1952 Craftsman "100" DP resto

nehog · May 16, 2012

Incredible! Fantastic work...

My Model 100 is still doing production work, and I don't think I will be restoring it any time soon. I do have the Vari-Slo option for quick and easy speed changing and love it. A technology that is sadly missing from virtually all of today's drill presses.

356vintage · May 17, 2012

Very nicely done!
Thanks for the inspiration to do mine.
Rich

iancoletx · May 17, 2012

Inspirational stuff, thanks for posting and subscribed!

805gregg · May 17, 2012

Most antiques are worth more if not restored and left with the origional patina.

softailgarage · May 17, 2012

Did You say you restored a 1942 DP.? I have a '42 waiting for refurbish. Do you have any helpful hints ?

jtbinvalrico · May 17, 2012

softailgarage said:
Did You say you restored a 1942 DP.? I have a '42 waiting for refurbish. Do you have any helpful hints ?

Yes sir.......here she is:

Here's the resto:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=134711

And the table lift mechanism I rebuilt for it:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=146096

Some pics of your DP please.......
:beer:

jtbinvalrico · May 25, 2012

All that remains is the creation of the decorative metal bands for the motor and the head unit......of course, I can't finish the motor until I have the band done, so I continue to climb that learning curve. I got my hands on some Cratex rods and the experimenting is ongoing.

The remainder of the the paint and parts resto is done, and everything is mechanically smooth and ready for action. Some pics:

Some more engine turning experiments. I think I've got what I'm looking for.....the result of a 1/2" medium Cratex rod with a slurry of valve grinding compound and water. I'm going to have to make a gridded layout table for my other DP so I don't screw this up. I'm going to do the motor band first. These motor bands had a sort of horizontal banding on them that I'm disinclined to duplicate. I'm planning on doing both pieces in the full engine turned finish:

softailgarage · May 26, 2012

jtbinvalrico said:
Yes sir.......here she is:

Here's the resto:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=134711

And the table lift mechanism I rebuilt for it:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=146096

Some pics of your DP please.......

The work you do is amazing, a true "artist" and the innovative ways of doing it, ie: lathe... hell, your kinda like the 'DaVinci' of restorations

My 1942 is a little different...

I started with the top cover...thats all, so far

Table's not too bad, have seen better. I'm gonna try the weld thing like yours

Original motor, still works

jtbinvalrico · May 26, 2012

Thanks! That's a rare beauty there.....I haven't seen many of those, and it's complete with the pulley cover and emblem.

Regarding the table, you might consider filling the two divots on the left, while drilling out that center hole to the diameter of the arc left there by the PO. It could make a clean fix, but you'd have to consider the structural integrity of the table.

:beer:

m_hatcher · May 27, 2012

jtbinvalrico said:

I am trying to polish up my press now and am having trouble getting all the nooks and cracks cleaned up like you some how did. Anything specific you did?

jtbinvalrico · May 27, 2012

m hatcher......I recommend starting with a wire wheel on a bench grinder. This will allow you to quickly pull off decades of grime and goo. After that you will be able to assess each part more carefully. I assume you are referring to this DP you recently picked up: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151179

You'll find that the aluminum parts, specifically the quill lock lever, the head lock lever, the table lock lever, and the quill spring knob have been plated. That plating is probably shot. Focus on one of these parts and wire it down to bare aluminum. If there's no major gouges, go directly to 220gr and work all the way to 1000gr, wet sanding from 400gr up. Next, you can use Mothers aluminum polish and a rag to polish it out, or you can go a bit further and use some metal polishing compound on a buffing wheel (I use a drill-mounted one). Here's the polish: http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarter-lb-white-polish-compound-96780.html .......the most important step is to not skip a step; always sand or finish a grit to a uniform surface before proceeding.

What equipment are you working with?

As to your motor band trim piece, I'm in the same boat. These things can be so corroded that the original finish on the metal will be destroyed in cleaning it up. My plan is to make a new piece altogether and finish it with engine-turning.

m_hatcher · May 27, 2012

I am doing everything by hand at the moment. I did use a dremel with a sanding cylinder on it to do the initial cleaning to see where the aluminum stood. From there I hit it with 80 to 400.

