Potential Uses for Trashed Craftsman 15 1/2 Drill Press Stand & Spindle Pulley

[Placeholder17]

I picked up a badly rusted Craftsman drill press (103.24511) off Facebook Marketplace dirt cheap hoping to get something useful out of it. The seller said it had been abandoned in a collapsed shed, which explained all the rust. The quill/spindle were gone, but the spindle pulley was still present, as was a severely corroded 1/2 HP capacitor start motor with a 4-step pulley.

The motor's ball bearings are sticky and the capacitor is done for, so I don't have any immediate use for it, though eventually I should use it for a first time attempt at bearing replacement practice. The drill press head is missing the quill spring and the column clamps, besides having 1/16" - 1/8" thick rust flaking all over it.

In the end, I'm going to get rid of the press head, but the base, column, and table are fine after some wire wheeling, and I got the motor 4-step pulley off. However, without the actual functioning press head, I don't know what I to use the whole stand for, nor the spindle pulley.

1. What use have any of you made of a drill press stand/table without the the drill? It gives me the ability to mount any stationary tool to the table at any elevation. I can think of mounting a bench grinder, but what else?
2. How would you repurpose the spindle pulley? Only one end of the pulley has the hex-key, the other end seems to be a 3/4" circular hole. I could insert a shaft adapter for use as a fixed pulley, but that seems a waste of the pair of bearings. Any other ideas?

 

[FrankLee]

I picked up a badly rusted Craftsman drill press (103.24511) off Facebook Marketplace dirt cheap hoping to get something useful out of it. The seller said it had been abandoned in a collapsed shed, which explained all the rust. The quill/spindle were gone, but the spindle pulley was still present, as was a severely corroded 1/2 HP capacitor start motor with a 4-step pulley.

The motor's ball bearings are sticky and the capacitor is done for, so I don't have any immediate use for it, though eventually I should use it for a first time attempt at bearing replacement practice. The drill press head is missing the quill spring and the column clamps, besides having 1/16" - 1/8" thick rust flaking all over it.

In the end, I'm going to get rid of the press head, but the base, column, and table are fine after some wire wheeling, and I got the motor 4-step pulley off. However, without the actual functioning press head, I don't know what I to use the whole stand for, nor the spindle pulley.

1. What use have any of you made of a drill press stand/table without the the drill? It gives me the ability to mount any stationary tool to the table at any elevation. I can think of mounting a bench grinder, but what else?
2. How would you repurpose the spindle pulley? Only one end of the pulley has the hex-key, the other end seems to be a 3/4" circular hole. I could insert a shaft adapter for use as a fixed pulley, but that seems a waste of the pair of bearings. Any other ideas?

I use three for stands; two for grinders and one for a 2x42 belt sander.

Please do not modify the spindle pulley. Post it for sale to save another machine. It looks to be in very good shape. The motor pulley is unique as well. They will continue to get harder to find.

The feed return spring is another piece that is frequently sought after. How does that look? (Slip the loop off the roll pin through the quill bore.)


Please update your profile with your general location.

 

[subroc]

What does the table look like?

 

[Placeholder17]

1. Profile updated
2. Spindle return spring is present, but it and the handle are rust welded in place. I can't get them out since there is no hole in the housing on the opposite the handle to hammer it out. Pictures included.
3. Table is in great shape. Only damage is a 1/16" deep groove from what looks like a hole saw bit. Pictures are post wire-wheeling of the stand.

 

[frugalguido]

I picked up a badly rusted Craftsman drill press (103.24511) off Facebook Marketplace dirt cheap hoping to get something useful out of it. The seller said it had been abandoned in a collapsed shed, which explained all the rust. The quill/spindle were gone, but the spindle pulley was still present, as was a severely corroded 1/2 HP capacitor start motor with a 4-step pulley.

The motor's ball bearings are sticky and the capacitor is done for, so I don't have any immediate use for it, though eventually I should use it for a first time attempt at bearing replacement practice. The drill press head is missing the quill spring and the column clamps, besides having 1/16" - 1/8" thick rust flaking all over it.

