Powermatic Drill Press?

[Woods_Wanderer]

Hey folks I've been looking for a new floor-standing drill press for my metal fab hobby and found this locally. The seller has no information except that it's 3-phase. Can anyone ID this model and possibly tell me if it's US-made? Unfortunately this is the only picture.

 

[bob15]

The older ones were US made. I believe the yellow ones are import, but the green and gold were domestically made.

 

[tarbellb]

Definitely a older USA made unit, likely .75 or 1hp motor with belts and pulleys for speeds.

A great DP in general, may have slow speeds for metal ie <250.

Prices are all over the place, if everything works i'd happily pay $500-700


BUT.... 3ph is tricky, if you got it, great! otherwise you need a new motor, not to hard, or a VFD conversion which would be even nicer.

 

[shawhite]

Looks like a powermatic 1150 to me. Does not appear to have a table lift. It is definitely USA made. 3 ph is not a big deal to me but will require a new motor or vfd like mentioned above

 

[tool_scrounge]

The older ones were US made. I believe the yellow ones are import, but the green and gold were domestically made.

I have seen yellow painted bandsaws labeled as made in usa

 

[slowtwitch73]

That's a sweety....

 

[shawhite]

Could be if the price is right.

 

[bob15]

I have seen yellow painted bandsaws labeled as made in usa

Light yellow or the darker yellow/gold? My DP is the darker gold and is US-made, but the lighter colored ones I've seen are imports.

 

[Whitworth]

I'd say 1960's model, 15". The one behind it (boxy belt cover) is circa 1970's.

Looks like step pulleys, huge plus. The variable speed pulleys can often be worn out and/or repaired poorly.

VFD for that size motor may be as low as $50.
To replace the motor would be very expensive.

 

[tool_scrounge]

Light yellow or the darker yellow/gold? My DP is the darker gold and is US-made, but the lighter colored ones I've seen are imports.

Thanks for the clarification. I am sure the US ones I have used were darker yellow, more mustard like.

 

[Woods_Wanderer]

Well it turns out to have been repainted, the original color was pea/vista green. I bought it and will be repainting it to match. The seller actually had 3 powermatic DPs and a bandsaw. He also had a really cool antique Delta DP (the unshrouded belt&pully type) with a Quadrill attachment. If I had the space it would have come home with me too!

This machine is indeed a PM 1150 and was made in 1964, used as a wood shop machine by Dallas ISD along with the other PMs. I clocked runout at 0.006 with the rusty, binding jacobs chuck currently on it.

For $300 I'm happy with it.

Now I have to decide-put a VFD on the existing 3P motor, or swap it for the 1P motor out of my broken craftsman 115?

VFD
+can keep it original
+infinite variable speed
-costs money

replacement motor
+free (I already have 1)
+more powerful motor (1HP vs 1/2HP)


EDIT: I found this thread listing Powermatic color-matching and relevant years when researching this earlier:

parts - Powermatic - VintageMachinery.org Knowledge Base (Wiki)

wiki.vintagemachinery.org

 

[slowtwitch73]

Good deal...

 

[shawhite]

That is a great deal on a solid American made drill press. Couldn’t tell by the picture what shape is the table in? As long as the motor matches up (shaft size) I would go with what you already have. Vfd is great for variable speed but some of those old motors don’t like vfds or at least that has been my experience.

 

[Davefr]

Well it turns out to have been repainted, the original color was pea/vista green. I bought it and will be repainting it to match. The seller actually had 3 powermatic DPs and a bandsaw. He also had a really cool antique Delta DP (the unshrouded belt&pully type) with a Quadrill attachment. If I had the space it would have come home with me too!

This machine is indeed a PM 1150 and was made in 1964, used as a wood shop machine by Dallas ISD along with the other PMs. I clocked runout at 0.006 with the rusty, binding jacobs chuck currently on it.

For $300 I'm happy with it.

Now I have to decide-put a VFD on the existing 3P motor, or swap it for the 1P motor out of my broken craftsman 115?

VFD
+can keep it original
+infinite variable speed
-costs money

replacement motor
+free (I already have 1)
+more powerful motor (1HP vs 1/2HP)


EDIT: I found this thread listing Powermatic color-matching and relevant years when researching this earlier:

parts - Powermatic - VintageMachinery.org Knowledge Base (Wiki)

wiki.vintagemachinery.org

That's a no brainer!! Absolutely VFD it!!!

