1920-60s DELTA / ROCKWELL picture thread - Post your Delta!

d42jeep · Dec 30, 2025

I’ve just read through this entire thread to try to get information on the drill press I was recently gifted by my son in law. It belonged to his father and was located on a horse ranch in Pleasanton, CA that his father managed for many decades. Since his parents are moving, all of the remaining tools were up for grabs and I was unable to let that drill press possibly end up in a dumpster, although I really didn’t need it. He sent me these pictures of it.

After seeing it run briefly, I was able to unbolt it from the bench and my son in law loaded it in the back of our car. It ran quietly and I didn’t see any obvious runout and I didn’t feel any play when I grabbed the chuck.

There was no way that I could lift it to get it out of the car and GJ member Outlaw suggested some disassembly might be helpful and he was right. After removing the base, the tray and the motor it was fairly easy to pick up.

It looks to have been made in 1945 but I would welcome any more information about it.

I‘ll probably clean it up and reassemble it and use it a little before attempting any restoration.
-Don

Hoorn · Dec 30, 2025

@d42jeep nice drill press. Here are the particulars on your 1/3 HP motor. (Copy was previously crooked)

Jolomite · Dec 30, 2025

Snip's said:
Completed the assembly today...
She's ready to be put to work now...
Before

Today

Wow! He looks great.

Hoorn · Dec 30, 2025

@Jolomite that only came out amazing. Great attention to detail.

d42jeep · Dec 30, 2025

Hoorn said:
@d42jeep nice drill press. Here are the particulars on your 1/3 HP motor. (Copy was previously crooked)

Thanks.
-Don

genog · Dec 31, 2025

My dogs and I acquired this ole Rockwell/Delta 43-110 shaper a couple of months ago...

A neighbor of mine had this ole boy rusting in his driveway for months.
The dogs and I admired it each and every day as we walked by the house

So one day before a Big Rainstorm I knocked on my neighbor's door and made a deal to rescue it

It's cleaned up now
Works well......

Hoorn · Dec 31, 2025

A fantastic save! Well done brother.

Jpkimmel · Jan 10, 2026

Here are a few of my delta workhorses. I don’t recall the age of the drill press but the unisaw is a 39 and the triple duty grinder is as 37. That 3hp RI motor in the floor is out of a delta planer that unfortunately I do not have.

WillyBoy · Jan 10, 2026

Very nice JP. What's the serial number on the four footer?

Jpkimmel · Jan 10, 2026

WillyBoy said:
Very nice JP. What's the serial number on the four footer?

Serial number on the table saw? I be home tomorrow and will check on that for ya.

Hoorn · Jan 11, 2026

@Jpkimmel gorgeous four footer, I believe those were 1939 only.

Jpkimmel · Jan 11, 2026

Thank you, that’s what I thought. I’ll check and post the id tag when I the home this evening.

Jpkimmel · Jan 11, 2026

Jpkimmel said:
Thank you, that’s what I thought. I’ll check and post the id tag when I the home this evening.

Can’t seem to locate a tag on that table saw and honestly when I bought it, I don’t recall seeing it, so I’m sure it’s long gone. Where would it have been location wise?

Mintgrun · Jan 11, 2026

I found this one on VM. There's no tag, but the serial number is shown here.

1939 Delta Four Footer Unisaw - US $750.00 (Russell Township, OH) | VintageMachinery.org

Hoorn · Jan 11, 2026

@Jpkimmel Delta didn't have serial number tags in 1939, they started phasing those in during 1940. Although some of those early unisaws have a serial number on the tilt degree scale as shown by Mintgrun.

d42jeep · Jan 12, 2026

d42jeep said:
I’ve just read through this entire thread to try to get information on the drill press I was recently gifted by my son in law. It belonged to his father and was located on a horse ranch in Pleasanton, CA that his father managed for many decades. Since his parents are moving, all of the remaining tools were up for grabs and I was unable to let that drill press possibly end up in a dumpster, although I really didn’t need it. He sent me these pictures of it.
After seeing it run briefly, I was able to unbolt it from the bench and my son in law loaded it in the back of our car. It ran quietly and I didn’t see any obvious runout and I didn’t feel any play when I grabbed the chuck.
There was no way that I could lift it to get it out of the car and GJ member Outlaw suggested some disassembly might be helpful and he was right. After removing the base, the tray and the motor it was fairly easy to pick up.
It looks to have been made in 1945 but I would welcome any more information about it.
I‘ll probably clean it up and reassemble it and use it a little before attempting any restoration.
-Don

I’ve done some of the cleanup while preserving as much of the original paint as possible.

-Don

WillyBoy · Jan 12, 2026

All of the other 1939 models that I've seen have the number on the right side of the tilt scale. I've head that the earliest Unisaw serial number that's been found is A-100. That machine has the number stamped on the tilt scale.

Jpkimmel · Jan 12, 2026

WillyBoy said:
All of the other 1939 models that I've seen have the number on the right side of the tilt scale. I've head that the earliest Unisaw serial number that's been found is A-100. That machine has the number stamped on the tilt scale.

Thanks I’ll go check that out!

