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#1 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
 

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#2 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
Know what you mean, I have a similar one I rescued and have been using for several years now. They are
great little machines.
 

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#3 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
After the nice job you did with the radial arm saw, I should think that this will come looking pretty darn good
 

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#4 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
Here is the serial number list from owwm. It will give you the manufacture date. http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/DeltaSerialNumbers.ashx
 

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#5 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
I think you have the same model at I do - delta 37-207.

Andrew
 

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#6 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
Cold out there today, so I'm making occasional forays to go out and grind away… and as always, amazed at the feedback and support on this site… Every time I come in, there's more useful comments! Thanks, guys.

@MedicKen, unfortunately it doesn't have any serial numbers. Every label and plate seems to have been lost long ago. The parts are stamped with parts numbers, so that's something. There was something on the front of the base, deeply obscured by corrosion, that I saw only in the very moment I ground it off. It looked like a label, maybe a paper one since it came off almost instantly. Found only one photo of a Delta grinder that seemed to have the same label (from another LJ's post about restoring an old Delta) (Mine looks like it might be the fourth down on ToddJB's response).

Another clue: it did come with a base that seemed to accommodate another tool (and a motor with a pulley on each side, reinforcing that impression. Seems that Delta used to sell a combo table-saw/jointer package, all on the same stand. Warming up now, I'll be looking into it next time I come in from the cold…

After spending most of the day yesterday grinding away, though, I gotta say I'm less concerned with determining its exact vintage and more concerned with finding an easier way to do this! Stuck with a wirebrush on my powerdrill and a borrowed dremel for now… if I stick with this tool-restoration thing I think I'll have to bite the bullet and buy an angle grinder, or maybe a die grinder, PDQ.
 

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#7 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
I used my 5" orbital sander with some PB blaster/WD40 or the likes and took my time that way. I also used a wire wheel on my angle grinder a lot (mostly on the base and non level surfaces) but be careful as you can easily run cast iron down and no longer be level.

Check out this craigslist link in my area. Kind of looks like yours.

Wood Motor vehicle Gas Machine tool Machine

Machine tool Gas Milling Bumper Toolroom
 

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#8 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
Well… it warmed up, here in VT, so I ended up spending the whole day in the shop, grinding away. Gotta look into solvents: maybe I'll start a "solvent of your dreams" forum post.

Anyway, I managed to get nearly the whole thing ground down, taped up, and I just applied the primer. Gonna drop all the little bits in a little bit of rust remover that I have lying around. The beds could use a little bit more shine, and I'm gonna see if mineral spirits will help there, but if it doesn't that's fine: they're flat, that's all that really matters.

Asked the wife to pick up some wax from the hardware store, but the guy there sent her home with some teflon spray for the beds and other unpainted parts. Anybody have any experience with this stuff? Will it really do the job?
 

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#9 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
I've heard of T9 Boeshield or something like that and I hear great things about it but I've never used it. I really like good old Johnsons Paste Wax in a yellow tin can.

More pictures!
 

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#10 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
@Andrew: darned close, but not exactly: a couple of (basically cosmetic) differences in mine. Wouldn't even see them, though, if you didn't take the thing apart.

@GlennsGrandson: Got a real bad camera on my phone, no flash, that's it, but tomorrow I'll get it all out in daylight and document my progress. I'd say I'm 90% done on everything but the spindle and the blades. If tomorrow's as productive as today, might even be closing in on finishing!
 

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#11 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
This looks like a perfect candidate for an electrolysis job. If you are not familiar with it just google it. It will do a fantastic job at removing the rust and leaving the patina of the old cast iron. All that is required is a 12V power source, like an OLD battery charger, some washing soda, water a sacrificial anode, NOT stainless steel, and some patience.

If you use the above method make sure NO aluminum, pot metal, brass etc make it into the tank. If they do, they wont be there when you are done
 

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#12 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
Feral,
Sounds like you are plugging away and making great progress. Gotta love it when the temps rise above freezing!!!

I've heard bad things about teflon spray and finishes not getting along and playing nice together. Stick with paste wax on any surface that MIGHT contact a project piece.

Yep, pictures are required!!!
 

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#13 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
Oh, man… @MedicKen, I only wish I'd heard about electrolysis before grinding all that rust away! Looks crazy dangerous, so I'm gonna spend some time researching the matter, but I guarantee you, before long, there will be an electrolysis vat in (to be wheeled outside while under power) the shop. Been blown up once or twice before, and don't really relish it happening again.

I've been tearing right along, but sorry I keep forgetting pictures. I've got it all torn down, cleaned, brushed up here and there where necessary with a file. The main pieces are taped off and painted-and taking forever to dry. Wondering now if I might regret my choice of paint, tonight I've been reading that automotive paint might have been a better fit. It's also a pretty… blue blue. But we learn as we go, no regrets, forging onwards! And it seems like this jointer wasn't exactly "preserved" through the years, but ridden hard. It doesn't want to be dressed up pretty: it wouldn't know what to do if it was.

I keep stumbling across these articles trying to split hairs on the use of the term "restoration," which is weird, thought I'd left that kind of thing behind when I stopped reading philosophy.

Bought the right wrench to remove the blades, and got started wiping everything down. The bearings need no finagling, which is a relief. Everything with the spindle seems groovy: just got to get the rust off. Only a little light rusting on the spindle and one of the blades, doesn't look like it should pose any problems.

All that will remain, Shop Gnomes willing, will be reassembling the jointer, setting the blades, and taking a cut! Not gonna hassle with polishing the beds up any more than I need to, for now: don't want to risk doing any damage with hand work, not until I know what I'm doing in any case.

And if I don't remember to take any "during" pics, I guarantee you I'll take a few when I'm done!
 

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#14 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
Took some pics today… paint seems to be taking forever to cure… grr… only one pic came out OK, unfortunately. Looks like I'm going to have to do a little paint removal here and there, shouldn't be much of a problem. Picked up a can of Johnson's Paste Wax for when I untape the beds.

Wood Communication Device Gadget Everyday carry Hardwood


Also got a few other things lined up for the next couple of days. Hadn't been thinking much of hand tools until I ran across a few real nice restore jobs here on the site.

Wood Hand tool Guitar accessory Tool Font
 

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#15 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
Is that blue the final color or just a primer? If that's final I'm curious as to what made you pick that color.
 

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#16 ·
Delta Jointer circa ???

Wood Hardwood Gas Machine Flooring


We were over at my mom's place the other night, and the guy she's been shacked up with for the last twenty years (they refuse to get married, but they're lifers) offered me his old delta 6" jointer out of the attic of his shop. Needs a little cleaning, as you can see, but he told me it worked just fine. Well… my new-found tool-restoration enthusiasm got the better of me, and I had the thing in dissected not long after taking this photo (without ever taking a cut!). In setting up my shop, I've had to make do with a bunch of old, beat-up, rusty equipment, all of which needed serious love to be brought back into service, and somewhere along the way it ceased being a hassle, a means to an end, and became an end unto itself.

Looking over that jointer when I got it home last night… I don't know. I had a moment. Felt like a homecoming.
haha, yeah, let's just call that color a learning experience.
 

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