# Delta 28-212 14" Bandsaw?



## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

Well, I came across a great deal too good to pass up last weekend.

Among the tools I purchased (I paid $250 for all of them!) was a Delta 28-212 bandsaw. All the tools had been sitting in a covered shed for quite a while, so I have started tearing everything down to clean all of the surface rust off.

After cleaning it up a bit, I realized I needed a few things for it that got damaged in the move. I went online, and to all the forums I belong to, and I cannot for the life of me find a manual for my exact model. I have found some that are close enough, and help me with some parts, but aren't exactly right. This model doesn't have the tension handle on the back which is the main difference.

I'm hoping someone out there on this forum has the same saw, and would be willing to help me out a bit. This is my first bandsaw, not to mention the first time I will even be using a bandsaw, and I want to make sure I set everything up correctly before I turn it on. I don't want to risk injuring myself, or more importantly the machine!

















I got the guide blocks out and was able to clean all of the surface rust off of them. They don't look bad to me, but then again I wouldn't know what a bad guide block looks like. The bearings had a little bit of surface rust that I removed as well, and spin freely. The thumb screw on the back is bent, but the wing nut is okay, and the fiber washer seems a little deteriorated. 

I can follow the directions in the manual I found of a model similar to mine, but it only covers a few things. The main difference is how to tension and track the blade.

Is there anything that I absolutely must do to a saw that had been sitting like this?

Are there any pieces I should replace just to be on the safe side?

Any help I can get would be much appreciated.


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

I believe that is one of the last American made band saws for Delta. If true, most of those parts interchange. You might try ereplacementparts.com, they seem to have almost everything. BTW, that's a really great deal you got....on the order of a "you suck".:thumbsup: Another thing you can do is check with Iturra Design for some improved parts, like the tension spring, new tires, and blades.


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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

Here are some close ups of the guide blocks. I took these last night before I took everything apart so I could use them as a reference when I go to put it all back together. I can post some pictures of all the parts cleaned up later this evening if that will help.


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

I just noticed the blade tensioning part of your thread. The best way if to do it with the "flutter" test, as opposed to the scale on the tensioner. Rather than type it out, I cut and paste from the Timberwolf site...which is where I first learned of it. This starts with you having the blade on the saw, tensioned with the factory scale and the saw running:

"6. Stand at the head of the machine, with your hand on the turn screw tensioner and your eyes on the band saw blade. Very slowly start detensioning by half turns at a time, keeping your eyes on the band saw blade. The object is to bring the tension of the blade down to a point that the blade starts to flutter. TAKE YOUR TIME. 

7. When you see the band start to flutter, you have hit ground "ZERO". Now start ADDING quarter turns of tension, SLOWLY, until the band stops fluttering and is running stable again. At this point ADD one-eight to one-quarter turn of tension."

A couple of other things: the wheels must be co-planer for the blade to track accurately, there is an adjustment screw on the back of the upper wheel (only one that adjusts) to do this...the manual you found will explain it. Also, consider replacing your guide blocks with "cool blocks" or even better (IMHO) ceramic blocks. They are available from several sources. That with the tires and maybe the motor drive belt should be about all you need....and maybe not that much. If you think you will add a riser block kit, don't buy blades until you do. Then you'll need the 105" blades instead of the 93 1/2" ones.


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## Joeb41 (Jun 23, 2012)

+ 1 on what Fred said. Iturra is the bandsaw guru. They have the parts and the advice you need. If you call them most of the time you will talk directly to Louis Iturra. Their catalog is a bible of bandsaw info. If it has been sitting awhile new tires and drive belts are a good idea. Iturra makes their own urethane tires that are excellent. Don't look for a website, they don't have one, they do business the old fashioned way. Call them (904)642-2802. Good luck, that is a great saw and you got a good deal!


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## toolguy1000 (Oct 4, 2012)

+2 on iturra. there isn't a better BS resource around than lou. adn he specializes in delta band saws. BTW, was that $250 for the BS, the dust collector and the planer? if yes, major "you suck" coming your way. great deal. and don;t waste any money on that crummy band saw book by duginske (which i'm sure someone will recommend). buy something you need form iturra and you'll get a copy of his catalog, which includes enough articles to make other band saw books unnecessary.


