavy cast iron and only recently have been made in China. Some of the best were made by Invicta in Brazil, so don't let that scare you off. The portable planers came along after it became obvious that they weren't going away! Ryobi had the first and it really ate Delta's lunch for a couple years while they figured out what to do. Ever since then they have been ahead of all but DeWalt. Buy the newest version you can find. This is a smooth planning tool and is an excellent choice for thicknessing S4S lumber.
Click for Delta/Rockwell Thickness Planer listings
Delta & Rockwell Wood Lathes For Sale
There's a Delta lathe of every size to match your project. Most lathes are used by furniture makers for making table legs, by bowl turners for faceplate turnings, or in the mini (or midi) version for pen turning. The Delta Midi Lathe is awesome! They waited until everyone else had one on the market, then they reviewed them and took inspiration from the best of them. Watch the Chinese units, whose castings tend to be a bit rough.Click here for Delta/Rockwell Wood Lathes For Sale
Delta & Rockwell Radial Arm Saws For Sale
Delta Radial Arm Saws & Rockwell Radial Arm Saws are among the best ever made. Look for options like the rotating turret, as shown in the photo, which allow the saw to rotate for miters while staying centered over the table.Click here for Delta/Rockwell Radial Arm Saws For Sale
Delta 32-100 & Porter-Cable Plate Joiner / Biscuit Joiner For Sale
I suppose it was due to poor sales, but it's sad that Delta discontinued this awesome 32-100 bench top Biscuit Joiner. Note that this is called a "Joiner" not a "Jointer" because it joins rather than joints wood. There were two versions of this tool; with the main difference being the hold-down. Towards the end of the production the hold-down was improved slightly, but not enough that I would hold-out for a newer unit if on old one becomes available.Click here for Delta Plate Joiner / Biscuit Joiners For Sale
Very light listings, but this tool is sweet and worth the wait.
Very light listings, but this tool is sweet and worth the wait.
Also in the picture is my favorite portable biscuit joiner; the current Porter-Cable model. Note that there was a prior version that had a rather poor fence. You can spot the difference in that the old unit has an upright motor rather then the in-line motor shown in the lower photo.
Click here for Porter-Cable Biscuit Joiners For Sale
Click here for Porter-Cable Biscuit Joiners For Sale
Delta & Rockwell Scroll Saws and Jig Saws For Sale
It seems that Delta and Rockwell redesigned their jig saws and scroll saws about every two years since the 1930's. One important thing to know when looking for a scroll saw is that a Jig Saw and a Scroll Saw is NOT the same thing. Back in the day (Early 1900's) cutting jig saw puzzles and making highly detailed and mostly useless fretwork was all the rage. Jig saws are powered only on the pull-stroke (Downward stroke) and a spring that is mounted in a frame over the table is supposed to pull the blade back up. RIGHT! What usually happened was the operator would make a turn that was a little too tight, and before the spring could return the blade the cam below the table would reverse and jamb the blade into the bottom of the work piece. If this sounds like what you want to than perhaps a jig saw is all you need.If not, what you should keep en eye out fr is an actual scroll saw, not just a jig saw that is being called a scroll saw. To that end Rockwell and Delta made several decent scrollsaws from about the mid-1980's on. Most of them have round cast iron tables and have a distinctive "C" look to the frame. Even later Delta came up with a fantastic design for an 16" saw. This was the first time that Delta made a true parallel arm saw, which most other manufacturers discovered were superior to the C-arm years before. The 16" saw was made in Taiwan and had a two speed rocker switch and a round, left-tilting table. Later Delta added a variable speed motor, which was great, and a 20" version of the saw which wasn't so great. Delta has since moved the production of this saw to China where the quality has suffered. If the listings don;t mention the country of origin, send the seller a note. Pass on the Chinese unit, buy the Tiaweenie one.
