In early September 2004 on a Friday afternoon of a vacation day, I paid a visit to Lowes to pick up some plumbing supplies to fix the kitchen sink. As always, I wandered over to the tool department to ogle over the wares - something made much easier now that they opened the tool department up rather than keeping it walled-in.

While in there, I saw a neglected-looking Delta contractor's saw marked at $280. I noticed that the top had some minor rusting and scratches, and the fence was broken. I wrote down the model and serial number, quickly went home and did some research. Then I fixed the sink. My priorities were, of course, in good order :-)

The tablesaw, model 36-430, turned out in the reviews to be the Lowes version of the 36-440 and 36-444. The reviews were pretty good, with the only negative comments being the occasional beef about the fence not being as good as a Biesemeyer, and the motor not being as powerful as a UniSaw. Given that it is a $700 (in 2000) contractor's saw, comments like that were to be expected.

I figured I'd sleep on it and visit Lowes again in the morning, but I thought better of it after a little bit; Saturday morning at the local Lowes or Home Depot is never fun. So with less than an hour until closing, I picked up a trusty straight-edge to check the table, and some tools for disassembly, and rushed back to Lowes to check on the saw.

When I got there, after checking the cast iron for flatness (it was as flat as I could measure) I took a much closer look, and realized that the motor was missing! I asked the nice older gentleman there if the "as is" price meant no motor. He thought the motor was in the unit, but I showed him where it would normally attach on the back of the saw. He called over another older gentleman who said "What, no motor? Put $100 on it". I then pointed out that the fence had no handle and was cracked, and that there was a handwheel missing from the side. He said to the other gentleman "Ok. put $50 on it, and make sure it says 'Frame Only'". I told him for $50, I'd take it right then!

So I ended up with basically a saw body, trunion and guts, and a cast iron table top for $50. To see what I did with that, read on.

The saw I really want is a Mini-Max 8' sliding table saw (such as the SC-4W 8' or the SC-315WS). However, In order to get one I'll need to build a larger workshop. As that isn't happening any time soon, this little saw project saved me from having to worry about it for a bit. I have a Mini-Max 16" bandsaw coming in January 2005, and I can't wait for that. In fact, that bandsaw is what drove me to get going wiring the shed workshop for 240v service. As an aside, this is the jointer/planer I intend to get before I get another saw:  MiniMax FS 350

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1. Cleanup and Inspection

Overview

I took the saw apart in the parking lot at Lowes so that I could get it in my wife's CRV (she had mine on a trip to the West Virginia/Ohio border to get some native plants from a friend. The tinted windows were necessary to keep the plants from getting toasted)

One thing I can tell you about this saw - it was really dusty. No one dusts the equipment in the tool department at Lowes. It's a shame that no one takes care of anything there, but I guess that's what is to be expected. When I want to see clean tools in a nice setting, I take a trip up to Woodcraft.

The saw included the following:

• Base with dust "ramp"
• Splitter and blade guard (typically something the owner replaces in short order)
• Standard steel saw insert
• A broken fence
• A serviceable but unfriendly miter gauge
• Two pressed-steep extension wings
• Front aluminum split fence rail
• Back steel split L-angle fence rail
• Power switch assembly
• Trunion, arbor, pulleys and related pieces
• Cast iron top
• Blade angle handwheel assembly
• Inexpensive Delta steel blade

Importantly, it was missing the following

• Motor
• Motor mount
• Motor pulley and pulley guard
• Drive belt
• Blade height handwheel assembly
• Wrenches
• Owner's Manual

The following was supplied, but broken

• Fence

All in all, I think it was worth $50, if not more. I had already made up my mind that I would probably not keep that fence, and definitely wouldn't keep the miter slider. The missing motor and belt would give me an opportunity to upgrade some items that I probably would have left alone.

I wasn't concerned about the missing wrenches or manual. The manual was easily found on Delta's web site. The wrenches happen to be the same as those used on my Delta compound miter saw.

I wasn't aware of the missing motor mount util I got home and started going through the online parts list. I had originally assumed that the motor just clipped onto the pins on the back of the saw using a mount similar to the UniSaw.

The extension wings had duct tape or some other strange tape on them. Since I hope to have a router table and regular extension table attached to the saw, I was also not concerned about the condition of those tables.

Oh, and just for proof, here's the shot with the price:

Cheap! Decent price for a half a saw. Pete Brown, September 5, 2004

Dusty Parts The base, blade guard and splitter, insert and fence. Pete Brown, September 5, 2004

Saw The top, miter gauge and one of the two extensions included. Notice the split fence rail. Pete Brown, September 5, 2004

Fence Broken fence cam and handle. Pete Brown, September 5, 2004

Dusty Blade Dust everywhere! That blade has never seen the light of day or the bite of wood. Pete Brown, September 5, 2004

Pulley and Arbor The standard two-piece split and cast arbor pulley. Pete Brown, September 5, 2004

Energy Efficient! Missing motor mount and motor. Pete Brown, September 5, 2004

Reconditioning the Top

One of the first things I worked on with this saw was the top. I hate to see a dusty, gummy, rusty cast iron top on a tool. Given the humidity of the area, any rust on it was only going to get worse, so I had to clean it up and protect it sooner rather than later.

