Central Machinery 1HP Drill Press

[Kartman]

I have been looking for a drill press for the last few months and came across this one on my local Craigs List

http://

Knowing that Central Machinery is a HF brand, I was a little leary. However, upon perusing through Old Car Guy's thread of his latest acquisitions, I noticed he had one that was very similar. After a few PM's with questions to OCG about his drill press that he graciously answered (Thanks OCG!), I was ready to make the purchase. However, by the time I called the guy back, he told me that someone was on the way to pick it up. I was disappointed but knew that was part of the risk for waiting. Well, I get a call this morning from the seller, and he tells me that the guy never showed up and if I still wanted it, I could come on over to pick it up.

16 speed 1HP (16amp/60hz) circa 1999 and made in Taiwan.

Here it is in its new home

Drill press also came with a 6" vise

The seller pretty much had it in storage for the last few years. Outside of a little surface rust (it is all cast iron), it looks to be fairly new and in pretty good shape. I paid $150 for it. How did I do?

Quick question for you drill press experts pertaining to quill rattle. When I grab the chuck and rotate it one way and then the other, I feel a little bit of a loose slap (less then 1/8 inch from side to side). It remains consistent through the entire extension of the down lever. Is this going to be a major issue?

 

[Stephenw]

I paid $150 for it. How did I do?

You paid very near what you could have got it for on sale, new in the box.

 

[Hoot]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43389

The speeds are a little different, but it was the only 1hp floor model that I saw. So throw in shipping and the vise, it probably would of cost about $350 or $360 to buy new (based on the HF website). And I would guess that the new one would tend to have more plastic than the older one. I don't know how much they go on sale for, but I think it's a decent deal if you're happy with it and it does what you need it to do.

 

[OldCarGuy]

I'm not one to go out of my way to purchase imported machinery. But I feel that you did well with this drill press and won't be disappointed. Being made in Taiwan it is made better than the ones sold today that are made in China.

Though I'm surprised to hear that the spindle has that much slop. Chuck up a well sharpened 1/2” diameter drill bit and see how it performs in a piece of steel. If it doesn't chatter and the hole is round, you have a nice machine.

 

[Kartman]

Thanks guys...appreciate the feedback. Going to run the test OCG recommended when I get home tonight to see how it does. Fingers crossed that I'll end up with a nice round hole.

 

[OldCarGuy]

Using a 9/16" diameter drill bit I just sharpened, I drilled a hole through a 1 3/4" thick piece of mild steel. The RPM set at 350, a few shots of water, and about two minutes is what it took. Too much down-feed pressure and the front belt would squeal. A simple tightening of the belts would solve that problem....

BTW, I placed an indicator on the spindle to determine the slop. With the spindle in the lowered position, there was a maximum of .002" slop from about 25 pounds side pressure. And less than .002" total run-out while under power.

Overall a nice drill press..

 

[mikester]

I have that exact drill press. I got it for nothing from a friend of mine. The on/off switch was broken. I still havent had the time to look at it. I think the hardest thing will be finding a replacement rocker switch to fix it. Should I just replace both switches with heavy duty toggles ?

 

[Kartman]

When I got home from work today, I grabbed a scrap 1/4" steel plate I had laying around and chucked up a sharp
1/2" drill bit in the press. Set the speed for 640 RPM's. Didn't really hear/feel any chatter other than the noise and slight resistance coming from the bit contacting the steel which went away after about 1/8" of penetration. Here is the outcome:

Measured the hole with my digital calipers

So far, so good.

OCG: I don't have a dial indicator so I won't be able measure runout. When/if I get a hold of one, that will be the next thing I check. I'm glad the one you have was built with good tolerances. Gives me hope that mine is that way as well. Thanks again for all of your help.

 

[Kartman]

I have that exact drill press. I got it for nothing from a friend of mine. The on/off switch was broken. I still havent had the time to look at it. I think the hardest thing will be finding a replacement rocker switch to fix it. Should I just replace both switches with heavy duty toggles ?

You can definitely do that. Radio Shack should carry toggles/rockers with the appropriate amp rating. If you don't care about using the built in light, you can swap the broken power rocker switch with that one until you get some replacements.

 

[Torque1st]

The rotary "slop" is perfectly normal. It is the drive splines in the spindle. Your quill slop is reasonable also and can be improved by splitting the head and thru bolting for adjustment. Mine was a little worse than yours but it is down under 0.001" TIR now.

I have the bench mounted version of the same drill press purchased back in 1979 for under $70 delivered. The only thing that has gone wrong with it is the motor switch. I replaced the motor and light switch with some HD rocker switches from the local hardware store. If you use an indicator you may find the table is not perfectly perpendicular with the spindle also due to manufacturing tolerances. Mine was out 0.002"TIR at the outside of the table. Some adjustment can be made tho. I also fitted my own quill lock.

