Calling all Machinists for hire: HELP!

[Holedgr]

Gentlemen,
I am in need of a machinist to reproduce what I belive to be a relatively simple part. I have an old Craftsman drill press that apparrently has a bent spindle. I have no accurrate way of measuring the runout (I think it's called), but I canot drill a hole with it. It seems to be less than a 1/16th of an inch.

I have tried to find a replacement but to avail. I love this old press an I believe it may be worth saving, which means one of youse guys helping me out by taking this job.

I am not in a rush. I AM wanting to pay. I would like to send it....and pay for it's safe return with it's straight counterpart. As far as I can tell it accepts a Jacobs 33 taper chuck. The picture shows it with a bearing still on it with the collet for the chuck to thread onto.

I dont see why a different chuck or taper could be machined onto the new spindle. ****, I dont see why a the toothed end of the spindle couldn't be cut off then welded onto a new piece, then machined to whatever taper for whatever new chuck. THEN AGAIN...I am not a machinist so WTF do I know?!?

Oh yeah...the spindle is about 13" long an a touch under 5/8" diameter.

PLease post or PM me with some contact information so we can get started.

Thanks in advance.

-T


For your consideration....

 

[OccupantRJ]

Expensive to reproduce. Have it straightened at a local machine shop.

 

[Trucky]

I'd help you out but we're not allowed to do paid work here while I'm at school. Plenty of stock and machines but they're very careful not to let someone just make things like that.

I'm sure A_Pmech can help you out with this.. There's a lot of very capable machinists here. Is there somewhere around you that you can take it to though? In my hometown, we have at least 15-20 different shops that do all kinds of things. You must have something similar. Maybe even a fab shop could help you out.

 

[Holedgr]

Expensive to reproduce. Have it straightened at a local machine shop.

Please define "expensive"...and I wonder if your sig has anything to do with your response..


Thanks Trucky, but being in S.E. Michigan makes it tough to find anybody decent to do anything.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Please define "expensive"...and I wonder if your sig has anything to do with your response..


Thanks Trucky, but being in S.E. Michigan makes it tough to find anybody decent to do anything.

Machine work is almost always more expensive than an individual realizes, due to the labor time involved. Re the sig. When you see ME tell someone to take the easy way out, there is a reason....., as I am a diehard DIY guy, which my posts in the fabrication section will confirm.

 

[A_Pmech]

Are you sure the spindle is bent and it isn't the spindle bearings, chuck, or incorrect installation of the chuck?

If possible, I think the best course of action would be to straighten the spindle and re-cut the mounting taper.

I'm sure A_Pmech can help you out with this..

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Are you sure the spindle is bent and it isn't the spindle bearings, chuck, or incorrect installation of the chuck?

If possible, I think the best course of action would be to straighten the spindle and re-cut the mounting taper.



Thanks for the vote of confidence.

I wonder if the grip area of the jaws are worn out in the chuck? Since the bearings are still on the spindle, he could get someone with a dial indicator to check the shaft for straightness by laying it in the V of some steel angle, rotating and indicating it to see if the runout is really in the spindle itself.

 

[Holedgr]

Are you sure the spindle is bent and it isn't the spindle bearings, chuck, or incorrect installation of the chuck?

If possible, I think the best course of action would be to straighten the spindle and re-cut the mounting taper.



Thanks for the vote of confidence.

I am not sure and can't think of what else I can do..I can see the chuck oscillate when it's spinning...I have disassembled, cleaned and reassembled to no avail...it oscillates without chuck attached...no lateral play I can detect on spindle...bearing feel and look fine...

Can you pm me a quote on your thoughts?

-T

 

[kmacht]

Those splines on it are what is going to make it expensive to re-produce. It is also probably hardened by where the chuck taper is. Thats going to involve heat treat and grinding the j33 taper. I am guessing probably 6 hours of work at $50 an hour minimum if you brought it somewhere to be made. Have you tried contacting the sears parts department. You would be surprised at what parts you can still get for old craftsman machines.

Keith

 

[Holedgr]

Thanks for the reply, Kieth. NO go Sears parts, Ebay, or anything else except having one made. I really like this press. It's built better that most I have looked at for $600 PLUS.

