Drill Press Idenfication Help!

[josetattooer]

Hello everyone

New here and after scrounging the internet I found this forum and figured I’d see if anyone can help me ID my drill press. I was lucky enough to be given it last summer and would like to give it some love. Hoping any info I can find will help me along in the restoration. Only info known was that it may be a 30s era press. From anything I’ve been able to find including digging a bit on Vintage Machinery the closest thing I’ve seen to it is a Canedy Otto "dovetail column drilling machine" which is listed as approximately 1930. No plaques engravings or cast markings other than some parts labeled with D5 D6 etc. Any info would be great!

 

[alfadan]

I think it might be a leland gifford.

 

[josetattooer]

Thanks for the reply! Your suggestion led me to finding a photo of a Lodge & Davis 10" which looks very similar. Mine looks as if the current motor setup was added later. It has a rod for what looks like a lower spindle on the column

 

[alfadan]

I was just searching camelback drill press images and thought the quill clamp and that dovetail deal looked pretty close. Yours may very have been a lineshaft machine modified for an electric motor.
Neat old machine, have fun cleaning it up!

 

[crguy]

Sliding head drill presses are much handier than cranking a table up/down. Nice drill, don't think I have seen one just like that before.

 

[DocsMachine]

I can't tell you the brand, but I can tell you it's been badly butchered.

It's not a classic "camelback", with a horizontal shaft at the top, driving the spindle through a bevel gear. Your version had a plain pulley on the spindle (much like what's there now, except for flat belts) and that boss the motor plate pivots on, held two idler wheels. The belt looped around the spindle, then over the two pulleys, in an L-shape. (Something along these lines.)

The only part that's confusing me is the belt usually ran down to an idler near the base. It's possible it ran upwards, more or less straight to the overhead shafting, but that wasn't the usual way of doing it.

That rod below the square table could have been for the drive idler- which would have had a drive wheel and a "loose" wheel. You shifted the belt over to the 'loose' wheel to "shut off" the drill, since the overhead belting never really gets shut off.

Not sure what that means for the square table. I can only guess that it's shifted to the side when not used (rather than all the way around to the back) so as to not interfere with the belt. When you need that table- which tilts- the round table is simply lowered on the dovetail, and the square one swing into place.

Mostly guesswork, but probably pretty close. Sorry I can't help on a brand.

Doc.

 

[josetattooer]

I can't tell you the brand, but I can tell you it's been badly butchered.

It's not a classic "camelback", with a horizontal shaft at the top, driving the spindle through a bevel gear. Your version had a plain pulley on the spindle (much like what's there now, except for flat belts) and that boss the motor plate pivots on, held two idler wheels. The belt looped around the spindle, then over the two pulleys, in an L-shape. (Something along these lines.)

The only part that's confusing me is the belt usually ran down to an idler near the base. It's possible it ran upwards, more or less straight to the overhead shafting, but that wasn't the usual way of doing it.

That rod below the square table could have been for the drive idler- which would have had a drive wheel and a "loose" wheel. You shifted the belt over to the 'loose' wheel to "shut off" the drill, since the overhead belting never really gets shut off.

Not sure what that means for the square table. I can only guess that it's shifted to the side when not used (rather than all the way around to the back) so as to not interfere with the belt. When you need that table- which tilts- the round table is simply lowered on the dovetail, and the square one swing into place.

Mostly guesswork, but probably pretty close. Sorry I can't help on a brand.

Doc.

I’m definitely no expert or know much of anything about this but from what I’ve researched your description sounds pretty spot on. This drill came from a farm I part time on so I’m assuming any mods were farmer mods done out of necessity. Knowing the brand would be neat mostly out of curiosity and in case parts of any sort are needed. At the the end of the day I’m not planning a true full restoration as this is will continue to be a working press, more of a refurbish. As is it works pretty well but could use a tear down and clean up.

Still the closest photo I have found the looks pretty spot on of what this could be is a Lodge & Davis 10” drill press on Vintage Machinery but the photo isn’t very clear so you can’t make out the badges and looking it up nothing else that looks like that comes up. So the hunt continues.

Thanks for the info! Any help is great!

 

[josetattooer]

So an update for anyone interested. I took the drill press apart today to give it a good deep clean. Blowing the crud out with air started removing the already chipped paint and I’d be lying if it didn’t make me want to strip it and repaint it.

Got back to trying to hunt down what this machine is and have found that there were some pretty close if not exact drills by different makers. Without any markings or badges I can’t be 100% sure but I believe it may be a Washburn Shops Sensitive Drill. Date range early 1900s to 1920. I found some examples over on Vintage Machinery here

Back to it in the morning

 

[alfadan]

I think you got it figured out. Vintage Machinery is such an amazing resource.
Oil her up and get to drilling!

 

[josetattooer]

Yet another update in case anyone is interested.

So much for a “deep clean” haha

This is where we are as of tonight. Couldn’t help myself. Still not 100% sure on the actual model or born date but it sure is looking pretty nice!

 

[Jayman17]

Nice job on the refurb, now it will drill straighter holes.