Show us your cool, "old" drill press

[FrankLee]

I'll probably just clean her up good and see if I can flip locally.

Grez-Off would clean-up that original paint very nicely!

 

[Beerhippie]

Grez-Off would clean-up that original paint very nicely!

Gee, I'm down to only about a half-gallon of Grez-Off!

I have PB Blaster on all the parts that should move but don't. Head, table and base clamps mostly. I think I'll put a bucket over it for the night and break into it tomorrow PM.

I stuck an 8" bit in the chuck to check for run-out. Looks like about 1/4" at the tip of the bit. Not sure if it's the bushings or the chuck, but I have several Jacobs Chuck #33 in good condition. I need to get me some of the wedges for removing the chucks.

Wedges ordered.

 

[FrankLee]

Gee, I'm down to only about a half-gallon of Grez-Off!

I just checked my Amazon order history for Grez-Off; 15 quarts and 8 gallons. LoL!

I have PB Blaster on all the parts that should move but don't. Head, table and base clamps mostly. I think I'll put a bucket over it for the night and break into it tomorrow PM.

I stuck an 8" bit in the chuck to check for run-out. Looks like about 1/4" at the tip of the bit. Not sure if it's the bushings or the chuck, but I have several Jacobs Chuck #33 in good condition. I need to get me some of the wedges for removing the chucks.

Wedges ordered.

A clean chuck could make a difference. IME, bushings can wear badly causing severe runout.
Any side-to-side movement on the chuck/spindle?

 

[Beerhippie]

Well, the Grez-Off didn't play well with the paint on the motor and data plate:



I'd say 70%+ of the paint on the band and 100% on the data plate was removed. I think I have some nice machine gray Rusto around that I can repaint the band with, but the data plate....

I carefully tested the Grez-Off on the inside of the front cover before using it on the outer surface, and it looks fine:



I'll give that a wipe-down with some mineral oil and then a nice coat of wax and it should look pretty good.

 

[Beerhippie]

Per VM: http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=746 this drill press appears to be from '55-'57. I think.

 

[grannyknot]

I just finished restoring a 1949 Canadian Buffalo 18" drill press so thought I would add a few pics to this thread.
The VFD arrived today and still have to sort the wiring out so will still be a week or more before I can get it up and running.

 

[mikeinri]

Very nice job, @grannyknot!

Mike

 

[crguy]

I just finished restoring a 1949 Canadian Buffalo 18" drill press so thought I would add a few pics to this thread.
The VFD arrived today and still have to sort the wiring out so will still be a week or more before I can get it up and running.

I used one of those with a custom made intermediate pulley in the drive train for years.

 

[grannyknot]

I used one of those with a custom made intermediate pulley in the drive train for years.

To slowdown the spindle speed for metal? I was going to try and do that but the main column is in the way so an intermediate pulley would have to be of to one side.

 

[Ultradog MN]

What vintage must it be to be considered old?
Does a late 80s Solberga count?

 

[crguy]

To slowdown the spindle speed for metal? I was going to try and do that but the main column is in the way so an intermediate pulley would have to be of to one side.

Yes, most drill presses run too fast for drilling holes of any size in metal, or things like using a hole saw.

 

[grannyknot]

What vintage must it be to be considered old?
Does a late 80s Solberga count?

Might have been built in the 80's but designed much earlier, serious machine. Do you own it?

 

[Beerhippie]

What vintage must it be to be considered old?
Does a late 80s Solberga count?

It counts in my book, and I WANT ONE! Perfect for drilling stainless....

 

[Ultradog MN]

Do you own it?

Yes.
I have several machines in my garage but this one is the nicest one I own.

 

[Beerhippie]

Progress on the ShopMaster is being made:





Motor got a re-paint and new 10' 14 AWG grounded cord. Everything else got a good cleaning and a light coat of BLO. Looks like the front guard missed out on the BLO--I'll get that.

But, what kind of paint was used for silk-screened data/name plates? Watercolors? I washed half the paint off that nice, crisp ShopMaster plate with Dawn and a soft pad!

I did find the model # stamped on the head. It's a DP603.

Now for the mechanical bits....

 

[Beerhippie]

Here's an interesting discovery:



The motor sheave stack that came on the ShopMaster. I don't think it's original to that machine.

 

[Outlawmws]

Early sheave also with that Long C logo...

Nice progress Timm!

 

[Beerhippie]

Early sheave also with that Long C logo...

Nice progress Timm!

Yeah, it's at least a decade older than the DP.

It came on this motor,



so I'm left wondering where the rest of that long-C tool is.

 

[FrankLee]

Yeah, it's at least a decade older than the DP.

It came on this motor,

so I'm left wondering where the rest of that long-C tool is.

That pulley was an off-the-shelf item. Pulleys like that are quite common finds in the wild. If the pulley was bought at the same time as the motor, here it is on page 56 in the '53 catalog. www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/222/2698.pdf#page=56

Craftsman drill presses never(?) came with Craftsman logo branded pulleys.

You'll probably find that the height of the pulley is slightly taller than the drill press spindle pulley.

