The Delta Industrial Contractor Saw is a top contender to anchor even small shops. Click image to enlarge

Delta #36-682 Industrial Contractor Saw

Solid, smooth and super accurate

Text & Photos by Tom Hintz
Posted - 1-22-2005

   Contractor-style table saws have been a favorite of home woodworkers for a long time. These machines bring a combination of accuracy, capacity and power to the shop at a very reasonable price. The new Delta #36-682 Industrial Contractor Saw features a solid, innovative under-table mechanism, a large table surface and the legendary 30" (BC30) Biesemeyer Commercial fence, taking the contractor saw design to a new level of accuracy, performance, safety and value.

Initial Impressions

(Top) The undercarriage is solid and has the trunnion bolts spread out enough to make them easy to get to. (Bottom) Adjusting the bevel stops is done through the top. You don't need to be a contortionist any more! Click images to enlarge

   The Delta #36-682 is a solidly built machine with innovative design features that make it easier to maintain and use. Fit and finish of the parts and assemblies is very good. The choice of materials and sheer weight of the components makes it clear that the Delta #36-682 was designed to be a long-term investment.

   The large table surface and Biesemeyer fence system give the Delta #36-682 big capabilities balanced with a relatively small footprint, an important factor in home woodworking shops.

Instruction and Assembly

Assembly Tip: If the Delta #36-682 is to be set in a mobile base, place the saw on the base when the instructions say to turn it upright after assembling the leg set. From that point on, this saw gets very heavy, very quickly!

   The Delta #36-682 comes with two all-English instruction manuals, one for the saw itself and another for the Biesemeyer fence system. Both are well written with many clearly printed photos that help guide assembly, adjustment and use. The saw manual includes line drawings with instructions for making featherboards and a pushstick.

Getting the forward fence rail high enough was a small problem, corrected by scraping excess paint from the bolt hole. Click image to enlarge

   The Biesemeyer manual provides detailed instructions for installation on the Delta #36-682 and other saw types. It also clearly describes setup and use procedures.

   Building the Delta #36-682 is very straightforward. The sequence of assembly described in the manual is easy to follow and produces no surprises. Overall, parts fit was very good. The fasteners are logically grouped in bags that all contained the correct number of pieces.

   Installing the motor on some contractor saws can be a test of strength and patience but a nifty spring-loaded pivot pin makes this a simple one-man operation on the Delta #36-682.

   The only assembly problems came when installing the Biesemeyer fence and its laminated table extension.

   Initially, the rail would not mount high enough to match the included gauge. A closer inspection revealed paint buildup in the mounting holes. With the paint scraped away, the rail installed at the proper height.

   The wood framed laminate table had a dip in the middle that left it approximately 1/32" below the cast iron table. A length of aluminum angle was screwed to the underside of the table frame that butts against the main saw table and the problem was solved.

   I am sure Biesemeyer would have replaced the table but this fix cost under $5 and was completed in minutes. The aluminum angle will also stabilize the table frame to prevent future deflections due to humidity.

The large table surface gives the #36-682 the capacity necessary to work with large sheet good safely and accurately. Click image to enlarge

   Assembly of the Delta #36-682 was completed in just over 4 hours. That time included frequent stops for notes and photos for this review.

Large Table

   The Delta #36-682 package comes with a 10 ¼"-wide by 27"-front-to-back cast iron left side table extension. To extend the right side under the Biesemeyer fence, a 24"-wide by 27"-front-to-back laminate table is also included. A pair of sturdy steel legs with adjustable feet are included to stabilize the right-side table.

   The overall table size measures 27" front-to-back and 54"-long. That provides a gapless support surface even with the fence set at its maximum 30" from the blade.

Smooth Power

This motor ran strong throughout testing, powering through 4 1/4"-thick material without complaint. Click image to enlarge

   The Delta #36-682 is powered by a 1 ½ HP, dual capacitor induction motor that comes wired for 120V operation but can be converted for 220V. We ran the Delta #36-682 on 120V power exclusively, often for extended periods without tripping circuit breakers.

