Dunlap 109.0301 Mohawk Drill Press Rebuild

[JoCoSawdust]

While I've rebuilt a lot of old machinery, I've yet to post a "build thread". I generally have at least 147 projects going on at one time and don't generally stop to take pictures other than those to remind me how to put something back together. I'm posting this build as it pertains to a bit of an odd ball drill press that's relatively obscure when compared to other pre-war and wartime drill presses sold by Sears.

This project will bring back to life a Dunlap-branded 109.0301 12 1/4 inch drill press. This machine was offered in the 1942 and 1943 catalogs. As you can see in the 42 catalog clip, it debuted for $17. 75 (293.14 in today's dollars) and jumped to $19.95 (310.43 today) the following year. To my knowledge, this is the only drill press sold by Sears that was made by Double A Products, maker of the famous (or infamous) 109 lathe. Double A was based in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1934. According to the VM site, they also produced firearm parts during the war. The machine I'm working on for this thread was purchased in Michigan so it didn't travel far from home.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

A unique feature of this machine is the use of plastic in its construction. Both the pulley cover and part of the return spring assembly are made of plastic (or at least an early version of it). The pulley cover is molded in the familiar pre-war/wartime Sears blue. The inside shows some wear from the rotation of the spindle. I'll be addressing that upon reassembly. The only damage I find on this piece is a small crack which can be dealt with easily. Pretty remarkable for a machine nearly 80 years old.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

I'll probably discover many pics that I should have taken but didn't as I do this. The plastic pulley hinges up and back from the rear, unlike it's Craftsman big brother made by Central Specialty. Here's one of the pivot points. Also seen in the first pic here is the plastic components of the return spring assembly. When I got this machine, the pulley cover was secured with two, obviously not original, cotter pins. I thought it may have originally used roll pins here, but by the shape of the attachment points, I think cotter pins it was. Both pivot points for the pulley cover and the spring steel friction clasp at the front are secured with drive screws. Fortunately the holes for the drive screws are all through holes so they'll be easy to remove and reuse.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Small, non-standard data plate on the machine base along with a hint of original paint.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Like it's Craftsman big brother, this machine has a hinged motor mount although Double A came up with a different way to get there than did Central Specialty. I expected the pin it hinges on to be a bear to drive out but it tapped out easily from right to left as I had the machine facing away from me. The fixed part of the hinge is adjustable in and out by loosening the clamp up top, held by a bolt threaded into the head of the machine. Yes, Smokes, I'm using era correct tools on this! I really like the Costello rat. Wouldn't want to use it in a confined space but out in the open, it rocks. Every time I wrench with one of these it reminds me of shooting an M2 machine gun: Old and simple, clunky but highly effective.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

This machine came to me powered by a 1/2hp Craftman-branded capacitor start motor. Predictably, the motor powered up and purred like a kitten, as most of these old motors that come to me do. Unfortunately, one corner of the base has a chunk cracked out of it. When I went to remove the motor, I found the carriage bolts securing it were torqued down as tight as humanly possible. I have no doubt that's how the base got trashed. This motor is more than this machine needs (the catalog recommends 1/3hp). I have a Dunlap 1/3 split phase motor waiting in the wings that will go on this machine.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

The real oddball part of this machine: the plastic return spring assembly. I spent a lot of time just staring at this thing as I was worried about breaking it should I attempt to take it off wrong. There's two plastic components to this, the white, serrated adjusting knob and the black, outer knob that's indexed to serve as a depth gauge.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

The black knob just pulled off. It friction fits into the slot in the spindle feed pinion shaft. It consists of two parts, the outer knob rotating independently from the inner portion.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Pardon the multiple posts on the same component. I've yet to figure out how to post pics as I go along the text. I suspected this weirdo might attach similar to the older Atlas return spring assemblies but I wasn't sure. Looking at the underside of the head, no knurled bolt securing the assembly like the newer King Seeleys. In this pic you can also see the hole for the set screw and jamb nut that secures the spindle feed pinion. Not seeing anything down there, I decided to go at it like an Atlas component. Sure enough, attaches just like an old Atlas, push, turn and pull. The plastic is just the outer cover for an otherwise, metal part.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Embarrassing meager progress for the day. I figured this would be an easy, 30 minute take-down but ran into some bumps. Too much time staring at the return spring assembly, the feed handle fighting me tooth and nail to come out of the feed spindle and now the head refuses to budge on the column. I'll keep hosing it down with PB Blaster and hope to pop it off Sunday. The spindle looks pretty much like the CS/KS made bronze bushing machines so that'll be a piece of cake. We're flying out to the left coast mid-week next so I hope to have everything (except the plastic!) soaking in Simple Green for the duration of that then home and throw it all in Evaporust.

 

[bmwrd0]

Excellent. Those old Craftsman motors are rather bulletproof, albeit heavy. I had found a pre-war one to go with my Craftsman Lathe of the same vintage but ended up changing it for a random '50s motor as the sheet metal base is so much easier to adjust.

