Free Vintage Delta Drill Press

[Juiced06GTO]

So I have a friend who is cleaning up his warehouse and offered to give this to me as resto project to do with my boys. I have never restored any old tools, but a free press seems like a decent place to start! I am going to look at it Monday, I don't know much about it other than it is 3PH so I'll need to add a VFD to it to run in my shop. He also said he stopped using it because he got tired of the chuck always falling off, not sure if that is a warning sign I should be leery of?

Any good spots to research these? I don't have the model # yet, so I'll have to wait to do any serious digging until I get it tomorrow. Any info you guys have would be awesome! I just noticed as I was posting these pictures what appears to be a hole in the casing behind the tag, something to be concerned with?

**Edit** Researching now it looks like a Delta Model 17

Thanks guys!!

 

[rjn2649]

Nice find, I have an old delta similar, the hand crank for the table is kinda of a trouble point, the get damaged from years of abuse.
Nice looking belt guard. Looks like wrong motor pully so yeah a VFD would be a good answer.
Look here for info

VintageMachinery.org | Welcome

 

[RTM]

Nice get. Free is almost always good.

 

[Maui]

Instead of a vfd I’d just swap out the 3 phase motor for a single phase motor with the same horsepower. It is very easy to do.

 

[Shelbylex]

Great tool for great price! Now you have to continue this thread so we could see the progress
Congratulations!

 

[Tarnished]

Juiced: Nice old Delta 17" drill press. Will clean up nicely and should make a great press for the next 70 years.
For information on restoration check here: "Old Wood Working Machines.org". Plenty of restorations and rebuild information on your drill press. Let us know how it goes.

 

[mike93lx]

Instead of a vfd I’d just swap out the 3 phase motor for a single phase motor with the same horsepower. It is very easy to do.

I'd go the other way. Keep the original motor and get all the benefits of variable speed without having to always change belts around

 

[Davefr]

Instead of a vfd I’d just swap out the 3 phase motor for a single phase motor with the same horsepower. It is very easy to do.

It really isn't that easy to do. Delta DP's of that era used a proprietary style motor frame/motor mount. (non NEMA). You can adapt a modern NEMA frame motor but it'll involve modifying the Delta cast iron motor mount or fabricating a conversion plate to go from NEMA motor to Delta motor mount. That may involve having to change to a different length drive belt. The conversion plate could be > 1/2" plate aluminum approx. the same outer dimensions as the existing motor mount. Use F.H. countersunk bolts to attach it to the existing motor mount.

The other issue is that Delta pulleys have a 3/4" bore. Modern motors are usually 5/8" and then skip to 7/8" shaft depending on the HP. There are 3/4" shaft motors but they're not all that common. And whatever you do, don't even think of trying to bore out a Delta pulley to 7/8".

I'd go VFD. A VFD on a DP is a marriage made in heaven. You might have to up the HP of the 3 Phase motor to get more low speed torque. I'd recommend at least 1 HP or more.

That DP looks to be an excellent candidate for full restoration.

 

[exmaxima1]

There are many parts available for the DP-600, and I would consider getting a new spindle with a MT33 style chuck.

 

[Maui]

It really isn't that easy to do. Delta DP's of that era used a proprietary style motor frame/motor mount. (non NEMA). You can adapt a modern NEMA frame motor but it'll involve modifying the Delta cast iron motor mount or fabricating a conversion plate to go from NEMA motor to Delta motor mount. That may involve having to change to a different length drive belt. The conversion plate could be > 1/2" plate aluminum approx. the same outer dimensions as the existing motor mount. Use F.H. countersunk bolts to attach it to the existing motor mount.

The other issue is that Delta pulleys have a 3/4" bore. Modern motors are usually 5/8" and then skip to 7/8" shaft depending on the HP. There are 3/4" shaft motors but they're not all that common. And whatever you do, don't even think of trying to bore out a Delta pulley to 7/8".

