Delta P-20 Material Holdown Clamping Screw

[rstermer]

Any ideas what the diameter and pitch are for the material holddown adjusting screw on a Delta P-20? My dial caliper says the diameter of the hole is 0.261", which is close to an M8 screw, but neither the fine or regular pitch M8 screw will fit. An M6 screw is too small. The hardware store doesn't carry M7 screws. A 1/4" screw slides in and a 5/16" screw is too big. The hardware store doesn't carry 17/64",9/32" or19/64" screws. Maybe I should just drill and tap for 3/8" and be done with it. Thoughts?
rstermer

[GrayBeard Phil]

If your P-20 is a Delta model 40-680 (IIRC, there were other models of the P-20) then your holddown bolt screws into the end of a bent rod.

From the Delta service parts web page I posted a link to in your other thread, that bent rod is available for less than $5.00, and the delta part for the screw is about $2.50 or so. Both parts appear to be in stock at the Delta Warehouse (the Delta web page is not known to be accurate.)

Per the User Manual for the 40-680 the bolt was a 1/4 -20 by 1/2 cap head bolt. From your two posts, I gather the threaded hole for that bolt is now over-sized and a 1/4 inch cap head bolt won't fit any more.

Again, it is possible that you don't have a 40-680, but another model of a P-20.

Phil

[rstermer]

Originally Posted by GrayBeard Phil

If your P-20 is a Delta model 40-680 (IIRC, there were other models of the P-20) then your holddown bolt screws into the end of a bent rod.

From the Delta service parts web page I posted a link to in your other thread, that bent rod is available for less than $5.00, and the delta part for the screw is about $2.50 or so. Both parts appear to be in stock at the Delta Warehouse (the Delta web page is not known to be accurate.)

Per the User Manual for the 40-680 the bolt was a 1/4 -20 by 1/2 cap head bolt. From your two posts, I gather the threaded hole for that bolt is now over-sized and a 1/4 inch cap head bolt won't fit any more.

Again, it is possible that you don't have a 40-680, but another model of a P-20.

Phil

Phil- Thanks for the info. My saw is a 40-680 but it appears a prior owner stripped the hole. From what you told me, my only good options at this time are to drill and tap for the next larger bolt, which in this case appears to be 3/8" (root diameter for 5/16" is smaller than 0.261") or I might be able to use some JB weld and glue a 1/4-20 nut to the inside of the casting. It looks like there is enough room to do so.

Thanks also for the info in your previous post. When I went to the Delta site, the only info I found was a notation that one had to call for info on 40-680 parts, so I was not able to get any detailed info. If you could explain the trick to finding the info, I'd greatly appreciate it. It is not exactly a user friendly website.
Regards,
rstermer

[GrayBeard Phil]

Before I get to the meat of my reply--- Just remember, SO-O-O many scroll sawyers stop using the hold down after a while, because it gets in the way, it is not needed, and becomes counter productive. Spend only so much time and effort on repairing this, because as you develop you scroll saw skills, you will throw away the hold down yourself. The scroll saw hold down is only required by USA safety requirements to keep your fingers away from the blade. Scroll saws are safe. The blade is not like a bandsaw, or table saw blade.

Originally Posted by rstermer

{snip...}When I went to the Delta site, the only info I found was a notation that one had to call for info on 40-680 parts, so I was not able to get any detailed info. If you could explain the trick to finding the info, I'd greatly appreciate it. It is not exactly a user friendly website.
....

Yes, it has to be one of the worst designed web sites there are. But Black and Decker, the new owners, may want it that way. B&D are phasing out many of the Delta tools. All Delta scroll saws are no longer made, and in a few years all spare parts will be purged from the repair supply system.

A few years ago, the name Delta on a woodworking tool meant something, but no more. But back then, Delta had a series of regional service centers in the USA where a user purchased repair parts, or got the tool overhauled.

To buy from the web site, as expected, you need to register and get a login and pass word.

From the homepage for the service net page Untitled Page
On the far left hand side, just below the DeWalt sign, and the small shopping cart symbol is a small rectangle labeled Find It Now. Type in 40-680 into that search box, and click on small logo for the magnifying glass.

You should be taken to a search result web page, click on the 40-680 on the second line. The model number is underlined. (Aside: an R after a model number is for factory Reconditioned saws.)

Now on the next page most of it is black. Many features are hidden by the black background. You REALLY have to look closely. But on the left hand side, just below the digital photo of the P-20, again hidden by the black background, are some TIF files. Slowly hover your mouse cursor and you may see the highlighted links. You are looking for SS10-1.tif (There is a small icon for a link to a pdf download next to the file link.) And click on the link to SS10-1.tif file link.

