Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Oct 05, 2007 11:26pm | #1

   The story as I have heard it, and as it was described in a very early issue of Fine Woodworking, is that the Delta line of tools suffered from steadily declining quality while under the control of Rockwell. This was a gradual process, so a Delta machine that was made just after Rockwell took over would be better than one made a few years later. I don't know of any source that would match serial numbers to date of manufacture.

   Delta hasn't been doing especially well in our tool reviews over the last few years, they were just bought up by Black and Decker, and I have heard several reports about parts being unavailable for older machines or backordered for months at a time.

   All in all I'd be a bit more cautious buying an older Delta machine at this time.

   John White