Before The cast iron top before any work was performed on it. Notice the rust where the iron was attached to the fence and wings.Pete Brown, September 5, 2004

The top of the saw had some scratches, some rust, and a decent amount of pre-rust oxidation and grime. Luckily, the only real areas where the rust took hold were on the sides of the table and in the miter gauge slots. The scratches were from the crummy old miter gauge and the fence, neither of which ran on any type of stand-off. The miter gauge in particular had a worn spot on the bottom of the cast iron from everyone and their brother walking past the saw in the store and moving the gauge back and forth.

Nevertheless, the scratches were almost entirely cosmetic. Once I cleaned up the table and waxed it, it was very smooth. There are a two or so little nicks near the edge of the table, but nothing that would make me want to return it. hehe.

Left Side Done Note the taped-in paper used to protect the interior from the top cleaning. Pete Brown, September 5, 2004

To clean the table I started off by using the Boeshield products I have. I have found, however, that those tend to leave a bit of a stain (more like a dull spot) on the surface if you don't clean them off right away. I think the stain is from the acid in the product eating into the cast iron top. My wife said the product smells just like the grout cleaner she uses around the house - maybe it is the same stuff. In the end, I had better results by soaking the table top with WD-40 and then wet-sanding it with fine grit wet/dry sandpaper. To get into the miter slots, I used a rubber molding sander (made for sanding curves on convex routed edges), wrapped the wet/dry around that and slide it in the slot until they were free of rust. It wasn't the best solution, but it was something I had, and it worked fairly well.

Almost Done The top cleaned but not yet waxed. What an improvement! Pete Brown, September 5, 2004

Once the table was clean and dry, I applied a few coats of Johnson paste wax to the top. This helped to fill in any remaining nicks, and left the surface shiny and smooth. Once everything is assembled, I'll add another coat or two for good measure.

To protect the saw's new top, I keep a soft dry old bath towel on the top when the saw is not in use. This keeps dust off, but more importantly, also keeps the moisture from settling on it.

2. Replacement Parts

I went to the Delta Woodworking parts and owner's manuals site and found the parts list for the table saw. I looked the saw over and decided that I would need the following replacement parts:

• 1086491 - Handwheel Assembly
• 422-19-138-0003 - Knob for Handwheel
• 49-034 - Belt  (not purchased)
• 926-01-041-9366 - Motor Pulley (2 1/4" OD) including set screw (not purchased)
• 422-02-089-0005 - Motor Mounting Plate
• 34-965 - Belt & Pulley Guard including all pieces and hardware
• ?? - 120v Motor Pigtail

I quickly found out that Delta replacement parts are absolutely not cheap. I already had the wrenches I'd need (one of which came with my Delta miter saw), so I didn't bother spending another $25 on those.

I then spent several days trying to find suppliers of parts on the net. While there were many listed on the Delta site, the majority did not list or carry replacement parts. In the end, I found only two sites that sold Delta replacement parts: Ace Tool Repair and Tool Parts Direct.

Of the two, I ended up going with Ace Tool Repair as they had a better selection, and despite being located in Canada, were cheaper even with the more expensive shipping. I think the $0.77/1.00 currency conversion rate helped a bit. The people at Ace Tool Repair were also a pleasure to work with.

The parts shipped out to me around 9/17/2004 and arrived prior to the end of the month. That was actually quicker than I thought it would be.

3. Belt and Pulley Upgrade

Rather than waste $40 on the Delta cast iron motor pulley and drive v-belt, I hopped up to the semi-local Woodcraft and bought their Contractor's Saw Upgrade Kit for $54. That kit included two machined pulleys, and a nice quiet link belt. Many people upgrade their saws with these parts anyway. Since I needed the part, I decided to go with the best I could find, just as I did with the motor itself.

Picture Info Pete Brown, September 11, 2004

Picture Info Pete Brown, September 11, 2004

Price paid $54 in-store, plus tax.

4. Motor Upgrade - Baldor L3515M

Delivery

Cocoon The new motor as-delivered. The plastic caused a little of the paint to flake off. Pete Brown, September 11, 2004

I ordered the replacement motor from Amazon.com Toolcrib. Toolcrib had the best deal - the price was right to begin with, then they took $25 off for the order being over $199, then the shipping was free. The shipping is what will kill you with most other stores, considering the package weighs over 50 pounds. This is not the kind of item you're likely to find in any local stores; at least I couldn't find anyone who carried it.

