Ok, so like an idiot I spent $20 on a non-working saw, a Delta 34-670, hoping that the switches were bad, but it turns out the motor is fried and this replacement motor happens to go for a cool $220. So there goes my $20.
Anyone around here need some parts for this model? It has the tubular fence system, I am told this is one the better systems for these saws, and the fence itself is pretty tight.
Replies
So what's the problem with spending the $220??? I had the same thing with my Jet saw (except I got it for free, LOL). $175 for the motor, and I was up and running. Of course, it was about 6 months before I scraped together the $175.....
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Rick. ya gotta be kidding . Unless it has rusty pock marks on the top (and even that can be over come) you have one of the beefyist saws ever made. Go for it and clean it up -I just did a 34-802 right tilt - and it's fantastic. If you put $500 to $1,000 into the saw it is better than the $2,200 new product on the market today. Good luck, Paddy
I know next to nothing about table saws - I thought 220 was too much, as I can get a new one on Amazon with cast iron wings for 399 - and this motor is direct drive, too.
So, is this saw really worth it? It's in good shape otherwise and I like the fence, though the wings are just stamped steel.
I am not sure what to look for in used motors on ebay and otherwise, in terms of which ones will work with this saw.
Sorry about this, Going to be brutally frank. Those little direct drive saws were never meant to be anything more than a cheap portable contractor's saw( not a contractor saw ). Life expectancy of the universal motors, as you have found out, is not the greatest. The accuracy leaves very little to be desired, OK for rough carpentry, picnic tables and crude projects. If you ever plan on doing any fine woodworking( furniture, Book shelves,built in's, etc.) At least get a Real Contractors saw, not my first choice but !, At least you'll have a descent saw that should satisfy many needs. At least it can power a 6" dado. The arbor on your saw is too short to get any sizable dado blade on it, if at all !
Do a little more browsing on this forum about saws and I think you'll come to agree with me, Happy WW.Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Brutally frank is all I ever request - I am no woodworker by any stretch, "crude projects" should be my tag line.
For my level of crapulence I can't justify anything more than a Delta TS350 or the like for $400, which is also basically direct drive. Basically, I am looking at this saw for $220 I don't know if this saw is worth that.
Well, I may see about getting the motor repaired -
Is that a contractors saw? You can pickup a new or used motor off eBAY cheap very cheap.
DJK
Sorry, I would chalk this one up to experience and make a boat anchor. That saw isn't much more than a "skillsaw" mounted under a table anyway(being direct drive) Google up Craigs List and search in your area for a bigger saw and check it out a little closer.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
So, I am getting conflicting views on whether or not this saw is worth anything - it is a direct drive motor which I understand is not so hot.
Frankly, I just won't use a table it enough to justify anything more than the low end Deltas out there for 400-500; is this one worth it at half the cost?
Oh, if it's direct drive, not so good. I wouldn't spend any more money on it either.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
RickD,I once owned one of those direct drive saws like yours. Personally, I would write off the $20 as educational expense. However, you might try to find a motor at an electric motor repair shop at an affordable price. Take off the old one to carry to the shop as you search.One problem with my saw was that the blade speed was too high to allow using certain saw accessories, maybe even carbide tipped saw blades. You might want to check on that. Otherwise, it wasn't a nad product.Cadiddlehopper
Rick,
I've owned one of these saws for what is approaching 30 years. About 6 years ago, the motor in mine bought the big one. I took it to a reputable repair guy and got it rebuilt for $60, and he checked everything out, installed new brushes, etc.
Several years ago, I upgraded it by swapping out the stock fence for a Beisemeyer. Love it! Swapped out the right side extension for a homemade router table. I have NO complaints.
Granted, I don't rip 2" thick hard maple all day. With good sharp blades, Freud thin curf rip blades, it works for me. I'm what you might call a weekend woodworker for the most part.
Just my thoughts,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
Kidderville, NH
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Yep, my next step is the repair shop - if I can get a basic saw for $100 I would be happy.
You're not that far from me - where was the repair shop?
Edited 1/30/2007 6:03 pm ET by RickD
The shop is in Conway if I remember correctly. The man is a police officer there, but I don't recall his name. I looked through my files for the repair slip but no luck. I'm sure if you call the Conway P.D., they could/would direct you to him.
He did a nice job and a lot of people in the area recommended him.
Just replace the stamped steel wings with some good solid/flat wood replacements, and at some point, replace the fence. I couldn't do anything even approaching accurate ripping with the stock fence that came with mine. Depending on what kinds of projects you anticipate, you might want to consider building an outfeed table as well.
Be aware, as you most likely know already, this is not a Powermatic! But with a little tinkering and not a lot of money, it can be made quite serviceable. As I said before, mine is approaching 30 years young!
Wish I could help you more,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
Kidderville, NH
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Hey, wait a minute.
We don't have a clue as to what Rick anticipates using the saw for, what projects he has in mind, etc, etc. The saw is by no means a Powermatic 66 or a Unisaw, but he may not need one of these.
From what he says, it sounds like he's trying to get his TS workiing without spending a lot of money, and I sense a desire to use it. Hits crapulence may not turn into oppulence but there's a lot of room in between!