My issue is that the little slots that go around the knobs and the small lip around the knobs still look like ****. I can not seem to get them cleaned up at all. You mentioned using cloth wheels before. Care to elaborate? I am new to the whole metal restoration thing. Thanks

Rust · May 27, 2012

805gregg said:
Most antiques are worth more if not restored and left with the origional patina.

Not in this case.

His labor will outweigh the value of that press all day long.

Period.

lookin' good jtbinvalrico

jtbinvalrico · May 28, 2012

Thank you sir......Regarding the cleaning of crevices and slots, your goal is to use just enough tool and force to get it done. Start with toothpicks with a bit of Mother's on the end. A more aggressive approach would be a pair of forceps with a bit of sandpaper folded up in them to get into small areas. You can use small wire wheels like these http://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece-wire-wheel-and-cup-brush-set-1341.html in a drill press to work those slotted parts of the quill return knob.

The cloth wheel can be as nice as a bench setup, or as basic as a drill locked into a vise. I use these: http://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-buffing-wheel-34743.html

fourjeepin · May 28, 2012

That's beautiful. I would be scared to use it. Wouldn't want to get it dirty.

318fekim · May 28, 2012

Beautiful work Sir, looks like were neighbors!
mike

jtbinvalrico · May 28, 2012

Neighbors indeed.....did you follow the deal alert posted about the $50 work tables on Clist over in Clearwater? I got one. Very happy with it. Here's the link: http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/tls/3033607606.html
:beer:

Red Leader · May 29, 2012

I also saw your posting of this press over at OWWM.

Love it. I'm still looking for one of these presses, but with my budget I'll be waiting a little longer. You are giving it the attention it really deserves and truly making it 'better than new'. When I see all the parts completely polished up (the column, small metal bits), even though they did not come from the factory like that, I really, really like it because it gives off that '1950s chrome' vibe.

You're doing Craftsman proud and I believe you are setting a new standard for restos of this kind. Two thoughts I'm taking away from this - having the right tools, supplies, and equipment make all the difference and 2nd - time

-RL

thehazmatguy · May 29, 2012

jtbinvalrico said:

That's absolutely fantastic. Awesome!

318fekim · May 29, 2012

jtbinvalrico said:
Neighbors indeed.....did you follow the deal alert posted about the $50 work tables on Clist over in Clearwater? I got one. Very happy with it. Here's the link: http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/tls/3033607606.html

No I didnt, I wish I had room for one! Its kinda Ironic I follow this fourm but have no garage......I dont think there is a shed or carport fourm though!

jtbinvalrico · May 29, 2012

Hell, I remember younger days when the best I could do was my Cman stack in a closet by the front door......you work with what you got.
:beer:

bhalv · Jun 3, 2012

can we get an overall shot of this beauty?

Lightfoot · Jun 3, 2012

I didn't see it anywhere, but i may have missed it.
Did you coat the upright bar with anything when you got it cleaned up? I had mine good (not as shiny as yours) but pretty good, and in a couple of months it rusted again, even though i tried keeping it coated with light machine oil.

beautiful work, BTW. wish mine looked like that, but i use it daily-if it were that nice, it wouldn't stay looking that way long.

1982fxr · Jun 3, 2012

when you say wire wheel to get old plating off, how do you mean? drill, bench grinder? I tried a wire wheel on my lame-o bench grinder and it wouldnt take the plating off. Just a general purpose wire wheel.

jtbinvalrico · Jun 3, 2012

The post (and all exposed metal and surfaces in the shop) is periodically hit with Johnson's paste wax. The only wear a DP column is going to get is from table adjustment and a steady spray of sawdust and metal chips.....but I don't do either at a high enough frequency to ward off rust. I suppose the AC in the shop helps, but that's only on every other week when I'm out there.

I use a regular old wire wheel on my old underpowered grinder:

It takes a while, but that plating will come off. Maybe someone can chime in with a better method.