Jpkimmel · Jan 12, 2026

Jpkimmel said:
Thanks I’ll go check that out!

Jpkimmel · Jan 12, 2026

Found it A327. If anybody has a way to accurately date that I’d love to know.
Thanks!

Jpkimmel · Jan 12, 2026

Hoorn said:
@Jpkimmel Delta didn't have serial number tags in 1939, they started phasing those in during 1940. Although some of those early unisaws have a serial number on the tilt degree scale as shown by Mintgrun.

Thank you, I did not know that.

Jpkimmel · Jan 12, 2026

Mintgrun said:
I found this one on VM. There's no tag, but the serial number is shown here.

http://vintagemachinery.org/classifieds/detail.aspx?id=1168[/URL

http://$750 wow!!! I think I got mine and that 14” bandsaw for $250 about 10 years ago.

Jpkimmel · Jan 12, 2026

d42jeep said:
I’ve done some of the cleanup while preserving as much of the original paint as possible.
-Don

I really like that bench top model. Leaving the original patina Is such a nice look if it’s not too far gone. I’m excited to see it back together.

shoot summ · Jan 12, 2026

Jpkimmel said:
Found it A327. If anybody has a way to accurately date that I’d love to know.
Thanks!

That falls within a SN range of pics on VM that show 1939. In addition in post 1091 above Hoorn mentioned the 4 foot arrangement was 1939 only.

d42jeep · Jan 12, 2026

Jpkimmel said:
I really like that bench top model. Leaving the original patina Is such a nice look if it’s not too far gone. I’m excited to see it back together.

I carried it piece by piece into the basement today and re-assembled it in its new resting place. I’ll clean it a bit more in place and I need to install a plug.

I added the start/stop lever and a new grommet to the locating piece.

-Don

Hoorn · Jan 12, 2026

220 is such a terrific and reliable benchtop drill press. I've always had a thing for Delta's on-off switch pull handles, love that yours still has the steel guide with o-ring intact.
Should last another 85 years.

Jpkimmel · Jan 13, 2026

I really like what you did with that drill! Like Hoorn said the push pull style switch lever is awesome on the older deltas. I’d love to find a smaller bench top unit just like that.

Jpkimmel · Jan 13, 2026

shoot summ said:
That falls within a SN range of pics on VM that show 1939. In addition in post 1091 above Hoorn mentioned the 4 foot arrangement was 1939 only.

That’s what I figured but just nice to make sure. Thank you all for the information.

d42jeep · Jan 15, 2026

While going through some old pictures, I spotted this one taken at an estate sale in 2019.

-Don

jmarkwolf · Jan 20, 2026

I have a 1944 wood/metal Delta Milwaukee 14in bandsaw that I inherited from my dad, is fully functional, and I still use frequently.

I'm planning to install the means for dust/chip removal directly underneath the table insert with my shop vac but it's pretty tight under there.

Can anyone advise if it would be ill-advised to install steel "spacers" between the trunion plates and the underside of the table to make more room under there? I have the post extension, and I don't do any re-sawing so I'm not concerned with increasing the table height by a half inch or better.

I'm installing the Carter blade guides which improves available space under the table also, but I'd like more for what I have in mind.

I'm keeping all the stock parts and it could all be restored back to original condition for "subsequent" purists after I'm gone to that great shop in the sky.

Mintgrun · Jan 20, 2026

I noticed the gap at the bottom of the saw's base and made a wooden 'funnel' (attached to a piece of plywood) to help guide the dust through, with a vacuum attachment underneath. It works quite well, even with the gap around the lower cover perimeter. At one point, I also tucked a strip of foam to that gap; (the round kind used around windows and doors).

shoot summ · Jan 21, 2026

jmarkwolf said:
I have a 1944 wood/metal Delta Milwaukee 14in bandsaw that I inherited from my dad, is fully functional, and I still use frequently.

I'm planning to install the means for dust/chip removal directly underneath the table insert with my shop vac but it's pretty tight under there.

Can anyone advise if it would be ill-advised to install steel "spacers" between the trunion plates and the underside of the table to make more room under there? I have the post extension, and I don't do any re-sawing so I'm not concerned with increasing the table height by a half inch or better.

I'm installing the Carter blade guides which improves available space under the table also, but I'd like more for what I have in mind.

I'm keeping all the stock parts and it could all be restored back to original condition for "subsequent" purists after I'm gone to that great shop in the sky.

Do you have a 3d printer? There are some vac setups available to print, here is an example. Not certain of the fitment from the older machines to newer, would take some messing around to make certain one would work.

Delta 28-200 14＂ Bandsaw under table vaccuum attachment by Zeroshin | Download free STL model | Printables.com

DDOPWD23 · Jan 22, 2026

Fantastic thread, I read all 28 pages so far. I am new to Delta machines. I realize they are in their own segment of vintage machinery. As they seem to be over built with a lot of thought. I would have to say after seeing all the amazing work that goes into these, the machines themselves are just works of art. Especially those cast iron bases.