 

[rcsec]

I picked up a very similar drill press last fall. It's not a Central Machinery but a TDI 5-speed, 5/8" chuck & 1/2 HP floor model. It came with a nice forstner set and deburring attachment; for $75 is drills straighter than I can with a hand drill. What caught my attention was the info on the Quill Rattle. I haven't measured it yet but I can hear it when I hold the chuck - rotate it - change direction. Since the casing appears to be a one piece unit; how do you reduce quill rattle? It appears the boss is drilled to add the third pulley to increase the number of speeds. Since this is several years old & no manual, is it possible to increase the number of speeds? I cleaned of the surface rust, improved the alignment of the 2 pulleys and replaced some of the wiring. I'll be picking up a dial indicator to check run-out later this month. Due to the age (>20 years old) is there any recommended maintenance (remove quill & shaft then lubricate)?
Thanks,
Ray

 

[goodfellow]

You did well!! HF Taiwanese equipment is good quality. It's the PRC knock-offs that have many problems. Look at all the great HF tools that in the past were made in Taiwan. From bandsaws, drill presses, table saws, to mills and lathes, the quality was there. Once those designs were manufactured in China, the quality went way down.

 

[nissan_crawler]

That old style HF press is a good machine, we had one on the farm that was much older, but identical. Good motor, little slop, etc. That thing was used and abused. I do believe we replaced the motor at some point, but again, it got used quite a bit.

The new style ones ****, IMHO. I shelled mine in under 2 years, the quill had huge runout, lots of slop, motor shelled, didn't have enough power when it did work.

I bought a 20" JET and never looked back.

That press you have is worth what you paid. The newer ones aren't worth that.

 

[rcsec]

Thanks...the previous owner had the motor rewound and talk about bad alignment! The top cover rubbed the drive pulley. The light didn't work, replaced the light...still didn't work then I looked at the wiring - another mess. But it cleaned up fairly nice and is now electrically safe. I'm still interested in the quill slop and if I can add the third pulley to increase the number of speeds. Oh yeah, the belt looks pretty old. I was thinking about a "link" or "power twist" belt. Any thoughts....

 

[nissan_crawler]

Thanks...the previous owner had the motor rewound and talk about bad alignment! The top cover rubbed the drive pulley. The light didn't work, replaced the light...still didn't work then I looked at the wiring - another mess. But it cleaned up fairly nice and is now electrically safe. I'm still interested in the quill slop and if I can add the third pulley to increase the number of speeds. Oh yeah, the belt looks pretty old. I was thinking about a "link" or "power twist" belt. Any thoughts....

The main thing will be if you have the physical room for a pulley. We added a third set into one before. You'll need it if you want to drill steel, I'm betting. Generally, a 5 speed press is too fast for steel.

 

[Torque1st]

That rotational noise when the direction is changed is normal.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Quick question for you drill press experts pertaining to quill rattle. When I grab the chuck and rotate it one way and then the other, I feel a little bit of a loose slap (less then 1/8 inch from side to side). It remains consistent through the entire extension of the down lever. Is this going to be a major issue?

Side to side, or fore/aft play in the quill lower bearing? or do you mean that when you rotate the quill shaft from one way to the other cw/ccw, you have play, such as a pulley on a shaft/keyway slipping?

I see the press OCG has, has a USA made chuck in it, what does yours have? Anyone know if the chuck is installed on a Jacobs taper? If so, you might consider replacing the chuck if it is asian and causes you problems. Otherwise, just use it as is.

Charles

 

[Torque1st]

See post #10 above.

 

[rcsec]

The slop I describe is when I rotate in one direction then change rotational directions. Thanks for the info describing that. The casing appears to be a one piece casting. I don't understand how post #10 applies to it - sorry. I'll pick up a dial indicator to check run-out. I saw a cute jig clamped to a quality drill bit (at least 1/2") and a dial indicator on the other end, it was used to square the table. I can't tell where the chuck was made. Inside the arrow pointing clockwise it reads - LEAD. Next to that is "UPJT-3". All of you have been a great deal of help with this - Thanks.
Ray

 

[buening]

I think you should have went with a four spindle

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Rotational slop is caused by the splines most likely (as described in post #10). You cannot easily see the splines. They are on the inside of the quill, the section that holds the chuck, and they engage with splines on the outside of the upper section of the shaft, which is what the pulley on top is attached to.

Charles

 

[Torque1st]

From post #10:

The rotary "slop" is perfectly normal. It is the drive splines in the spindle.

And again from post #16:

That rotational noise when the direction is changed is normal.

You have an unbranded import chuck with a Jacobs #3 taper attachment.

 

[russlaferrera]

The only dislikes I find with that type of machine, is the quill stop. I find when you set the depth the adjustment will not hold the setting I prefer the screw on the side with adjusting nuts.

