The Old Delta Workshop

Preserving the Legacy of Classic Delta Woodworking Machines

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My love for vintage woodworking machines started long before I ever knew what “vintage” meant. I grew up in a small town in California’s Central Valley — the kind of place where people fixed things themselves and passed their tools, skills, and stories down through generations. As a Gen-X kid, I was lucky to catch the tail end of the woodshop era — back when kids were still encouraged to build, create, and get their hands dirty.

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I was raised in a handy, creative family. My parents owned a craft store for a while and later ran a handyman and home-repair business. I often worked alongside them, learning the value of hard work, problem-solving, and taking pride in doing things right — not just fast. On weekends, when it wasn’t raining, Dad would roll his Boice-Crane 2500 table saw into the driveway. That cast-iron monster had a motor so heavy it could have anchored a battleship. The hum of that saw and the smell of sawdust were the background music of my childhood.

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When I took my first woodshop class in junior high, I was instantly hooked. The shop had a 14-inch Delta bandsaw, a Delta Unisaw, and a closet full of hand tools. By high school, I was completely immersed. The school shop was big, a little dark and dusty, and packed wall-to-wall with Delta machines — shapers, jointers, planers, the works. That’s when I fell in love with woodworking. At that time, I didn’t really understand one tool brand from another — I was still too young to have developed a preference. I just knew I loved creating things, and the sense of accomplishment that came from turning raw material into something real.

In my mid-20s, my parents decided to move north to Oregon. I was still young and had always taken advantage of my father’s extensive tool collection — but when he left, he took the entire war chest with him. During one of our phone calls, while I was giving him a hard time about taking “my” tools, he gave me the advice that changed everything:

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“Buy old machines and fix them up,” he said.
“Delta is always good. Take a look at www.owwm.org.”

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So, on May 28, 2008, I logged onto OWWM.org (Old Woodworking Machines) for the first time — and I was instantly hooked. I spent hours reading threads, restoration stories, and technical discussions from people who were just as passionate about this old iron as I was becoming. It felt like finding a whole new world I didn’t know existed.

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That summer, in Fair Oaks, California, I bought my very first real vintage machine — a Delta/Milwaukee No. 1460 wood lathe, still proudly standing on its original No. 945 cast-iron legs. I paid $125 for it, and from the moment I got it home, I was in deep. From there, everything snowballed. I started buying, selling, trading, and restoring Delta machines — learning, experimenting, and improving with each one.

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Over the years, I’ve spent countless hours digging into every corner of the Delta legacy — studying manuals, old general line catalogs, advertisements, and engineering details. And truthfully, I couldn’t have done any of it without the incredible people behind OWWM.org and VintageMachinery.org.

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Those two sites — and, more importantly, the volunteers and members who keep them alive — have been my greatest teachers. Their dedication to preserving history, sharing knowledge, and helping others understand these machines is nothing short of inspiring. I’ve learned more from the shared experiences, wisdom, and scanned manuals of that community than from any classroom. The Old Delta Workshop simply wouldn’t exist without them.

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To every OWWM and VintageMachinery.org contributor who has uploaded a catalog, shared a photo, answered a question, or scanned a manual — thank you. You’ve built a foundation that allows people like me to keep this history running.

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The Vision

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The Old Delta Workshop was born from that passion — and from a desire to give back to the same community that helped me fall in love with this craft. My goal is to educate, inspire, and preserve: to keep the knowledge, craftsmanship, and appreciation for these classic tools alive for generations to come.

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Through restorations, documentation, and storytelling, I aim to bridge the past and the present — to show that these machines aren’t just relics of another time, but living, working symbols of ingenuity, pride, and craftsmanship.

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What’s Ahead

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On the Old Delta Workshop YouTube channel, I’m restoring a complete lineup of vintage Delta woodworking machines to build out the ultimate Old Delta Workshop. Each video will share restoration techniques, maintenance insights, and bits of Delta history drawn from decades of Deltagram publications.

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The website, OldDeltaWorkshop.com, is designed to be an easy-to-understand and entertaining resource for both newcomers and seasoned restorers alike. Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been around old iron for decades, my goal is to make learning about these machines approachable and enjoyable.

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The step-by-step rebuild guides are written in plain language — designed to be easy to follow, even for us basic carpenters. Each one includes actual photographs of every part, because let’s face it — sometimes an 80-year-old rough sketch of a precision component just doesn’t give you the confidence you need when you’re knee-deep in a restoration.

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Alongside these guides, I’ll release companion materials — enhanced manuals, restoration checklists, and detailed articles to support every project. I’m also reviving one of Delta’s most beloved traditions: Delta Craftsheets.

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These new Craftsheets will be a mix of old and new — combining classic information from the original Delta sheets with fresh ideas, tips, and tricks contributed by myself and other members of our growing community. They’ll serve as both a tribute to Delta’s original spirit of education and a living resource that continues to evolve with modern restorers.

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And soon, the Old Delta Workshop Podcast will launch — featuring stories from fellow restorers, former Delta employees, collectors, and industry experts who helped shape the legacy of one of woodworking’s most iconic brands.

 

Looking Forward

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The Old Delta Workshop is my way of saying thank you — to Delta, to craftsmanship, and to the incredible community that keeps these machines running and their stories alive. Every restoration, every article, and every video is built on the foundation laid by the volunteers and members of OWWM.org and VintageMachinery.org.

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This project isn’t just about old tools. It’s about history, connection, and the timeless satisfaction of bringing something back to life with your own two hands.

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I’m beyond excited to share this journey — and to keep these machines, and their stories, running for decades to come.
Welcome to The Old Delta Workshop.