I do own some Delta machines. I always thought the tried and true 14” bandsaw was a great machine just by looks alone. It looked like it belonged in every shop. So I purchased a wood/metal one as my first purchase. Not knowing that they were not as common as just a wood cutting one. I decided to leave it as a metal cutting bandsaw since I work with both metal and wood.

I searched for another. I was able to come across this one for a decent price. The previous owner I bought it from bought it from the original owner. The only reason he was selling it was because his friend who he was going to start a business with passed away unexpectedly. Having to change his career path he decided to sell it as he would no longer need it.

It was on the rough side as it had a lot of overspray on it and looked like it had been banged up a bit but I couldn’t go wrong with $175 as I know vintage machines are starting to get expensive in my area.

I brought it home and just tuned it up since it was not cutting well. I purchased a belt guard for it and I happen to come across a Delta fence for cheap. I also bought a dust collector for it. Not sure how it works since I haven’t hooked it up yet. It will eventually get a complete restoration. I am not sure of the year but if I followed the information posted it is a 1954. Please let me know if I am wrong.

This is its current state at the moment. Please don’t just the mess of my shop. Looking to move soon so stuff is everywhere at the moment.

Hoorn · Jan 28, 2026

I was asked an excellent question via the GJ direct conversation. Regarding the delta grinder SR-242 wrench, it's size and what exactly does it tighten and untighten?

The SR-242 wrench came with the Delta grinder and shaper. It was 12-point and sized 9/16" and 7/8".

The 9/16" end was useful in tightening and untightening every tool rest nut for the perfect adjustment.

The 7/8" end was for tightening and untightening the wheel nut.

Note in this 1946 Delta grinder manual the SR-242 wrench is illustrated on both pages. These wrenches are actually tough to come by now, they are the type of thing that gets easily misplaced over 70+ years.

chargedmr2 · Jan 29, 2026

Hoorn said:
I was asked an excellent question via the GJ direct conversation. Regarding the delta grinder SR-242 wrench, it's size and what exactly does it tighten and untighten?

The SR-242 wrench came with the Delta grinder and shaper. It was 12-point and sized 9/16" and 7/8".

The 9/16" end was useful in tightening and untightening every tool rest nut for the perfect adjustment.

The 7/8" end was for tightening and untightening the wheel nut.

Note in this 1946 Delta grinder manual the SR-242 wrench is illustrated on both pages. These wrenches are actually tough to come by now, they are the type of thing that gets easily misplaced over 70+ years.

Fantastic info, thanks for sharing this. I knew the 9/16” end was for the rests, but mistakenly thought the larger 7/8” end might be for the acorn nuts that secure the Twin-Lites.

I guess the Twin-Lites, which have 3/4” acorn nuts, were not intended to be frequently moved or adjusted.

Now I know which wrench to be on the lookout for.

jmarkwolf · Feb 3, 2026

I've got a 1944 Delta Milwaukee 14in wood/metal bandsaw that I inherited from my dad along with a 15in drill press, a 12in disc sander, and a 9in radial arm saw, all vintage Delta, and all of which I still use regularly. I've already restored the drill press and disc sander and now am doing the bandsaw.

I got the idea that the modern Carter blade guide system might provide more space underneath the stock table insert for dust removal, so I purchased the kit to see. Sure enough. It's still a little tight in there but I'm going to try a different wrinkle on dust collection, and I'm hoping it will capture a majority of the dust and metal chips, allowing only a minimum to pass through the blade slot.

Some dust systems try to capture dust by cutting giant holes in the blade guards. Others attempt to collect it underneath the stock table insert.

I'm keeping all the original parts just in case, and making no permanent mods, so it could all be restored to original if need be.

I'm fabricating a PVC mockup with a hollow orifice as an integral "downtube" of the table insert with a 2.5in shop vac crevice tool "insertable" to the side of it. Don't know how well it will work but we'll see. I'm currently fitting up the PVC prototype but will ultimately fab it up from steel or possibly 3D printing if it works sufficiently. The crevice tool is from my Ridgid AXT shop vac. I'm anxious to re-assemble the bandsaw to test it.

Pics below.

Hoorn · Feb 3, 2026

Very interesting setup @jmarkwolf , well thought out.
The search never ends for the next best dust collection.

jmarkwolf · Feb 6, 2026

This isn't my bandsaw, but I have the same Delta 14in model, with the same riser. Can anyone identify the function of the boss in the circle?

I'm wondering if I can use it as a lifting point to get my bandsaw off/on it rolling base. I seem to recall the saw weighs maybe 300lbs total, and that boss looks pretty beefy.

WillyBoy · Feb 7, 2026

Same answer as posted on OWWM yesterday.
It was for an optional, three position table stop.

jmarkwolf · Feb 8, 2026

WillyBoy said:
Same answer as posted on OWWM yesterday.
It was for an optional, three position table stop.

Busted!

Yup saw that response.

I decided not to use that as a lifting point. Instead, I used the two holes in the upper casting for sneaking the retirement light cord through the casting. Plenty large enough to place a hook in and distributed the load more than adequately. Also more stable being near the top of the saw. Pics to follow.

Now to find grommets that will fit that hole in the thick casting.

1920-60s DELTA / ROCKWELL picture thread - Post your Delta!

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