A little aside on various stores. Amazon Toolcrib has been very good to me. I've shopped around a lot, and for the types of products you might get at Lowes or Home Depot, plus some of the more specialized products, they can't be beat. They certainly don't list everything, and I find myself hitting up Woodcraft (the local store in Towson), Rockler or WoodPeckers, but when they do, they generally have the best deal, especially when shipping is factored in. I ordered my Jet 12" disc sander from them a while back, and it too had free shipping. The thing must have weighed 100 pounds! Woodcraft has a decent selection, but they are almost always priced way above anyone else. They're good on sales, and for in-person browsing of the store. Rockler has a lot of specialty items, but I've found that getting things from them at a woodworking show will be the best deal by far. WoodPeckers is great for Incra items and other things a person upgrading their saw might be interested in.

If there were more woodworking stores near me, I'd definitely patronize them. Unfortunately, Woodcraft is about it. As much as I like browsing their store, and picking up items, I just can't justify the big purchases with them unless they're having a great sale. Often times I do buy things from them and pay more than I would at toolcrib because I appreciate that they have a store I can browse and get that instant gratification of the purchase.

Unwrapped The motor unwrapped. Notice the mounting hole pattern. Pete Brown, September 11, 2004

Baldor motors are recognized as being some of the best in the industry. The Baldor L3515M has the correct mounting flange, the correct arbor size and HP within the range I wanted. The stock Marathon motor originally included with the saw was 1.5HP at 115 and 2HP at 230V. The new Baldor motor is 2HP, and will also work at both voltages. I do intend to run it only at 230, however, once I get the wiring completed.

Price paid : $254, no tax or shipping.

Installation

I installed the motor on the saw on October 2, 2004. The roughest part about mounting the motor is holding it up while you try and attach the plate to the rest of the saw. The motor is pretty heavy. I found that propping it up with a 2x2 of appropriate height made things easier.

Rather than pay $1.00 to $2.00 each for the "Delta" bolts, I just went down to the local Lowes with my Delta parts sheet and paid around $0.06 each for the correct types of bolts, nuts and washers.

Installed The motor installed on the back of the saw. You can also see the new link belt and the motor pulley cover. Pete Brown, October 3, 2004

One of the difficulties with this motor comes about due to the flexible mounting holes. The motor does not automatically square to the mounting base like it would if it had simple round holes. This additional flexibility is definitely a plus, but it also makes it a bit more work to square up. Of course, you should mount the motor to the plate itself on a flat surface, not while it is attached to the saw.

Lacking any better ideas, I squared the motor to the mounting plate itself by mounting it as far back as possible. I will resquare this shortly, as I have noticed that it is not 100% correct. The stress from the belt torqued it just a bit.

One other thing I noticed is that the link belt is just couple links too long. When the blade is at mid height, the motor rests all the way down on the mounting arm so that the mounting plate is actually contacting the arm. This causes too much slack, and therefore vibration, in the belt. I'll tighten this up when I do my final squaring.

Clearance Check It is important that the saw not stick up above the table top when the arbor is at 45 degrees. There is about 3/4" clearance here. Pete Brown, October 3, 2004

A note on wiring: the motor must be wired (per instructions) in reverse due to the way it is mounted on right-tilt Delta contractor's saws. Happily, this is a very easy thing to do. It may be tempting to plug the motor in and try it with no load. From experience, I recommend not doing that. With no load at all (no belt or arbor pulley), the saw drew enough amps to put the lights out in my shed (about 20 amps) briefly while it spun up. It did not pop the breaker, however. Once I have the shop wired for 240v service and more amps this fall/winter, I'll rewire the motor. In the mean time, I'll be careful not to stress it with any difficult or long cuts.

After I mounted the motor, I checked the clearance with the top of the table. It is important that the motor not protrude above the top of the table. If it does, you will not be able to properly clear any sheet goods or wide stock when ripping or cross cutting 45% bevels. It is also important that the motor clear the fence rails. Since I do not yet have my fence in (it will arrive the week of October 4th), I could not check that.

Note that I will need to re-check the clearance once I remove the couple links from the link belt. Also note one bad thing about contractor's saws: the motor location effectively limits what types of outfeed support you can have. Any outfeed tables need to either stop short of the left of the saw, or be thin enough in at least that part of the table that they will not be hit by the motor.

5. Miter Gauge Upgrade - Kreg Precision Miter Gauge

Picture Info Pete Brown, September 11, 2004

Picture Info Pete Brown, September 11, 2004

Price paid: $135.99 plus tax at the Woodcraft bag sale (anything you could fit in their bag at least 50% was discounted 15%)

6. Fence Upgrade - Incra TSLS from Woodpeckers

The price of a new fence head from Delta is over $120 just for the basic fence that the saw was delivered with - that doesn't include the handle and other hardware. I wasn't in love with the fence to begin with, and that price made me definitely decide to write it off. So now I have a good excuse to look at some nice replacement fences.

