Gunny, been there, done that.  Spent actual 18 months on board 2 carriers off the coast of Vietnam.  Got highlined from an oiler to my first carrier in combat zone.  Not skeered!  

...Most of my machines are as old, or older than I am.

...We're all "Older Than Dirt" 

I've  got an edge sander I bought around 2000. It works fine but would have rather bought a delta but sometimes price becomes priority. Works fine and know of a lot of people that have put Griz in there pro shops. But it's a price and location deal here in Missouri.

 

I'm all Delta when possible...

11 minutes ago, BillyJack said:

I'm all Delta when possible...

So am I as long as it's at least as old, or older than I am. 

I was using there tools in the first commercial shop I worked at and kind of took to them. My Delta stuff isn't that old but works fine, the unisaw is 1999 and the radial arm saw is probably 20 years old. With all the hobby woodworkers coming out of the cracks in the 90's there tooling got hard  to get at a reasonable price. Sanding stations ,jointers and larger planers got locked down...jet, grizzly and others started coming forward.

 

In he 80 and early 90's this stuff was everywhere. Kinda like old cars from the 60's. Now nothing unless you got money to burn or find someone hurting at the right time..

When I think of all of the old ones I could have had for free back in the 70's, and early 80's I regret not having taken them.

Now that scrap metal prices have dropped and pretty much put quite a few of the scrappers out of business I'm beginning to find them again. You'd be surprised at some of the stuff that's just getting put out at the side of the roads, at least in my area.

When the scrap metal prices were up, it was hard to find much of anything.

I rescued a few from the recycle yard, but have to wonder how many are now gone forever.

I'm not much for real old equipment. I just still believe in the name..

I've always regarded Delta tools quite highly. But, the only Delta tools I've owned was a bench top planer and a mortis machine. Both provided excellent service. 

8 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

I've always regarded Delta tools quite highly. But, the only Delta tools I've owned was a bench top planer and a mortis machine. Both provided excellent service. 

My Delta Unisaw is a 1947 model and I wouldn’t trade it for any new one.  It’s quiet and powerful.  Nuff said.