   The motor has a thermal protection circuit that shuts it down if temperatures rise abnormally. A re-set button on the motor housing returns it to service after cooling. That also gives you time to figure out why it was working that hard in the first place and remedying that situation! Despite making several very tough cuts, the motor never overheated.

   The motor turns at 3450 RPM and uses a V-belt to spin the included 28-tooth, carbide-tipped blade at 3000 RPM. That small reduction increases the amount of power at the blade.

The Arbor and Blade Changing

A pair of (included) wrenches is used to change blades, eliminating jamming a piece of wood against an expensive blade. Click image to enlarge

   The Delta #36-682 has a 5/8"-diameter arbor with 1 1/8" of shaft protruding outside the inner cup washer's flange. This arbor length will accommodate most stacked dados, including the Freud SD608 Dial-A-Width set that was evaluated on the Delta #36-682.

   Blade changing uses a pair of included wrenches, one fitting the nut and the other, a set of flats ground into the arbor shaft behind the inner cup washer. This two-wrench system not only makes changing blades easier, it eliminates potential damage caused by leveraging wood against the teeth of the blade while the nut is loosened or tightened.

Height and Bevel Adjustments

The control handles are easy to operate accurately and lock without altering the setting! Click image to enlarge

   The Delta #36-682 uses a front-mounted blade height wheel and another for bevel adjustments on the right side of the cabinet. Both have locking knobs at the center of the wheels. Backlash adjustments are provided to eliminate play should that develop in coming years.

   A very nice feature of the Delta #36-682 is above-table adjusting of the 0 and 45-degree bevel stops. A pair of Allen screws threaded through the table makes this a fast, simple operation. Our Delta #36-682 was almost perfectly adjusted at the factory. A small correction to the 45-degree stop was all that was needed and handled in seconds.

Blade Guard and Splitter

The blade guard can be latched up for changing blades. Click image to enlarge

   Though not a true quick-release, the blade guard and splitter assembly is easy to install or remove using a socket on one of the blade wrenches. The assembly is secured by a single bolt in the throat cavity and another outside of the cabinet. The splitter assembly aligned perfectly when installed and required no shimming.

   The splitter frame has a notch that engages the blade guard to hold it up out of the way when changing blades. To use this "latch" the throat insert must be removed.

The Biesemeyer Fence

   While installing the 30" Biesemeyer Commercial fence, (BC30) the reasons for its "best there is" reputation became evident. The support rails, guide tube and the

The Biesemeyer fence lived up to its "legendary" reputation and then some! Click image to enlarge

fence itself are fabricated from very heavy steel. It is obvious the Biesemeyer fence system is meant to be rock solid and to stay that way forever. If you manage to flex this fence, you have clearly done something terribly wrong.

   The fence is 4 1/16"-wide, 2 ½"-tall and 42"-long. The heavy-duty angle iron T-square that aligns it with the guide tube is 16"-long, insuring the fence locks down square to the table every time.

   After the initial adjustments, (described in the "In the Shop" section below) the Biesemeyer has remained aligned with no further attention. The hairline cursor was easily aligned with the scale on the guide tube to indicate the true blade-to-fence distance. This is the first fence scale indicator I have been able to use with confidence.

   The square, parallel faces of the fence make designing and building special-purpose jigs or a sacrificial face simple.

Miter Gauge

   A deluxe miter gauge is included and features an 18 5/16"-long guide bar fitted with a disk at the front edge that follows the T-slot. The guide bar has three hex socket

(Top) The Deluxe Miter Gauge indexes to common angles quickly. (Bottom) Three separate adjustable plates make alignment to the miter slot very accurate. Click images to enlarge

screws running horizontally that are adjusted to eliminate play between it and standard 0.750"-wide slots. This is a feature previously available only on aftermarket miter gauges.

   Three adjustable indexing plates on the miter head work with a finger-depressed lever to quickly move between 9 commonly used angle settings within a large range of 60-degrees to either side of center. The head can be set to any angle between the detents manually.

   The machined plates have slotted holes for the mounting screws. This allows perfecting the "0" and 45-degree settings to either side independently, increasing the accuracy of the angles between them. Be sure to fit the guide bar to the slot before adjusting the indexing plates.