Now the dreaded black background should be replaced with parts drawing within a window with seperate scroll bars. You have to scroll you web page down quite a bit to see the horizontal scroll bar for the window.

You are looking for part call out items #59 and #63. Keep scrolling down your web page, which is seperate from the parts drawing window. Way, Way down is the parts list items for #50 and #63. To the extreme right is a shoping cart symbol with a green plus sign.

Click that will add the part to your shoping cart. Way at the top of the web page is a link to view your shopping cart. At the View Shopping Cart web page, you should be able to link to the payment and shipping pages.

Don't forget to be sure to enable cookies for the Service Net site.

BTW: there are two other TIF files which show other parts for the saw. Also a link to a pdf of the owner's manual in english and french.

The hold down bar, delta part # 1342274 @ $4.29 as having over 400 in stock. There is about a $10.00 shipping and handling charge for a 5 day shipping. Faster for extra money.

The cap screw is Delta part # 901030100229

Trust me, the Delta DeWalt web page is hard to navigate. Parts for the very popular DeWalt 788 is just as confusing on this same series of web pages.

Phil

[Carter Johnson]

Throw the whole holddown mechanism away. You'll, over time, considerably increase your flexibility. to say nothing of the ability to better see what you're doing.

Have phun....... Carter

[Mick Walker]

Much easier site for Delta scroll saw parts is Mike's Tools - Woodworking Tools, Metalworking Tools, Power Tools, Cordless Tools, Used Tools - Mike's Tools.

[rstermer]

Originally Posted by GrayBeard Phil

Before I get to the meat of my reply--- Just remember, SO-O-O many scroll sawyers stop using the hold down after a while, because it gets in the way, it is not needed, and becomes counter productive. Spend only so much time and effort on repairing this, because as you develop you scroll saw skills, you will throw away the hold down yourself. The scroll saw hold down is only required by USA safety requirements to keep your fingers away from the blade. Scroll saws are safe. The blade is not like a bandsaw, or table saw blade.


Yes, it has to be one of the worst designed web sites there are. But Black and Decker, the new owners, may want it that way. B&D are phasing out many of the Delta tools. All Delta scroll saws are no longer made, and in a few years all spare parts will be purged from the repair supply system.

A few years ago, the name Delta on a woodworking tool meant something, but no more. But back then, Delta had a series of regional service centers in the USA where a user purchased repair parts, or got the tool overhauled.

To buy from the web site, as expected, you need to register and get a login and pass word.

From the homepage for the service net page Untitled Page
On the far left hand side, just below the DeWalt sign, and the small shopping cart symbol is a small rectangle labeled Find It Now. Type in 40-680 into that search box, and click on small logo for the magnifying glass.

You should be taken to a search result web page, click on the 40-680 on the second line. The model number is underlined. (Aside: an R after a model number is for factory Reconditioned saws.)

Now on the next page most of it is black. Many features are hidden by the black background. You REALLY have to look closely. But on the left hand side, just below the digital photo of the P-20, again hidden by the black background, are some TIF files. Slowly hover your mouse cursor and you may see the highlighted links. You are looking for SS10-1.tif (There is a small icon for a link to a pdf download next to the file link.) And click on the link to SS10-1.tif file link.

Now the dreaded black background should be replaced with parts drawing within a window with seperate scroll bars. You have to scroll you web page down quite a bit to see the horizontal scroll bar for the window.

You are looking for part call out items #59 and #63. Keep scrolling down your web page, which is seperate from the parts drawing window. Way, Way down is the parts list items for #50 and #63. To the extreme right is a shoping cart symbol with a green plus sign.

Click that will add the part to your shoping cart. Way at the top of the web page is a link to view your shopping cart. At the View Shopping Cart web page, you should be able to link to the payment and shipping pages.

Don't forget to be sure to enable cookies for the Service Net site.

BTW: there are two other TIF files which show other parts for the saw. Also a link to a pdf of the owner's manual in english and french.

The hold down bar, delta part # 1342274 @ $4.29 as having over 400 in stock. There is about a $10.00 shipping and handling charge for a 5 day shipping. Faster for extra money.

The cap screw is Delta part # 901030100229

Trust me, the Delta DeWalt web page is hard to navigate. Parts for the very popular DeWalt 788 is just as confusing on this same series of web pages.

Phil

Phil- Thank you for the tutorial, very helpful, especially the link to the manual!
rstermer

[Rolf]

I would lose the hold down, but if you want to use it I would suggest you not drill out to 3/8 but get a local machine shop to put a heli coil in it.
If you lived near me I would take care of that for you.

[NMScroller]

Except for 3/4" hard material, I hate the hold down. It will spring down into delicate fretwork and push fragile pieces to break. If you would like to replace parts, Mike's Tools mentioned earlier is fantastic.