Here's an overall shot. I'm still working on the motor and headband trim pieces, so it's incomplete. I'm trying to make some engine-turned trim pieces to do this DP justice, but the learning curve is steep:

1982fxr · Jun 4, 2012

when you say, hit the top of the base with a grinder--can you elaborate?

I thought I was doing nice work......til I happened upon this thread!! :rocker:

jtbinvalrico · Jun 4, 2012

If you are referring to the ground-flat top portion of the base, let me clarify by acknowledging that the floor-model DPs did not come with a ground and polished base plate; it would have been rough and painted with the rest of the base. It's something I add for kicks. I get that look by using my handheld belt sander with 36gr then 80gr. It makes an awful lot of metal dust. You'd need to send it off to a shop to have it properly ground perpendicular to the column if you intended to use it as any kind of a precision base for tall work.

1982fxr · Jun 4, 2012

ahhh, ok. Well it sure is a beautiful touch. If I come acrossed a cheap belt sander I'll be doing that to mine.

jtbinvalrico · Jun 10, 2012

So here's the result of my experiments with engine-turning, one custom-made headband:

Here's how I did it. Start by making a template:

Trace this template onto a piece of .019 thickness aluminum and cut it out with snips (cut a little outside the line allow room for trimming). I situated my template on the lower edge of my aluminum sheet, saving me some cutting and giving me a nice straight edge. Logic would dictate putting the engine-turned pattern on the metal sheet first, then cutting the piece out. This is probably the way to go for someone who knows what they are doing, but it took me a bit of doing to get the piece cut out - I probably would have marred the circular finish as I cut and tweaked the piece:

This component of this resto has given me quite a bit of respect for those who can work sheet metal. I used aviation snips to get close to the line, then I used a 1" belt sander and oscillating drum sander to get smooth edges up to my lines. Regardless, this is pretty rough cast metal you are putting this thing on, so expect some adjustments to be needed along the way:

Once the piece will fit properly, smooth those edges by hand with some 220gr, then some 400gr. Next, I used some contact cement to stick the piece to a bit of MDF. I did this for two reasons: 1) So I could effectively smooth it out without it flopping all over the place, and 2) So I could properly index the piece to my engine-turning jig. This is after final smoothing with some Scotchbrite:

This shot shows two things: The table I mounted to the DP with a 1/4" grid on it, and the piece with dabs of valve grinding compound on it:

I watched several videos, read a lot of techniques, and experimented. After trying various combinations of valve grinding compound and water, Scotchbrite on a dowel end, and Cratex, I settled on a 1/2" Cratex rod at a very low speed, with a quick and firm press of the feed lever for a very short time. Additionally, I put quite a bit of valve grinding compound on the piece and then smeared it around for an even effect:

My concern was that the effect would not be consistent if I periodically reloaded the Cratex tip with the compound. Despite all this, I found that the single, biggest factor that influenced how my circles came out was the amount of pressure I used on the feed lever and how long I kept it down (the dwell time). My dwell time here was very quick, way faster than I first thought it would be. It seemed to me that a longer dwell time resulted in more circular striations, rather than the even circular "scrub" effect I was looking for. My feed pressure was way higher than I originally thought it should be - this seemed to really affect the evenness of the pattern as the rubber Cratex flattened into the piece and filled the space.

Here's some more pics of the process:

Up next is the trim band around the motor.

1982fxr · Jun 11, 2012

what method did you use to clean up the "craftsman/King Seeley" plate above the band?

I'm astonished everytime you post pictures

jtbinvalrico · Jun 11, 2012

That nameplate is a replacement I bought off a fellow over on OWWM. Unfortunately, the one that came with this DP had been severely damaged and was beyond repair.

That said, I've had luck using Simple Green to clean those kinds of things up without damaging them.
:beer:

admranger · Jun 11, 2012

Really nice work!

Impressive amount of learning, skill, and patience.

Well done.

thehazmatguy · Jun 12, 2012

jtbinvalrico said:
So here's the result of my experiments with engine-turning, one custom-made headband:

That looks fantastic! I couldn't be trusted with that knowledge... I'd engine turn everything.