Everything looks good.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Thanks bmw and yes, those old Packard-made motors are boat anchor heavy. I dug through my motor parts bin today and found a base from a 50s-something motor which is identical to the one pictured here so....that'll save that motor but for another, larger machine.

A bit of progress today. The head still wouldn't budge so I gave it a bit of coaxing. The column is secured with a clamp design beneath the base, similar to the larger Atlas floor models.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

I used a 1 1/8 wood dowel to coax the bushing from the head. It looks pretty chewed up so will be replaced. The spindle assembly came apart very easily, nothing complex there. It's been a while since I tore into my last bronze bushing DP but if memory serves, this AA spindle assembly is virtually identical to an Atlas made 12 inch economy DP. I'll leave the bushing inside the spindle right were it's at. This machine won't be a user. There's a total of 8 drive screws used on this machine. All but one of them were in through holes, the one that wasn't (one of the data plate anchors) came out with a bit of side to side tapping to loosen it. It was removed without damage to the plate. I'll crack open the Dunlap motor to be used on this machine tonight and treat its cast iron along with the cast iron of the machine.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Initial clean of the pulley cover. I've yet to find a rattle can color that suits me for use for prewar Craftsman machines. I plan on having this pulley cover scanned and color matched (hopefully). I've been reading up on painting old machinery and plan to try my hand at brush painting the cast iron.this one.

 

[don long]

Great detail on the teardown Sawdust. i didn't know that those tops were plastic.
I remember my dads old craftsman drill press. When I was about 6 years old I climbed up on a stool and turned it on . It grabbed my shirt and wound it up tight. Thought I was going to die that day but dad ran in and saved me.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Thanks Don. I have to admit I laughed out loud picturing your childhood encounter with a drill press! Glad you made it through unscathed. This is a very simple yet somewhat bizarre little machine for its time, hence the thread. The Mohawk covers on the larger Craftsman branded machines were made of sheetmetal. No clue why AA went with plastic on these and it's hard to find one that hasn't been trashed.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

I went to buy a couple of gallons of Simple Green this morning, the hardware store had Purple Power on sale for 7 bucks a gallon. I rolled the dice. A three hour soak in undiluted Purple Power got rid of all the grease and about 90+% of any remaining original paint. I hit what remained with Citrus Strip, parts now soaking in a refreshing Evaporust bath.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

I'm sticking a fork in this and calling it done....for now at least. Life will have me away from my shop for a few months so I'm parking this one back on DP row. It was a very straight forward reassembly, no issues. This is my first brush paint machine. Overall, I liked then process. Certainly a more durable paint job and none of the masking/overspray issues I usually deal with. Any faults in the paint job are of my own shortcomings. I'll get better at it as time goes along. I did enjoy having a say in the color. The folks at Sherwin Williams were very patient with me as I brought the paint back in three times to tweak the color. I'm fairly happy with this color for pre-war machines. I've got a 1955 Dunlap branded 1/3hp motor on it for now. The era discrepancy bugs me (entirely too much) so I'll be on the lookout for an older Craftsman or Dunlap 1/3hp to eventually replace it. The machine runs and operates very nicely. Not a machine I'd want as my only DP for daily use but for light to mid duty work, it'd do just fine.

It now resides next to its Craftsman big cousin.

Apparently the pics are all going to post in landscape. No time to fool with it now so please forgive the screwed up orientation of the pics. Hopefully I can come back and fix that later.

 

[Cruzan80]

Nah, that is the medium cousin. You need to find the .0304 to complete the "set"...

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Sadly, I think I scrolled right by a floor model a couple of years ago on MP when I was still of the "there was no Mohawk floor model" crowd. Craftsman Mohawks pop up fairly often around me so unless they're dirt cheap, super close, or in impeccable original condition, I don't give them much thought. Saw one that I figured was a bench model hanged on a longer post and went right buy it. Needless to say, I look a lot closer now.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Nice job on the restoration, pics, and write up of that Dunlap Mowhawk JoCo. Looks like it found it's way into the right shop. Ed.

 

[Cruzan80]

Mine took me several years of looking, and at least two duds (head on homemade column). But they are out there...

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Thanks Ed. For being a small economy machine, it's one of my favorites.

 

[Jimmck]

Thanks Ed. I have one that I'm working on now. My dad got it from his father and he tore it apart but could not get the head pulled apart. I have everything apart now and I'm getting ready to paint. the only thing I don't have is that belt drive cover. When I wass youg we used it a lot but we never had that cover. I can get one made if I could only get a scanned of one.would it be possible to get you to send it to me? I will get it scanned and send it back.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

I'll have to pass on that. I trust carriers about as far as I can throw them (especially with something made of old plastic) and if something were to happen to the cover in transit, it would be irreplaceable. Best of luck in your search.