The current leader in the fence race is the Incra LS Joinery Package. I have to take some measurements, however, to see if that will even remotely fit in my workshop. The LS-Positioner has an arm that extends out roughly 42" from the fence position. If you have the fence all the way to the right, that means you need another 36" (roughly) of clearance to the right of the end of the rails.

The Incra has several things going for it:

• Best accuracy in the industry
• Perfect (within tolerance) repeatability of settings
• Attachments for additional jigs and fixtures (this is very appealing to me) 
• Ability to easily use with an attached router table (included in the package)

Another option is the Incra TS-IIIa (TS-III reviewed, the "a" model has a machined, not extruded, fence.). That is far less expensive than the full Joinery system, and can use the router Incra WonderFence to make it almost the same as the LS Joinery System. The main difference, however, is the way in which the fine adjustments are made. I can always get the LS without the full joinery system. I am not yet sure which one is best. I think the LS (lead screw) version would be better, and more precise. I will be looking into it soon.

For economic reasons, what I will likely end up doing is getting the TS-LS basic system and then later adding on a WonderFence and router table. It will cost a bit more in the long-run, but it allows me to use my saw earlier.

A Biesemeyer wouldn't be a bad alternative. However, the Incra really is what I want. In fact, I have my workshop in the old CAD program to see how to fit it all in. :-)

Decision

In the end, I decided to get the full 32" Incra TSLS system from Woodpeckers. This package includes everything a guy could want, including the LS Positioner tablesaw system, a router table for the left wing on the saw, a router insert plate, the Incra WonderFence and Joinery system, including templates. I upgraded to the aluminum router insert, and also picked up a project book at the same time.

I did not order any right router table, as that would be difficult to use in my small shop. Instead, I plan to build an extension there with storage underneath. I do not plan to use the steel wings that came with the saw. I have one installed only temporarily.

I ordered the package on September 30, 2004 in the morning. All the boxes shipped the same day and arrived in just a few days. To see my review of this system, visit my Incra TSLS Review Page

7. Guard and Splitter Upgrade - Undecided

Having seen the European riving knives in action, anything less is just a compromise. Since you can't put a real riving knife on an American saw (due to the way the blade rotates when it is lifted), I'll have to find the next best thing. Due to my selection of fence, I can't use the included splitter without cutting the rear Incra fence rail. There's no way I'd do that just for the nasty stock splitter!

For the splitter, I am currently leaning towards the Biesemeyer splitter. At $107, it's awfully expensive for what it does, however, and also does not support thin-kerf blades. In the mean time, I'll likely just slice up the splitter that came with the saw.

For the guard, I'm looking mainly at overarm guards with and without built-in dust collection ports. The Delta Unigard ($270), while lacking dust collection ports, is a nice unit with over-table power and tool storage. As a bonus, it includes a servicable splitter. Between the larger motor and the rear rail of the Incra fence, however, I don't think there would be room for something like the Unigard. Once I have the fence assembled, I will take another look. Other guards include the Excalibur and the Exaktor. The Excalibur support arm might interfere with the LS positioner on the Incra fence. TBD.

Update March 2007: I eventually ended up purchasing the Excalibur guard and use the MJ-splitter from Micro-Jig. The plastic MJ splitter is ok. A metal one would be better. I had the plastic one fail and had a nasty kickback incident. The Excalibur guard is nice, but suffers from not having brushes or something to surround the blade. I will attach a soft-bodied baffle around the bottom made either from brushes or leather or similar.

8. Bottom Line

The cost of the normal Delta saw goes up if the Delta saw owner had replaced the motor. Since many owners do not do this, however, I decided to leave that out on that side. The Current X5 comes with a better fence than the 36-444 (a Biesemeyer). However, I still find the Incra fence to be in a class of its own.

Also please note that you can get a Delta made overseas (36-680), with a Biesemeyer-like fence a smaller cabinet and a chute-less stand, for about $600. The same saw with a UniFence (36-681) runs about $800. These prices were current at Amazon.com in September/October 2004.

In the end, for about $300 less than the original saw, and around $550 less than a currently available saw, I was able to put together a saw with a more robust motor, all upgraded parts, and an incredible fence. I did not save as much money as I thought I might. In particular, the replacement parts were more expensive than I thought. However, I ended up with a very accurate and fine-tuned saw that I know inside and out, and which is made up of some of the best parts I could find.

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Pete Brown is a XAML and Blinky lights guy at Microsoft who focuses on Windows XAML (WinRT), WPF, Silverlight, .NET Micro Framework and other "code on the client" and "code on a device" technologies. This is his personal blog.
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