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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

Fred Hargis said:


> I just noticed the blade tensioning part of your thread. The best way if to do it with the "flutter" test, as opposed to the scale on the tensioner. Rather than type it out, I cut and paste from the Timberwolf site...which is where I first learned of it. This starts with you having the blade on the saw, tensioned with the factory scale and the saw running:
> 
> "6. Stand at the head of the machine, with your hand on the turn screw tensioner and your eyes on the band saw blade. Very slowly start detensioning by half turns at a time, keeping your eyes on the band saw blade. The object is to bring the tension of the blade down to a point that the blade starts to flutter. TAKE YOUR TIME.
> 
> ...


Thank you for so much valuable information! The tip on how to accurately tension the blade is exactly the kind of info I'm looking for. Knowing that will help me recognize problems easier so thank you!

As for the guide blocks, I've read a lot about the ceramic, and it seems like that would be the best way to go. I'm not trying to spend anymore money than I have to in order to get this machine operating again, so things like the riser block and roller guide blocks would be out of the question for now. From the manual, it seems like i want the guide blocks and guide bearing all as close to the blade without actually touching the blade. Would I be correct in that assumption? I'm guessing that during operation, the blade will move a bit and in turn contact the bearing and guide blocks intermittently which would make sense as to why you would need the cooling blocks or ceramic.


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

You can wire brush then throw the rusted parts in some Evaporust to get that off then give them a coat of WD-40. You will likely want a new blade, many of us on the forum have been very happy with Supercut bandsaw blades. Regarding setup, search the forum or Google "Alex Snodgrass bandsaw clinic" and use his method. Quite a few forum members including myself have found this works better than anything else we have tried and he breaks it down so it is easy and straight-forward.

Nice score! :thumbsup:


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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

toolguy1000 said:


> +2 on iturra. there isn't a better BS resource around than lou. adn he specializes in delta band saws. BTW, was that $250 for the BS, the dust collector and the planer? if yes, major "you suck" coming your way. great deal. and don;t waste any money on that crummy band saw book by duginske (which i'm sure someone will recommend). buy something you need form iturra and you'll get a copy of his catalog, which includes enough articles to make other band saw books unnecessary.


No, the $250 was not for the BS, DC, and planer... it was also for 2 bar clamps, half a dozen extra band saw blades, a brand new set of planer blades, oh, and a delta mortising jig for the table saw...

And yes, I MAJORLY SUCK!!!! hahaha. I had been waiting for a steal on a planer, and the rest of the stuff was just icing on the cake... or maybe the cake itself!

As for Iturra, I found a catalog someone scanned and put online. Wow does this guy really know everything about the bandsaw! Thanks for all of the advice, I feel better already!


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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

Shop Dad said:


> You can wire brush then throw the rusted parts in some Evaporust to get that off then give them a coat of WD-40. You will likely want a new blade, many of us on the forum have been very happy with Supercut bandsaw blades. Regarding setup, search the forum or Google "Alex Snodgrass bandsaw clinic" and use his method. Quite a few forum members including myself have found this works better than anything else we have tried and he breaks it down so it is easy and straight-forward.
> 
> Nice score! :thumbsup:


Way ahead of you!

From this:








To this:


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

Nice!


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

To set the blocks around the blade, a lot of guys will slip a thin piece of paper around the blade for clearance, and push the blocks against that. Using a dollar bill works. Even so, I just push mine against the blade and tighten down...seems like they back off automatically just a hair anyway. If I do get them to tight it's easy to reset 'em. BTW, those sirens you hear are the police coming to get you for stealing all that stuff!!!


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## Fastback (Sep 2, 2012)

All I can say is "you suck". Good luck, great deal and yes you still suck:thumbsup:


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## Joeb41 (Jun 23, 2012)

Fred Hargis said:


> To set the blocks around the blade, a lot of guys will slip a thin piece of paper around the blade for clearance, and push the blocks against that. Using a dollar bill works. Even so, I just push mine against the blade and tighten down...seems like they back off automatically just a hair anyway. If I do get them to tight it's easy to reset 'em. BTW, those sirens you hear are the police coming to get you for stealing all that stuff!!!


