# Lever broke and it's been discontinued by Delta



## jayhanig (Feb 1, 2019)

I have a Delta 14-651 hollow chisel mortiser that broke one of its levers this morning, right where the shaft meets the body of the lever. Frankly, I suspect it's made from pot metal and I'm wondering if it's even possible to repair. The resulting two pieces fit together perfectly with no little splinters but I find myself at a loss.










I've looked all over the internet today for someone who might have one still in stock without any luck. Delta says it's discontinued, even though the part (#899960) is used on a number of other Delta platforms, including table saws, etc. I don't need the bolt that is pictured going through the lever; mine is still good. All I need is the lever itself.

Does anyone have any ideas?


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Can you find a broken used tool that has the same part?


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

I don't know where to get an original, but it looks easy enough to make a new one; a piece of round stock drilled for that bolt, a hole drilled and tapped in the side of it, and a handle with a bolt through it.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

You are going to have to make a replacement yourself. 

How is the lever affixed to the shaft ? Square shaft ? I am figuring its a connection more substantial than just a set screw on the shaft.


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## landfillwizard (Feb 21, 2014)

If it is metal, have you tried J-B weld?


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

Seems to be a clean break a metal shop could weld back together.


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

If JB Weld, welding, or making your making your own don't cut it, or you just want something that looks better, you could also search "levers" on Zoro's site. Assuming they have something that would work, and the probably do, it will cost more that the aforementioned options, but their prices are pretty decent, so probably no more than if you had been able to get it from Delta.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Epoxy isn't going to hold, and if its pot metal like OP suggested, it will be difficult to weld.


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## ClarenceBauer (Mar 4, 2005)

SPS-1 said:


> Epoxy isn't going to hold, and if its pot metal like OP suggested, it will be difficult to weld.


Take to a welding shop.
There is a Flux & Solder for Pot Metal.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

If, as you say, the part number is available on other equipment, order one and discard the bolt.


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## jayhanig (Feb 1, 2019)

SPS-1 said:


> How is the lever affixed to the shaft ? Square shaft ? I am figuring its a connection more substantial than just a set screw on the shaft.


The inside of the barrel is splined all the way around for half of its length. The spline is not very well defined.


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## jayhanig (Feb 1, 2019)

landfillwizard said:


> If it is metal, have you tried J-B weld?


I have not. I've never used that stuff. How strong is it?


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

If its a spline, better to re-use the old hub.

Did it break like shown below ? Looks like the handle rod inserts into the black hub, and possibly is retained by what looks like a roll pin. Maybe broke right at that hole.

Can you knock out the roll pin, remove the remnant of the shaft, and push in what is left of the original shaft ?


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

People seem to love JB Weld, but I've never had much long term success with it.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

huesmann said:


> People seem to love JB Weld, but I've never had much long term success with it.


Its just epoxy, isn't it ? I don't find any difference in brands of epoxy.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

I think it's got some tiny metal fibers or something in it?


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## jayhanig (Feb 1, 2019)

SPS-1 said:


> If its a spline, better to re-use the old hub.
> 
> Did it break like shown below ? Looks like the handle rod inserts into the black hub, and possibly is retained by what looks like a roll pin. Maybe broke right at that hole.
> 
> ...












There is no roll pin. The original part is a solid hub and shaft. Or it was until I broke it.

The red line was added by me. That is where the break is. It left a rough surface on the fatter part with a corresponding rough surface on the broken end of the shaft. The two rough surfaces mate perfectly, leaving a part that looks ready for use. But the slightest lateral pressure causes the two pieces to separate. Make sense?

The threaded bolt is a separate part that is undamaged. I've got it stripped down and reinserted in the mortiser so I don't lose it. The only reason you see it here is that this is a stock photo I found on the internet.


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## FrankWC (Nov 19, 2020)

Do a search for an "Adjustable Handle", match the bolt thread and replace the original with it.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

My mistake, I thought it was the long handle that brings the head down. You are talking about one of the small clamp handles.

Very common pieces. As mentioned, "Adjustable Handle"

Try McMaster Carr just match the thread and the stud length.









McMaster-Carr


McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.




www.mcmaster.com


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Does the part I've circled in green turn on the threads, or is it locked into place so that the handle is what rotates the threaded part?


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

I have a similar set up on my jointer. IIRC, you pull back on the handle and it engages the nut, allowing you to turn the bolt.


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## jayhanig (Feb 1, 2019)

I had read on another site that Delta's technical support was pretty useless, and so I never bothered to contact them. BIG MISTAKE! Actually, when I finally called them Monday, they were Johnny on the spot with a new part number. Cost $10 and change and is on its way. New part #DPEC001530.

That was so much harder than it needed to be and it was all my own fault. I thank all of you for trying to help me and I hope you learn as I did not to believe everything you read on the internet.


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## FrankWC (Nov 19, 2020)

You are always going to get the whiners and complainers using social media to let off steam while in many cases only giving half the actual story. I find if reviews are 50 - 50 the product is likely not that bad, particularly if you read between the lines of the negative ones.
Case in point, was reading reviews on a particular cell phone, one guy hated the piece of junk so much he went out and bought a more expensive "good" phone, sadly it crapped out on him so he is now using the piece of junk again that is still going strong.


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## jayhanig (Feb 1, 2019)

Update: the replacement part showed up yesterday and I installed it without problems. The joke was on me as there was an identical part on the damned thing that crumbled on me immediately afterwards. So now I get to order another one. Shipping on these levers runs about $5 for a single $11 part. I bet I could have gotten them to send me two levers for the same shipping charge. They weigh essentially nothing.

<Sigh> The story of my life. I will think twice before I ever buy anything else from Delta Machinery after this. It's one thing for something to rust. It's something else entirely for something made out of metal to just crumble from exposure to darkness and dust. I keep my shop dehumidified. It stays between 50-80 degrees in there year round. Apparently that is too wide a variance for pot metal.


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