In the end, I'm going to get rid of the press head, but the base, column, and table are fine after some wire wheeling, and I got the motor 4-step pulley off. However, without the actual functioning press head, I don't know what I to use the whole stand for, nor the spindle pulley.

1. What use have any of you made of a drill press stand/table without the the drill? It gives me the ability to mount any stationary tool to the table at any elevation. I can think of mounting a bench grinder, but what else?
2. How would you repurpose the spindle pulley? Only one end of the pulley has the hex-key, the other end seems to be a 3/4" circular hole. I could insert a shaft adapter for use as a fixed pulley, but that seems a waste of the pair of bearings. Any other ideas?

Man, I need the spindle pulley bad, on mine the bearings are spinning on the shaft, PO tried to use black electrical tape to repair.

 

[FrankLee]

Man, I need the spindle pulley bad, on mine the bearings are spinning on the shaft, PO tried to use black electrical tape to repair.

Please post some photos. There is a work-around for a worn bearing shaft.

 

[frugalguido]

I'll clean it up (get all the black tape off) and get some better pictures, plus the PO used a punch to increase the fit, it's a mess. There was no snap ring either and the groove is pretty much gone.

 

[FrankLee]

I'll clean it up (get all the black tape off) and get some better pictures, plus the PO used a punch to increase the fit, it's a mess. There was no snap ring either and the groove is pretty much gone.

Also, once cleaned, please measure the OD of the shaft at each bearing location and the space between them.

 

[frugalguido]

Also, once cleaned, please measure the OD of the shaft at each bearing location and the space between them.

Will do, should I start new thread? Also the spindle assy doesn't look like others on here, especially around the chuck area. Maybe I should call this drill press, "Frankenstein"

 

[FrankLee]

Will do, should I start new thread?

Not necessary.

Also the spindle assy doesn't look like others on here, especially around the chuck area. M

More pictures please.

 

[frugalguido]

Ok, here is a picture of the sort of cleaned up pulley assy, the side closest to the pulley measures 24.17 mm and top where the snap ring grove is measures 24.86. Like I mentioned before this thing is a mess.



Here is picture of the spindle, the first thing I noticed is that the bottom bracket that holds the depth rod ( isn't stock either), isn't like others on here. And the area at the chuck isn't right, also there appears to be a taper pin in a collar. I loosened the top collar and moved the spindle shaft down and saw some knurling at the area where the bearing would be seated.

 

[Packard V8]

Thass an ugly baby!! Never seen one that trashed. Definitely go with a replacement.

jack vines

 

[FrankLee]

Ok, here is a picture of the sort of cleaned up pulley assy, the side closest to the pulley measures 24.17 mm and top where the snap ring grove is measures 24.86. Like I mentioned before this thing is a mess.

Yeah, that is bad. If the female splines are ok and the pulley sheaves are ok, you might consider the option in this post and the few that follow.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/craftsman-drill-press.227480/page-40#post-7096705

Here is picture of the spindle, the first thing I noticed is that the bottom bracket that holds the depth rod ( isn't stock either), isn't like others on here.

There is a lot going on there.

You are correct. The feed stop rod and bracket are not oem parts.

And the area at the chuck isn't right, also there appears to be a taper pin in a collar.

The taper pin is correct. It attaches the thrust collar to the spindle.

There are actually several different forms of pins. Some are solid into through holes. Some are solid into a blind hole. Some are roll pins into a through hole. Some are roll pins into a blind hole.

I loosened the top collar and moved the spindle shaft down and saw some knurling at the area where the bearing would be seated.

Yeah, it looks like the po wanted to make the bearing a tight press fit. Most spindles slide out of the bearings without too much difficulty and often very easily.

In addition, for some reason, a PO removed the threads (except the one thread at the bottom) from the thrust collar.

The chuck sleeve looks like it is partially removed, possibly maybe. Does the chuck key fit?

The chuck also looks to be closer to the thrust collar than it should be. This leads me to believe the taper was re-cut to address run-out. Can you measure run-out on a rod chucked?


AND, it looks like the quill was installed upside-down.



You've got some decisions to make.