Fred, you cheapskate, you have to use at least a 10 dollar bill to get it right! :laughing:


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

Joeb41 said:


> Fred, you cheapskate, you have to use at least a 10 dollar bill to get it right! :laughing:


Not cheap, just poor! (OK, I'm also cheap!:yes :sad::sad::sad::sad:


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## MagGeorge (Jul 5, 2012)

Check www.bandsawmanuals.com. They have Delta band saw manuals.


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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

Well I got everything cleaned up and put back together last night, and I was pleasantly surprised as to how good everything looked once I got the rust off.

I didn't have much time to mess around with dialing everything in, so I just got it all as close as I could and made a couple of test cuts just to feel a little sense of accomplishment.

I forgot to lower the upper blade guard assembly and the blade moved everywhere, but I didn't realize that until later.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shop Dad 
You can wire brush then throw the rusted parts in some Evaporust to get that off then give them a coat of WD-40. You will likely want a new blade, many of us on the forum have been very happy with Supercut bandsaw blades. Regarding setup, search the forum or Google "Alex Snodgrass bandsaw clinic" and use his method. Quite a few forum members including myself have found this works better than anything else we have tried and he breaks it down so it is easy and straight-forward.

Nice score! 

I watched the half hour long YouTube video by Snodgrass, and a big thanks to Shop Dad for recommending it. That was probably the most informative video I've seen on bandsaws.

One thing I need for sure is a table insert! I guess the one that came with it got lost in the move, and I did not like cutting without one, especially when trimming off small waste pieces. Everywhere I've looked has them on back order, and I was wondering if there were aftermarket ones more readily available, or if people just make there own.

Again, any help is MUCH appreciated, and I wouldn't be anywhere with this machine if it wasn't for this forum!

Some pictures of it all cleaned up and reassembled.

































Thanks again!


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## toolguy1000 (Oct 4, 2012)

beautiful saw. good luck with it. trust iturra. he's forgotten more than most of us will ever know about deltas like yours. BTW, in restoring your CI table, did you soak it in liquid wrench and for how long? what abrasive, if any, did you use in scrubbing the top?


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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

toolguy1000 said:


> beautiful saw. good luck with it. trust iturra. he's forgotten more than most of us will ever know about deltas like yours. BTW, in restoring your CI table, did you soak it in liquid wrench and for how long? what abrasive, if any, did you use in scrubbing the top?


I soaked it in liquid wrench for about an hour or so, probably less. I used the Scotch Bright or 3M stripping pads you can get anywhere. Started with the more abrasive of the three, and got everything stripped off before stepping down to the "between coats" pads and the "finishing coat" pads.

It was a lot of scrubbing with the pads, wiping away the liquid wrench, then respraying the areas that needed more scrubbing. After I had everything off, I would spray the whole thing with liquid wrench again, and scrub the whole surface with the next pad, just trying to even out the appearance of it. After doing that a couple of times, I could barely even see the spots I had really scrubbed hard with the abrasive pad.

Just make sure you keep spraying it with the liquid wrench while you do it. Also, I'd lay down some plastic, wear gloves, and plan on making a mess. I was shocked as to how well it cleaned up. You will also want to degrease the entire thing (top and bottom) before you put your wax on it or it will end up on the rag and eventually on the work surface.

It may have been easier if I let the liquid wrench soak in over night, but after having to do this to a few CI tops, I feel like lots of the liquid wrench and lots of scrubbing is all it comes down to.


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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

MagGeorge said:


> Check www.bandsawmanuals.com. They have Delta band saw manuals.


Even they didn't have it. It seems as though the 28-216 Type I is the closest one to mine (28-212). Thanks for the link


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

Very nicely done, the saw looks terrific! Glad you found the video useful. I know I feel much more competent now when setting up my saw. (The former owner of my saw warned that it "screams." After I got it set up this way it now "purrs" AND cuts straight. :thumbsup

Scotch Brite pads are great for this. With a large surface like that I will use them with my random orbital sander to reduce the work and give more even pressure.

You may need to make your own insert. Not sure what the best material would be for that (phenolic?) but I'm sure there are folks here who have done it. There may be aftermarket inserts available. If you get the dimensions perhaps one from another brand will work.

Looks great, enjoy your new saw!


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

I have the 2008 catalog from Iturra, and he lists those table inserts for $9. I'm sure the price is higher now, or he may not carry them, but it's worth a try. Item #10013.


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