Delta 16"

[lonepine]

A friend of mine let me borrow this Delta 16" VS SS model # 40-540. I cannot get the dust blower to operate. Any suggestions about this model? :confused:
Thanks. Bob

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Bob

Delta surely has many different model saws. But this saw comes under the lower end saws. Now this saw has the bellow for the air blower behind that black cover and it is a very small size so it can fit in there. It is operated by the upper arm moving up and down. Things to look for. First the amount of air is proportional to the speed the saw is run at. The slower the speed the less air. Second you have the hose coming through the arm and snakes around. Look for kinks on the outside and also look to take that side cover off. That is where you have to oil the bearings anyway so you might as well do that. While in there see if there is any kinks in the hose where it goes into the diaphram. Next check the diaphram for cracks and leaking air. You sould be able to feel it when you run it and run at full speed. Anyway you slice it this saw will not put out alot of air.

Now if you find a part that needs repair you can buy the hose in a home center or auto parts store but the bellow you will have to get from delta. Some people and I did this with my old Dremel get a fish tank pump and hook it up and have the hose run on the arm and it will pump a constant stream of air no matter what speed of the saw. Hope this helps. Good luck.

[Servcman]

a good example is my emergency saw that sits under the end table my dremel saw is mounted on. The main is a ryobi with a tradesman table and dust blower assembly and a shopfox speed control. The bellows on the ryobi tore and i got the aquarium air pump at a discount drug store for about $4.00. i wired the cord directly into the saw so that only one plug is needed.
All 3 saws had the same blade holders with the same problem, they didn't close up far enough to securely hold a # 2 blade or smaller. Now the saw works fine as long as aI'm using a #5 or larger blade.
Dennis

[lonepine]

Thanks guys for the tips. My friend asked me to make him an offer to buy this scrollsaw. I do not know what to offer him. Can you advise me? Thanks Bob :confused:

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Oh, even Fred can't get me to answer that one. I think everyone on the net knows how I feel about saws like this. Good luck By the way that saw goes for or at least went for because I think it is discontinued, $130.

[GrayBeard Phil]

The problem with any Delta product today, is the new owner's policy of no support after the product goes out of production.

A few years ago, a delta product 20 years out of production had parts still available; not cheap, but available.

Some of the parts that will wear out on that machine are still being used on some of the current models. Therefore they can be purchased. However, the printed circut board that gives the VSS voltages to the motor cannot be replaced anymore.

Things to look for:
The upper Blade clamp, it should have been upgraded to the Quick Set II. If it still uses the special clamp wrench to tighten the blade clamp on top you have the original which are not desirable. You are looking at a very long fight to keep the blade tension with out slippage which will cause frequent breakage; very frustrating and time consuming. Cost of upgrade is about $25.00, but advance mechnical skill to do the replacement.

The motor is connected to the lower arm by two hard to reach and small sealed ball bearings. These two are in-expensive ($15 to $18 USD each,) but replaceing makes a big difference in smoothness of cut if one, or both, go bad.

There are two brass piviot bearings on the arms. Loosen the bolts and check for any wobble or excessive ware on the bearings. These bolts cannot be replaced any more. There should not be any brass dust, and no caked on 'gunk' from old lub oil.

There must be NO bent of the arms left or right. The blade must travel up and down in a two dimension plane, no wobble left to right. (Front to back may be OK if very minor.)

And lastly if you look inside where the tension bolt is and you will notice a black rubber disk about 3/16 inch thick. This groumet is important to the vibration of the saw, and it gets hard over time and should be replaced. Cost is about $1.00. Buy several at a time, as who knows when delta will stop selling the gromet.

need to get off my soap box now

Phil

[bronco]

I owned a Delta ss 250 vs saw and I experienced similar problems that Phil eluded to, some were problems and some were just a pain to deal with. The last problem I encountered which made me look to upgrade my saw was the variable speed control went out and the saw would only run at full speed. I didn't even try to fix this since the repairs would have cost more than the saw cost.
Bill

[pops-shop]

Another idea I used on my Harbor Freight saw after the little blower thingy went south:

A tennis ball under the lower arm. Hole cut in it with a 1/4" flexible tube glued into it. Then attached the top part of the tube above the blade. Everytime the lower arm slightly compressed the tennis ball - poof.

Still on that saw - works like a champ. :o