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How to polish a steel shaft

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Old tool guy

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I bought this old hand cranked drill press and I’m getting close to getting it cleaned and put back together, but i have a problem. The steel bar that is the post is badly pitted everywhere except where it was in the base and where the head was mounted. It’s about 1”x15”. What can I do to get it looking good again?
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IMG_9485.jpegIMG_9651.jpegIMG_9652.jpeg
 
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finn

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Sandpaper or crocus cloth and a rope or leather strap. Wrap the strap around the shaft / paper a couple of times and pull the loose ends alternating directions.

Same method used to manually lap / polish crank pins and journals.
 
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Old tool guy

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finn said:
Sandpaper or crocus cloth and a rope or leather strap. Wrap the strap around the shaft / paper a couple of times and pull the loose ends alternating directions.
Click to expand...
Ok, i understand the sandpaper & crocus cloth (same as emery cloth i presume) but the rope and leather strap? Is that for after hours activities?
 
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Jure

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Get a new shaft,its just a piece of rod. You can fill it with bondo and repaint. If you dont want to paint it,i would melt a soldering wire and dip the shaft to fill the pitting,sand and polish it. have no idea if soldering wire will work,but that's what I would try.
 
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Old tool guy

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Jure said:
Original diameter must remain the same? If no,make a lathe pass...
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I assume the diameter needs to remain, i don’t know if there is enough give in the clamping parts to accept a smaller diameter. And i don’t have a lathe.
 
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Firebrick43

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If you take enough off the shaft to remove the pitting it will be too small hand the head will have a sloppy fit. Measure it with a set of dial calipers and see it diameter. If its 1" on the money or some other 1/16 there are premade shafting that has a good surface finish and would only need cut to length and the ends turned to make it look like new for a reasonable cost.

A 15" piece is 25 dollars plus shipping.

 
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Crowbarman55

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First thing, lightly grind them out to virgin material, then would use an soldering iron,flux, and a quality solder to fill the dings (Dont use torch, to much heat). File smooth after that.
 
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y'sguy

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I'm thinking you are trying to get this into nice display shape. Hopefully, you don't plan to use it for high-volume, precision machine work!

There are several different ways to rig up a temporary spin rig to polish that shaft. True it may effect the diameter, but most likely it will still clamp down enough to hold it.
I used my grinder and removed the wire brush wheel and fitted a tapered wooden block to it to insert into the column of my drill press. On the opposite end I mounted a couple of small casters to a plywood base. It wasn't pretty but it worked like a charm. came out with a nice satin finish. with a few hours of fiddling and headscratcing. Of course high polih is going to run more time, but you could get it done. It does require more heat.

As others have suggested, you could also just buy a new steel rod. Not as much fun though. :)

IMG_2622.jpegShot of my drill press with the column that was rusted and pitted brown when I got it.
 
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Old tool guy

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I do have a basic northern tool wire welder. I have also done stained glass work so i can get 60/40 lead to flow. The goal is to get it looking good, i would like to get it working at least to see how it works (supposed to be self feeding) but it won’t be a museum piece or a daily worker. I used my cheap caliper and got about 0.985. I’m going to check the price of a new rod but will probably wire brush it real well and apply a light coat of oil.
 
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CallumRD1

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Old tool guy said:
I do have a basic northern tool wire welder. I have also done stained glass work so i can get 60/40 lead to flow. The goal is to get it looking good, i would like to get it working at least to see how it works (supposed to be self feeding) but it won’t be a museum piece or a daily worker. I used my cheap caliper and got about 0.985. I’m going to check the price of a new rod but will probably wire brush it real well and apply a light coat of oil.
Click to expand...
0.984" is 25.0 mm.
 
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RTM

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Old tool guy said:
, i would like to get it working at least to see how it works (supposed to be self feeding) I used my cheap caliper and got about 0.985. I’m going to check the price of a new rod
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CallumRD1 said:
0.984" is 25.0 mm.
Click to expand...
Remember the post where you first mentioned this? I suggested it was made in Europe by I forget who. I'm with Callum, suspect it should be metric.

Also, it won't self feed down that shaft, the quill extends.
 
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Firebrick43

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400mm x 25mm Ground and polished shaft or 15.75" x .9842"

$23.67 plus shipping.

Hard to tell for sure but may have turned and chamfered ends so may be a drop in part if you don't mind the 3/4" extra length

www.mcmaster.com

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finn

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Old tool guy said:
Ok, i understand the sandpaper & crocus cloth (same as emery cloth i presume) but the rope and leather strap? Is that for after hours activities?
Click to expand...
Do a google search for “polishing a bearing journal.” That will lead you to a pretty simple AI explanation as to how it works. AI suggests a shoe lace or a leather strap, too.
 
