Delta 18-36 Drum Sander...What!!! Part not Available!!!

[Jim Tabor]

I have a Delta 18-36 drum sander model 31-250 (uses the same parts as 31-252, 31-252, 31-255X, and 31-260X). The Gearshaft Assembly PN 406-13-406-0001 which raises or lowers the table and is nothing more than a steel rod with a plastic gear on one end and the elevation wheel on the other, has some broken teeth and needs replacing. As it turns out, this an obsolete part that is no longer available, and there is no replacement.
How is it possible that a sander which is still being sold with a plastic gear does not have a replacement part?
At my age I don’t get upset at much of anything but I have to say that anyone who would buy a Delta product needs their head examined. In fact. I have a Unisaw for sale and I have to say that I think a person would be crazy to buy it.
It's hard to believe that you could buy a new Delta 31-260X today, strip the plastic gear tomorrow, and it would become a $1100 piece of junk.
Okay, I have calmed down a little, so, does anyone have a spare gearshaft assembly lying around? Or an idea on how to repair this thing?

[Kevin Bourque]

I have a Delta 13" thickness planer. They no longer make the knife setting jig or the wrench to remove the knives.

[Jeff Strebel]

Sorry for your dilemma! Perhaps a local machine shop could fab you up a gear??

[Chris Padilla]

How did you determine that this part is no longer available or obsolete? Delta?

I did some quick online searching for the part number and one place shows the plastic gear as obsolete.

However, it does show the whole gear assembly, which includes the steel rod and plastic gear and roll pin but it has a note next to it saying "available in 30 days".

I clipped a pic of the relevant section of the web site and attached it.

The site is toolpartsdirect.com

[Matt Meiser]

30 days....then another 30 days...then months...then a year.

[Jim Andrew]

Grizzly machines are just looking better and better.

[Ryan Baker]

That's disappointing, and seems to be getting all too common with Delta parts these days. I have one of those machines too. I remember there being a thread here on the Creek years ago fromsomeone who had rebuilt their mechanism with metal gears and a chain to replace the rubber cog belt. The point being that you may be able to find some suitable replacement gears to rig in instead. I don't think there were a lot of details in that thread, but you might be able to dig it up with a little searching. Can't remember who it was that did the work. I wonder if it might have been George Wilson.

[Gene E Miller]

Greetings & Salutations: Have you looked at "ereplacementparts.com" I have found a lot of parts for many things on that site. From appliances to yard equipment to woodworking machines. Just a thought hope it helps.

[Cary Falk]

It is sad that Delta has come to this. I have sold off all of my delta tools and mostly have Grizzly now.

[Phil Thien]

Grizzly machines are just looking better and better.

Speaking of that... Some of the Grizzly machines look like they come from the same factory as the Delta.

That Delta looks remarkably similar to a Grizzly GO458.

Page for the GO458:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/18-1...m-Sander/G0458

Parts for the GO458:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/g0458/parts

Maybe the OP could come at it from that angle?

[Doug Ladendorf]

To Phil's point I think it's a Delta issue and parts may be available from another vendor. I replaced a switch on my Delta lathe with one from Grizzly. Sad that they seem to be evaporating before our eyes. Whomever owns the brand now seems to be completely clueless. Perhaps Baileigh senses the opening...

[Jim Falsetti]

Jim - I own the Delta 18-36 drum sander, and that gear has failed (only twice so far). You have discovered an unhappy truth - that part is not available; no supplier has one and Delta is not going to make any more. I hope you did not buy the machine recently, or buy it new.

The last time the gear failed, we called Delta and a bunch of other suppliers - no one has the part. Eventually, I called Delta, they gave me the drawings of the gear, and I purchased a replacement plastic miter gear from Boston Gear. Then I had a local machinist install it on the end of the shaft. Have not installed the assembly in the sander yet, but pretty sure it will work.

PM me with your email address and I will send you the drawings of the gear that Delta gave me.

Good luck.

Jim

[Chris Padilla]

Jim,

I have this sander as well...I'll PM you, too. Mine is fine but now that I KNOW I can't replace this part, it'll break tomorrow.

[Curt Harms]

Jim,

I have this sander as well...I'll PM you, too. Mine is fine but now that I KNOW I can't replace this part, it'll break tomorrow.

You have that kind of luck too, huh? It was good of someone at what remains of Delta to send the drawing.

[Jim Tabor]

Guys, thanks for the words of support. I have checked with everyone I can think of for a part and no luck so far. I have also looked at the parts diagram for the Grizzly 18-36 and it would appear their parts for the table elevation is a metal worm gear, cogs and a chain.
Ryan, these may be the parts you’re referring too.
At this point I’m not sure what’s the best thing to do. My first thought is to dump the Delta and get something better.
I do know that the word should go out to all woodworkers that you can buy a new Delta sander and it will have at least one obsolete part that can’t be replaced and if it fails, will render the sander useless. And if dealers that sell Delta equipment care about their customers, they would immediately stop selling it. At the very least, all new Delta 31-260X sanders in stores should have warning labels that say:
Warning!
If the table elevation gear fails,
It cannot be repaired or replaced. You
should consider this machine expendable
Purchase at your own risk!