Remove Drill Press Column

[BrianHayes]

Advice needed: I haven't been able to separate the column from the base. Citric acid soak for 5 days, a can of PB Blaster, heat, and even a 5/8 threaded rod through a steel plate at the top and a 4x4 at the bottom. The 4x4 broke before the column budged. Tried a propane torch tonight, to no avail. Running out of ideas.

 

[FrankLee]

Can you tell if the lock shoe is loose?


Please update your profile with your location.

 

[FrankLee]

How was your threaded rod and 4x4 set up?
I've used threaded rod through the column several times, but I can't picture how you used the 4x4.

Here is a link to some photos of one of mine.

Amazon Photos

 

[BrianHayes]

Can you tell if the lock shoe is loose?


Please update your profile with your location.

The lock shoe is loose.

 

[BrianHayes]

Can you tell if the lock shoe is loose?


Please update your profile with your location.

The lock shoe is loose.

How was your threaded rod and 4x4 set up?
I've used threaded rod through the column several times, but I can't picture how you used the 4x4.

I wish I had taken a picture: a 6' rod, passed crosswise through a 4x4, passed up through the column, through a piece of plywood (to protect the top of the column) and through a steel plate. Tightening the nut at the top should drive the column downwards, even just a bit.

 

[PCustoms]

The lock shoe is loose.

I wish I had taken a picture: a 6' rod, passed crosswise through a 4x4, passed up through the column, through a piece of plywood (to protect the top of the column) and through a steel plate. Tightening the nut at the top should drive the column downwards, even just a bit.

I wish you had too

Isn't that pressing the column in more?

 

[BrianHayes]

I wish you had too

Isn't that pressing the column in more?

I'm pretty sure it's not a tapered or stopped fit. I recall having to lift the column up a bit on another CM DP to make sure it wouldn't rest on the ground.

 

[FrankLee]

Is your column protruding about 1/8” from the bottom of the base?


Yes, the key is moving the column in the base. It doesn’t matter which direction. Check my pictures.

 

[PCustoms]

I'm pretty sure it's not a tapered or stopped fit. I recall having to lift the column up a bit on another CM DP to make sure it wouldn't rest on the ground.

Im still not picturing it

Are you trying to pull the base off the end of the column, or slide the whole column through the base?

 

[BrianHayes]

Im still not picturing it

Are you trying to pull the base off the end of the column, or slide the whole column through the base?

I'm just trying to get it moved in any direction by any amount. 1mm down or up would let me know the two parts are no longer fused, and it's easier to try to push down, than up.

 

[BrianHayes]

Is your column protruding about 1/8” from the bottom of the base?


Yes, the key is moving the column in the base. It doesn’t matter which direction. Check my pictures.

It's closer to only 1/16 of an inch.

 

[BrianHayes]

Here is a link to some photos of one of mine.

Amazon Photos

I essentially did the same, but used a 4x4 instead of the large brass plate. The 4x4 ran across the width of the base and was separated from the base by some 2x4 spacers, so the direction of force was not as direct as with your setup. Good excuse to head to the salvage yard to search for some 'donuts' with a 3" inside diameter...

 

[crguy]

It's closer to only 1/16 of an inch.

If you didn't heat that starting from the outside of the base and slowly working your way in toward the hub, all you did was make it tighter. The metal has to be able to expand outward.

 

[bubinga]

Can you get an oxygen acetylene torch and heat it (the base) cherry red maybe?

 

[dutchgray]

I think I would heat the base fairly hot with the torch and then take a hose and spray the inside of the column tube with water to cool it rapidly.

Otherwise you can run some weld on the inside of the column tube which will shrink it, but will also be a permanent shrink.

 

[akasrick]

I was able to separate a rusted together Adjustable Steel Column, after immersing it in a bag of EvapoRust at least a week, liquid finds its level, then beating the inside column with jackhammer bit and hand sledge. Cleaned afterwards with an angle grinder, Its separated, sits in a corner in case I need it.

akasrick

 

[PCustoms]

It's closer to only 1/16 of an inch.

Other then this being cast, this screams 3 jaw puller with a block of steel across the column. Once you get some force on there heat the base, quickly, and work some wax or penetrant in the joint. maybe hit the column with cold air or water to ensure it is shrunk.

Your weed burner is getting everything warm too slow

I think you need to press the little bit that protrudes in this view into the base, then it should come out the top.

 

[FrankLee]

Some of you may remember the following. It kinda follows what crguy was saying above..

Re: DP#29
Removing the column from the base using extreme measures

5/3/2017

This is DP#29, a model 103.23141

5/22/2017
This column & base is starting to confound me. I spent several hours, lots of PBlaster, a BFH, a homemade press, heat and it still won't budge.

8/19/2017
I finally got this f*****g column out of it's base! It took extreme measures with three rounds of charcoal and dry ice, but it finally broke free.

The bottom of the column was mushroomed, so I had to go up the column. I mounted the base and column upside down into another base, stuffed a rag into the column and loaded-up the charcoal and let it heat up the base. I then dropped in the dry ice. I had to use a copious amount of PBlaster/Liquid Wrench and beat on the base quite a bit to get the base to start moving.

​

I'm not sure how much this heat/ice helped, but I think the most effective part of this technique was the pounding with the hammers.

I placed the beveled edge of the 3 pound sledge on the ring of the base and whaled on the sledge with the 32 oz ball peen hammer. This still took quite a bit of time and lots of sweat. That rust ring between the column and base was quite thick. It was really only the bottom base ring that was stuck.

 

[FrankLee]

fixed

 

[JZiggy]

I've had a few stuck parts that didn't give up until I heated them gently with a torch (NOT glowing red) and then applied penetrant (Kroil) while hot. Do at your own risk, and have a fire extinguisher nearby! But it has worked well for me.

 

[crguy]

Can you get an oxygen acetylene torch and heat it (the base) cherry red maybe?

First - It doesn't need to be cherry red to expand. Second - By the time you got it red hot, the heat would have traveled to the inside also negating the expansion to loosen the fit.

 

[BrianHayes]

Oh what a glorious sight to behold!


Thank you to everyone who provided suggestions; I think I used every one. I spent a few hours making a column puller, consisting of a 5/8" steel donut, a 3/8" steel bottom plate, and a 5/8" top plate. The donut provided a space for the column to slide into, should the column move at all.



I tightened the nuts as best I could, then used an impact wrench from the top end. No go. Heat, more PB, more heat, breaker bar. No go. About to give up for the night, and see the 15/16 impact socket sitting on the new top plate.





I also see my 3-pound sledge. 5 whacks on the socket, and the nut has loosened! 5 more whacks and the column dropped down until it hit the floor!

Thanks again everyone for your advice!

 

[bubinga]

Good job!

 

[Kuma601]

Excellent! Love when it works out without having a destructive result!

 

[FrankLee]

Very good! Persistence pays off!

This is an interesting old break. It looks very minor.



It brought to mind this base I had on dp#40 that was seriously cracked 3/4 around the column mount. I did not re-use this base.

 

[BrianHayes]

Very good! Persistence pays off!

This is an interesting old break. It looks very minor.


I was so focused on removing the column, I didn't notice. On closer examination, I agree, it is a minor break.