Restoring a 1948 Delta HD Shaper

Jeff Horton

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The Heart of Dixie
Finally started the restoration of my shaper. A four footed 1948 Delta HD cabinet. It's one a owner and been in storage for close to 2 years (thats 20 years). It's a sad looking puppy but it is very original. I didn't take a photo but it still had the warranty tag from Young & Vann that sold the machine new.

It's mechanically in pretty good shape. I plugged it up and the original R/I motor just jumped to life. Forward and reverse worked but the list mechanism is very tight. I hear some noise from the bearings too. But I guess 58 year old bearings should be a bit noisy. ;)

Tonight I just started taking it apart. not much to really talk about so will just post the photos. Depending on whether I get any work this week I am hoping to have it ready to go back together this weekend. But that may be optimistic too.
 

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That's a great piece of old iron there Jeff. Very cool.

Do I see a dual pulley (dual sheave?) on the spindle shaft? Is that how the speeds are changed, if there is actually two different sizes there?

Will you use this shaper when you're done?

Lookiing forward to seeing the rest.
 
Hi Jeff. Looks like you got a good jump on it. I like tinkering with that stuff. Its quiet different how things worked back then and how well things were so well built. The motor on the Olive alone weighed around 100 lbs and the houseing was cast and not stamped.
I try to optimistic also but some times theres that one little part that it takes tim eto find that gums up the works but when its don and you turn it on and it jumps into action you just sit back and smile.
Nice job keep em comming
Reg:thumb:
 
cool jeff! if you hear or feel any noise in the spindle bearings replace `em! a 6" diameter 5# cutter at 10k rpm really needs to be kept in its path:eek: ......once you`re done you`ll wonder how you ever got along with out a shaper.....i think they`re one of the most usefull tools in the shop....tod
 
It's a single speed Mark. Thats not a double sheave there even thought it does look like one.

Never had a shaper but I suspect your right Tod. What motivated me to get this one done was two upcoming projects. Both are frame and panel construction. The thoughts of setting up dado's on the TS and switching them out several times motivated me to get this one done. Setup looks much quicker and less annoying. Especially when I find I need one more dado. I hate spending 10-15 minutes swapping out dado's and setting the fence for a 30 second cut.
 
Day 2 progress

Day 2. Still working but I am taking a break.Since this is the slow season for my work I should be able to spend a lot of time on this project and have it done in a couple weeks. I had the shaper down into it's major components last night when I quit. This afternoon I started taking those down to smaller pieces.

Since I know a lot of people are interested but scared of restoring something like this I thought I would show how I like to work and offer some tips. Now I am no expert!! I am just one of those people that mechanical things come very easy to me. And I know I still have a lot to learn!

First thing in taking one apart it try to acquire a manual or preferable a parts diagram. They can be very valuable when you go to put it back together. Also take LOTS of photos as you go. Digital photos are free so there is not excuse if you have a camera! It has saved me a lot of aggravation before. Old Wood Working Machines web site is THE SOURCE for this kind of stuff. And if you have a manual and it is not on the site please copy it and send it in. Manuals are very treasured and useful items.

Once you start taking it apart I like to keep part organized. I happen to have some small plastic bins and I put similar pieces together.

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In these I have all the pieces that relate the top in one bin. Parts on the outside of the cabinet in another and internal part in another. Divide it into something that makes sense to you. The shaper is pretty simple so this works for me. Also consider keeping sub assemblies together in zip lock bags. You can write on them with a sharpie. These are great for keeping pieces that go together, together.

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Now with it all torn down I started cleaning the parts. I have a laundry sink in my Lab so I degrease the part in there. Scrub them with a brush and rinse. Another washing with Go-Jo and dry them with an air hose.

All the shafts are cleaned with a wire brush on grinder motor. You can polish the bare metal up really well. I wouldn't do that on a a shaft that has a bearing on it or runs at high speeds. Those are precision ground and odds are you want hurt it but I wouldn't take the chance!

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Here are the parts laid out before and after cleaning. I am not sure you can tell much difference in this photos? I am on the shop computer and it has a old cheap monitor. The painted pieces need some sanding and bit more cleaning before they are ready for paint. The shafts are basically ready to be put back in.

BTW I don't try to restore the insides of mine back to show room new condition, because I use them. I hope that after a couple of months if you look inside one of my restorations that it is full or saw dust and dirty. :) So I don't spend a lot of time on the insides making them perfect. Because they are not going to stay that way long. If they do then I need to sell that machine!
 
cool thread jeff! your discriptions should help folks who have never restored a machine feel more confident.....and those who own old or new machines that break to fix `em themselves.....thanks! tod
 
DAY 3

Last night after I put my update up I did one more job. I took the column to the lathe and chucked it up. I found a taperer scrap piece and I used for a center. I spun it at a slow speed and cleaned up the shaft with emery cloth to remove all the rust.

