Delta X 46-765X Lathe

I'm going to lean on this subject just a little bit. Read this link from the Wood magazine forum and then go out buy your Vicmarc.

Sharon, I read the notes posted in the Wood Mag. forum. Although there are always a small percentage of tools that have factory mechanical defects, I would not rule out the Delta 16" lathes on that alone. I spent an entire three day weekend demonstrating on the Delta 46-745

16"x42" 1 1/2hp 120 vac. I found it to be an excellant lathe for the money. The stand is very heavy and stable and can have balast added without resorting to sand baging the lathe. The steel bed is excellant and I found it's rigidity outstanding. I was given three "kind of" rounded blocks of maple 16" in diameter and 8" thick to work with. Each was mounted on 3.5" aluminum faceplates. The lathe was standing on carpet and without balast or extra support. Right out of the box. Although the wood very out of balance I was able to easily turn two out of the three and the third with just a little bit of extra effort on low speed. These would have been a charm with some balast and the usual support we would give any lathe when turning out of balance wood. The 1 1/2 hp 120 vac motor drove the wood through 1/2" cuts with the bowl gouge. Outstanding power. The sliding headstock and steel bed made those jobs even easier. Over all, it was one of the easiest lathes to work with that I have used. I'm not saying that more money can't buy more lathe. I would not compare this to a $5,000 Oneway 2436. But I think it is the best in the $2,000 range. I hope this has given you some help. Be Well, Don

Hello George,

I believe that you are comparing two entirely different lathes here. The

46-715 is in no way comparable to the 46-765X I believe that the 46-715 is the lighter weight 14" lathe with the reeves drive. While the 46-765 is the heavier 16" lathe with a totally different drive system.

While I haven't had a chance to turn on either one, they do seem to be different animals. :)

Best wishes, Dave

David Peebles Ly> I'm going to lean on this subject just a little bit. Read this link

I've turned on both and hey are completely different machines. And, in each of their price classes I think that there are better alternatives.

Bill

Couldn't agree more.

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Don, Thanks for your input. Your experience with this lathe definately sounds positive. My only reservation about Delta is all that I have read about their poor customer support. I do have other Delta tools but have not had a problem that required customer support. Right now I'm still in the research phase of this purchase.There is so much info to go thru but I greatly appreciate you taking time to relay your experience about this lathe. I will give it a second look. Thanks again, Sharon

Hello Sharon, The Delta X tools are pretty well just a new way of marketing and staying competive in price, I don't know about quality. I'm proud to be the owner of A Delta Unisaw with Beis. I purchased this as a package and it include a mobile stand. For the same price that saw is now the same price as that I paid without that $150.00 mobile stand. Delta has now gone to China to make their bandsaw. Is this good or bad I don't know. I have used the Delta 16 46-765 in a demo. I did this in a wood & tool store. Later in checking another machine like the one I just used, I noticed that the spindle on it was in an usable condition. That is the threads were all torn up. Too me that indicated I'm glad I made other choices. When I purhase a machine or lathe I'm concerned how long it will last? Will I need repairs? I expect my lathes to be the same way. I have gone overboard in the purchase of lathes in the last 20 years. But all has been great performers on the most part. Including my variable speed(reeves drive)Delta(1986) I sold this lathe to make room for my new Vicmarc 175 addition. The Delta was noisy is the only compliant I had about it. For the next user this machine will last a lifetime. Every thing about it was of high quality and just as good now then as it is now. I'm just reluctant to buy machines from China or Tiawan, sometimes I have no good choice. My current lathes in the shop are as follows: Vicmarc VL300, Vicmarc VL100, Vicmarc VL175, General 260(1987), Nova DVR, Avon Tyme, Klein Mini, and Shopsmith. I have given away or sold the mentioned Delta, Kity, Cornet and Elu. George Troy Hurlburt

Hi George Troy. As with you, I rarely meet a lathe I dislike. Congratulations on your fine stable of thorobreds. Do you recommend buying lathes in sets or one at a time as you decide upon the ones that you find useful? ;) With envy, Arch

Fortiter,

My experience with Delta was that the on/off switch broke. The dealer I bought the lathe at referred me to a Delta service depot who wouldn't look at the repair unless I brought the complete lathe in - absolutely ridiculour. Went to an electric supply store and bought a new switch. I will probably go for another brand when I upgrade in a couple of years.

I have a 46-746 with a 2HP motor and have had no noise problems. Looks like the new X5 is a replacement or marketing ploy. Could be the X5 series comes from a different manufacturing source. I needed a lathe I could move easily and a head stock that would travel the full length of the bed. I am quite happy with the lathe and would buy it again.

Dan "Eccentric by Nature"

We had a Delta rep at our last woodworking meeting and the X5 is part of a marketing plan. It replaces the Limited Edition that they had been doing. There is a 5 year warranty on the tools and they come with rebate coupons and mail in offers. Some of the offers seemed pretty good. There are also new products coming out in the X5 plan. Part of what they are doing is trying to differentiate between their industrial and consumer products. Martin

OK Arch, I will admit it I'm a lathe junkie. You ought to see all my Golf Drivers. Ebay here I come. It's time to unload, I made my choices. Buy and sell- win some lose some.

However it sure is nice when you put 6 people on a lathe at one time in my shop, it's not quite but to but. GTH

Look out Arch, I think "GTH" might be geek-speak, for "go to hell"

James.