Thread: Need help identifying this jointer..

An email to the seller may be the most accurate way of determining the width..

Its always hard to make a decision from just pictures. Does the auction allow viewing before bidding starts?
This is my take on it. Delta has a good reputation and old machinery is usually well made. By the looks of it its 50 or so years old. The jointer I am using is about the same age. If you are happy at fixing up old machines and the price is right it may be worth a bet. Keep in mind that you may need to get a new motor. You will need to sharpen and or get new blades and replace the bearings. So if it all adds up to say about half the cost of a new machine then its worth it.
Regards
John

Have a look at this
How to Tell the Age of Delta Woodworking Equipment | Our Pastimes

I'm half blind but by proportions it looks like eight inches to me.

I had a very similar Delta Jointer but six inch. I've used several different brands at school. I now have a Grizzly combination Jointer / Planer. I've never noticed a "Horse Power" need. On a jointer the cut is rarely more than 1/32 inch or 0.8 MM. In actuality I have mine set for 1/64. To do what a jointer is intended that is enough of a depth of cut. Think of it as a hand plane. When you are setting a hand plane up, the thinner the shaving the better.

For a small machine 3/4 Hp should do most of what you want larger Hp comes into play when you wish to plane full width boards and cutting rebates, and other deep cuts my machine 1hp 6" and will take 5mm cuts easily as said above be prepared to replace bearings and give it a clean up, if at a later stage you want more Hp you just need to bolt on a different motor.

i'd be very dubious of buying a jointer/thicknesser you cannot take an engineers square to.

you can worry about bearings, knife sharpness, motor power all you want. but unless the table and fence are square and flat its not worth wasting money on.

Thanks for all the good opinions and education as well. I wouldn't be tempted to try my luck on it if it wasn't looking like it might be 8". What would be the cost of replacing motor, bearings and knives, prob $250-300?

Bearings are only a few dollars. Knives you may get away sharpening them yourself if there is enough metal left. Here in Australia knives would be perhaps $40 not sure what they are over there. As you have guessed the motor would be a few hundred bucks if it needs replacing. Those old machines can be bargins if you are able to fix them but I would not buy unless I could go see it working and like havabeer said take a square along.
Regards
John

This video looks like the same machine and he says it is a 6" Jointer. I think the cutter block looks wider because the bed is so short.

Doing an image search shows the 8" looks a bit different than the 6" and the best part is it looks like the one in your photo is a 4"! Review: Delta 1950's 4" Jointer - Rebuild - by Gary Ratajczak @ LumberJocks.com ~ woodworking community

But as haveabeer said, if the beds aren't flat and the fence isn't square, it's not going to work as a jointer.

Oh well, it's hard to let this one go as I'm anxious to set up my little shop but since I haven't been able to give it a look before the auction I'm gonna have to pass. Glad to know I can still find a bargain used one out there and fix it up, I'll just make sure I can give it a once over before I bid.