Being able to adjust the speed from approx. 100-3000 with a simple twist of a dial, start/stop within easy reach, ability to reverse rotation with a simple parameter change, ability to read RPM direct from the VFD, electronic braking, etc, etc.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

I've got an 1150 as well with an OEM single phase.

If I had the choice between mine and yours, I'd take yours because a 3 phase with a VFD would be SWEET. I

It's a big beautiful drill press.

Above someone noted yours does not include the table and/or head lift. I made one for mine that is better than the factory unit. It was a fun project. Video of that is here:

You've bought yourself a great drill press there!

 

[shawhite]

Do you know for certain the 3ph motor operates?

 

[Woods_Wanderer]

I don't know for sure that it works, and additionally the 1HP VFDs I've been finding pull enough current that I'm concerned it might trip the 15A 115v circuit in my garage. I could go 240v but that seems like overkill and it would compete with my welders for the only outlet.

Hoosierbuddy that table lift is a thing of beauty, it's far and away the best diy lift I've seen while looking for ideas to make one. do you have any drawings or measurements you'd be willing to send so I can fab up my own copy?

 

[Maui]

Swap out the motor for the single phase motor and call it done since you already have one there. Simple, easy, and free.

 

[PoorUB]

Nice quality drill press.

I have a Powermatic 1200 variable speed. Funny story behind it. i had been looking for years for an older US made heavy drill press. It was advertised on Craig's list for $1,000, about 300 miles away. I sent the owner an e-mail with some questions. He never got back with me. A month later it was back on Craig's List for $600! (I would have paid the $1,000!) I frantically tried to get a hold of the owner. He did send me a phone number of a guy that worked for him. I called him and left a message, then an hour later and other , then hour later another. No response. I e-mailed the original guy and he didn't get back with me either!

I was going nuts!

The next day I said the hell with it and headed to direction of the drill press hoping things would fall in place by the time I got there. About half way there the one guy called me back and I told him I am on my way to pick up the drill press, when can he meet me? He gave me a time and I had extra time to kill, but got there, handed him the cash and we used a fork lift and partially disassembled it and loaded it up and i headed home. I even came with a nice Palmgren vise, two chucks and a T slot clamp to clamp stuff to the table. I did good!
I had a used VFD I hung on it as it was 3 phase, but I like the 3 phase with the variable speed pulleys and the VFD I have all kinds of speed adjustment.

It sure beat the hell out of the 3/4HP table top Jet drill press I replaced it with!

 

[Indexmill]

Swap out the motor for the single phase motor and call it done since you already have one there. Simple, easy, and free.

No; that's ridiculous. Buy a cheap VFD.

 

[shawhite]

Check the winding for continuity on the 3ph motor before you buy a vfd. You can buy a cheap vfd on Amazon for a little over $100. I am running a 1.5hp motor on 120v 20a so you should be able to run 3/4hp on 15a.

VFD 110V Input 1.5KW 2hp Variable Frequency Drive CNC Drive Inverter Converter for 3 Phase 110v Motor Speed Control - - Amazon.com

VFD 110V Input 1.5KW 2hp Variable Frequency Drive CNC Drive Inverter Converter for 3 Phase 110v Motor Speed Control - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

 

[Maui]

Ridiculous? Cheap VFDs can play havoc with older 3 phase motors. Is it ridiculous that people have been using single phase motors on drill presses for the better part of a century?? He already has the step pulleys on the machine, has a more powerful single phase motor on hand, and has the ability to swap them out. Just do it.

 

[Davefr]

Is it ridiculous that people have been using single phase motors on drill presses for the better part of a century?? He already has the step pulleys on the machine, has a more powerful single phase motor on hand, and has the ability to swap them out. Just do it.

People have been using a lot of primitive technology in the past but that doesn't mean there aren't better options. For me the days of having to manually change belt/pulley settings for simple speed changes are long gone.

I will agree that buying a cheap no name VFD is a bad choice. If he goes VFD, he should at least get a Teco L510 or other name brand unit. One reason is the superior documentation.

