2stroke1971
Active member
Ive always worked on things for the last 35 years...since I was 12...at home and for a living. I was never able to have a shop space of my own, always working on my motorcycles on the porch of my row house. Things took a turn for the better a few years back and we bought a nice house that had a space I could set up in. Over the 3 years Ive had the space, Ive slowly been adding things Ive always wanted to have at home. I dont have much money to throw at expensive stuff...and I do love vintage items.
So I am always looking for bargains...as a matter of practicality, AND my do more with less mentality.
I wanted a drill press and was not satisfied with ANYTHING in my price range.
I hawked marketplace for weeks...id always "just miss" the neat ones in my range. There was this rusty boat anchor looking craftsman for $50 that I kept seeing that no one was buying. I was getting frustrated and when it dropped to $25 I went and bought it. The guy who sold it never did anything with it, he was not a tool guy. I think it was laying around the premises when he bought his house years back.
It looked much larger and heavier in person. It was all I could do to lift this thing onto the bench where I mounted it. I took it home and looked it up and it dated to 1947. It ran ok, but I went thru it. I cleaned everything, so much dirt and cobwebs. I put new bearings in the original motor, and cleaned up the wiring a little.
(added a ground between the breaker box and the motor) the cord itself had been updated at some point. The switch on the press itself was way sketchy so I bypassed it and now I simply turn it off and on with the square D switch box that I mounted to the wall.
I also added a 120V LED light to the post and wired it into the switch box so it comes on with the drill.
It is a BEAST. it runs smooth and strong. Better than the drill presses I have at work. In order to get this quality new, Id have spent much more than Id have been willing or able to.
I LOVE it!!
I am sort of weird with old things...I have a reverence for this thing. It has a sort of aura about it for me. It is older than I am and I think of the previous owners and wonder what their story was.
right after the paint job
with my new handles, you can see the switch box and the light.
Here is an old made in USA tilt vise. the bottom surface had been drilled into 100 times by previous owners...I milled that material out and welded in new stainless strips.
Next Id like to get a cross slide vise. No hurry though.
So I am always looking for bargains...as a matter of practicality, AND my do more with less mentality.
I wanted a drill press and was not satisfied with ANYTHING in my price range.
I hawked marketplace for weeks...id always "just miss" the neat ones in my range. There was this rusty boat anchor looking craftsman for $50 that I kept seeing that no one was buying. I was getting frustrated and when it dropped to $25 I went and bought it. The guy who sold it never did anything with it, he was not a tool guy. I think it was laying around the premises when he bought his house years back.
It looked much larger and heavier in person. It was all I could do to lift this thing onto the bench where I mounted it. I took it home and looked it up and it dated to 1947. It ran ok, but I went thru it. I cleaned everything, so much dirt and cobwebs. I put new bearings in the original motor, and cleaned up the wiring a little.
(added a ground between the breaker box and the motor) the cord itself had been updated at some point. The switch on the press itself was way sketchy so I bypassed it and now I simply turn it off and on with the square D switch box that I mounted to the wall.
I also added a 120V LED light to the post and wired it into the switch box so it comes on with the drill.
It is a BEAST. it runs smooth and strong. Better than the drill presses I have at work. In order to get this quality new, Id have spent much more than Id have been willing or able to.
I LOVE it!!
I am sort of weird with old things...I have a reverence for this thing. It has a sort of aura about it for me. It is older than I am and I think of the previous owners and wonder what their story was.
right after the paint job
with my new handles, you can see the switch box and the light.
Here is an old made in USA tilt vise. the bottom surface had been drilled into 100 times by previous owners...I milled that material out and welded in new stainless strips.
Next Id like to get a cross slide vise. No hurry though.
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