As far as imported goes, most major machines are imported. Jet, Delta others.

 

[krooser]

I used to have one of those....

 

[Joe Romano]

Hi;
I'm new to all of this. I happen to hit this site by chance, and found just what I was looking for, thanks. I have a question, also the exact same drill press. Question is I want to replace the chuck on my press. I tapped it out but there is no name or numbers on it. I'm thinking it's a #3. When it came out there is a tapered shaft with the chuck attached. Is this two separate pieces shaft and chuck? Also what is a quill that your talking about?
When I put a dial indicator on the chuck I get about 2* of runout, but as the drill bit is spinning it looks far worse. Once I get a hole started the bit remains true. I just want to swap it out to be on the safe side.
Thanks for being here, Joe Romano

 

[alex71]

That old style HF press is a good machine, we had one on the farm that was much older, but identical. Good motor, little slop, etc. That thing was used and abused. I do believe we replaced the motor at some point, but again, it got used quite a bit.

The new style ones ****, IMHO. I shelled mine in under 2 years, the quill had huge runout, lots of slop, motor shelled, didn't have enough power when it did work.

I bought a 20" JET and never looked back.

That press you have is worth what you paid. The newer ones aren't worth that.

agreed. the new ones blow.

I had one, replaced it with a craftsman. wasn't much better. so I bought a mill. holes are now round

 

[kdwellssr]

Can someone tell me where I can get a new Spindle for my Central Machinery T-586? I have had a problem with my drill chuck falling out of the spindle for a long time. I finally removed the spindle and found it has some heavy marks in it.

 

[Cope]

Can someone tell me where I can get a new Spindle for my Central Machinery T-586? I have had a problem with my drill chuck falling out of the spindle for a long time. I finally removed the spindle and found it has some heavy marks in it.

Call Harbor Freight. They carry a lot of parts.

 

[wildbill23c]

Can someone tell me where I can get a new Spindle for my Central Machinery T-586? I have had a problem with my drill chuck falling out of the spindle for a long time. I finally removed the spindle and found it has some heavy marks in it.

I have a bench top model drill press from HF and last weekend while drilling a piece of acrylic for a pen blank, the dang drill chuck fell out. Well this is the first time I've ever had a drill chuck just fall out of a drill press. I tried pounding it back on with a rubber mallet...that didn't work at all. I turned the chuck until the jaws were inside the chuck, then used one of my regular hammers and gave it a few hits with that and it hasn't fallen off sense. I'm guessing you have already done so and yours still falls out?

 

[kdwellssr]

Yep.. Sure does. Usually more often if I'm using a larger than 3/8" drill bit. I believed the Arbor was the problem...so I started polishing it to try to get it to fit tighter. I painted it with layout dye and next time it dropped I looked for marks where it might not be fitting properly and polished. I finally am getting tired of polishing and I think the arbor is finally shot. So I want to get an new arbor but I now think maybe the problem was in the spindle instead... so I want to try to get a new arbor and a new spindle and hope for the best.

 

[Nortonscustom]

You might want to call around to a few local machine shops. With the right Morse taper ream it doesn't take much to tune up the spindle good as new again. I've done a couple over the years.

 

[kdwellssr]

I will check into that as see. If I'm not mistaken I know of a couple if they are still in operation.

 

[kdwellssr]

What is a B16 taper?

 

[kdwellssr]

Measured my arbor against the new specs and got some strange measurements. Although small dia and large dia were as expected the length didn't match any of the New specs. Mine is .700 and spec is .682....so mine grew? also the Jacobs taper was way off specs. Large dia is .800 and small dis at .753. While specs state large dia at .811 and small dia at .746.... Any ideas?

 

[kdwellssr]

Call Harbor Freight. They carry a lot of parts.

Called Harbor Freight. Said they don't have any parts and can't order any parts. Any other ideas?

 

[kdwellssr]

You might want to call around to a few local machine shops. With the right Morse taper ream it doesn't take much to tune up the spindle good as new again. I've done a couple over the years.

Can you do it?

 

[Seminole77]

What are the belts used in this drill press? I have the same but have some issues with belt tension.
A quick confirmation of the right size and length will help.
Thanks

 

[lilredex]

Here's mine, an early HF #38142. It came less the motor, which I added.

The new added pulley is a "4L" but runs OK with the "3L" (3/8") belts it was designed to use.

 

[AnEv942]

Depends, mine older T-583 16spd. uses 1/2" belts (stock# was 'v-belt' according to the manuals part list ) But came with;
A27-29" outside dia
A28-30" outside dia

Though I changed to an A27 with a A29 (31") on motor pulley to shift center pulley as I have counter weight, plus the stock belt was just too tight for my use.

 

[tarbellb]

Buy the linkable belts sold by HF, worked for my HF drill press, build to suit.