I'd go VFD. A VFD on a DP is a marriage made in heaven. You might have to up the HP of the 3 Phase motor to get more low speed torque. I'd recommend at least 1 HP or more.

That DP looks to be an excellent candidate for full restoration.

How easy it is depends on your perspective I guess. If your replacement motor has a 5/8” output shaft I’d use a 1/16” wall thickness piece of aluminum tubing to adapt it to a 3/4” bore pulley. I’ve made these before. And it is annoying when you have to make them. Another option is to replace the pulley with one that has a bore that matches the replacement motor. Or simply source a motor with the correct shaft diameter. For the adapter plate (if needed) you could us a piece of 3/4” thick plywood if you wanted to get it done quickly. If you wanted to go to the effort a piece of aluminum plate could also be used. But my preference would be to use a motor that has the same pattern of mounting holes so that an adapter plate is unnecessary.

 

[Davefr]

But my preference would be to use a motor that has the same pattern of mounting holes so that an adapter late is unnecessary.

Motors that match the original non NEMA proprietary Delta mounting pattern are as old as the DP itself and usually hard to find. And since they're so old they often have their own issues that need restoration like dried out bearings, dirty, decayed wiring, bad capacitors etc. Finding them often requires going online and shipping is expensive.

Here's an adapter plate I made to use a modern NEMA motor on a Delta 17-600:

 

[Maui]

Finding those types of motors for me is quite easy Dave, since I have been restoring them them for years. But most other people are not able or willing to do this. So it is a function of your particular situation. What I have found is that these older motors are often built like tanks, unlike more recent motors. The bearings on the Chinese made motors in particular are frequently poorly made. Once properly restored, these older motors can run for another half century or more without issues.

 

[Davefr]

What I have found is that these older motors are often built like tanks, unlike more recent motors. The bearings on the Chinese made motors in particular are frequently poorly made. Once properly restored, these older motors can run for another half century or more without issues.

I agree 100%. Here's the motor on one of my Delta 17-600. It's a 3 phase 1.5 HP WT motor and it weighs a ton. These three phase motors are so easy to rebuild. Just clean them and service the bearings and they'll last forever.

 

[Juiced06GTO]

Appreciate all the feedback guys! I went and looked at it today and grabbed a picture of the serial tag. The SN is 94-7953, which puts it at 1951 from what I can tell. Other than being grimey, it appears to be in really good shape. There are no missing teeth or anything on the table gears that I saw, and everything appears in tact and the table is not all drilled into. It only has a single pulley on the motor right now, not a stepped pulley like I have seen on others, so I am assuming it was changed sometime in the last 71 years. I like the idea of a vfd so I can have the variable speed control. As far as finding a larger motor, if I were to go that route I'd probably just convert it to single phase at that point. Would finding a larger 3 phase motor be just as difficult as finding a single phase with the correct bolt pattern?

It may be a bit before I get around to restoring it as I need to finish the shop first, but I'll keep researching in the meantime and keep you guys updated!

 

[lafester]

The big motors pop up fairly often with older jointers for cheap.
They are usually single phase though and I would stick with 3 phase.

 

[JHuston]

What a score! I have three Delta 17" drill presses in my shop, one for wood, one for metal and one for mortising, and have nothing but good to say of them- it's the best drill press of it's class and capable of some pretty serious drilling. You may want to drive the chuck arbor out and clean the rust off, making sure to stone off any dings that are sitting above the surface. Clean the spindle nose out with a scotch rite pad, then reinstall the chuck. The taper only works if it has decent contact, and any dings or crud will cause it to drop out and affect accuracy. A vfd is the easiest way to deal with the three phase motor; motors of that period were quite a bit better constructed than what is readily available now, and three phase motors are very, very simple and stout. If you look on owwm.org, you should be able to find a motor pulley- you can get a high speed or slow speed. For metal drilling, you're going to want the slow speed.
You got the equivalent of a 3,000.00 drill press for free.

