Restoring a Rockwell/Delta Disc/Belt Finishing Machine

[Firestopper]

The weather cooperated just long enough to get the cabinet and electrical enclosure sprayed. Mother nature started blowing during gun cleaning and that fine as this keeps the Kamikaze insects from visiting and sticking to the wet paint. Ask me how I know hahah.

I also assembled the internal belt tensioning mechanism on the main belt body. The paint has been curing for seven days and is as hard as its gonna get. I did use heat lamps initially.

I replaced all machine slot head screws with Allen cap screws for a fresh look

I also adjusted the quick stop block and installed the pointer (safety orange) The block is held in via roll pin and is flipped up when adjusting the table to its maximum. The set screws that contact the block when flipped down set the table to 90 (0) and 45 degrees.

Keeping the machined surfaces free of paint allows smooth sliding when adjusting.

I also cut and stripped back the wiring on the switch, motor and power supply for fresh connections. The original connections looked tired and had several broken strands. I used crimp connectors for a better hold.
Inside the 34 year old enclosure and yes it was also full of saw dust.

I plan on some cantilever castor brackets to keep the machine 1/2"off the deck. I will build these during the week after work allowing the paint to fully cure on the cabinet.
Hopefully assemble next Saturday and fire this baby up.
Turn and burn...
Paco

 

[hman]

Everything looks even better than new! I especially like the flip-down stop block. How cool is that?

 

[ch2co]

The darnedest thing happened to me today. I stopped by s friends wood shop/garage and he asked me, "do you know anything about
belt sanders? I got this old thing a few years back and its just been sitting here." I took a look as well as I could. It was half buried in a
humungous pile of valuable collectable materials (junk) but lo and behold, its a Delta Rockwell 6 x48 belt sander with a sanding disk.
Well its really just a spot where the sanding disk should be, but without any disk, just a shaft. I told him what it was and he asked
"could you use something like this?" Me," how much do you want for it?" Him, "I'll just give it to you if you want it." Me," aaaaaa
OK, I'll make some space in the basement and we can move it over there as soon as I have time. Him," I've had this thing for the last
10 years and whenever you want to take it it will be here for you. I didn't get the serial number though but I think that it is at least
10 to 20 older than your machine, but looks very similar. The platten looks very flat and the top roller at least
seems to turn smoothly. It doesn't seem to be in bad shape cosmetically but who knows about the working innards.
Due to my wife illness, I haven't been able to get anything done in the shop and it will probably be another
couple of weeks to a month before I can get it back to my shop. I don't know about the motor (in the base?) but the power cord looks
like its 220v with an electric dryer type of 3 prong "Y" configuration. The power switch is missing with wires hanging out which doesn't
look promising motor-wise. I'll let you know when I get the thing over to my little basement shop. I was just getting ready to buy a little
table top 2-3" belt sander. I think that I'll set that idea aside.

 

[Firestopper]

Hi John,
Its turning out nice, the quick stop is a neat feature. I'll pick up a couple belts for it this week during one of my supply runs. I have plenty of 12" 3M disc but gonna pick their brain on different abrasives. Still working out the hoses for the vacuum feature but have a good idea one what type use as they will need to take a little heat.
Have a good weekend.

 

[woodtickgreg]

Paco, that thing is turning out really nice! Excellent work.

 

[Firestopper]

The darnedest thing happened to me today. I stopped by s friends wood shop/garage and he asked me, "do you know anything about
belt sanders? I got this old thing a few years back and its just been sitting here." I took a look as well as I could. It was half buried in a
humungous pile of valuable collectable materials (junk) but lo and behold, its a Delta Rockwell 6 x48 belt sander with a sanding disk.
Well its really just a spot where the sanding disk should be, but without any disk, just a shaft. I told him what it was and he asked
"could you use something like this?" Me," how much do you want for it?" Him, "I'll just give it to you if you want it." Me," aaaaaa
OK, I'll make some space in the basement and we can move it over there as soon as I have time. Him," I've had this thing for the last
10 years and whenever you want to take it it will be here for you. I didn't get the serial number though but I think that it is at least
10 to 20 older than your machine, but looks very similar. The platten looks very flat and the top roller at least
seems to turn smoothly. It doesn't seem to be in bad shape cosmetically but who knows about the working innards.
Due to my wife illness, I haven't been able to get anything done in the shop and it will probably be another
couple of weeks to a month before I can get it back to my shop. I don't know about the motor (in the base?) but the power cord looks
like its 220v with an electric dryer type of 3 prong "Y" configuration. The power switch is missing with wires hanging out which doesn't
look promising motor-wise. I'll let you know when I get the thing over to my little basement shop. I was just getting ready to buy a little
table top 2-3" belt sander. I think that I'll set that idea aside.

