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Delta Specialty Co. Prototype?, or Rare Accessory?


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"Back From The Archives:OldManSmiley:"

 

Dateline: July,14,2012 , Location S.E. Wisconsin,

 

Your roving "Old Machinery" reporter, has photograped a 1931-1937 Delta Specialty Co. Model # 700 Scroll Saw.....Yeah, I know " Big Deal "....

What's so special about spotting a Delta Specialty Co. Model # 700 Scroll Saw?

 

A cast iron tabled with miter gauge slot, Model # 700 Scroll Saw that's what!

Wait a minute.....A what?.....As found in the wild.....

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 As the above photos show, at least one exists.

 

The table is a one piece casting with the only identifying detail being the use of the normal Model # 700's angle gauge. It has been drilled and mounted to the cast iron table using drive screws through the face of the gauge. The rear trunnion mount is also a cast iron, machined piece.

 

I searched the catalogs from 1931-1937, the years of the Model # 700's production run, but couldn't find any reference to a cast iron Model 700 Scroll Saw table.

 

So is this a Delta prototype design?, or a rare Delta accessory?

Edited by Larry Buskirk
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Lew,

 

The photos that you linked show the normal stamped steel table, like the one to my 700.

 

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This is the table that is shown in all of the photos in the catalogs, and all of the photos on the Vintage Machinery website there are about 30 photos of machines there that all have the stamped steel table.

I should have included photos of the normal table in the earlier post.

Edited by Larry Buskirk
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That's a new one for me, very interesting. I have never seen one with the second set of trunnions mounted to the post like that. It definitely looks factory made.  I bet it really makes the cast iron table very steady. If that is what they originally came with I wonder why they ever switched to the stamp steel tables. I hate the little flimsy one on my Delta Specialty saw. Are there any part numbers cast into the table?

 

Very Cool Larry!!!

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Edited by Larry Buskirk
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Shane,

 

The only identifying mark is on the angle gauge, it is the same as the one used with the stamped steel table. I could find no other marks, casting numbers, etc.

 

This saw belongs to a friend of mine. It was his grandfathers. It is not for sale.

 

I have to wonder if it was a prototype idea that did not go into production due to cost, or it may have been to labor intensive to manufacture. But it sure looks like a factory made item. The miter gauge that I used for the photos is from my Delta 1160 Table Saw / 1188 Shaper.

It looks like the table was designed to use the standard Delta miter gauge.

 

I have to wonder after seeing this if there was a similar cast iron table for the Delta Specialty Co. Model # 785 bandsaw, because it used the same trunnion parts, and angle gauge as the Model #700 Scroll Saw.

We may never know.

Edited by Larry Buskirk
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That sure as heck is factory made!

Great find Larry, bummer it's not for sale, on a side note I love the one you restored.

 

I think you mentioned he as other saws like it, does his other saws have the cast iron table?

 

 

Edited by Larry Buskirk
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John,

 

Ron has only the one Model # 700 Scroll Saw, He also has a early model lathe, early model Uni-Saw, early model drillpress, shaper, and some other Delta machines that I have not yet seen. They are in his parents basement. As soon as he can talk with his dad, we are going to check them out. All of these machines were his grandfathers.

 

 

Who knows maybe he has some more unordinary items in the group.

 

Edited by Larry Buskirk
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Shane,

 

After seeing this Model # 700 Scroll Saw, Who knows? 

 

Maybe we'll be featuring a pre-production run prototype Uni-Saw.

 

I told Ron that I would like to see the other machines, and take some photos.

He is going to talk with his parents, and if they say it's ok I'll be taking my camera with. 

 

I've got to figure out how to take videos with it. I tried when getting photos of this Scroll Saw, but I couldn't get the video feature working. We put a blade on, and had the saw running when I was by Ron's house. It runs and is real quiet when running.

Edited by Larry Buskirk
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Dan,

 

I found it to be an interesting machine, in that I cannot find any information regarding the cast iron table.

 

It also has a prebent steel tube that goes through the frame tubes for the blower that I had not seen on any other Model # 700 before. All of the others that I have seen used a 5' piece of rubber hose as per the manual.

 

Otherwise this machine appears to be like any other Model # 700, and is in remarkable unrestored condition. The only part needing to be repaired or replaced being the blower-nozzle bracket. It is present but broke off where it mounts to the blade-guide plate. Both pieces are there so it will likely be repaired. It even has the normally missing original factory supplied tools for blade changes, and table adjustment still with it.

 

Edited by Larry Buskirk
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So true so true, I got a stack full of wrenches hanging on my pegboard that belong to tools I have purchased over the last 15 years, and for the life I cannot remember where they belong! I just dig out my adjustable wrench to change the blade on my skil saw. I probably have the factory wrench on that board somewhere!

 

Edited by Larry Buskirk
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  • 6 years later...

"Back From The Archives:OldManSmiley:"

 

Here is a link to I believe another one off Model 700 Scroll Saw. I could find nothing in the records/catalogs about it.

 

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=18763

 

I did get to see the machines in Ron's parents basement, but didn't have my camera with at the time.

Unfortunately Ron passed away before we could return to get photos. In our conversation with his dad we were told that Ron's Grandfather was in business with his brother, and they had a falling out which led to the demise of the business in the early 40's. They owned a lumber yard and cabinet shop. His Grandfather ran the cabinet shop, and when the business dissolved he brought the machines home where they as far as I know still reside. Ron's parents inherited the house from his Grandfather. I wish I had the camera with when we looked at the machines. His dad remembered riding up to Milwaukee with his dad to go pick up the machines in the company stake truck. He said it was awfully hot that day and the owner of the Delta Co. (possibly Herb Tautz) taking him and his dad somewhere close by for ice cream while the workmen loaded the machines on the truck. He said he was just a kid at the time, and could not remember the mans name.

The Uni-Saw was like no other I have seen, it had the early style fence like the early 1160 Tilt Top Table Saw, and the push button style switch that Delta used on the early style grinders. The table top appeared somewhat different also.

 

From things I've read companies would give machines out for product evaluation, product testing, etc. , so I have to wonder if these machines were possibly prototypes they received for just that purpose.

 

I have since lost contact with Ron's wife so don't know for sure if I will ever be able to photograph these machines. I don't have the heart to approach his parents, I'm not sure if they would remember me or not. If I do regain contact I'll update my findings.

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