Two months ago I purchased a 5HP Delta Unisaw with 52" Unifence and
industrial grade magnetic switch at a local auction for a mere $500.
As the auction was crowded with various items, I had to struggle to
get close enough to the saw prior to the sale to perform a visual
inspection. I noticed that the saw cabinet paint was in great shape
and that the motor was 3 phase. I didn't expect that the motor would
be a problem as I expected that a replacement 3HP motor would cost
$250, but the saw would still be a good deal for $500. Soon after the
saw arrived at my house, I realized an unfortunate fact about the
Unisaw assembly process; a Unisaw loses 25% to 50% of its value from
the beginning of the assembly line when the first bolt is attached to
the end when the saw is prepared for shipping.
The saw apparently belonged to a school system. I started finding
that a couple items that were missing or broken:
* No power cord - OK, I should have expected that, as three phase
equipment must be hard wired
* Matched belts - missing, ten feet of link belt should be more than
enough
* Arbor nut - missing
* Plastic handle on the elevation wheel - missing
* Tilt angle indicator arrow - missing
* Arbor bearings were in rough shape - had to be replaced
* Bearing preload spring - missing
* Arbor wrench - missing
* Arbor spanner nut - missing
* Outer rim of a Woodworker II registered at least .012" to .015"
run-out at the rim.
* When fully lowered to the bottom-out point, a 10" saw blade
protruded 1/4" above the table surface.
* Plastic handle on the Unifence - broken
* One of the two plastic knobs on the side of the Unifence - missing
* One of the two Unifence slide assemblies (nylon pads that push
against the front of the Unifence rail) - missing
* One of the two Unifence nylon set screws that control alignment -
missing
* Unifence cursor - missing
* Special studs and nuts used to mount the Unifence rail to the saw -
missing
* Adapter plate that mounts to the right of the Unisaw - missing (I
had to order this item 3 times from Delta before receiving a box that
was not empty)
* 3 angle brackets that mount to the adapter plate - missing
* Laminated table board for the Unifence - missing
* Metal label on the Unifence - badly gouged
* Unifence's aluminum rip fence was badly gouged and was hit a couple
times by a spinning saw blade - replaced with a Uni-T-Fence with all
the extras
* Electricals in the magnetic switch were designed for 3 phase
operation - had to be converted to single phase
* 3HP Baldor motor - to replace the original 3 phase
* 220 volt plug and outlet
After replacing or repairing all of the above, I might be able to turn
the saw on for the first time tomorrow. Anyone want to take a guess
how much this Unisaw cost? Keep in mind, a Unisaw loses 25% to 50% of
its value from one end of the assembly line when the first bolt is
attached to the other when the saw is prepared for shipping.
At what point does a $500 Unisaw no longer qualify as a bargain?
Charles Hooper
Charles Hooper wrote:
>
> Two months ago I purchased a 5HP Delta Unisaw with 52" Unifence and
> industrial grade magnetic switch at a local auction for a mere $500.
> As the auction was crowded with various items, I had to struggle to
> get close enough to the saw prior to the sale to perform a visual
> inspection. I noticed that the saw cabinet paint was in great shape
> and that the motor was 3 phase. I didn't expect that the motor would
> be a problem as I expected that a replacement 3HP motor would cost
> $250, but the saw would still be a good deal for $500. Soon after the
> saw arrived at my house, I realized an unfortunate fact about the
> Unisaw assembly process; a Unisaw loses 25% to 50% of its value from
> the beginning of the assembly line when the first bolt is attached to
> the end when the saw is prepared for shipping.
>
> The saw apparently belonged to a school system. I started finding
> that a couple items that were missing or broken:
> * No power cord - OK, I should have expected that, as three phase
> equipment must be hard wired
> * Matched belts - missing, ten feet of link belt should be more than
> enough
> * Arbor nut - missing
> * Plastic handle on the elevation wheel - missing
> * Tilt angle indicator arrow - missing
> * Arbor bearings were in rough shape - had to be replaced
> * Bearing preload spring - missing
> * Arbor wrench - missing
> * Arbor spanner nut - missing
> * Outer rim of a Woodworker II registered at least .012" to .015"
> run-out at the rim.
