# Delta Contractor Saw vibration issue



## MariahHolt (Jul 21, 2010)

I've got a Delta Contractor Saw II 10” (model 36-630) that I got from Craigslist a few months back. The aluminum motor mount was bent. I ordered a replacement, see the following thread for that info. (http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f12/need-some-advice-fixing-delta-table-saw-18305/) With the new motor mount the saw ran better but didn't completely fix the vibration issue. After doing a lot of reading almost everyone recommended to go for a linked drive belt to fix the issue. Until I bumped into someone who said that a linked drive belt will only mask the true issue not fix it. So what causes the vibration?

Here is some of the items I checked in trying to determine what my problem was:

The ARBOR assembly is bent or miss aligned or the main ARBOR bearing is worn out.
The motor is misaligned to the pulleys (this was part of my problem with the bent motor mount)
A bent or damaged pulley 
A really bad belt or wrong size
bent shaft on the motor. 
The saw is not fully flat on the ground.

Turned out one of my pulleys was bent. The pully connected to the ARBOR assembly. The list price for the replacement was around $7. I was about to order the part until I bumped into this: "Delta Belt & Pulley Set" from www.ptreeusa.com for $54.99. The pulleys are not the standard pulleys they are higher quality machined. Installing it was easy, had to take a few links out of the belt and it worked like a champ! My saw runs smooth now. It will even pass the nickel test now.

I would encourage just about anyone to at least get a linked drive belt, but make sure you've determine what's causing the vibration before just masking it.


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## H. A. S. (Sep 23, 2010)

Spot on. You have to find the source for any vibration, and vibration on any machine tool spells trouble.

There are too many inferior cast aluminum/steel pulleys out there. They all should be machined and balanced.

I've heard good and bad things about the linked belts. I think some guys buy those to mask over other vibration problems.


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## H. A. S. (Sep 23, 2010)

Here's an example of a worn out arbor, cast pulley on an old Craftsman table saw. If I ever get time, I'm going to machine a new arbor, install new bearings, etc.


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## aplan82 (Jul 9, 2012)

*Pulley Upgrade*

Mariah, When you replaced your pulley set on the delta saw, did you have the split pulley on the arbor? If so did you replace it with the one piece pulley that comes with the peachtree set? I really want to upgrade my delta saw that has 3/8 belt pulleys so that I can use a 1/2" link belt. 
Any help would be greatly appreciated. 


Andy


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Nice job diagnosing, fixing, and documenting! :thumbsup:


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