Determining the column diameter on a drill press

[BTL-A4]

I am trying to find a table for my Craftsman drill press that can be raised or lowered. It seems that Craftsman used a different sized column than everyone else: 2-3/4" diameter.
I can look up parts all day long on websites such as grizzly and others. However, they don't give the column diameter. Does anyone know if there are other drill presses that have the same column diameter as a Craftsman?

 

[32chevy]

Most vintage drill presses share that size. Delta, and buffalo have that size. Just research on ebay for drill press columns or tables . Most sellers give this info in the title. Be prepared to spend up to 200$

 

[PoorUB]

I doubt you will find a current production drill press with the same column. Most smaller drill presses today are made overseas and the column will be metric.

Shop eBay, join the Old Wood Working Machines forum and ask there.

 

[jmarkwolf]

I am trying to find a table for my Craftsman drill press that can be raised or lowered. It seems that Craftsman used a different sized column than everyone else: 2-3/4" diameter.
I can look up parts all day long on websites such as grizzly and others. However, they don't give the column diameter. Does anyone know if there are other drill presses that have the same column diameter as a Craftsman?

There are numerous ways to raise and lower a table on a drill press that doesn't have the "native" functionality.

Do a search on Youtube and Google for "drill press table lift".

I've seen lifts made from scissors jacks, trailer tongue jacks, mini-hand hoists, boat winches, bicycle chains and sprockets, etc, etc.

Pic below is my recently restored old 1956 vintage Delta Rockwell (which has a 2-3/4in diameter column) with a variant of a chain drive lift that was commercially available for Craftsman drill presses. My dad adapted it to this drill press. Still see the kit available on-line occasionally.

 

[bwringer]

FWIW, 2-3/4" = 69.85mm

Maybe looking for a 70mm column would get you somewhere.

 

[cvairwerks]

Easiest thing to do is call up your local steel supplier and get a 6 or 7 foot section of 2 3/4" 12L14.... about 250$ and get on with it.

 

[BTL-A4]

Thanks for the replies. I have a Craftsman floor drill press that was my grandfather's. I can't believe Craftsman didn't make a crank-type table raising mechanism. I've seen the after-market one that is a crank and pulley arrangement, and that is just too kludgy for me. I also know about the other methods, but was hoping to find something a little more like the modern ones.

I need to find something that will work with my existing column, which is 2.741" (69.62mm) in diameter.

I've been looking on CL for older drill presses that have the table-raising mechanism. I figure I can get one and just use the mechanism, IF it fits. It's usually cheaper than buying just the parts new, but some of these drill presses are priced pretty high.

I though about getting one that was too big and making a sleeve, but the sleeve could be as thin as 1/16 or so thick, which is hard to attach.

I was hoping not to have to drive around and measure all the columns of the drill presses for sale, but I might have to.

 

[Cruzan80]

Craftsman did sell a table raising mech. It os just a few hhndred dollars today, or more.

Most of us just get by woth a loosen, bump, and twist to raise/lower as needed.

 

[rharman]

I built a counter-balance system for mine when I added an MDF table top. It was WAY to heavy to deal with manually with the added weight.

Drill press table lift

My Wilton drill press table is so heavy to raise and lower. So I installed a boat trailer screw jack to aid in lifting that heavy monster. Work smarter not harder.

www.garagejournal.com

 

[2stroke1971]

I have a pair of 1940s craftsman drill presses and I love them but I’m right there with you. Why oh why did craftsman not ever have a rack and crank? I’ve seen craftsman drill presses 70 years newer than mine and still no left mechanism. Would it have killed them?!?

I have an automotive scissor jack and a two by four sitting on one of them

 

[lilredex]

Most drill press made here did not have a table lift. Those guys overseas showed them how, beginning in the early eighties.

You could find a Delta DP-350 and adapt your head to it. There are "millions" of those out there sitting disabled because of the crappy pulley design. If you were closer, you could use mine.....not likely to repair it any time soon. I found a HF #38142 that does me just fine. Cannot load a picture of my HF DP, but you can see it here...post #6

Drill Press for metal and wood

I'm located in Canada and I need to get a drill press. Do you guys think its a good idea to get a mag drill and make a custom stand for it to be used as a drill press for most of the time. This way I can use it as a mag drill to drill metal and put it back on the stand to drill wood or metal...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[BTL-A4]

I just made a lift. I got a linear actuator and fabricated some brackets. Works really well so far.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

I just made a lift. I got a linear actuator and fabricated some brackets. Works really well so far.

can you post links to what you used and more detailed instructions? That's great! I want to make one!

 

[BTL-A4]

Here's the box I used. I cut it in half to make it smaller. It fit the switch the best and I wanted the smallest box I could get. It came with switch covers, but you'll need to drill holes for the switch:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0107WULQI?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Here's the power supply for the linear actuator. I'll see if I can find the wiring diagram I used. The actuator did not come with one and I found several possible wiring diagrams, only one of which worked for me.:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LZ68IM8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Here's the switch I used. This one looked to me like it was the same vintage as the rest of the drill press, even though it's brand new.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09366KP21/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here's the linear actuator. If I were doing this again, I'd buy a shorter one. I can raise the table from the stop collar shown in my post above all the way to the bottom of the drill press, which is way too high:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NM8H5TG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s02?ie=UTF8&th=1

I made the top and bottom brackets out of aluminum plate I had. It's 5/8" thick. I made them to fit the existing holes on my drill press, so I didn't have to drill anything on the DP. I used a boring bar on my mill to get the hole on the bottom bracket to fit the column perfectly.

I lifted the head off with an engine hoist. I had to polish it up to get some rust off.

Here are some detail pictures:


The switch and power supply are attached to a 1/8" aluminum plate that is attached to the drill press with a bolt that fits in an existing hole.

The top bracket is attached with a flat head screw that is under the bracket. It has a pin in another hole (not shown) that keeps it from rotating.

The whole assembly on the column rotates. I need to be careful about not rotating the table or the bottom bracket in opposite directions. I also have to remember to unlock the table before raising and lowering it.