> * When fully lowered to the bottom-out point, a 10" saw blade
> protruded 1/4" above the table surface.
> * Plastic handle on the Unifence - broken
> * One of the two plastic knobs on the side of the Unifence - missing
> * One of the two Unifence slide assemblies (nylon pads that push
> against the front of the Unifence rail) - missing
> * One of the two Unifence nylon set screws that control alignment -
> missing
> * Unifence cursor - missing
> * Special studs and nuts used to mount the Unifence rail to the saw -
> missing
> * Adapter plate that mounts to the right of the Unisaw - missing (I
> had to order this item 3 times from Delta before receiving a box that
> was not empty)
> * 3 angle brackets that mount to the adapter plate - missing
> * Laminated table board for the Unifence - missing
> * Metal label on the Unifence - badly gouged
> * Unifence's aluminum rip fence was badly gouged and was hit a couple
> times by a spinning saw blade - replaced with a Uni-T-Fence with all
> the extras
> * Electricals in the magnetic switch were designed for 3 phase
> operation - had to be converted to single phase
>
> * 3HP Baldor motor - to replace the original 3 phase
> * 220 volt plug and outlet
>
> After replacing or repairing all of the above, I might be able to turn
> the saw on for the first time tomorrow. Anyone want to take a guess
> how much this Unisaw cost? Keep in mind, a Unisaw loses 25% to 50% of
> its value from one end of the assembly line when the first bolt is
> attached to the other when the saw is prepared for shipping.
>
> At what point does a $500 Unisaw no longer qualify as a bargain?
>
> Charles Hooper
I can sympathize with your dilemma. However, Delta.'s configuration with
the motor frame has been used simce 1938/39 and motor replacement is
expensive. Magnetic switch change over from single phase/ triple phase
is not a big deal. Most ex-school stuff has parts missing/gouged/
generally abused and getting these bits is time/money consuming, even
for a dealer .(Funny that most abuse I saw was seniors at night school
classes).
Your purchase price may have been high? but when you get done you'll
have what I call a "character saw" , so enjoy the trip and forget the
$$$$$$$.
Saw $500
Aggravation looking for parts-- $2000
First saw cut with true arbour/good blade and matched belts==priceless
[email protected] (Charles Hooper) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
<snip<
> > After replacing or repairing all of the above, I might be able to turn
> the saw on for the first time tomorrow. Anyone want to take a guess
> how much this Unisaw cost? Keep in mind, a Unisaw loses 25% to 50% of
> its value from one end of the assembly line when the first bolt is
> attached to the other when the saw is prepared for shipping.
$2,000.00?
[email protected] (Tony D.) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> [email protected] (Charles Hooper) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> <snip<
> > > After replacing or repairing all of the above, I might be able to turn
> > the saw on for the first time tomorrow. Anyone want to take a guess
> > how much this Unisaw cost? Keep in mind, a Unisaw loses 25% to 50% of
> > its value from one end of the assembly line when the first bolt is
> > attached to the other when the saw is prepared for shipping.
>
> $2,000.00?
If I bought the motor from Delta, you would have been within $100 of
the total cost of the saw and parts. So far I spent $800 on parts,
but that does not include the parts to construct the Unifence table
board. Unfortunately, I did not notice the missing/broken parts all
at once - I had to place three orders with Delta, and one with Amazon
- replace one part and notice two others that are missing or broken.
I reached for the power button for the first time about an hour ago,
and noticed that the blade throat plate is damaged...
"Bob G. " <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> snip snip snip...........
> Heck the wife is dragging me to an auction in the morning....
> LOL....However this winter I picked up a 10 in Delta/Rockwell
> contractors saw for 10 bucks at an auction very similar to the one I am
> going to in the morning...yes it was crowded BUT since my wife had me
> take her over to the auction house a few evenings before the auction I
> noted that this saw had no motor no fence no
> pulleys and had a masonry blade in it.... BUT I also noticed in the rear
> of the building a box that contained all these items clearly marked
> ....needless to saw nobody else noticed all the parts which
> were not "missing"...I was the only bidder and I could kick myself for
> bidding 10 bucks when I could have bid 5 bucks... Honestly the saw
> cleaned up great and when I put on a (spare)one hundred dollar forrest
> blade I got my moneys worth for sure... I now have it set up in the
> corner
> of my shop and use it with a sled for "precision cross cuts"....
