Delta revamp

[Dennis Mattiza]

Recently finished stripping my fried electronics from my old Delta DL 40. I replaced it with a KBMD dc motor controller. After tuning the trim pots a bit, it is running great. Feels good to have it back in use. It’s funny , I was a cabinet maker for 42 years and never owned a lathe. After 9 years of owning this lathe, being without it made my shop seem so incomplete. I just finished turning two fungo bats for my sons 8u girls softball team. Lathe worked flawlessly. I now have an oak log I cut down from my property chucked up, nicely spalted but I’m afraid it might just be too punky . But I’m going to give it my best shot, anyway.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Nice job on the rehab. Looks like a new one and guess it works like one also.

 

[Dennis Mattiza]

Thanks Gerald, I appreciate that.

 

[David Shumaker]

Recently finished stripping my fried electronics from my old Delta DL 40. I replaced it with a KBMD dc motor controller. After tuning the trim pots a bit, it is running great. Feels good to have it back in use. It’s funny , I was a cabinet maker for 42 years and never owned a lathe. After 9 years of owning this lathe, being without it made my shop seem so incomplete. I just finished turning two fungo bats for my sons 8u girls softball team. Lathe worked flawlessly. I now have an oak log I cut down from my property chucked up, nicely spalted but I’m afraid it might just be too punky . But I’m going to give it my best shot, anyway.

I had that lathe for a number of years. It was a pleasure to use. My friend Roger has it now and has just given it a good mechanical restoration. What size is your motor pulley? When I owned the lathe I purchased the jackshaft but never did get the correct motor pulley. Nice restoration by the way!

 

[Dennis Mattiza]

David, thank you for your kind remarks. And you are correct, it is a pleasure to use. I know there are so many much nicer and outfitted new lathes out there. But this one with its’ 8” over bed capacity and 24” outboard has done everything I have asked of it. But I am also partial to this one because we are both alike. Both being long in the tooth! And the majority of my larger tools are Delta and Rockwell and actually made a big portion of my living for me. In regards to your question, the pulley on the motor is 5”, the step pulley directly above it is 5” and 7”, the one at the top is also 5”. Another plus, I guess you could say I had an inside straight because I got it at an auction about 10 years ago for $1.00. Curious what lathe you have now.?

 

[David Shumaker]

David, thank you for your kind remarks. And you are correct, it is a pleasure to use. I know there are so many much nicer and outfitted new lathes out there. But this one with its’ 8” over bed capacity and 24” outboard has done everything I have asked of it. But I am also partial to this one because we are both alike. Both being long in the tooth! And the majority of my larger tools are Delta and Rockwell and actually made a big portion of my living for me. In regards to your question, the pulley on the motor is 5”, the step pulley directly above it is 5” and 7”, the one at the top is also 5”. Another plus, I guess you could say I had an inside straight because I got it at an auction about 10 years ago for $1.00. Curious what lathe you have now.?

$1.00?!! What a crazy good deal! Far better than what I paid for mine. It was originally without a jackshaft but the big auction site helped me with that. I think the spindle pulley on mine was different. Perhaps because it was set up differently?
I'm turning on a Vicmarc VL300 now. It's far more lathe than my modest skills can use. Hopefully I grow into it and in skills as a turner. I've also got a Stubby that is currently being restored. It suffered some storage rust. Thankfully it's cleaning up nicely.

My friend has my old lathe now and I ook forward to using it soon. Call me crazy but I did love that machine!