Delta 10" contractor saw questions

[Dustin Crawford]

Hey guys, I got cleaning and inspecting my new (used) saw last night and have a bunch of questions.

1. What is the wing nut thing inside the blade adjuster wheels for?

2. Is there a riving knife offered (or has someone made one) for this machine?

3. This thing is bone dry (maybe that's normal?). What do I lube the adjusters and slider mechanisms with? Heavy Grease? Anti Seize? ....

4. I noticed most things on this machine dont have lock washers. Is that normal? Seems like everything would just vibrate loose....

5. Is there a way to polish the clear hairline indicator? Mine is pretty cloudy. (I am picturing the headlight polishing kit lol)

6. Normally I go through a machine and tighten it up/ readjust everything. I noticed there was a lot of slop in each blade adjustment wheel. Meaning you turn them one way, then stop and go the other way and it will take almost a full turn to start to move the blade. I would normally just tighten this up. I figured I'd ask first if there was a reason that this slop was built in or if they are all that way to resist vibrations moving the blade etc?

THANK YOU FOR THE HELP!!

DC

[scott spencer]

A specific model number would be helpful (so would a pic).

[glenn bradley]

Best guess based on limited information; I'm assuming a belt driven saw with table mounted trunnions:

1. What is the wing nut thing inside the blade adjuster wheels for?
- Locks the setting so the handwheels don't wander during use.

2. Is there a riving knife offered (or has someone made one) for this machine?
- No.

3. This thing is bone dry (maybe that's normal?). What do I lube the adjusters and slider mechanisms with? Heavy Grease? Anti Seize? ....
- I use white lithium grease or a dry spray lube like teflon.

4. I noticed most things on this machine dont have lock washers. Is that normal? Seems like everything would just vibrate loose....
- Not sure what locations you mean. Probably just inexpensive or novice assembly(?).

5. Is there a way to polish the clear hairline indicator? Mine is pretty cloudy. (I am picturing the headlight polishing kit lol)
- Probably easier to just rig a replacement.

6. Normally I go through a machine and tighten it up/ readjust everything. I noticed there was a lot of slop in each blade adjustment wheel. Meaning you turn them one way, then stop and go the other way and it will take almost a full turn to start to move the blade. I would normally just tighten this up. I figured I'd ask first if there was a reason that this slop was built in or if they are all that way to resist vibrations moving the blade etc?
- Some contractor format saws have eccentrics to remove backlash. Do you have a manual? If it is not mentioned then, probably not but, even my $100 used C-man saw had them.

Congrats on the new/used saw and enjoy!

[Dustin Crawford]

This is not my saw, but is my saw exactly.

[Jim Falsetti]

Be sure the trunnions are aligned properly per the Delta advice before you try and align the saw blade to the fence.

Jim

[Jerry Miner]

Glenn's advice is excellent. I would add this:

4. I noticed most things on this machine dont have lock washers. Is that normal? Seems like everything would just vibrate loose....

Don't sweat the lock washers. Engineering tests (look up Junkers) have shown that the typical split-ring lockwashers actually increase the rate of nut loosening.

5. Is there a way to polish the clear hairline indicator?

If you have a felt wheel on a grinder, you can polish it, but probably easier to replace it or rig up your own.

[Floyd Mah]

2. Is there a riving knife offered (or has someone made one) for this machine?
- No.

I did make a riving knife for the Delta model 10 and posted this a few years ago. Read the post if you want to make one yourself. I tried to keep the parts count low as well as the cost (less than $50). I did turn a small pulley myself, but you can probably find the same thing at a parts supplier. It's not for everyone, but I wanted to take up a challenge which was that there was no way to design or install a real riving knife on the model 10. I've seen some solutions that seem similar to a riving knife, but they vary in their direction when the blade height is adjusted. In operation, my design maintains a constant height relative to the center of the arbor, the blade to riving knife distance varies slightly during usage (about 1/4") and it stays parallel to the plane of the blade even when the blade is tilted. I use the saw for doing small projects around the house and the riving knife has worked well the last several years. If I were to make it more heavy duty, I would make the follower on the arbor out of heavier metal, but otherwise, everything else works fine. Possibly a light spring might be attached between the parts of the linear bearing to prevent any movement due to vibration during use (although not something that has been observed by me). Anyway, something to make when you have tuned up your saw.

[Rick McQuay]

Hey guys, I got cleaning and inspecting my new (used) saw last night and have a bunch of questions.
6. Normally I go through a machine and tighten it up/ readjust everything. I noticed there was a lot of slop in each blade adjustment wheel. Meaning you turn them one way, then stop and go the other way and it will take almost a full turn to start to move the blade. I would normally just tighten this up. I figured I'd ask first if there was a reason that this slop was built in or if they are all that way to resist vibrations moving the blade etc?

There is an adjustment, google "Delta contractor manual", they were pretty much all the same. I've owned one for 15 years and it's been a solid, dependable saw.

[Peter J Lee]

Flitz polishes plastic. You could use either their regular polish or get a headlight polishing kit and do some headlights as well.