For what it's worth, my first TS was the exact same model that he has and I'm still using it today, nearly 30 years later. Just got a 40+ year old Dunlap lathe running and some 50+ lathe chisels sharpened. Never turned a thing, but I'm learning and having a ball!
As many in Knots have said about other older tools; their current equivalents are basically JUNK!
I'm not suggesting that I'm going to put my next project on the Gallery, but you never know...... It is a goal that I have.
Best Regards,
P.S. As for a boat anchor, I don't need one for my '76 Glastron 18' 7" Deep V Bow Rider, Volvo Penta 170 HP I/O. I'm thinking of replacing all the wood trim........
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
Kidderville, NH
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Edited 1/30/2007 8:57 pm ET by KiddervilleAcres
Bob & Rick,The saw is not the piece of junk that most people call it. Mine worked accurately when I sold it. Bob's works. I used a Ryobi BT3000 for over 10 years; same story. In fact, if you want something versatile for a small price, find a Ryobi BT3000 or its successor. Stamped metal wings are not fancy either, but they do their job. Rick might learn a lesson: don't buy something that doesn't work if you aren't absolutely certain what it takes to fix it economically. His current problem is to determine whether to make any further investment in the tool. I wish him the best of luck in what may be an adventure in learning & woodworking.Cadiddlehopper
With all the advice (all of it good, by the way) I have gotten through this one post I figure I have already gotten my $20 worth out of the saw :)
"The saw is not the piece of junk that most people call it"..... C-Hopper.
"I used a Ryobi BT3000 for over 10 years; same story. In fact, if you want something versatile for a small price, find a Ryobi BT3000".. CH
Nice call, CH. I picked up a BT3000 the the owner had literally worn out 5 years ago in a driveway sale for $125. I use it strictly for ripping up to 2" at this point (I have SCMS with extensions for cross-cut) after doing some modifications that included fabricating a bracket to mount a 2 HP motor.
Still going strong after over 30,000 linear feet of ripping, saddled up with CMT or Freud 24 tooth blades. I would love a Felder (forget it) or even a PM 2000 (more in my price range) with a riving knife and I would add a crown guard to the riving knife. Add a Euro "short fence" and you're ready to "rip" for years. But.....................
For what some consider "junk", I have a riving knife.. added a crown guard and Euro short fence built from left-over scrap in my shop and saved myself at least $2000. It ain't prime rib and caviar for the un-limited budget, but "beans and tatters" can deliver the same nutrition with a little imagination. ha.. ha...
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Thanks Bob - I have one local shop here that I will give a try.
As you suspect, at heart I am just a cheap old Yankee with a $20 table saw :)
If I have to buy a new motor, it's still half the price of new one.
Rick, I saw the 34-000 and the comment on tubular fence rails and thought cabinate saw but if it's direct drive, tin case, bench top or cheapo leg set, ya just got an anchor for a small boat. Sorry to mislead. Pat
Why not call around to the electric motor rebuilders? They're all over the country and one has to be near you. Call a cabinet shop or lumber yard to find out who they use.
Hello Rick,
As a former owner of a 36-600, heres what I have found.
The motor is not going to last much longer than the warrenty.
Replacement motors from delta are way overpriced.
Replacement motors can be had on ebay fairly reasonably (but won't last any longer).
If you realy like the fence, and are as cheap, I mean as thrifty as myself,
there is always older contractor saws floating around with no side tables or fence on ebay or garage sales. Yuo can build a cabinet with side wings and an outfeed table for the price of a couple sheets of plywood.
Get alink belt and a good blade and your all set for 20 years.
BTW, you did blow out the motor with compressed air, right?
You're not an idiot. Buying old machines is always something of a game of chance, and the odds get a lot lower when you're not familiar with the machine you're buying.
The 34-670 was a budget machine with a universal motor. It's little more than a circular saw turned upside down. 20 bucks would be a decent buy for a working one, but it's not worth a lot more than that.
Now the bright side: you have nothing to lose, so it's time to open it up! The worst you can get is a pile of parts and some valuable experience. If you're lucky, you'll get it running long enough to acquire the next one, then sell this one for 20 bucks.
Check out the exploded view at:
http://www.acetoolrepair.com/DeltaHtml/TableSaws/CS4P1.htm
It's possible the motor isn't getting power due to a bad switch or connection. See if the shaft turns freely. This machine has a belt drive in it, and it's possible that's damaged. It may be that you only need a small part, though it's quite possible that an expensive part is toast also. This is a good no-risk practice machine for pulling and replacing bearings too.
You may find $20 was an education bargain.
Pete
Edited 2/1/2007 9:23 pm ET by PeteBradley
Thanks for the link - I was able to finally find a motor shop not too far away, and they claim that they can get the motor going for not much money, so we'll see.
As I said, for what I will use it for if I am out less than $100 to get it running it's worth it.
Frankly, in the low end price range, is there anything worthwhile? The cheapest Delta that's not direct drive is about $600 - I have to think this thing is better than anything else I could get for less than that.
Edited 2/1/2007 10:16 pm ET by RickD
If "not much money" is another $20, it's in the ballpark. Otherwise I'd concur with the advise to surf craigslist for a more solid starting point. Low-end table saws come up regularly. Your mileage may vary.Pete
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