Delta DP Trunnion Fail - Update

glenn bradley

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I blame Rob :D. Just when I posted in his 'DP Quest' thread about how much I like the Delta woodworking DP table design and how much I use it, it fails!

Here's the general design that allows the table to tilt forward and back. the second shot shows the minor fail on the left trunnion.

Delta DP Fail (1).jpgDelta DP Fail (2).jpg

Here is the total fail of the right trunnion block.

Delta DP Fail (3).jpg

Now before my dad starts telling you how I tend to tighten things like a gorilla [let's all remember he broke his banjo of his lathe :D] despite my 5'-10" 175lb frame, let me show you the size of the handles they provide for torquing this thing down. The table is quite beefy at about 25lbs. The handles look and feel like they are designed to allow an easy tightening . . . maybe too easy:eek:.

Delta DP Fail (4).jpg . Delta DP Fail (5).jpg

You can see the design flaw. The locking block rides on a couple of "blades" that set in a couple of grooves in the trunnion. There is, however, no limiting mechanism designed into the casting which allows the resulting energy from the torque to focus at the bolt head.

Delta DP Fail (6).jpgDelta DP Fail (7).jpg

This was one of maybe two redeeming characteristics of this DP. I don't know if parts are available but, I will try to get them and modify it to be less destruct prone if possible. Those of you with similar table designs, Delta or not, may want to take a look under the hood before things go south.

A few minutes later . . . .

Well, that figures:

Delta DP Fail (8).jpg

I'll try elsewhere.

A few minutes later still . . . .

ereplacementparts usually has everything but . . .

Delta DP Fail (9).jpg

I found them here. We'll see if they actually show up
 
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Obsolete, eh?

Did maybe delta redesign them for this very reason? I wonder if there's a recall -- maybe you can get delta to replace 'em on their dime?
 
Oh boy my apologies Glenn for the "negative vibes man". (Oddball aka Donald Sutherland ..Kellys Hero's) .

Delta pot metal what can i say. I agree with Charles, thats the wrong place to use cast ally.

Those trunion adjustments remind me of my table on my Delta Bandsaw uses the same kind of method if not the same part.

Here is my saw diagrams check out the table http://www.ereplacementparts.com/delta-28475x-type-band-saw-parts-c-3275_3481_3494.html

here is the shoe they have on the trunnions for the bandsaw table looks the same to me.

http://www.ereplacementparts.com/clamp-shoe-p-84680.html


I thought this was a relatively new model drill press. What i read about it on amazon and the quality makes me think they picked the wrong taichi suppliers to make it.

Pretty hi tag price but lots of nice features by the looks of it.

Hope you get things sorted Glenn.
 
I believe a steel clamp shoe might be too much for the pot metal cast trunnions :twocents:. I found them for about $3 each and so ordered them. I may make a better version out of white oak or ash if I cannot modify the original to be more regulating. The design almost assures failure after some years of use. I suppose if you never used the feature that they bragged on so much when this DP came out, you wouldn't have a problem. I would have a hard time going back to a table that only tilted left to right.
 
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Glenn,
Those trunnions look like the same ones used on Delta's 14" bandsaw. If that's the case, you ought to be able to find them in nearly everyone's bandsaw parts catalog.

I know the bandsaw trunnions pretty much interchange between all the brands. I have Delta trunnions on my TaiChi saw. If all else fails, take a look at the Grizzley G0555 parts list.
 
Glenn,
Those trunnions look like the same ones used on Delta's 14" bandsaw. If that's the case, you ought to be able to find them in nearly everyone's bandsaw parts catalog.

I know the bandsaw trunnions pretty much interchange between all the brands. I have Delta trunnions on my TaiChi saw. If all else fails, take a look at the Grizzley G0555 parts list.

Very similar but, the part # doesn't cross reference (that doesn't mean much though). They are a match for all these:


  • Emglo 5140029-82
  • DeWALT 5140029-82
  • Devilbiss Air Power 5140029-82
  • Delta 5140029-82
  • Black and Decker 5140029-82
  • Biesmeyer 5140029-82
  • Porter Cable 5140029-82

I have been looking at the one that is only cracked and feel quite confident that I can come up with a preventative modification. If I succeed I will post it as these same parts are on the 17-950 and the 17-959 so maybe it will help some folks if I am successful..
 
I juts posted in Rob's thread about how much I like my Delta and then I read this thread, I hope mine is not going to fail now.

That is exactly why I posted Earl. It is just 6 hex bolts to release the table from the trunnions and can be done without much issue. Pull the table, check your clamp shoes and if all is well, just be aware of the construction when you are tightening the table ;-)
 
Trunnion Fail - Update

I called to check status on the order I placed with the only folks who were selling these parts. Turns out they were planning on getting them from Delta. They checked while I was on the phone and the part is no longer available period. I guess I'll start on that hardwood replacement ;-)
 
The trunnions are made out of the same junk metal and I'm afraid steel clamps would just transfer the pain to that next weak link. Here's a fix that'll make my red neck friends proud. I took a washer and filed it a bit to fit the gap, straddled it over the jaw gap in a vise and whacked it with the pointy end of a small sledge hammer. This bent it precisely to fit the contour of the curve of the trunnion, I then mortised the shape of the bolt head into a piece of 1/4" cherry to act as a torque-transfer-unit. This hunk of wood is shaped to allow clearance at maximum tilt. It now actually works smoother than the original and locks down with less force :thumb:.

DP Trunnion Fail Fix (1).jpg . DP Trunnion Fail Fix (2).jpg . DP Trunnion Fail Fix (3).jpg

Sorry, the picture doesn't show the bolt assembly; it goes . . . bolt, cherry, washer, trunnion, trunnion mount and then the handle.
 
As others have said, that looks the same as the trunnions on the 14" bandsaw, I had a trunnion break on my bandsaw and had to replace it a few years ago, I have since sold that saw. I do have the delta 959l drill press, although I don't use the tilt all that much, Ill keep the flimsiness in mind when I do use it.
 
hey ken, its good to see that some of our redneck ingenuity has rubbed off on the city guy:) must be he got some common sence from the gene pool before they ran out:)
 
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