Delta 28-190

[poolhound]

Somebody who knew I was in the market for a bandsaw pointed me in the direction of a person that has 2 he is trying to get rid of for silly money (he is not a woodworker and took them in part trade for something else). They are now just taking up space and he wants to get rid of them.

One he says is a Delta 28-190 which I know to be a 12" 1/2HP. The other is 14" made in Taiwan but he couldnt find a part number (I dont think he looked very hard). I thought it might be a HF but he says its black and I thought all HF stuff was green.

Does anybody have any experience with the 28-190 and/or have any idea who made a Tiawanese black 14" BS?

I havent seen them yet as they are way across town but for what he is asking I was thinking of picking up both. Assuming they are both OK I could try them out and then keep which one I want and sell the other on.

He has turned both on and the motors run. I know I need to check for cracks, belt condition, intact guides etc. Anything else obvious?

[sweensdv]

I guessing that both saws are made in Tiawan so I doubt if one has an advantage over the other when it come to country of origin. I would look very closely at the black one and lean in that direction if it is at least as good a quality as the HF saw. I say that only because of the flexibility you'll have with a 14" over a 12".

One thing to check is the speed setting(s) of the black saw. If the speed is lower than 3000 SFPM it might be a dedicated metal cutting bandsaw. The other usual points to check are motor HP (resawing ability), vibrations, flatness of the table, dust collection ability, can you add a riser kit if desired, and of course the general condition of the saws.

If it were me, but of course it isn't so only you know what is or isn't right for you, I'd definately lean towards the 14". I doubt if you'll find that much difference in the quality level between these two saws as most lower end Taiwanese saws are pretty much the same.

[Uncle Cracker]

A half-horse motor isn't going to help you much. One thing to look for in a bandsaw (listen for, actually) is what it sounds like after you shut it off, as the blade winds down. A scrape-scrape-scrape sound indicates something is out of round. One long scrape is a sign that there is some misalignment in the blade transport. Squealing or grinding indicates that a bearing is going away somewhere, probably on one of the wheel spindles. And watch for how long it takes between shutoff and blade stop. A healthy saw will take as much as 30 seconds to come to a full stop. A quick-release blade tensioner is also a very good feature to have, and you will want to tug on the table to see if it and its trunnion (the adjustable fixture under the table that holds it to the saw) are strong.

[poolhound]

So I went over this evening and took a look at both. The 28-190 was in pretty good condition. There was no blade (I would replace anyway) the motor runs cleanly with no funny noises or vibration. The upper guide bearing was ripped up badly. It looks like some dumb *&^*&^ managed to put a blade in backwards. The lower guide is missing the bearing and shaft it mounts on. I guess whoever wrecked the top one took the bottom one out and never replaced it. The plastic locking handle for the table is striped but grip wrench unlocked and locked it easily. The Tires were dirty but OK.

For better or worse I took it for $40. checking on Delta's parts site the lower bearing shaft is $4.55 and the handle is $6. The bearings are $9 each. I would think I could get bearings cheaper than that but it may not be worth the hassle. Does anybody know if there is a cheaper place to get Delta parts than delta?

The Taiwanese 14" did have a strange brand name on a v small label (like an idiot I didnt write it down). It looked very old and clunky. The upper and lower casings were attached with large metal 3 wing screw nuts. The motor looked like a 3/4HP hard to tell. All guides seemed intack (they were blocks). Bottom wheel missing a tire. One big issue was a total lack of a rear blade guard so as the blade came up the backside it was completley exposed.

I could probably have got it for $50 but no idea if one could get parts. It also didnt seem likely that a riser block could have been fitted. Given that the resaw height is 6" on both and I felt the Delta was the easier option.

I know its only a 1/2 horse but for the sake of a few parts it will let me play with a BS and I would hope I could resell a Delta easier than a strange unknown saw.

Bottom line is only $40 + maybe $25 for parts.


Good or bad decsion? would you run back and get the 14"?

[footprintsinconc]

i wouldnt go back for the 14". it all depends on how good you are at fixing old/no name brand stuff. i guess if you are mechanically inclined as to know where to get part that you think will work, then it may be worth it, but i think the headache will be more than what its worth. with what you got, you can do a lot, just keep looking and upgrade later and sell the one that you now have.

just for interest sake, i called some one who has an old delta 14" band saw. he didnt state that in the ad, however his ad said that he wanted $375 for it. he didnt even know the power on the motor. he said it was in very clean condition and not used much. when i asked him how old it was, he said about 14 years and then told me that the rubber tires had been changed and a couple of other things also, and then at the end he, its hardly been used. i mean, you can get a couple year old, open stand delta $375, why would i pay for a about 14 year old 375! this guy is out of surprise.

[poolhound]

I think I have seen the same ad in CL I may have even called him. Some people are asking really crazy prices and have no idea what is realistic.

$375 for a 14yr old saw he must be crazy if its an open stand delta. that makes it a 3/4hp. You can by the brand new griz for $325 or the 1hp for $395 plus shipping of course.

I think you and I have both been searching the PHX market looking for that mythical great deal. This is a close as I have come although its not entirely perfect but $40 is pretty good and I am certain I could just clean it up and sell for near $100 if I wanted to. I think I will make it work and use it first.