# Delta 8" Jointer/Planer - my craigslist find of the week (Delta 37-301)(picture!)



## MattS (Feb 17, 2010)

*Delta 8" Jointer/Planer - my craigslist find of the week (Delta 37-301)(picture!)*

So Wednesday I was getting ready to leave work, and checked Craigslist real quick to see if anything exciting and new was for sale. And lo! I see a post for this mid 50's antique, that lived in a highschool woodshop for most of it's life. I made a number of phone calls and did some fast research, and decided I would regret passing up this one, and called the seller; we settled on a price, assuming it was what I expected.

Two hours later, I was at the seller's barn inspecting it! It is 3-phase, and all I was able to do is check the movement of the tables, hand-spin the cutter and look for cracks, but for $175 I was happy to take it home and see what I could do to refurbish it.

Here is a picture I took with my phone late last night, regrettably low quality and poorly lit. As you can see, it is painted oddly - I assume to match the school equipment colors or something of that nature. It still has the name of the highschool on a label on the front! 










I spoke with a friend who has a motor-repair shop here in Cleveland, and he'll be keeping an eye out for a single-phase motor to replace the 1hp three-phase that it came with. I've asked for at least a 2 or 3hp motor if he can find one at a decent price. I plan to clean it up, check the tables for flatness, and order some cutters for the 3-cutter head (I think it's 3, should really check again). The tables move nicely, are still well greased, and the fence works/moves well. The cutter head turns well and seems to be packed with grease still, and the table itself is very oiled and not pitted with rust.

It took four of us to load it into the van - and it promptly plunged through the 1/2" plywood I had laid down to protect the van, leaving it's outline in the wood afterwords. Three of us struggled to get it back out (damaged the bumper rather badly, ack!). I believe it's in the neighborhood of 500lbs, fully assembled - the back panels were off the cabinet when we were moving it around, which reduced the weight by at least 50lbs. Every little bit helped, it's a beast!

All in all, I'm thrilled to death with it. I am debating repainting it to a more classic "Delta gray" and replacing some of the bolts and hardware that is rusted, but I suspect it will be fully functional with new belt/motor/cutters. 

-Matt


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

Sweet....Cant wait to see that puppy all cleaned up. That makes my 6" look like a kids toy!!


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Great find! If you have a tractor supply co near you should check the motor selection they have... Reasonable prices IMO


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## MattS (Feb 17, 2010)

firemedic said:


> Great find! If you have a tractor supply co near you should check the motor selection they have... Reasonable prices IMO


I'm really hoping my friend with the motor repair shop will find me something nice on the cheap, but he advised me to check out Tractor Supply if I wind up in a hurry to get it running. We do have one about 20 minutes from my home, so it isn't inconvenient. I'm honestly not in a hurry to get this going, as I don't "need" it just yet - but I felt $175 was too nice a price to pass it up. 

You know the drill... buy it when you see the good price, and you'll have it when you need it! My area CL isn't as flush with woodworking tool deals as some, it seems, so I jump on things when I see them crop up :icon_cool:


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

MattS said:


> I'm really hoping my friend with the motor repair shop will find me something nice on the cheap, but he advised me to check out Tractor Supply if I wind up in a hurry to get it running. We do have one about 20 minutes from my home, so it isn't inconvenient. I'm honestly not in a hurry to get this going, as I don't "need" it just yet - but I felt $175 was too nice a price to pass it up.
> 
> You know the drill... buy it when you see the good price, and you'll have it when you need it! My area CL isn't as flush with woodworking tool deals as some, it seems, so I jump on things when I see them crop up :icon_cool:


Funny he recommended the same thing...

I'm with ya on that... I would have done the same... To my wives dismay 

Was just saying if nothing came along... The other option would be to find a $50 RAS if one pops up on cl and run that motor... They range from 2-2.75 hp and can usualy be wired for 220v. 

Btw, I'm JEALOUS of the jointer in a MAJOR way!!! Lol old tools are the best tools!

~tom


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

That is WELL worth the $$ spent, even if you have to end up buying a brand new motor... 

I would love to see that thing fully and properly restored. I have never seen an old Delta jointer with the goose egg motor cover like that, very cool stuff...


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