Click here for Delta/Rockwell Scrollsaws and Jigsaws For Sale
Delta & Rockwell Drill Presses For Sale
Early Rockwell drill presses tend to have simple belt guards, leaving all but the front pulley exposed. They also didn't have the best depth stops. Available in floor model and bench top units, look for the length of quill stroke (Bigger is better) number of steps in the pulleys, which equates to number of speeds, and throw from the spindle to the column. This is usually stated as the size of the drill press: a 16" unit will drill to the center of a 16" circle, so that means the distance from the center of the bit to the column would be 8".Click here for Delta/Rockwell Drill Press Drillpress For Sale
Delta & Rockwell Disc Sanders & Belt Sanders For Sale
This is one line of tools that despite the best efforts of Craftsman, Jet and Grizzly, no one has ever come close to the Delta 6" belt sander. The bench top units may be a different story, but you can not miss with any version of the Delta 6" Belt Sanding System. Some have a 12" disc sander, and a Shopsmith-style variable speed can be found on some of the older Rockwell units.Click here for Delta/Rockwell Sanders For Sale
Delta & Rockwell Shapers For Sale
Ok, let's get serious here. We don;t know what happened, but most of the shapers that Delta made from about 1977 on have been... well... el'stink-o-reno! There is one large version like the one shown at right that continues to be great, but you want to avoid the silly little bench top units and the light weight open-stand version with the horizontal wheel that is just under the table in the front of the unit. What a joke. Otherwise, bid away because the 3hp and larger shapers rule!Click here for Delta/Rockwell Shapers For Sale
Delta & Rockwell Bandsaws For Sale
I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to add content to this post on the Delta 14" bandsaw. I've owned my current Delta 14" BS since the early 1990's when I purchased two for a woodworking school I was operating at the time. Mine looks a lot like the saw shown at right, but back then the base didn't have an easy access door and all of the Delta band saws were American made. If that still matters to you you'll want to make sure to check the name plate on the back of the saw. If you are purchasing this saw online make sure to have the seller snap a picture of this plate and email it to you. This saw is still made in the USA, but they were made for a time in Taiwan and are now also made in China.If you are not familiar with this saw a quick check of the 14" bandsaws being offered by all the other power tool companies will quickly reveal that this was the model for most of the 14" saws on the market.
One feature that few have equaled is the lower blade guide. This is almost totally hidden from view, so it was one of the important details that the Clones were able to skimp on while no one was looking.
If you can afford the original US made Delta or Rockwell you will not regret the additional investment, and should you ever decide to resell it, you'll get ever dollar back and then some. This is something that the imports cannot claim.
Click for Delta/Rockwell Bandsaw For Sale on eBay
Click for Delta Bandsaws for Sale
on Amazon
Click for Delta/Rockwell Bandsaw Riser Block for Sale
Click for Delta Bandsaws for Sale
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We need your help before Jan 11th
Update:Well, with everyone's help we made it to the second round, but we were not one of the top 15 finalists. Oh well, at least lost to some spectacular competitors. Thanks for you help.
Hello!
One of my favorite sites that I’ve been visiting for the past year or so is Instructables.com. Instructables is a site where lots of creative and crazy people like me share their projects in a step by step instructional thingie called an Instructable.
Some of you know that my son was inspired by a comment in the movie "Talladega Nights" and just HAD to have a Six Cheese Nacho Fountain at his October 2008 wedding.
Instructables is now having a contest and we have entered this project in it and we need your vote to help put us over the top! We used Shopsmith tools throughout, and there are lots of pictures and videos included.
There are actually three rounds of voting, so in this first round you can vote for any and as many of the Instructables that you like. The second round is judged by the editors at Instructables and some editors from Popular Science!
In order to vote you'll need to register, which is a fast 30 second ordeal. I been visiting this site for over a year and can confirm that that they don't send unwanted emails or sell your info.
The voting began on Jan 5th and runs through the 11th, so please feel free to forward this to all your friends.
Here’s how to vote in three easy steps:
Step 1) Click this LINK and Register. This is done by click on the "Sign up now" link on the top right of the page at the link below.
Step 2) Once you register search the term “Aristocob” or “Cheese Fountain”.
Step 3) Click on the VOTE NOW! Link. Some folks are apparently "ranking" the Instructable, with is fine, but that's not the same as voting. The VOTE NOW! link will not work if you don't register.
Thanks for your support and we'll let ya know how things go!
Make it a great day, Scott
Porter-Cable 513 and Virutex Lock Mortiser Videos
Here's a video of the Virutex knock-off of the Porter-Cable 513 Lock Mortiser. It functions exactly the same as the P-C unit and is a very good video.
Hey, you made it to the bottom!
Well, that's about it. We welcome your questions, comments and cheap shots. Send us a message at: Aristocob@gmail(dot)com (Replace the "dot" with a ".")
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