Thats so cool!
When you get the machine home and have time to inspect the rollers, belt tensioner and track mechanism, shoot me a PM and I will help you any way I can as this is still fresh on the old brain. Get me the serial number and I can tell you about the time of its birth. Don't use the S/N on the cabinet, use the one found on the main base and if it has a CAT NO. send that too as this would be the model. I will also forward web addresses that might provide more specific information for vintage machine

This plate information;

I got a reading your post.

Take care,
Paco

 

[ch2co]

Paco
Thank you. I'm sure my rebuild of this machine will pale in comparison to your magnificent refinishing job. I'll be happy to get it up and running
smoothly. Did you get the Manual and parts breakdown through Vintagemachinery.org? I could only find a much older model without the sanding disk.
Do you think that a new or good condition used disk would be available somewhere? Does the sanding surface rotate into a horizontal position?
More to follow

 

[Firestopper]

Paco
Thank you. I'm sure my rebuild of this machine will pale in comparison to your magnificent refinishing job. I'll be happy to get it up and running
smoothly. Did you get the Manual and parts breakdown through Vintagemachinery.org? I could only find a much older model without the sanding disk.
Do you think that a new or good condition used disk would be available somewhere? Does the sanding surface rotate into a horizontal position?
More to follow

Thank you, but any one can do what I have done to a similar machine. Yes, the manual and IPB came from vintagemachine.org I posted the decoding S/N information previously, but its hard to read in the post as I did a screen shot and it distorts when you zoom in. I have the original and its easy to read, I can save you some time when you get the S/N to me.
I have seen some parts for these machines on Ebay including the disc assembly so keep an eye out. The belt sander does rotate to the horizontal position and has an adjustable stud to help support this position coming off the base.

 

[anoyes]

I recommend looking at industrialabrasives. Their web site has 6x48 belts that I've used over the years with good luck. I have no connection with them other than as a happy customer. Congratulations on a nice looking restoration. I have a Delta 6x48 in pieces waiting time to get to it. Unfortunately mine is missing the belt table and trunnion bracket.
Good luck.

 

[Firestopper]

Thanks for the recommendation on industrialabrasives. I'll check them out.

We got bored and it was too windy to spend any time outside so into the shop we went. We started with installing the enclosure, then decided to install the switch. I really had no intention on doing much work on the machine, but with good tunes playing, one thing let to another. After wiring the switch, we found ourselves wiring the power cord too.

The inside enclosure cover schematics are in perfect shape for a 34 year old unit.

We then mounted the lower roller/disc bearing housing and lower part of the disc housing to the main base and mounted to the cabinet. One thing led to another and before I knew it, the belt main body, and platen was installed. This was then followed by the pulley, disc, idler roller, upper disc guard and disc table. The tiny grub screws where also adjusted for proper alignment as was the table. The pointer was also calibrated to zero using the technique in the manual. The manual came in handy for these details.


The table adjusts very smoothly without the the painted machine surfaces on the trunnions. The extra effort masking off was worth it.

The platen is adjusted using a straight edge along the upper and lower rollers. The manual calls for the platen to protrude 1/32" past the upper and lower rollers.
We then focused on the belt cover plates and lower cover with exhaust shoot: these also required adjusting for the top cover to index properly. The top and lower covers have indexing grooves on two sides, where the side and end covers fit. If this detail is missed, the belt will contact the table side of the top cover, resulting in damage.

Here you can see said indexing grooves where the covers fit on the opposite side of table and end cover. Old photo prior to restoring, note the damage from improper seating and belt contact .

We then installed the belt table and calibrated that pointer and set the quick block set screws for 0 and 45 degrees.

The badging was reinstalled using little drive pins. The machine is missing one "Rockwell" badge on the belt table.
The repaired end cover fit nice into the lower cover groove considering it was grooved through from a poor tracking belt.

Some random shots of the assembled machine. I really like the color contrast of the machine as well as the cap screws that replaced the slot-headed screws.

I plan on replacing the pointer screw with a Allen button head.


I still need to install the motor but need to pick up a fresh capacitor on Mark's (mksj) recommendation.

Before and after....

Thanks for following along, its been a fun project and its good to be back in the shop.

Good night.