1982fxr · Jun 13, 2012

jtbinvalrico said:
That nameplate is a replacement I bought off a fellow over on OWWM. Unfortunately, the one that came with this DP had been severely damaged and was beyond repair.

That said, I've had luck using Simple Green to clean those kinds of things up without damaging them.

ok, that's why I asked, cause I remembered yours being pretty messed up and then I saw the pic above and was like "this man is a God!"

Someone produces them over there then? dare I ask how much?

jtbinvalrico · Jun 13, 2012

It was an extra someone had. I put a wanted ad up on the OWWM board and picked that one up for $10. eBay is also a great source , although you have to be patient for one to pop up. They go for about $15 - $30 on the bay once the bidding is done.

jtbinvalrico · Jul 4, 2012

Progress continues.....There is a cap that goes over the top of the column. Mine could not be salvaged. Here's the top of the column minus the cap:

I decided to make the replacement cap out of 16ga steel because I do not have the ability to weld aluminum. Aluminum would have been my first choice because it's so easy to polish up. I needed to be able to weld tabs inside the cap to secure it on the column......conversely, I could have turned one out of a thick piece of aluminum and simply machined a lip to fit inside the column, but again, that exceeds my skill set and equipment. (Funny how moments like this are when we decide it's time to expand skills and capabilities.........)

Here's the piece roughly cut to shape:

Here's the "tabs" cut out and bent to an approximate shape:

Be glad I don't weld on anything ahead of you on the highway or flying over your head......the tabs welded on and to approximate shape:

It appears that I nonetheless achieved an amount of penetration with these welds to handle the task of securing a decorative cap to a column:

A quick run over the 6x48 belt sander leveled and smoothed the cap surface:

In progress picture.....after the belt sander, I work through 220gr, then 400, 600, 800, 1000gr wet. I like to work one direction with one grit, then perpendicular with the next, and so forth. By doing this, you sand until all the crossing lines from the previous grit are gone, ensuring that you've completed one grit and are ready to proceed to the next:

Here you can see some reflectivity beginning to set in:

Here's the completed part after final wet sanding at 1000gr, some time on the buffing wheel with black compound, and Mother's polish:

I'm still in the prep stage with the motor band. I've decided that I'm going to make a drum to go on the lathe which will allow me to temporarily mount and properly polish the metal band before adding the horizontal details to it.

thehazmatguy · Jul 5, 2012

jtbinvalrico said:
Here's the completed part after final wet sanding at 1000gr, some time on the buffing wheel with black compound, and Mother's polish:

I'm still in the prep stage with the motor band. I've decided that I'm going to make a drum to go on the lathe which will allow me to temporarily mount and properly polish the metal band before adding the horizontal details to it.

Wow, that looks great!

I'm definately interested in seeing how you do the metal band on the motor. I've been toying with several ideas for making a new band for the motor. Both of my ideas start with a new band, fully polished. Then...

Either mask the polished metal stripes with paint and chemically etch the stripes on with an acid-

http://www.ehow.com/how_4558795_sheet-metal-etching.html

or, have a friend laser cut a stencil and then sand blast the stripe design on the polished metal band.

I'm interested to see how you do it with a lathe.

.

jtbinvalrico · Aug 6, 2012

Scored an accessory, a Hold Down / Fence......painted to match the DP:

I also began work on the trim band that goes around the motor. This involves making a drum I can spin on the lathe so I can properly and evenly polish the band.....it could also serve as a jig for getting the finish lines on the band.

Some wood stacked up for gluing together:

Time to get some more metal and get to work:

zip95864 · Aug 6, 2012

wow nice work, inspired!

jtbinvalrico · Aug 21, 2012

Do you see what I saw in this ad? Through the fuzz and the haze......

Patient monitoring of multiple sources resulted in today's score of the elusive Vari-Slo attachment. It looked just like many of the other ads I've seen in my quest, then I spied the adjustment knob and the red indicator band. Of course, I bought the drill press the Vari-Slo was attached to as well; I'm inclined to sell the DP as I don't need a third.

Here it is prior to removal:

The attachment is in great shape and should clean up nicely.

1952 Craftsman "100" DP resto

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