 

[srmofo]

Start searching craigslist for an old parts drillpress. If SE michigan is anything like SW Ohio then there should be plenty to choose from. I imagine the old ones used many common parts and therefore you might get lucky with one.

 

[larry_g]

Where in the world are you? I would be glad to help if you were local. I had a similar one that I was able to just move the taper up the shaft as only the very end was wonky.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[A_Pmech]

I am not sure and can't think of what else I can do..I can see the chuck oscillate when it's spinning...I have disassembled, cleaned and reassembled to no avail...it oscillates without chuck attached...no lateral play I can detect on spindle...bearing feel and look fine...

Can you pm me a quote on your thoughts?

-T

If it oscillates without the chuck on the taper, it sounds like it may very well be bent.

I can send you a quote, but I'm currently booked out at least two months.

 

[bluebolt]

Which Craftsman press is it? I have a couple of Craftsman presses for parts/

 

[remileblanc]

I may be able to help out. Can you email the pics larger? [email protected]

 

[Holedgr]

Bluebolt, yes parts would be good....The drill is a model no. 103.24821...the gold colored floor standing model.

I have been scouring ebay and craplist for months.

I guess I just have no luck.

AP Mech....waiting for work like yours would be like waiting for Christmas...If it's not too much effort for the quote, yes please sent it.

I was talking to a local engine builder/machinist and he said cutting/welding new shaft/ machining new taper is the route HE would go...provided area spliced wasn't at a bearing point. If it was just the area sticking out past the bearing point, little machining/turning would be needed to balance and taper it. Opinion based on email pics, mind you.


Remileblanc....thanks, I'll see about getting those to you today...


-T

 

[TommyD]

I am/was a tool and die maker for many years and have 2 Engineering degrees (just sayin')

Get something flat..I mean really flat like a surface plate. If you have a granite kitchen table top this could do. Roll the spindle in the flat surface and see if/where daylight shows. Daylight is space under the spindle. I really don't know how a spindle would get bent, only if it caught something it was drilling and hit the column HARD! I've done this and my press spindle has been fine...brass is a ***** to drill without dubbed drill flutes and always grabbs...been there, done that

IF there is daylight it can be straightened at a shop, they'd put it on "v" blocks, find the high spot with an indicator and stomp on it with an arbor press.

IF there is no daylight showing your spindle is good. This would be VERY expensive to make from scratch.

Next I'd check the taper attachment shank, get a new one and attach it to your drill chuck. Many are held on by a screw that is reachable from the jaw side... open the jaws all the way and look in.

Bearings COULD be shot, doesn't take much to cause whip...shake the spindle side to side to feel for looseness...

You USUALLY have ways of tightening up runout on the press head, do you have a manual? Obviously you have access to the internet so maybe you can find a schmetic of your press.

like this one...

http://www.toolpartsdirect.com/cgi-bin/schematic.cgi/skil/3380_TYPE_1

Good luck

 

[bluebolt]

Your in luck, one of my parts presses has the right spindle. It's a later one 113.24511 but according to the breakdowns for both units the part numbers are the same. So how do I get it out?

 

[Steve from Socal]

FWIW,

I have straightened many drill spindles that were crashed on our CNC routers. It is likely that the taper for the chuck is bent after the spindle bearing, with a dial indicator, a V-block and press they are not hard to straighten.

Steve

 

[bluebolt]

If you don't have a manual you can get one for free from here. http://www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=2782

 

[Holedgr]

Thanks for all the replies, guys....

Bluebolt...really busy today...I will get with you asap....

Thanks again!!

-T

 

[69lm69gp]

I have an old 50's Craftsman drill press that also had too much run out. I just pushed the chuck back into position with a drill press vise until the run out was acceptable.

You will need a dial indicator for this. First I chucked up center drill and measured the run out marked the high spot. then I and raised the table so the vise could press on the chuck and pushed on the chuck while watching the movement on the dial indicator. Then I rechecked the run out, and repeated steps one and two increasing the amount I deflected the chuck by about .005 until the run out was acceptable.

This worked so well I did it again on my South Bend Drill press.