Replies

1. 
   PeteBradley | Oct 23, 2008 06:04am | #1

   Contractor saw?

   Most likely harmless. Old belt or loose motor mount are likely candidates.

   Pete

1. 
   woodworker57 | Oct 23, 2008 06:29am | #2

   10" cabinet saw

2. 
   RickL | Oct 23, 2008 04:40pm | #3

   Check your arbor pulley to make sure the setscrews are tight. When I was working as a tech for a tool company selling and servicing Delta machines a few pulleys had the setscrews come loose. If unchecked and loose you can destroy the pulley and arbor.

3. 
   forestgirl | Oct 24, 2008 12:59am | #4

   57, Mine does the same thing, but only occasionally.  Starting with this post in my "Unisaw Tips?" thread you may find some useful info.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   
4. 
   andyfew322 | Oct 24, 2008 03:34am | #5

   the clunk is probably the arbor being engaged really fast, and there  was some rotational flex. It is impossible to explain, but i tryed

    

    

   I'm just sayin'

5. 
   WillGeorge | Oct 24, 2008 03:37am | #6

   I do not have a Delta. I had the opposite. Clunk when stopping. The Motor pulley was loose. Somehow the setscrew came a bit untightened?

   Corrected before any damage to my So Called Junk Ridgid Tablesaw. Things happen!

6. 
   HowardAcheson | Oct 26, 2008 12:16am | #7

   That is a very common occurrence with Unisaws. I believe that Delta said it was a slight slippage at the instant of start up.

   Try adjusting the belts tighter.

   Howie.........
1. 
   woodworker57 | Oct 26, 2008 04:44am | #8

   I was looking today at my saw from underneath, and noticed the saw has 3 belts, I think I knew that, and 2 0f the 3 are very loose.  Not sure how to adjust those 2. You may be on the right track about my " clunk" problem.  Thanks   WW 57

1. 
   WillGeorge | Oct 26, 2008 02:42pm | #9

   and noticed the saw has 3 belts.

   I really have no idea about your saw. However, when working in service of other types of machines when a motor or other drive system had multiple belts they were 'supposed' to be a matched-set.  Many industrial belt suppliers can get you 'matched belts'.

   Just a quck link I found. I have nothing to do with ebay or the ebay seller. You should be able to find something in your phone-book. Yellow pages called here.

   http://cgi.ebay.com/Delta-Unisaw-drive-belts,-set-of-3_W0QQitemZ170271579576QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20081015?IMSfp=TL081015161011r35990

1. 
   woodworker57 | Oct 27, 2008 05:50am | #10

   Thanks for the info---do you think a place like Grainger Supply would have these?   WW 57

1. 
   JerryPacMan | Oct 27, 2008 03:43pm | #11

   I would try some link belts.  They are excellent in multiple belt applications because they do stretch somewhat.  The so called matched set on my now retired Unisaw was a joke.  Also, I just used the 2 outside belts for a couple of years with no problems.  If you are doing a lot of cutting of 2" or thicker material I would use all 3 belts.  

   Their was a nice example at Fennerdrives.com of a multiple drive application but I could not find it.  Check out paragraph IV step 7 in the link below.  I had 2 or 3 on my Unisaw and use 2 on my Grizzly G0543 8" jointer.  

   http://fennerdrives.com/powertwist_plus_vbelts/powertwist_installation.asp 

   Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans .

   "Life is not a success only journey."  Dr. Phil

2. 
   HowardAcheson | Oct 28, 2008 05:52am | #14

   Delta service used to recommend NOT using link type belts on the Unisaw. I'm don't recall the details but I seem to remember that they tend to slip on startup and become glazed. I would just replace the belts with a new set.Howie.........

3. 
   JerryPacMan | Oct 28, 2008 05:30pm | #15

   Howard, a Delta rep told me not to use link-belts many years ago when I was still young.  I thought I would do it anyway.  I had them on my Unisaw for at least 10 years and only used two for about two years without a problem.  I actually found that after the initial stretch that you do not have to have a lot of tension on them.  I try to adjust belts on tools and vehicles with just enough tension so as not to slip.  Less strain on bearings is good for longevity.  I think I have read that other people on this forum found this to be true also. 

   Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans .

   "Life is not a success only journey."  Dr. Phil

4. 
   woodworker57 | Oct 29, 2008 06:37am | #16

   who carries the link belts ?  I have seen them in the past but I cannot find them  in any catalogs that I have right now.

5. 
   JerryPacMan | Oct 29, 2008 03:11pm | #17

   McMaster-Carr, Grainger and Grizzly carry link belts.  I purchased 25' from Grainger and put them on all my machines except the shaper.  Since the shaper is reversible I did not use a link-belt.  Link belts are directional, they have a directional arrow every 10th link.   

   Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans .

   "Life is not a success only journey."  Dr. Phil

6. 
   WillGeorge | Oct 31, 2008 02:37am | #20

   do you think a place like Grainger Supply would have these? Not sure for us common folks. If you have an account calle them. Around here they do not sell unless you are a 'business'.

   When I was working, the 'company' purchased many items from Granger. Much more expensive than other sources but we bought ALOT, so they would do the belt matching for us. We used ALOT of different type of belts. Most were DATON brand.

   In fact, you can usually get a set of 'matched belts' just using their 'off the shelf' belts. There was not much difference in them. Manufactured to pretty close specifications. Good belts!