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I thought about this for a long time and decided against painting all the internal parts. What I am doing is really refurbishing this shaper, not restoring it. To me restoring it implies you are making it like new. What I am doing is cleaning it up, painting and getting back in working order. I need this shaper for my next two projects so I want it done pretty quickly. Since the insides are in good shape and the original paint is in good shape I decided to leave it alone.

I cleaned it up and blew an unbelievable amount of sawdust out from inside of the motor. I am surprised it was still running! I cleaned all the rusty bare metal pieces before installing them. I have spindle and lift together. All I need is a new belt and this is ready to go back in the cabinet. The cabinet... thats another story.

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I wanted to show what a wire brush can do to a rust piece of bare metal. Unfortunately the photo doesn't really do it justice. But this is guide bar that was badly rusted. All I have done is hit it with wire brush mounted on the grinder.

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I started some parts cleaning by electrolysis tank but I want to write up something separate on that. It's one of those things that amazes me.

I cleaned several of the small parts likes the feet and the fence. Applied a couple of coats of Delta (Rustoleum) gray to them. With that I called it a night. After wrestling with the motor, spindle assy and top I am worn out.

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Hey jeff. If the rust is very bad let me know and I will tell you how to set up an electrolisis tank. It takes all the rust off
Reg :)
 
DAY 4

DAY 4

Got into the lab just after lunch today. Just kept putting it off because it was time to sand the cabinet and start grinding down the rust. I spent 3(?) hours grinding, wire brushing and sanding on the base. One of my least favorite parts of the job. However this time I had the ROS attached to the shop vac and that made a WORLD of difference. I should have done that years ago. no chocking dust and sweating behind a dust mask.

Once I got it down to mostly bare metal it was time to apply the primer. What a difference that makes!

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What doesn't show in the photos is the pits. Lots of small rust pits. I am still trying to decide what I want to do. I used a glazing compound last time but it was a royal pain to sand. Clogged the paper and just never really looked like I wanted it too.

While the primer was drying I worked on the assembling the fence. I had painted the parts last night. I cleaned all the pieces with the wire wheel and then lubed and and assembled the fence. I think it turned out pretty good.

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Hoping tonight before I go to bed to apply a coat of gray to the base. The glazing compound go on over the paint, so once it is dry I can see how bad it is and make my final choice on what to do.
 
Actually it would be simple to sand off the primer at this point and do that. But I hate the dust it stirs up. I have about decided to leave the pits. There are not that noticeable and besides I use the machine, It's going to get banged up.

Headed to the lab to spray on some gray.
 
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DAY 5

I am on schedule with this to finish it up tomorrow!! :D :thumb: Last night I applied a coat of gray on the base. This morning I applied the second coat and stood around and watched paint dry. Fiddled with a few of the small parts but for the part it was just waiting. Late this afternoon I finally decided the cabinet was dry enough to handle. ASSEMBLE TIME!!

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Slowly the spindle assembly was lowered into the cabinet and bolted down. Now it was time to work on the rusty top.

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To many peoples horror and dismay I simple take 80 grit sandpaper on my ROS and go to work on the top. I am careful with it but I have never had a problem with this method. Look at the reflection on the top it leaves. I will probably go back over it again with a some 150 grit and a coat of Johnson's paste wax.

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I still have one of the dust doors in the electrolysis tank and one is almost done. I have a second extension table to mount and clean up. It appears it was never installed and I have no bolts to install it with. Need to buy and install a new power cord and plug and a couple of other misc. things to do. I see no problem finishing this up tomorrow. Meantime I am worn out and calling it a day and night!
 
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DAY 6

99% completed! As far as I am concerned it's done!


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It is in it's new home. I started running 220v service there and gave out. I plugged her up and gave it a spin and everything sounds and looks too.

I still have to finish the dust doors. They are not done because of the severe rust then had. They are going to take some more time and honestly will never look good. I stole the one of the Unisaw for the photos because it looked so bad without one. Actually it came off the shaper. It was up above the rust line and was the only one that looked decent.

The only other thing left to do is paint the edges of the table. I forgot about that till I saw the photos. I will probably do that tomorrow after Church. Oh, and or course order some shaper tooling.
 
Congrats Jeff, mighty fine restoration:thumb:

I can well imagine the sense of pride from your accomplishment, and Thanks for sharing the process with all of us.
 
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