Delta 40-540 Scroll Saw Obsolete After 20 Years

At 20 years old....

David Weaver

i'm not sure many manufacturers have supported older parts that long. Especially on machines that have parts that break.

I'd imagine production of the parts is done only during the machine's life, and one would be surprised if the tools are even made in the same location any longer.

I had the same issue with delta - planer 22-580, one of the knife support pieces (I don't think I'd go so far as to call it a chipbreaker) bent, which made it an instant problem permanently (wood chips went under it, jamming full, machine ceased to work), and as you found...NLA. Probably not a good design and the parts supply was exhausted quickly. Difference being that it had only been out of production a couple of years when I found myself unable to fix it (and I bought it new).

Brands aren't loyal to customers, customers aren't loyal to brands, brands get bought and sold - I think they have enough data to realize they can make more money strategizing forward than looking backwards.

That said, that part crosses to several scroll saws. It's not out of the realm of possibility that you could find an entire saw for not much more than the part cost and have a new part and lots of other new parts.

Re: Delta 40-540 Scroll Saw Obsolete After 20 Year *LINK*

John McGaw

ToolPartsDirect may have it. Probably worth a look.


Here?

Re: Delta 40-540 Scroll Saw Obsolete After 20 Year

Leslie Ohmart

I can't seem to post an image. The web site for the part was one of the ones I looked at. Unavailable. It looks like I'm going to have to pick up a new machine and sell the Delta for parts. Not sure where to do that. After doing some searches it looks like the Dewalt DW788 will get the nod.

Craigslist...

David Weaver

at any given time, because of the relatively low dollar value and high weight of those, they seem to be popular on CL rather than auction sites.

Out of curiosity, I checked my CL here, and there were four delta machines, but none with a part like yours that I could see (I followed your part number and found pictures of the part on various sites).

I guess the internet is a blessing and a curse for parts in that it gets us instant access to lists of parts, but in my experience, many of the sites seem to drop ship from the same place. You can test their competence by ordering a part and then requesting an update soon after or saying you'd like to cancel your order. They can't do it because they're just putting in an order somewhere to have the parts shipped to you. I've had that experience with appliances when a 3 day part turns into 20 days and nobody can tell you where the part is, then it shows up after you've "canceled" and the charge for it is reinstated unless you spend your own money to send it back.

Point being, there's probably only one or two places with all of those parts rather than many, and the ease in finding the parts means that folks with broken machines loot them pretty soon. I don't think my delta planer was more than about 3 years out of production when I found the blade retaining part to be absent everywhere.

Not surprisingly, spare knives were all over the place once people realized they had to junk their machines and couldn't use them.

That bracket looks large enough that it could be fabricated, possibly even repaired, but probably at a cost either way (in your time or someone else's) that it's not worthwhile. I noticed the parts list for the machine showed many discontinued parts. I have no greater idea than anyone else about a good long term strategy to buy a machine these days and be able to fix it for long. As far as I can tell, even with cars, manufacturers are only required (by law) to be able to source or find parts during the car's warranty period.

(one of the CL machines here has a non-working part with advice in the ad that the part is only $9 and is easy to replace. out of curiosity, I looked the part up - it's NLA. I'd speculate that the seller is aware of that based on the price )

Car Parts Federal Law: 10 years

Re: Delta 40-540 Scroll Saw Obsolete After 20 Year

Chuck

I have the DeWalt788 and I love it, they have problems with lack of a lot grease in the bearings but that in not a problem that can't be overcome with a little time and effort. I'm going on four years with out any maintenance at all other than blades.

Magnusson Moss Act - no n-year rule

David Weaver

I believe there is no specific law for parts availability other than emissions (by requirement to provide 2 years of functional warranty, and 8 total against defective design or manufacture of emissions parts).

Magnusson Moss Act specifies (loosely, i'm not a lawyer) that manufacturers need to be able to provide parts or arrange for parts to be available (they could be made by someone else) during the duration of a warranty. if they don't, they have to provide you a replacement or new vehicle.

I have never been able to find text from a Statute or Act or Code that is still in effect that actually specifies a required warranty except for emissions parts.

https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/14049/are-auto-manufacturers-required-under-us-federal-law-to-provide-parts-for-a-set

I've also never seen a manufacturer try to claim that any emissions parts under 8 years old weren't due to defect (i'm sure it's occurred). I had a failed emissions test on a 7 year-old vehicle and the manufacturer replaced the catalytic converter without question (i wasn't aware of the EPA rules and thought I was in for a $1000 bill for it). It probably wasn't defective, but maybe it's not worth the trouble to them, and it's probably not a common failure.

