Parts availability for Delta machines

[thewalnutguy]

I had a friend express interest in a Rockwell/Delta shaper I've not used for a while. Checking over the parts that would go with it I discovered the 3/4" spindle was missing the lock washer (with the "tooth" to fit into the groove on the side of the spindle). I looked up the part number for the washer in a newer model owner's manual (the Rockwell/Delta was purchased used, and didn't come with a manual).  Having the part number, I looked up the Delta web site to identify local Delta parts sources. I called the nearest three, and was told by all three that they no longer have a source of Delta parts. Seems the "old standby" brand name is now owned by someone in China, who doesn't give a darn about long-time Delta users. Very disappointing to see this happen to a company many of us old-timers have come to respect. I've got several pieces of Delta machinery that I've used for years, but can't foresee buying anything from the new company, and hope I don't need parts for the machines I've got. BTW, I did find a seller on eBay that had the washer I needed. I'm guessing the current brands of shapers (Jet, Powermatic, etc) might well have spindle lock washer that would work with an old Delta, but haven't researched that. Sad to see things like this come to pass, but I guess that's the world we live in now.

[hcbph]

Same thing when I bought my shaper.  Got mine off Ebay also, for a Powermatic IIRC.  You may have to take a small file and massage the tab to fit your spindle but that's not difficult.  One other source could be your autoparts store.  Some of the rwd vehicles had tab washers on the front spindles and if you find one the right size, same situation.

Good luck.

[WilliamHodge]

I had a friend express interest in a Rockwell/Delta shaper I've not used for a while. Checking over the parts that would go with it I discovered the 3/4" spindle was missing the lock washer (with the "tooth" to fit into the groove on the side of the spindle). I looked up the part number for the washer in a newer model owner's manual (the Rockwell/Delta was purchased used, and didn't come with a manual).  Having the part number, I looked up the Delta web site to identify local Delta parts sources. I called the nearest three, and was told by all three that they no longer have a source of Delta parts. Seems the "old standby" brand name is now owned by someone in China, who doesn't give a darn about long-time Delta users. Very disappointing to see this happen to a company many of us old-timers have come to respect. I've got several pieces of Delta machinery that I've used for years, but can't foresee buying anything from the new company, and hope I don't need parts for the machines I've got. BTW, I did find a seller on eBay that had the washer I needed. I'm guessing the current brands of shapers (Jet, Powermatic, etc) might well have spindle lock washer that would work with an old Delta, but haven't researched that. Sad to see things like this come to pass, but I guess that's the world we live in now.

Try eReplacementpart.com.    https://www.ereplacementparts.com/specia...11589.html
I just bought stuff for a little Delta mortiser from them, and they were great to deal with. They helped me replace discontinued parts with stuff from non-discontinued inventory.

Another option is to Google the name and part number.

If you find out the name of the washer and size, Google that. Someone like Mcmaster-Carr might sell it.

The Powermatic 3/4" spindle washer might work, if you took the second tab off.

[thewalnutguy]

Try eReplacementpart.com.    https://www.ereplacementparts.com/specia...11589.html
I just bought stuff for a little Delta mortiser from them, and they were great to deal with. They helped me replace discontinued parts with stuff from non-discontinued inventory.

Another option is to Google the name and part number.

If you find out the name of the washer and size, Google that. Someone like Mcmaster-Carr might sell it.

The Powermatic 3/4" spindle washer might work, if you took the second tab off.

I'd checked eReplacementpart.com, they show the washer as obsolete/discontinued

[oakey]

Google internal tab washer that will find you lots of choices

[thewalnutguy]

Google internal tab washer that will find you lots of choices

as I stated in the original post,I found a washer on eBay, so that problem is solved.  The posting was to bemoan the demise of what had been a respected brand of machinery, as has happened to so many of the companies in this country.

[TGW]

as I stated in the original post,I found a washer on eBay, so that problem is solved.  The posting was to bemoan the demise of what had been a respected brand of machinery, as has happened to so many of the companies in this country.

It's a bloody shame every time it happens and nowadays it happens all the time. It's trendy in the world of business to not give a darn for your reputation nor your old customer and just try to force everyone to buy new stuff instead.
American companies do it too. When Agco bought the Finnish tractor manufacturer Valtra they immediately quit supplying spare parts for older models so now Finland is full of perfectly good farm tractors without a supplier of spare parts.
European companies do it too. When I was looking for replacement spindle bearings for my SCM l'Invincibile T160 spindle moulder (that's a shaper in America) the spares department of the manufacturer frankly told me that they don't support it anymore because it is too old. They didn't bother at all. They said they have thrown away all drawings and specifications.
Fortunately I found a chap in USA who owns a similar machine with it's spindle bearings still in existence and with help of a photo of his disassembled spindle and a part number in his manual we were able to reverse engineer the specifications for the bearings which a local bearing supplier ordered for me from England.

Fortunately woodworking machines are usually rather simple mechanically speaking so if there's a will there is usually a way to make spare parts. Either yourself or have them made by a machinist.
I recently bought a 14" metal shaper to enable me to make my own spare parts for woodworking machines. Some day I also hope to get a good metal lathe.

[Robert Adams]

as I stated in the original post,I found a washer on eBay, so that problem is solved.  The posting was to bemoan the demise of what had been a respected brand of machinery, as has happened to so many of the companies in this country.

Yeah you won't be getting any parts for older machines from the current Delta. They are on their second Chinese owners now and when the first bought them they dropped all but a couple machines ie the unis a and the line boring machine. So you can't really blame the delta that exists now because it's an entirely new and different company that us using the delta branding.

    Sad but that's how it's become. Unfortunately you are sager buying the generic imports now as the parts are standardized and available.

[fredhargis]

I share the thoughts of how a great American name has fallen into disrepair and disrespect. There was a time when most of the tools in my shop were all battleship gray, now only the planer remains. I'm avoiding the brand for all the reasons mentioned.

[Greg Jones]

I don't want to come off as the defender of the current owners of Delta, but I've never heard it clearly explained how, if at all, the parts business for old machines was passed on the the new company. Just today, I searched the DeWalt ServiceNet site for the same toothed washer for my Delta 43-375 HD Shaper and here's what I found. If the parts inventory and/or the resources needed to produced was never included as part of the sale of the company to the new 'Delta', can they really be faulted for not supplying parts for legacy machines that they never manufactured?