Rockwell Delta 28-380 Band Saw opinions

[Bob Slater]

I am contemplating such a saw. Same as this one
http://billpounds.com/woodshop/bandsaw.html

Does it actually have the ability to deal with both Steel and wood? Does it have the power to do precision work and any resawing capabilities? It appears to be very robustly made. The one I am looking at is in amazing condition for it's age. Anyone used one or know of this model? Thanks in advance.

[Dewey Torres]

Bill,
Delta/Rockwell made some great stuff. Posted here is the parts list incase you buy it and find that it needs parts. The list states that the model was made for metal although ... change the blade and viola as longs as you have the motor power... And are prepared to trick it out with jigs/accessories for woodworking. I would recommend you see it run first and look for things that may cost a bundle to fix to your liking (but the pics look like it may be in good shape).

http://www.acetoolrepair.com/DeltaHtml/BS/BS2C.htm

Dewey

[Bob Slater]

The one I am looking at appears to be in fantastic shape. (Not the one in the link) It think it has seen little use.Cosmetics are in excellent shape, It just needs a wash, as it has been stored a while, It does run smooth. I tested it on a piece of aluminum and it worked well. Thanks for the reply. I'll post photos if I get it.

[Robert Conner]

Hi Bob, I have one of those, the same as the one in the photo. They are bulletproof as long as the shifting rod is not Forced in or out. Mine was not used at all for a long time so the rod was frozen and had to be taken apart and cleaned. With the exception of the lower cast iron and the Gear drive they use all the parts from the regular 14". You can even use the standard riser block for 12" re-saw. The only problem is that when they are used with Metal any chips or oil must be carefully cleaned to insure no contamination when used in Wood mode.
You can check the serial # at the OWWM site for the date and all the info on that machine.
How much is it going for?
Robert

[Bob Slater]

They want $350 for it. (is that too high?) I am tempted to buy it, as I like the aesthetics, and build and apparent condition. I would hopefully sell my 3 wheel Beaver for $150 or so on Craigslist. The only thing I think I might miss is the size might be small. Upside is my shop is getting tight. They also have a Rockwell DElta drill press that appears quite clean. They want $300 for that. I figure I could sell my Taiwanese drill press for $125 or so. The stuff is in a very junky shop, and they are expert at reading the minds of if their potential clients WAnt it. They read mine already.

I am perhaps being silly, but having tools made in North America adds to the fun of the hobby. I am a bit of a tool collector, and I bought my shop off a retiring carpenter along with the main power tools. So far , they are all made in Canada, except an old Delta Scrollsaw that is made in the US. It is a piece of art deco IMHO.

[Robert Conner]

What base is it on? Open.--Closed Cast Iron---Closed Steel?
I sold an open base W/M model in October for $400, it was in need of Tires. It was well used, but worked well until the buyer tried to jam a heavy 6x4 damp piece of wood thru, one of the tire actually came off.
I let him talk me down from the $450 I was asking, the tires were cracked), and it had a broken track in the lower pulley, the motor was a replacement 1/2HP.
Try and get him down a bit, but I would go for it at that price although it depends upon condition.
Robert

[Michael O'Sullivan]

People have told me it is a bad idea to cut wood and metal on the same saw (even one made to do so via gearing). Not only does the oil from cutting metal stick around to contaminate wood, but the metal shavings get in the tires and do bad things to them.

Is this accurate?

[Bob Slater]

People have told me it is a bad idea to cut wood and metal on the same saw (even one made to do so via gearing). Not only does the oil from cutting metal stick around to contaminate wood, but the metal shavings get in the tires and do bad things to them.

Is this accurate?

I hope it can be alleviated. I do only have so much to spend on equipment , and space is a big issue. My goal for the shop is to be able to do anything I can think of, so a multi use tool could come in handy. If it is good at neither however, then I would be wise to avoid it.

