Clausing 1768 Variable Speed Drill Press

[ProByrd]

So, in the market for a press. Ran across a Clausing 1768 Variable Speed single phase 3/4hp model. Everything looks to be there and in good working order. Guy is asking $500 cash.

I am a woodworker and car builder, would this really be overkill unless I was planning on becoming a garage machinist or is this something that would serve me and generations after me?

I know for a fact that I could get buy with a HF special, but I have always tried to live by the mottos of "buy once, cry once" and "if you are going to do anything, do it right the first time."

ANY feedback is very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

-Byrd

 

[A_Pmech]

Byrd,

Those are good basic drill presses in my opinion. People who have never used a good drill press will "get by" with one of those cheap Chinese things never knowing what a good piece of equipment will do.

Be sure to inspect the motor-mounted variable drive sheave. I have several threads on here detailing how they wear and fail at the drive key. (They use a plastic bushing which wears out and allows the drive key to fret on the sliding sheave half.) I repair them routinely and the cost varies between ~$60 and ~$250 depending on how much damage the sheave and hub have sustained.

 

[ProByrd]

Thanks for the Reply, A_Pmech. Is that plastic bushing one of the only things that goes out on these and/or that I should look out for? I know how to tell if things are cracked, broken, missing or completely shot as long as it isn't something that is proprietary and something that isn't obvious. I'll look into some of your threads to try and get a little better grasp on the internals.

Is $500 for this machine a deal to be had even if it needs some work or is that pretty much the going rate for them? Please let me know.

Thanks

-Byrd

 

[A_Pmech]

Is that plastic bushing one of the only things that goes out on these and/or that I should look out for? I know how to tell if things are cracked, broken, missing or completely shot as long as it isn't something that is proprietary and something that isn't obvious.

The easiest way to tell is to remove the belt from the machine and try to twist the top half of the motor sheave while holding the bottom half. If it moves at all relative to the bottom half, the plastic keyway is worn out.

I'm not sure on pricing of those machines as I've never been in the market for one.

 

[Outlawmws]

I'd say that is a good price for that Clausing if in decent shape.

 

[Fretters]

People who have never used a good drill press will "get by" with one of those cheap Chinese things never knowing what a good piece of equipment will do.

That's so true. One of those things which truly can't be appreciated until you've tried both. My last recollection of using a cheap pillar drill was one where you had to place the drill tip in the punch mark on the piece before switching on, due to the runout being so bad. A good quality pillar drill, however, is in a league of its own.