If there are state laws, I don't know what they would be (as in, I don't learn state laws outside of my state). The parts aftermarket is also robust, and a manufacturer not offering parts (even though they're not legally required to) after a warranty is up risks getting in trouble with their dealer network now that service is the biggest revenue generator for dealers.

third party endorsement...dewalt..

David Weaver

Years ago, I was considering getting a scroll saw. I thought I was going to be a power tool magnate and be able to make interesting things.

I remember reading several folks with a $1,500 brand of scroll saw mention that they mothballed their saw and used a dewalt saw instead.

I also remember george wilson (who is as fine of a worker as i've ever seen) mentioning that he had a very high dollar fret saw that sanded the edge of a cut due to the motion of the blade and he wasn't happy with it.

The dewalts are out there in such great number that they're also always on CL here - just not usually very cheap, even used.

Re: third party endorsement...dewalt..

SamForce

I had a tablesaw that was no longer in production. it was still under an extended warranty I had bought, I needed a new trunnion and was unable to find 1. I was reimbursed for the total cost of the saw and even got to keep the saw. it cuts fine but I do not let others use it as the blade will not adjust up or down. at some point it will probably be an anchor as not worth the risk

Re: third party endorsement...dewalt..

Lee Ohmart

I yarded off the part and took it to a local gun shop I do business with who has a machine shop. They are going to machine up a duplicate using aircraft grade aluminum which will be much stronger than the original and about the same weight. He quoted me $125-150 which I think is worth it where the Dewalt was going to set me back three to four times that much. We'll see. If not, lesson learned and the Dewalt is still there.

Great ......

Jerry Nicholson

Now I suppose you are going to tell me that my 50 year old Craftsman drill press, 56 year old Craftsman table saw, and 50 year old Craftsman band saw are obsolete too!!! I will be afraid to use them!

Wait - my 83 year old body is probably obsolete too, even though new knees and hips are still available. I haven't been able to find any memory upgrades though.

Jerry

Fabricate...

David Weaver

Jerry, if any of your parts stop working, you're going to have to fabricate some new ones!

Sounds like an interesting fix...

David Weaver

...can't comment on what's worth it or not worth it, but paying a skilled worker instead of throwing the whole thing out seems like a good plan.

"Can't post image"

George Koch

I believe you have to use your registered name and email address as listed in the profiles in order to post images.

Re: Fabricate... Here's one on UTube

kneale brownson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v504FWaGxKE

Re: Fabricate... Here's one on UTube

Lee Ohmart

Thanks for the YouTube link. A buddy of mine had already sent this to me and it was the reason I went to the gun shop machinist. He pointed out that the original part looked to be cast aluminum and that a part machined out of aircraft grade aluminum would be much stronger. Thus my choice to get a new part machined rather than the old part welded.

Re: Delta 40-540 Scroll Saw Obsolete After 20 Year

Lee Ohmart

I received the new part and got it installed after a few fiddly modifications. If I were to do this again, I would have brought the part in with the entire machine so the machinist could see how it functioned as part of the whole. After installing a new blade, I cut out 29 tusks for my project and only broke one blade. Here is something I noticed. After installing a new blade and getting it tensioned up I noticed after cutting the first tusk that it was acting like it had stretched. The twang test bore that out so I tensioned it up again. After two more tusks, same thing. For the rest of the tusks, I stopped every now and then to pluck the blade to make sure it was still up to snuff. Is this normal?

Re: Delta 40-540 Scroll Saw Obsolete After 20 Year

AZ in Colorado Springs

That's normal in my experience. I think the heat of friction is noticed by the narrow blades and they give a bit. A quarter turn on the tensioner helps a couple of times before the blade gives way completely -- breaks.

Re: Delta 40-540 Scroll Saw Obsolete After 20 Year

Lee Ohmart

I did that after seeing it in a video.

Re: Delta 40-540 Scroll Saw Obsolete After 20 Year

Lee Ohmart

That was about my experience. The reality that metals expand with heat and the effect on tension was expected but I didn't think I would have to make so many adjustments. Like my band saw, should I release the tension when the scroll saw is not in use?