 

[Maui]

I get the advantage of dialing in the speed. But changing a belt position takes only seconds, and is not necessary very often in the work I do. Yes, there are always better options. I can buy a good quality older drill press for less than the price of a decent quality VFD. In fact, I have several on hand now. Eventually I may decide to go the VFD route for a metal lathe or drill press, but so far have not found it necessary.

 

[Davefr]

I don't know for sure that it works, and additionally the 1HP VFDs I've been finding pull enough current that I'm concerned it might trip the 15A 115v circuit in my garage. I could go 240v but that seems like overkill and it would compete with my welders for the only outlet.

I don't think you'll have a problem with a 15 amp 120VAC circuit for normal use.

My DP has a 1.5 HP 3P motor and Teco L510 120VAC VFD. It draws <5 amps input current in normal use at highest speed. I'm sure that current would increase if you'll be approaching stall conditions. (large bit struggling in thick plate steel.) However if that's your usage pattern then just set the belts for highest torque so you don't approach stall. (I leave my belts on highest speed all the time and have never needed more torque)

 

[Ign]

If a VFD will allow reverse and other setups will not that is a no-brainer for power tapping.

Even if you think you don't want to do this --- trust me, once you CAN, you will

edit: ditto for LH drill bits, the best screw extraction method there is

 

[American Locomotive]

You'd have no problem with a 1HP VFD on a 15a circuit. I'd definitely go the VFD route. Changing pulleys is annoying, and the VFD gives you so much more flexibility.

I just set a friend up with a Teco 120 > 240v drive on this 3ph bench grinder he got, and it's a sweet setup.

 

[Cruzan80]

It depends on how much time you have to fiddle with it. If you NEED a working DP NOW!, Put the 1ph on it and use it. Keep the 3ph motor around to tinker with a VFD as you have time. Otherwise, tinker with it on the machine.

 

[Davefr]

It depends on how much time you have to fiddle with it. If you NEED a working DP NOW!, Put the 1ph on it and use it. Keep the 3ph motor around to tinker with a VFD as you have time. Otherwise, tinker with it on the machine.

If the DP already has the 3P motor mounted, he can be up and running with a VFD in an afternoon. It can often be more hassle to change motors. (ex: sometimes there can be motor frame size differences, RPM differences, rotation differences, and shaft O.D. differences)

 

[seber]

Ridiculous? Cheap VFDs can play havoc with older 3 phase motors. Is it ridiculous that people have been using single phase motors on drill presses for the better part of a century?? He already has the step pulleys on the machine, has a more powerful single phase motor on hand, and has the ability to swap them out. Just do it.

A quality VFD will not cause any problem with older motors other than heat. Running a fan cooled motor at a speed lower than design will not cool efficiently. But a good VFD puts out a waveform that is every bit as clean as what you would get from the power company. I doubt I could say that about a cheap no name unit.

 

[Cruzan80]

If the DP already has the 3P motor mounted, he can be up and running with a VFD in an afternoon. It can often be more hassle to change motors. (ex: sometimes there can be motor frame size differences, RPM differences, rotation differences, and shaft O.D. differences)

Yes, it can, but if all of those match, it is pretty much pull the pulley, unmount old, remount new, put pulley on.

Not trying to say VFDs are a lot of work, but even waiting for it to arrive may be more time than the OP has, if he needs a working drill press NOW. Especially if he doesn't have any experience with them.

 

[Woods_Wanderer]

Thanks all I ended up selling my old DP intact to a buddy who plans to fix it, went ahead and ordered a TECO L510 for the powermatic-continuity seems fine on the current 3P motor and used 3P motors are pretty cheap around here anyway. Fortunately this is a hobby operation so I can afford downtime on this machine.

 

[Indexmill]

Once you go VFD on 3-phase, you will never go back to single-phase. Never. For a hundred reasons.

Go on; give it a try.

 

[PoorUB]

Yep! I will agree with that! A VFD on a drill press is a no brainer to me. Sure you can swap pulleys, but you might find you can put it in a mid range pulley and leave it and let the VFD do the work. I also set my VFD on my drill press to run the motor up to 120 hertz so I can get twice the RPM. (1150 RPM motor, I wouldn't recommend doing this with a 3450 RPM motor!)