Clausing 1757 Drill Press

[D45]

Give me the low down on this unit

Clausing 1757

Looks beefy and industrial

Is the chuck normal or does it only accept specialized bits?

 

[seber]

Damn fine machine. Sadly I had to leave mine behind when I left Colorado. I miss it constantly. Spindle takes a number 3 morse taper. The beast will handle one inch chuck and bit with ease. Still accurate enough for Albrecht and micro bits. That is assuming it has not been abused.

 

[shawhite]

Pretty sure that is going to be a 15in model and use a MT2. Either way you can call Clausing and give them the serial and they will email you a scanned copy of the manual. Not to mention they have most parts in stock.

 

[D45]

Ugh

I thought it was a special spindle......

I don't have any of those bits and was just looking to upgrade from my Craftsman

It's a great looking machine, listed for $500

 

[slowtwitch73]

Dude.. get it. You can put whatever you want in there.... not special... good. Drill chuck with a mt3 taper.. off to the races.

That's a fine dp...

 

[D45]

Oh, so even though the spindle takes a number 3 morse taper, it can be changed to a normal chuck that takes straight common bits?

I bet I could get it for 400, and sell my current drill press for 225

 

[D45]

Something like this??

https://www.grainger.com/product/MILWAUKEE-Drill-Chuck-2Y794

There's alot of nicely used MT3 drill bit chucks on ebay

0-1/2" and 1/8"-5/8" and others up to 3/4"

 

[snakeeyes]

Yeah it just adapts the taper to a normal drill chuck. We use these adapters at work with our larger drill presses. Typically LLAMBRICH or Jacobs ones that are keyless. That Milwaukee one is nice if you have drill bits that are not reduced shank since it lets you go up to 3/4" where most others stop at 1/2"-5/8".

 

[shawhite]

Except it’s going to be a MT2. The 3/4HP motor is the giveaway. It’s still a nice drill press it’s in pretty good condition. Made in USA with parts still available from clausing but you will have sticker shock when you get the quote.

 

[PoorUB]

By it!
A Clausing was on my short list of drill presses. They are a good quality, industrial unit. You will wonder how you go by with the Craftsman once you get it cleaned up and running!

Verify wheather is is a MT2 or MT3 before you buy a chuck. Also Granger is expensive! Plenty other places to buy from, even Amazon.

 

[Maui]

It is a 15” drill press with a 12” x 18” production table and spindle speeds of 260 - 5400 rpm. The spindle is MT2. Buy it!

 

[Davefr]

It looks like it's lacking a table lift mechanism. Unless you could buy a table lift assembly, that DP is pretty much useless IMHO. You're not going to be able to make frequent tweaks to table elevation with that huge production table.

 

[shawhite]

It looks like it's lacking a table lift mechanism. Unless you could buy a table lift assembly, that DP is pretty much useless IMHO. Your not going to be able to make frequent tweaks to table elevation with that huge production table.

I would hardly say the table lift would make it useless but to each there own. There are several threads here where people have made their own and clausing does sell the lift if you are willing to pay more than what the drill press cost.

 

[timgunn1962]

Morse taper arbors can either have a tang at the small end, or a female-threaded hole for a drawbar. Unless there is a hole all the way through the spindle for a drawbar (so you can knock the MT arbor out by smiting the drawbar), do not use the drawbar type.

There is usually a slot through the spindle for a tapered drift to act on the tang and allow you to drive the arbor out (or mt drill, or whatever). If you don't have a tang, you have no way to remove the arbor and it's stuck there. Do Not Ask Me How I Know This.

I can't see the slot in the pics, so it's possible the spindle will take a drawbar.

 

[slowtwitch73]

Unless you could buy a table lift assembly, that DP is pretty much useless IMHO.

 

[shawhite]

I really hope the OP has already went and picked this up because I don’t think it will be available for long.

 

[D45]

Verified it has the MT2

 

[RoninB4]

Very common to find one of these models (or larger) in a machine shop. Well made (for what it is...) and plenty good for small shop or home. If no lift one can be fabricated without much trouble by a local machine shop. Wish I had one.

 

[D45]

The seller told me it does have a table lift

 

[Davefr]

The seller told me it does have a table lift

Then pick it up ASAP!!! This is a "go get it deal" vs. a "think about it deal"!

 

[tarbellb]

Get going

Some GJ hounds are already headed that direction....

 

[jmarkwolf]

Youtube is replete with videos on how to add DIY table lifts.

 

[RoninB4]

The seller told me it does have a table lift

-Required to plug it in and listen to the bearings in ALL speed ranges. Noisy bearings aren't a good thing, should be smooth and fairly quiet (for a drill press). If noisy, estimate whether you want to bargain or pass on it. Visually inspect the pulleys for damage. Also check for run-out on the spindle & chuck. More than +/- .020 then something isn't right. Chucks often get abused/ruined, they can be replaced (and often should) but if it's in the spindle itself then something is bad. Hope it's all good and you bring it home but don't be afraid to pass on machinery that someone else has bunged up and now wants to sell to an unsuspecting buyer. It may be a good name brand but is it a good example of that brand? Good luck.

 

[slowtwitch73]

Bearing replacement is no big deal.

 

[Davefr]

Bearing replacement is no big deal.

...and something that should be done given the age of this machine. (or cleaned out and repacked)

 

[RoninB4]

Bearing replacement is no big deal.

Perhaps for some of us but if the OP is unfamiliar with how/what tools go in the spindle perhaps he/she isn't familiar with changing bearings either. There are a few ways to ruin a bearing on install if proper installation procedures are unfamiliar. Not trying to be contrary, just want to advise the OP. I've worked in machine shops for 40+ years and seen many "qualified" machinists that had bad notions of how bearings were to be installed. A buddy that works for NSK as a field tech says he sees it a lot too.