   The miter gauge face is 7 ½"-wide by 2"-tall with two horizontal screw holes for attaching auxiliary fences or jigs. The head is locked by tightening the comfortable 5"-tall push handle that is threaded into the guide bar.

Dust Collection

   Dust collection on the Delta #36-682 is typical for contractor saws. Let it fall on the floor to be swept up later. Though a considerable amount of wood was cut during evaluation, this minimal approach kept the height and bevel mechanisms surprisingly free of dust buildup, allowing them to operate smoothly.

   Fabricating dust collection enclosures is popular but it is important to remember that unless that system is efficient and connected to a high-capacity dust collector, the broom and dust pan technique remains a safe - and free- way to keep the shop and under-table operating mechanisms clean.

In The Shop

   With assembly complete, the base alignments and adjustments were checked using our SuperBar and MasterPlate. (See the review of this MasterGage.com system.)

The large, very flat table and Biesemeyer fence make cutting sheet goods fast, safe and accurate. Click image to enlarge

   Blade parallelism to the miter slot as adjusted at the factory measured just under 0.001" of error. That is well within spec and required no adjustment.

   The arbor was checked for runout and found to be perfect. Runout at the inner cup washer flange that contacts the blade also proved to be true.

   The rear of the Biesemeyer fence was tailed in towards the blade about 0.003" right out of the box. A little "tweaking" of the adjuster screws tailed the fence out 0.001" at the rear. Again, this is well within spec and insures that stock being cut is not pinched into the blade.

   After cutting several pieces of wood with the included 28-tooth Delta blade to confirm the setups, a Porter Cable 50-tooth Razor Finisher blade was installed. This will be the every-day blade on this saw.

   A 4 ¼"-thick billet of basswood needed to be ripped so we decided to see just how strong the motor really is. The Delta #36-682 powered through the initial cut in the basswood block, the blade fully buried, with no trouble. Throughout the review process, power was never an issue.

   The Delta #36-682 is surprisingly smooth and quiet-running. While I personally do not believe in the "nickel test," it was performed and passed easily.

Ripping a 4 1/4"-thick slab of basswood, the blade fully buried during the first cut, did not phase the Delta 36-682. Click image to enlarge

   Throughout testing, the Delta #36-682 handled all common and a few not-so-common tasks with ease. The large table and Biesemeyer fence make ripping operations very accurate and produces smooth, straight cut edges on everything from simple pine to red oak materials.

   The Delta #36-682 never lacked for power, including ripping the basswood block with the blade at full height and completely buried. During this evaluation, we were also testing the Freud SD608 Dial-A-Width dado set and found the Delta #36-682 handled cutting ¾"-wide by 3/8"-deep dados in one pass with ease.

   The splitter and guard worked well with no tendency to grab or deflect the material being cut. Removing the splitter and guard assembly for dado work is relatively fast and easy.

   Adjusting blade height or bevel angles accurately is easy. The handles work smoothly and lock without changing the setting. Once locked, both held securely.

Conclusions

   The Delta #36-682 is a value-packed table saw with a full range of capabilities to meet your current and future needs. The 30" Biesemeyer fence brings its legendary accuracy to the package along with plenty of rip capacity to handle large sheet goods without taking up excessive shop space.

Pricing Link (Current version)

DELTA 36-980 10" Left Tilt CONTRACTOR'S SAW® with DELTA® T2 30" Fence, Rail and Two Cast-Iron Table

   The 1 1/2HP motor and drive system deliver plenty of power and when equipped with a decent blade, can handle virtually any cutting task.

   The quality materials and solid design mean the Delta #36-682 will remain accurate and dependable for many years to come. Combining a solid contractor-style saw with the legendary Biesemeyer fence brings many cabinet saw features and capabilities at a price sufficiently below many cabinet models to add another needed machine to the shop without putting the budget on life support.

   The street price of $799 (1-21-2005) makes the Delta #36-682 a top candidate if you need a table saw to anchor your woodworking shop.

See more Delta Tools at www.deltawoodworking.com

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