 

[frugalguido]

I'll measure the round out. Where the threads are missing is that where the collar would have been that a spanner wrench would have been used? Any idea why the PO installed the quill upside down, just a mistake or?

 

[FrankLee]

Where the threads are missing is that where the collar would have been that a spanner wrench would have been used?

Well, yes and no. That chuck is a Jacobs model 6A. A separate thrust collar nut was installed at the factory. Wedges should be used to remove that style chuck. A wedge(s) came equipped with the drill press from the factory.

In 1951, Jacobs 633C chucks were introduced as the standard chuck on the 80 and 100 series DPs. On those, the threaded collar is attached to the chuck body. That threaded collar is used to force the chuck off the taper.
The chuck keys for these had a turned-down end. The owners manuals instructed to use that end as a wrench to remove the chuck from the taper. Of course after 50-60 years, that key just doesn't do the job.

Any idea why the PO installed the quill upside down, just a mistake or?

I have no clue.
The gear rack on the quill is not centered vertically. The longer non-geared portion is the bottom of the quill to accommodate the oem feed stop bracket. It looks to me (I may be wrong) that on yours, the shorter non-geared portion is at the bottom.

 

[frugalguido]

Thanks for that info, that knurled collar on the left picture is where that turned down area is on mine, below the taper pinned collar right? The motor on mine is dated 1948 so a 6A chuck makes sense.

 

[FrankLee]

Thanks for that info, that knurled collar on the left picture is where that turned down area is on mine, below the taper pinned collar right? The motor on mine is dated 1948 so a 6A chuck makes sense.

Correct.

 

[frugalguido]

Runout on my spindle is real bad, side to side slop in the bearings. I'll disassemble it and check it out to see what's up with the knurling and get some pictures.

 

[frugalguido]

Here pictures of the spindle.

 

[FrankLee]

@frugalguido ,
How does your pinion/spring/hub assembly look?

Are you forging ahead with a drill press refurb?

What doe the rest of the machine look like?

 

[isb cornbinder]

I picked up a badly rusted Craftsman drill press (103.24511) off Facebook Marketplace dirt cheap hoping to get something useful out of it. The seller said it had been abandoned in a collapsed shed, which explained all the rust. The quill/spindle were gone, but the spindle pulley was still present, as was a severely corroded 1/2 HP capacitor start motor with a 4-step pulley.

The motor's ball bearings are sticky and the capacitor is done for, so I don't have any immediate use for it, though eventually I should use it for a first time attempt at bearing replacement practice. The drill press head is missing the quill spring and the column clamps, besides having 1/16" - 1/8" thick rust flaking all over it.

In the end, I'm going to get rid of the press head, but the base, column, and table are fine after some wire wheeling, and I got the motor 4-step pulley off. However, without the actual functioning press head, I don't know what I to use the whole stand for, nor the spindle pulley.

1. What use have any of you made of a drill press stand/table without the the drill? It gives me the ability to mount any stationary tool to the table at any elevation. I can think of mounting a bench grinder, but what else?
2. How would you repurpose the spindle pulley? Only one end of the pulley has the hex-key, the other end seems to be a 3/4" circular hole. I could insert a shaft adapter for use as a fixed pulley, but that seems a waste of the pair of bearings. Any other ideas?

An adjustable height mount for a grinder or polisher is a genius idea.

 

[BSWS]

After seeing some of those pictures I'm thinking this is in the wrong thread. Wasn't there a thread about the roughest Craftsman DP? No offense, but damnnn, some of that is really rough. I see why the OP is asking for other uses of the good parts.

 

[Beerhippie]

An adjustable height mount for a grinder or polisher is a genius idea.

Shoot, even find/fab another table to mount to the other side of the column and have both!

 

[frugalguido]

@frugalguido ,
How does your pinion/spring/hub assembly look?

Not to bad, some wear on the teeth, handles are not stock though.

Are you forging ahead with a drill press refurb?

If I can find the parts for a reasonable price or another machine, but in my area they don't come up very often .

What doe the rest of the machine look like?

I think it spent A lot of time in a wood shop

 

[csp]

I have an old Walker turner DP stand with the table and plan to make a mount on the top of it to attach my mag drill to it.