Need help identifying a drill press

[whymeintrouble]

Good day everyone,
My work has this monster of a drill press and I'm curious to find some info out about it. I'll have some more/better pictures tomorrow but any info you could provide would be great. Thank you

i've added some more pics. i did not see any plate whatesoever that would indicate manufacturer. I do give myself the i just had surgery recently so the drugs are at fault excuse lol

 

[drivesitfar]

Trouble: i like the look of the casting and gear, but sorry my GOOGLEFU didn't find anything to help so far. how about some more pictures of the entire DP and see if their is any other names or #'s in the castings and post up more pictures. with the brass plate having 2 initials it could also be a name plate for a prior owner.

good luck and welcome to GJ

 

[gungatim]

welcome. post some pics of the whole press when you get a chance.

no help on the id, maybe try the OWWM.org (old woodworking machinery) website. those guys know everything about old 'arn...

 

[laser3kw]

That badge might be from the people who sold it.
Any other pictures?

 

[stanleyrleonard]

Laser3kw [post#5] is more than likely correct IMHO. Here's what I can contribute to the mystery without photos of the entire piece.


First, this:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=602219&d=1480576417

Then, this:
http://kae.vampola.com/kirkwood/thomas.htm

Finally, this:

https://www.myheritage.com/research...d-to-the-present?trp=&trn=organic_google&trl=

Mr. T.S. Kirkwood is mentioned at the bottom of the scroll.

Hope this helps--commission agents and look to have been very successful--Stan

 

[crguy]

You're going to have to put better pics up if you expect an identification.
That plate is likely the dealer that sold the drill press, not an owners plate.
The chain & sprocket makes me think it's modified.

 

[whymeintrouble]

and a few more. I think it is possible that the person who had this before us just frankensteined stuff together, that would definitely be him. the only thing I was able to find about the company was that AJ Kirkwood and TS Kirkwood were part of A.J. Kirkwood and Co. est 1858. the company was named as the tag identifies from 1875 to 1885.

I found this information in the book History of Chicago: From the fire of 1871 until 1885

it also mentions that they were part of The Chicago Foundry Est. 1871

 

[Roberts210]

What you have here is an ancient flat-belt drive DP that was converted to it's present configuration by removing the upper flat-belt pulleys and using a sprocket and chain driven by a merely vintage "Vari Drive".. Looks like it would work great.

It bears similarities to the Avey flat-belt drill presses, but I haven't found any Avey pictures that exactly match yours.

 

[whymeintrouble]

thank you Roberts210! I knew she was old, but built like the proverbial brick outhouse. I just like it because it is way more than we will ever need but it is pretty awesome looking. I don't know how much it weighs, but I'm definitely not trying to lift it lol! any other info would be great to know, especially the flat-belt setup.

Do you have any clue where a manufacturers tag would be at?

thank you again!

 

[Roberts210]

Manufacturers badge probably came off and got lost. Look for two holes about 3-4 inches apart. Holes will be about 5/64ths in diameter, or a little more... up to 1/8th inch. These holes will have been for the drive pins that would have held the badge onto the DP.

 

[whymeintrouble]

Big Update


I think I've solved the mystery of who made this DP. E.A Schumacher, on behalf of National Iron & Brass Works(Dubuque, Ia), was listed on DATAMP as being the manufacturer of a drill press, I think, nearly identical to mine.

http://www.datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?id=50940

and here is the link for the USPTO :

http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&idkey=NONE&SectionNum=3&HomeUrl=&docid=0313114

source That gave me the connection to National Iron & Brass Works:

American Machinist Vol. 6 December 1, 1883 Pg.180, 3rd column 4th paragraph from the bottom :

https://books.google.com/books?id=0...s and ts kirkwood chicago drill press&f=false

In my world, this is fantastic to be able to find this information out. I can't say how happy and thankful I am that Google decided to take as many of these old magazines/papers/etc and digitize them. Good job Google!

Update #2 :
found this ad while searching google!

Iron and Machinery World, Volume 68 Pg 10, second ad from the bottom on left :

https://books.google.com/books?id=a...page&q=1884 EA schumacher drill press&f=false