   I would suggest if you have a Granger near you and can 'buy' from them, bring the old set with you and tell the counter guy what you want AND WHY! In my experience, they will go overboard to help you. Having a name of a BIG account helps, I would suppose?

7. 
   kreuzie | Oct 31, 2008 03:35am | #22

   The Grainger in my town will sell to anyone who's breathing.

   You'll just pay a higher price than their regular customers.

    

   kreuzie

8. 
   Tinkerer3 | Nov 05, 2008 06:36am | #29

   We have a Granger here that anyone can walk in and buy things.  I have bought a couple tools over the years.  I mentioned their catalogue once and their look made me think they considered me a spy, terrorist  or some such.  I think they have retail stores like this one and then wholesale.  At the time I was running a business of a quarter million annually.

   Edited 11/4/2008 10:49 pm ET by Tinkerer3

   Edited 11/5/2008 1:04 am ET by Tinkerer3

9. 
   dgreen | Nov 05, 2008 08:32am | #30

   They got a lot more generous once they put it on a cd. 

    

   ................................................

   Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.~ Denis Diderot

2. 
   roland_johnson | Oct 28, 2008 04:11am | #13

   Make sure you buy a matched set of belts and buy automotive quality belts not the inexpensive "fractional" belts. Grainger would be a good source just make sure they all have the same batch number.

7. 
   glennwarner | Oct 27, 2008 10:08pm | #12

   For the "clunk" try this, from http://www.sawcenter.com/. FAQ
   A great source for unisawyers.

   Q. My saw makes a "clunk" when it starts. What could cause this?

   A. On the elevating shaft, inside the saw toward the back, there is a round stop collar with a locking set screw. First crank the blade down, and then up just a few turns, enough to tension the elevating shaft. Now check to make sure that the stop collar is seated all the way back against the rear trunnion assembly. If it is not, loosen the set screw and tap the collar toward the back of the saw, and then re-tighten. If this collar is allowed to move forward, the whole elevating shaft will move back and forth, allowing the blade arbor to jump when the saw starts. This causes the "clunk" on start up. Another source of this noise could be a loose arbor pulley. There are two set screws in the grooves of the arbor pulley. They can be accessed from underneath the saw if you rotate the arbor until they are uncovered by the drive belts. Make sure you unplug the machine before attempting this!

8. 
   9619 | Oct 30, 2008 01:31am | #18

   57,
   "Most of the time when I start my 10" Unisaw, it starts with a "clunk"."

   Have you dropped a wrench or anything else in your Unisaw?

   Mel

   Measure your output in smiles per board foot. 

1. 
   woodworker57 | Oct 30, 2008 04:29am | #19

   not that I am aware of

9. 
   jimmy | Oct 31, 2008 03:12am | #21

   Go to the saw center link.  Belts are best if they come from delta, and yes, they are matched.  I running mine on 2 belts and its fine.  I had to rebuild the arbor assembly (actually had to replace the arbor) on my uni, and while not difficut, it is a pain in th butt.  Saw Center will have any parts that you might need.  Also have some nice links walking you through the problems...Jimy

1. 
   woodworker57 | Oct 31, 2008 06:38am | #23

   Do you have the Saw Center link by any chance, or can I Google it?

1. 
   forestgirl | Oct 31, 2008 08:55am | #24

   It was in Post #13.  Click here for the site.  Thanks to Glen for posting it...saw some small parts I'll grab for my 1998 Uni.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   woodworker57 | Nov 01, 2008 06:01am | #25

   I was looking under my saw tonight trying to discern and apply everything all you posters have suggested for my saw "clunk" noise upon starting the motor each time.  I did not really see anything out of whack,however I have not yet replaced the belts.  Then ,lo and behold, I noticed a crack in the motor mount bracket that is weled to the motor itself.  The crack was in the weld itself, or just above it.  I am going to get it re-welded and see if that solves the problem.  The main problem I can see in this is the motor looks to be very heavy and kind of awkward to get in and out of he cabinet, but I am going to give it the old college try..Thanks to everyone who has posted on this subject, and I will keep yall posted.---------WW 57

1. 
   JerryPacMan | Nov 01, 2008 04:51pm | #26

   Check the set screws on both pulleys. Re-adjusting the belts or using link belts will probably solve the clunk problem. 

   Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans .

   "Life is not a success only journey."  Dr. Phil

2. 
   sledge | Nov 05, 2008 09:38pm | #31

   Hi WW57

   I installed the Delta belts that came as a package for the unisaw. I've had them on my saw now for about 15 yrs with no trouble. Maybe they made them better back then!

   I'd buy the Delta again.

   Ed

2. 
   RickL | Nov 04, 2008 10:20pm | #27

   Saw Center is nothing special. I live near by them. Parts are typically cheaper direct from Delta. You do not want to buy the belts from Delta or the Saw Center. Just buy three belts at the same time.

   You don't need three belts either. PM went to 2 belts. Delta won't do less than three belts of folks will scream they are cheapening their saw.  I have been installing panel saws with 9 hp motors that only use one belt and have run blades up to 18" with no problem.

10. 
    rdasilva | Nov 04, 2008 11:07pm | #28

    I had the same problem on my Jet JTAS. All it took to eliminate the 'clunk' was a simple belt adjustment. Usually it means the belts are a little loose. Tighten them up a bit (not too tight) and I'll bet the problem goes away.