>
> Tomorrow who knows what "type of people" will be at the auction...the
> one I bought the saw
> at had 90 percent furniture buyers..nobody interested in tools ... heck
> the wife dropped a few hundred bucks on dolls.... (so I guess the Delta
> /Rockwell actually cost a lot more then 10 bucks because I sure have no
> clue as to what to do with the dolls...
>
> Bob Griffiths
That was quite a deal that you received on the Delta contractor saw -
I have seen Craftsman saws sell for that price, as well as a Delta
tilting-table table saw, but the Delta contractors saws generally sell
for $300 to $600.
I also have a Delta contractors saw, roughly 16 years old. I found
that the arbor has a tendency to jump away from the rip fence 1/32" to
1/16" from time to time during the cut, just long enough to create an
arc in the board (maybe once or twice every two feet of cutting). I
replaced the arbor bearings, but the problem continued. I don't think
that the Unisaw will develop this problem.
Charles Hooper
Charles Hooper wrote:
>Two months ago I purchased a 5HP Delta Unisaw with 52" Unifence and
>industrial grade magnetic switch at a local auction for a mere $500.
>As the auction was crowded with various items, I had to struggle to
>get close enough to the saw prior to the sale to perform a visual
>inspection. I noticed that the saw cabinet paint was in great shape
>and that the motor was 3 phase. I didn't expect that the motor would
>be a problem as I expected that a replacement 3HP motor would cost
>$250, but the saw would still be a good deal for $500. Soon after the
>saw arrived at my house, I realized an unfortunate fact about the
>Unisaw assembly process; a Unisaw loses 25% to 50% of its value from
>the beginning of the assembly line when the first bolt is attached to
>the end when the saw is prepared for shipping.
>
>The saw apparently belonged to a school system. I started finding
>that a couple items that were missing or broken:
>* No power cord - OK, I should have expected that, as three phase
>equipment must be hard wired
>* Matched belts - missing, ten feet of link belt should be more than
>enough
>* Arbor nut - missing
>* Plastic handle on the elevation wheel - missing
>* ================
>
snip snip snip...........
Heck the wife is dragging me to an auction in the morning....
LOL....However this winter I picked up a 10 in Delta/Rockwell
contractors saw for 10 bucks at an auction very similar to the one I am
going to in the morning...yes it was crowded BUT since my wife had me
take her over to the auction house a few evenings before the auction I
noted that this saw had no motor no fence no
pulleys and had a masonry blade in it.... BUT I also noticed in the rear
of the building a box that contained all these items clearly marked
....needless to saw nobody else noticed all the parts which
were not "missing"...I was the only bidder and I could kick myself for
bidding 10 bucks when I could have bid 5 bucks... Honestly the saw
cleaned up great and when I put on a (spare)one hundred dollar forrest
blade I got my moneys worth for sure... I now have it set up in the
corner
of my shop and use it with a sled for "precision cross cuts"....
Tomorrow who knows what "type of people" will be at the auction...the
one I bought the saw
at had 90 percent furniture buyers..nobody interested in tools ... heck
the wife dropped a few hundred bucks on dolls.... (so I guess the Delta
/Rockwell actually cost a lot more then 10 bucks because I sure have no
clue as to what to do with the dolls...
Bob Griffiths
"Charles Hooper" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Two months ago I purchased a 5HP Delta Unisaw with 52" Unifence and
> industrial grade magnetic switch at a local auction for a mere $500.
> >
> After replacing or repairing all of the above, I might be able to turn
> the saw on for the first time tomorrow. Anyone want to take a guess
> how much this Unisaw cost? Keep in mind, a Unisaw loses 25% to 50% of
> its value from one end of the assembly line when the first bolt is
> attached to the other when the saw is prepared for shipping.
>
> At what point does a $500 Unisaw no longer qualify as a bargain?
>
> Charles Hooper
Would have been better to buy a new one!!
I bet you have well over $1000 in it!
Greg