- James Huston

 

[The Cobbler]

to the OP , this certainly deserves a "YOU ****"
surprised it hasn't been given already

 

[Juiced06GTO]

I agree 100%. Here's the motor on one of my Delta 17-600. It's a 3 phase 1.5 HP WT motor and it weighs a ton. These three phase motors are so easy to rebuild. Just clean them and service the bearings and they'll last forever.

Dave, I can't help but notice the Holden symbol in avatar. Spend any time on ls1gto back in the day?? I have an 06 I've been racing since i bought it in 06!

 

[Davefr]

Dave, I can't help but notice the Holden symbol in avatar. Spend any time on ls1gto back in the day?? I have an 06 I've been racing since i bought it in 06!

I started out with a Pontiac G8 and then went with a '15 Chevy SS. (both Holdens). IMHO they made great cars. I changed out all the SS's exterior trim that had Chevy logos and replaced it with OEM Holden logo'd parts so it looks 100% Holden until you get inside.

 

[Davefr]

Appreciate all the feedback guys! I went and looked at it today and grabbed a picture of the serial tag. The SN is 94-7953, which puts it at 1951 from what I can tell. Other than being grimey, it appears to be in really good shape. There are no missing teeth or anything on the table gears that I saw, and everything appears in tact and the table is not all drilled into. It only has a single pulley on the motor right now, not a stepped pulley like I have seen on others, so I am assuming it was changed sometime in the last 71 years. I like the idea of a vfd so I can have the variable speed control. As far as finding a larger motor, if I were to go that route I'd probably just convert it to single phase at that point. Would finding a larger 3 phase motor be just as difficult as finding a single phase with the correct bolt pattern?

It may be a bit before I get around to restoring it as I need to finish the shop first, but I'll keep researching in the meantime and keep you guys updated!

If I were you, I'd start looking for a motor step pulley. The great thing about these old Delta machines is that parts can generally be found. (Ebay or OWWM.org Boyd forum). The guys on OWWM are very helpful with parts.

I'd keep your existing motor for now. It looks original to the machine. Just order a Teco L510 110V 1HP VFD. Your old motor might be 1/2 HP? It's certainly usable but might not be powerful enough to drill large holes in steel at low RPM unless you select a lower belt range. The beauty of 1+ HP motors is you almost never have to move the belt from the highest speed setting even for large/slow drilling. Adjusting the VFD is all you need.

Over time you could look for a larger motor if you want depending on how you use the machine.

These machines are pretty straightforward to restore and the end result is worth the effort.

 

[tool_scrounge]

How easy it is depends on your perspective I guess. If your replacement motor has a 5/8” output shaft I’d use a 1/16” wall thickness piece of aluminum tubing to adapt it to a 3/4” bore pulley. I’ve made these before. And it is annoying when you have to make them. Another option is to replace the pulley with one that has a bore that matches the replacement motor. Or simply source a motor with the correct shaft diameter. For the adapter plate (if needed) you could us a piece of 3/4” thick plywood if you wanted to get it done quickly. If you wanted to go to the effort a piece of aluminum plate could also be used. But my preference would be to use a motor that has the same pattern of mounting holes so that an adapter plate is unnecessary.

You can buy the shaft adapters for cheap off of Amazon

Amazon.com: LicBund 5/8" to 3/4 Inch w/Step Key Gas Engine Pulley Crank Shaft Sleeve Adapter Pulley Bore Reducer Bushing Sheave & Key Predator : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com: LicBund 5/8" to 3/4 Inch w/Step Key Gas Engine Pulley Crank Shaft Sleeve Adapter Pulley Bore Reducer Bushing Sheave & Key Predator : Patio, Lawn & Garden

www.amazon.com

 

[Maui]

Thanks for the link tool scrounge. That would make it a lot easier.

 

[SquareWave]

Juiced- that's a great score! I'm in the middle of restoring the same drill press. These are fantastic pieces of American made machinery.