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RTM said:
Remember the post where you first mentioned this? I suggested it was made in Europe by I forget who. I'm with Callum, suspect it should be metric.

Also, it won't self feed down that shaft, the quill extends.
Click to expand...
I did a little looking for a new rod and quickly discovered it was probably 25 mm. Didn’t find many options (but didn’t check mcmaster) but the one i found showed a 1” rod for about $15 and a 25 mm rid for something over $300.

I realize the head won’t self feed because it’s clamped tight to the post. The queen is out of town and i‘m trying to finish my honey do list before she returns, hope to finish the drill next week.
 
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Old tool guy

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Got a sidebar question. See this lever that tightens the dealie on the post? It looks broken. The catalog illustrations i have found are drawings so they are no help. It’s a simple thin rod with a collar on the end, the collar has a hole in the side that looks like it’s for a pin wrench, and there are about 3 threads on the very end. Trying to decide what to do with it.

IMG_3638.jpeg
 
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RTM

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Old tool guy said:
It’s a simple thin rod with a collar on the end, the collar has a hole in the side that looks like it’s for a pin wrench, and there are about 3 threads on the very end.
Click to expand...
Maybe there was a ball end on that? Not a golf ball sized, but under 1/2” would be my guess. Do the end of the threads look broken, or cut off?
 
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RTM

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The first post on this thread shows a simple handle there, so maybe yours is a replacement.

Cute Little Hand Operated Drill Press

I just picked up this cute little drill press, there are no markings other than "445" cast into the frame. The green and black paint appears to be original. It has a self feed that I haven't figured out, but it does seem to operate. The heavy cast iron base may not be original. I have...
www.garagejournal.com www.garagejournal.com

The last post catalog link shows a similar handle to the first.
 
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RoninB4

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Old tool guy said:
Ok, i understand the sandpaper & crocus cloth (same as emery cloth i presume)
Click to expand...
-Not wanting to be fussy about nomenclature but they are NOT regarded as the same. Crocus cloth is a very fine abrasive (800 and higher grit size) used for the last stages of hand polishing and completely inappropriate for what you're wanting to do. Crocus cloth will quickly clog/glaze on anything that hasn't had at least a 600 grit polishing and won't show any benefit of using it.

-While I'm at it, using "sandpaper" on metal is not really a very good idea either. Sandpaper is usually lower quality, loose abrasive particles better suited for woodworking. What you want to use on metal is emery cloth, it's sold in various grit sizes and is a better choice. Why get specific on what you call it? Because if you ask for "sandpaper" you'll get something loaded with garnet, flint, or quartz that readily loses abrasive particles on metal and just doesn't seem to work for polishing metal. Ask for emery cloth and you'll get something with a better bonded abrasive that is more durable, longer lasting, and uses a better type of abrasive particle more suited for metal. Yes they both perform the same task of abrading a surface but how well they work makes a big difference. Horses for courses thing.
 
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RoninB4 said:
-Not wanting to be fussy about nomenclature but they are NOT regarded as the same. Crocus cloth is a very fine abrasive (800 and higher grit size) used for the last stages of hand polishing and completely inappropriate for what you're wanting to do. Crocus cloth will quickly clog/glaze on anything that hasn't had at least a 600 grit polishing and won't show any benefit of using it.

-While I'm at it, using "sandpaper" on metal is not really a very good idea either. Sandpaper is usually lower quality, loose abrasive particles better suited for woodworking. What you want to use on metal is emery cloth, it's sold in various grit sizes and is a better choice. Why get specific on what you call it? Because if you ask for "sandpaper" you'll get something loaded with garnet, flint, or quartz that readily loses abrasive particles on metal and just doesn't seem to work for polishing metal. Ask for emery cloth and you'll get something with a better bonded abrasive that is more durable, longer lasting, and uses a better type of abrasive particle more suited for metal. Yes they both perform the same task of abrading a surface but how well they work makes a big difference. Horses for courses thing.
Click to expand...
👍
 
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O

Old tool guy

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RTM said:
The first post on this thread shows a simple handle there, so maybe yours is a replacement.

Cute Little Hand Operated Drill Press

I just picked up this cute little drill press, there are no markings other than "445" cast into the frame. The green and black paint appears to be original. It has a self feed that I haven't figured out, but it does seem to operate. The heavy cast iron base may not be original. I have...
www.garagejournal.com www.garagejournal.com

The last post catalog link shows a similar handle to the first.
Click to expand...
Interesting, my clamping handle is on the right side when facing the drill, the ones in the pictures are on the left side. I may try to see if the collar will unscrew.
 
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RTM

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That's mine, the smaller version of yours.

This is the first pic I referenced
1779235410486.png

Here is the catalog cut from the last post in the thread
1779235516322.png

You gotta stay with me, my mind does not move linearly most times. That is why I might have 10 edits in one post, just so people have a chance,🤪
 
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