Has anyone here had success getting a Delta motor repaired? I'm just curious about the approximate cost, a new one from Delta is $263.64 + $8 shipping.
This is for a used Delta 37-190 6" jointer that I brought home today for $180. A decent deal, right?
I tested it on some pine in the guy's driveway, it ran for several minutes and handled a number of passes on a 2x4. He had upgraded to a used 8" and had a pretty good shop going with plenty of examples of his craftsmanship in his house. I could tell he was upgrading to second generation tools, about where I'd like to be in 3-5 years. So although I knew the unit was used, it seemed to be properly cared for. Everything was flat and rust-free and there were no signs of neglect or abuse.
We took it mostly apart so I could fit it in my car. I got it home and put back together, re-setting all the blades to within 0.002", and adjusting the tables and the fence stops to dead on. (This all took about 2 hours, but I was pleased with how accurate I got the knives.)
Then I turned it on and off a few times, just to make sure the knives were set and balanced. I smelled something hot, and I figured the belt was re-setting. But the fourth time I tried the power switch, nothing happened. It looks like the motor is dead. (Although I still have some reading to do tonight to see learn how to diagnose it with a multimeter.)
This seems to be a case of just getting what you pay for when you buy used, it's always a risk after the warranty period is gone. Any suggestions on how I can still keep this sweet deal from going sour?