Looking for an old time Delta serviceman

[Commodore]

A million years ago when I got my table saw I was having trouble with the set up and Delta sent me a specialist that had been working on these machines forever. Now I find myself in need of someone like him for an OLD Rockwell-Delta wood lathe. This thing is from the 1950-1960 era so no one working at Delta is likely to have a clue. So I am trying to crowdsource a contact for a retiree who used to do this for a living an might perk up at revisiting the glory days with me.

Dave

 

[chris_goris]

@bob vaughan is probably the guy here

 

[HMH]

OWWM.org is your best resource here. Most parts manuals are available for free download, and the forums are a great place to search and/or ask questions. There is also a great classified section for old/ otherwise obsolete parts.

A lot of us fans of old tools find these old machines and rebuild/ restore them for our use. My shop is pretty much exclusively old American cast-iron equipment from the '40'-50's. You honestly cant match the quality on most machines w/ modern equivalents, and the technology behind the tools we all use regularly for woodworking, (w/ the exception of the SawStop braking tech) hasn't changed in 100+ years. Its generally as simple as a motor turning a spindle. Replacing bearings is about as complex as it gets unless a part is actually broken, and then it's just a matter of sourcing a replacement part, or having a local machinist fab what you need, (fortunately I've never had to go down that road - knock on wood), but pick my "restoration candidates" carefully.

Take a look at OWWM, and give it a shot!

 

[Mike Davis]

I rebuilt a Rockwell-Delta lathe for my son a couple years ago and maintain a couple other old lathes.
What is the problem and where are you located?

 

[Commodore]

Mike,

I am in Pittsboro near Chapel Hill. The top belt is chewed up and needs rel=placing so I figured I would look at over hauling everything on the top end. I will get some photos later today to explain where I am at with the project.

 

[Roy G]

Mike,

I am in Pittsboro near Chapel Hill. The top belt is chewed up and needs rel=placing so I figured I would look at over hauling everything on the top end. I will get some photos later today to explain where I am at with the project.

When I had a Delta lathe, it didn't have a belt and back then I didn't want to replace the bearings. I got a segmented belt that saved me having to remove the spindle and it worked fine all the time I had it.

Roy G

 

[Commodore]

Roy,

I was considering the segmented belt too, someone waved off on that for this machine (not entirely sure why).

Dave

 

[HMH]

I wouldn't hesitate to use a link-belt on a lathe, or any other machine, as long as it was the correct profile/with to fit the pulley grooves. Delta lathes just take standard V-belts, so there should be no issue there at all.

 

[bob vaughan]

Which 1950-1960 Delta lathe do you have? Back then they made several vastly different styles.

The serial number will be useless but sometimes there's a model number tag.

 

[Commodore]

That detail appears to be buried at the moment. I have to dig the machine out of it's hole to see if the tag is on the back.

 

[Commodore]

Well I crawled around looking for an id tag and either it is gone or it is on the part of the machine that I can't get to at the moment. Based on a brochure I saw I figure this is near the 1956 mark. Any help identifying the machine or details on where the model number plate should be would be much appreciated. Attached are photos of the machine (excuse the mess on top), the tags I see, and the belt that is chewed up. IMG_9413 shows the hole into the motor compartment where there was some kind of foot pedal break or tensioner at one point, I disconnected the linkage and stored it inside (it wasn't connected to anything). I am also curious if anyone has a preferred brand of link belt that they would suggest for this application? Extra points if it is on Amazon.

 

[HMH]

Good morning! Nice lathe, that is a Delta 46-450, (or similar). Parts list/ assembly is here: Delta Specialty/Delta Mfg. Co./Delta-Rockwell/Rockwell Intl. - Publication Reprints - 46-450 12” HEAVY DUTY VARIABLE SPEED WOOD LATHE WL-3D | VintageMachinery.org

It is a reeves drive machine.

A quick google search didn't turn up any immediately obvious manual for download, but I'd recommend hopping on your favorite search engine, or calling Delta directly to see if you can get your hands on the owners manual, that would certainly cover belt changing/ replacement, (assuming noting is broken otherwise).

 

[bob vaughan]

Actually it is a 46-411. The 46-450 is a later model but looks the same. The VS mechanisms were different.

 

[bob vaughan]

Heath is right. The model 46-450 will get the best results on a search. The Delta machine catalog number index shows that the parts illustration for a 46-411 is WL-3B. WL-3B is titled 46-450. Delta paperwork is funny like that sometimes.
The belt lengths are in that parts illustration.
Back in my youth when I had working knees, I used to change those belts quite often.
At the time that lathe was made, it was top of the line. These days, you can get a better lathe for $6000.00 or more.

 

[Mike Davis]

Comparing the diagram and the OP photos it seems the belts may be misplaced.

NO, there are actually two versions.

 

[bob vaughan]

Later versions of that lathe had aircraft cables operating the VS pulleys and can be seen on WL-3D illustration (46-612).
People often confuse the 46-450 with the 46-612 since they look alike and both are called "Heavy Duty Variable Speed". It makes a big difference if you're working on the lathe.