Crusty old Delta DP-220 drill press
- Thread starter Redboy
- Start date
McBrownie
Well-known member
Nice find! The lamp alone sells in the $60 range. I would guess 1940's, but you might want to check out http://vintagemachinery.org/ for more information.
454ragtop
Well-known member
That's an early one with the raised "Delta" on the belt guard, late 30's I think. Do you have a serial number? That would tell for sure. You did very well, the "retirement" light and pull switch alone are worth more than $60.
454ragtop
Well-known member
Looks like it's pre 1940, no serial numbers. http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/DeltaSerialNumbers.ashx
Packard V8
Well-known member
Not crusty, not rusty; just a remove the paint spatters and tell everyone it is a period-correct restoration preserving the patina.
jack vines
jack vines
Thats where Im at with my walker, as tempting as a fresh paint job is I appreciate the history of my machine.
Im definitely cleaning up any corrosion and restoring anything mechanical.
Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk
Roberts210
Well-known member
Beautiful!!
A little time with some naval jelly, steel wool and a wire brush, and the first batch of small parts is cleaning up nicely!
I have some grinder wheels on order - one of those 3M EXL wheels and a couple of wire wheels - so these parts will get another hit later.
Pretty good so far, though!
I have some grinder wheels on order - one of those 3M EXL wheels and a couple of wire wheels - so these parts will get another hit later.
Pretty good so far, though!
Attachments
After nearly 75 years they need to be cleaned/repacked or better yet replaced. You can trying flushing them out, lubricated them and see if they run smooth but it's just as easy to replace them and be done with it.
The same should be done with the motor's bearings.
The same should be done with the motor's bearings.
Thanks Dave. That's generally the way I approach these things but sometimes I need to know where to draw the line. I'll replace some bearings, some bolts, some parts and next thing I know I've built a brand new machine!
Not really, but you probably know what I mean. It's like the hammer that my great grandfather brought from the old country... "I replaced the handle twice and the head once."
Cruzan80
Well-known member
Be aware, if you want to match the specific bearings, they have an extended inner race that needs to be pressed in to match. Only a few people are doing them this way. From what I have read, you can use other substitutes without much loss, as the originals are designed to handle extra forces from mortising/drum sanding/etc.
Straightgrain
Well-known member
Your drill press looks like a bruiser! I have a 220 from 1951 & it's a strain lifting it from below waist high. You did a good job on the light.
I live in a non industrial town so bearings are hard to get and they cost a fortune when you do get them. You gotta figure they are precision balls or rollers fitted into an inner and an outer race that is also precision. Here's what I do to check bearings.
If you grasp the inner race putting your finger through the hole and hold the outer race and push them together while turning them they should feel perfectly smooth, no little bumps or resistance or uneven force needed to turn them. I've soaked them in solvent, gas etc. then blew them out to remove impurities. If you get them spinning with compressed air they should sound quiet. Worn bearings are noisy. If you can remove any part of the bearings they should not be mixed with components from other bearings because once they are used they are a matching set and have different wear patterns. If they aren't sealed you may be able to see the contact areas that will have a dull finish rather than a mirror finish but there should be no pitting.
If you grasp the inner race putting your finger through the hole and hold the outer race and push them together while turning them they should feel perfectly smooth, no little bumps or resistance or uneven force needed to turn them. I've soaked them in solvent, gas etc. then blew them out to remove impurities. If you get them spinning with compressed air they should sound quiet. Worn bearings are noisy. If you can remove any part of the bearings they should not be mixed with components from other bearings because once they are used they are a matching set and have different wear patterns. If they aren't sealed you may be able to see the contact areas that will have a dull finish rather than a mirror finish but there should be no pitting.
You could simply "run to fail" or until there's a symptom like runout.
There's no major reason why they'd need to be replaced now. The quill and motor can be just as easily removed/serviced later on.
The thought of old dried up bearing grease would drive me nuts on an otherwise restored machine.
It's heavy! I plan to not lift it a lot.
The light is coming along. I think the bulb base will be trickier to clean up than the shade, and I need to crack it open just a bit to replace the wiring, which crumbled into dust. :-/
This is helpful, thanks. I may just clean them up first, but I see there are some specialty replacement bearings out there. They're pricey suckers, though!
Oh, that old grease is definitely going to go!
crguy
Well-known member
Spinning bearings with compressed air is a Very Bad idea for several good reasons.
Well, I'm impulsive and impatient.
For better or for worse, I just ordered a full set of replacement bearings for this machine from www.hammerscale.com. They're spendy, but I figure this old gem deserves some love!
For better or for worse, I just ordered a full set of replacement bearings for this machine from www.hammerscale.com. They're spendy, but I figure this old gem deserves some love!
Please expound. I've always blown dry bearings I've cleaned for re-use. I know I've got them spinning pretty good too. Other than the possibility of blowing some foreign abrasive into the rapidly spinning bearings is there other reasons to avoid this?
Packard V8
Well-known member
It's theoretically possible to blow on it long and hard enough to overspeed a dry bearing and gall or even explode it. In fifty years of practice I've never had a problem or seen it happen. So, yes, I always carefully blow mine dry.
Jack Vines
454ragtop
Well-known member
I blew a bearing up spinning it with compressed air more than 30 years ago, scared the **** out of me at the time. Front wheel bearing I was in the process of cleaning and packing as part of a brake job. Don't spin them with air any more, although I sometimes blow air thru, being careful not to get the bearing spinning.
I got a shipping notification for the bearings yesterday. Hopefully they'll show up before Thanksgiving so I don't have to wait until the following week! And Amazon goofed my order and sent me the wrong size EXL wheel, so that's headed back...
Fortunately, the brass wire wheel I got is awesome! On a Baldor buffer, it makes short work of that weird paint splatter, and shines up the steel bits really nicely!
I wish there were some way to keep the original finish, but I can't figure out how to get the paint splatter off without messing it up. And while the paint on the head casting is in good condition overall, the base is actually pretty rough - it needs more than a good scrubbing. So a total strip-down and repaint seems in order.
I'll try to get a few more pics posted up later today.
Fortunately, the brass wire wheel I got is awesome! On a Baldor buffer, it makes short work of that weird paint splatter, and shines up the steel bits really nicely!
I wish there were some way to keep the original finish, but I can't figure out how to get the paint splatter off without messing it up. And while the paint on the head casting is in good condition overall, the base is actually pretty rough - it needs more than a good scrubbing. So a total strip-down and repaint seems in order.
I'll try to get a few more pics posted up later today.
AZ Pakrat
Member
Went to an Estate Sale Thurs. they had a DP-220 for $50, came back Sat. 50% off day, figured it would be Long Gone. But still there, so got it for $25, will restore it, missing the front pulley cover, but rest of the Drill Press looks taken care of, GE motor runs good.
Not sure how to post a picture, but I'll just give it a try anyway.
driftpin
Well-known member
Floor or benchtop model?
Is there a casting date on the underside of the table?
Is there a casting date on the underside of the table?
Bobioz1
Well-known member
It's heavy! I plan to not lift it a lot.
The light is coming along. I think the bulb base will be trickier to clean up than the shade, and I need to crack it open just a bit to replace the wiring, which crumbled into dust. :-/
This is helpful, thanks. I may just clean them up first, but I see there are some specialty replacement bearings out there. They're pricey suckers, though!
Oh, that old grease is definitely going to go!
If you look on the side of the bulb base it should say “press” somewhere. Press there and it should come apart easy.
Best place for bearings for old machines..Accurate Bearing. How to...
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