[Bob Slater]

What base is it on? Open.--Closed Cast Iron---Closed Steel?
I sold an open base W/M model in October for $400, it was in need of Tires. It was well used, but worked well until the buyer tried to jam a heavy 6x4 damp piece of wood thru, one of the tire actually came off.
I let him talk me down from the $450 I was asking, the tires were cracked), and it had a broken track in the lower pulley, the motor was a replacement 1/2HP.
Try and get him down a bit, but I would go for it at that price although it depends upon condition.
Robert

It is not on the same base as the one in the photo. The belt section is covered by a cast or heavy stamped cover ( I forget). The front cover was also of very heavy construction. The motor sat on it's own underneath. It had a rod to turn it on and off. Thanks for the pricing tips. I will try to knock him down, but if it is in good shape and I want it, then the $50 -75 the guy might be willing to drop will not make much difference. It seems to me the chinese ones that have any capacity start at a much higher price plus 15% tax.

[Robert Conner]

That sounds like a Cast Iron Base Model. They are really coveted, kinda Art Deco looking. At that price I would Grab It!
Those Saws are Very Good for Wood they work the same as the standard American made Deltas of the past. They are also Very Good for metal since they rely upon Gearing for speed reduction as well as the Multi Speed Pulleys.
All the Cast Iron Band Saws are copied from that design. The newer Deltas do not have the same Quality Castings as that one does. I believe the last version of that W/M model sold for about $1800 not that many years ago, with a steel base. The CI Base is worth more then the price you are paying for the Saw to some.
It is true that you have to be careful with contamination from the chips and oil, if you are not it will cause a problem. Since you have to change the blade for wood or metal, that is when you clean it, not a major problem.
This is all IMHO.
Check that site I mentioned there are photos of these models.
Robert

[josh bjork]

I just bought that saw. The cast iron base must be awesome compared to the sheet metal one. The sheet metal one has problems. The only thing I'm annoyed with is replacing the step pulley on the motor. The larger one is still available but no direct replacement for the smaller one that I can find. It is just an annoyance I guess but the rest of the saw seems quite stout. They still make the same saw. There is some info at owwm, about 1/2 of it on making the gearbox shift and 1/2 searching for pulleys.

[Bob Slater]

That sounds like a Cast Iron Base Model. They are really coveted, kinda Art Deco looking. At that price I would Grab It!
Those Saws are Very Good for Wood they work the same as the standard American made Deltas of the past. They are also Very Good for metal since they rely upon Gearing for speed reduction as well as the Multi Speed Pulleys.
All the Cast Iron Band Saws are copied from that design. The newer Deltas do not have the same Quality Castings as that one does. I believe the last version of that W/M model sold for about $1800 not that many years ago, with a steel base. The CI Base is worth more then the price you are paying for the Saw to some.
It is true that you have to be careful with contamination from the chips and oil, if you are not it will cause a problem. Since you have to change the blade for wood or metal, that is when you clean it, not a major problem.
This is all IMHO.
Check that site I mentioned there are photos of these models.
Robert

I went to the site and saw the art deco base you mentioned. It is not that one unfortunately. I will go have a second look at the saw this afternoon, try a little haggling and most likely buy it if they won't budge. Sounds like the machine I am looking for. Thanks for all the advice.

[Bob Slater]

I just bought that saw. The cast iron base must be awesome compared to the sheet metal one. The sheet metal one has problems. The only thing I'm annoyed with is replacing the step pulley on the motor. The larger one is still available but no direct replacement for the smaller one that I can find. It is just an annoyance I guess but the rest of the saw seems quite stout. They still make the same saw. There is some info at owwm, about 1/2 of it on making the gearbox shift and 1/2 searching for pulleys.

Well, I just bought it and will pick it up on Tuesday. I wish it had a cast base as well. The main thing I am happy about is it appears to have low miles and very nice original paint. Also bought the Delta drill Press. I put a dial indicator on it and measured basically zero runout on it. It seems to be in excellent condition. My Taiwanese drill press and Beaver BAnd Saw will be going up on Craigslist.

[Bob Slater]

I picked up the saw today. It appears to be in really good shape. Most of the paint is in excellent original condition. The wooden blade guard must also be original. . One thing that appears to be an issue is it is stuck in slow metal speed. I have played with the knob to disengage the transmission, but so far no luck. Anybody have any tips? Also what weight gearbox oil are you running? I think I should renew it. Anyway it is a real beauty to look at. The original light is in near perfect condition. The motor looks beautiful. I am enjoying just looking at it. There is some rust on the table. I was going to clean it up with steel wool and WD 40 or maybe some 400 grit emory? Any suggestions on bringing the table back to life. I will post photos if anyone is curious.