 

[grannyknot]

That pulley was an off-the-shelf item. Pulleys like that are quite common finds in the wild. If the pulley was bought at the same time as the motor, here it is on page 56 in the '53 catalog. www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/222/2698.pdf#page=56

The very next page down in your link shows us Mr. Fred Smith, who comes home from the office, rolls up the cuffs of his dress shirt, tie dangling in the work tray next to a spinning disc and starts polishing gem stones with can of fine black carborundum powder sitting precariously on the edge of a vibrating machine.
Don't worry Fred, the little wifey will get those stains out.
Life was great in 1953.

 

[crguy]

Here's an interesting discovery:



The motor sheave stack that came on the ShopMaster. I don't think it's original to that machine.

If the motor pulley steps don't match the spindle pulley steps, you will have to adjust the belt length each time you change speeds.

 

[Beerhippie]

If the motor pulley steps don't match the spindle pulley steps, you will have to adjust the belt length each time you change speeds.

The motor on this DP mounts on two rods, so the belt tension is set at every speed change. I'm more worried about the pulleys lining up so I don't have to change motor height at every change.

Comparison, Craftsman motor stack right, ShopMaster left:



Not an exact match, but:



a little spacer under the DP stack and I think it's within tolerance.

 

[Craptain]

The motor on this DP mounts on two rods, so the belt tension is set at every speed change. I'm more worried about the pulleys lining up so I don't have to change motor height at every change.

Comparison, Craftsman motor stack right, ShopMaster left:



Not an exact match, but:



a little spacer under the DP stack and I think it's within tolerance.

Definitely close enough. V belts have a little tolerance for being out of line.

 

[crguy]

The motor on this DP mounts on two rods, so the belt tension is set at every speed change. I'm more worried about the pulleys lining up so I don't have to change motor height at every change.

Comparison, Craftsman motor stack right, ShopMaster left:



Not an exact match, but:



a little spacer under the DP stack and I think it's within tolerance.

I wouldn't run it like that. Not good enough. I can switch the belt on my Delta 220 without loosening it, so I don't have to readjust the length every time.

 

[Beerhippie]

I finally finished the Shop Master DP600 12" Benchtop DP!







Now to set up an insulated FB account and get this on Marketplace. Unfortunately, it's the only way we have to advertise anything locally these days. If i can get $150 for it, I'll actually make a little money for my time.

But one accessory it came with I won't be selling:



Yep, a gen-u-wine Jacobs Chuck #32 Series nickel-plated key! I ordered a generic Jacobs key to sell with it.

I haven't added a switch for the motor and I'm not sure if I will. I might want to leave the for the next owner, as it would require modifying the DP. I did put a new, three-prong grounded plug and 6' cord on it.

 

[four.cycle]

^ there's a photo on this website somewhere of a drill press the owner installed a steel 2" x 4" utility box with a regular 120V light switch on the side of the upper housing.
looks goofy as hell, but does the job.

 

[Outlawmws]

Looks great Timm!


A foot operated "dead man switch" is the way to go for these.

 

[crguy]

Looks great Timm!


A foot operated "dead man switch" is the way to go for these.

I've taken foot switches off drill presses. Inconvenient as hell as far as I'm concerned, and I use drill presses a lot.

 

[Beerhippie]

^ there's a photo on this website somewhere of a drill press the owner installed a steel 2" x 4" utility box with a regular 120V light switch on the side of the upper housing.
looks goofy as hell, but does the job.

Problem with adding a switch to something I want to sell as "vintage" is that I'd have to drill and tap holes to mount the box for the switch somewhere. I haven't done any modifications on this, so it's "virgin" still.

I'm not ever using a light switch as a motor starter switch. A SPST toggle switch rated for up to 1 hp costs a buck or so and is a fast-acting, non-arcing switch. Inductive loads have special requirements.

 

[mikeinri]

Looks great, @Beerhippie!

I agree, can't say I've seen any add-on switch box that looks good.

Mike

 

[Davefr]

Problem with adding a switch to something I want to sell as "vintage" is that I'd have to drill and tap holes to mount the box for the switch somewhere. I haven't done any modifications on this, so it's "virgin" still.

I'm not ever using a light switch as a motor starter switch. A SPST toggle switch rated for up to 1 hp costs a buck or so and is a fast-acting, non-arcing switch. Inductive loads have special requirements.

Just sandwich a piece of plate aluminum between the motor and the motor mount and add whatever you want (switch, VFD, etc) It'll preserve your machine in virgin condition. Your machine has a really cool belt guard.

 

[tombell572]

I agree with Beerhippie and would not want to put a hole in a vintage machine casting, I've used Davefr's approach that he's noted above, utilizing the bolt holes for the motor and its mount with a slightly longer bolt, in this case, bolted through a hole drilled in the back of the switch box..

Tom B.

 

[bmwrd0]

Just sandwich a piece of plate aluminum between the motor and the motor mount and add whatever you want (switch, VFD, etc) It'll preserve your machine in virgin condition. Your machine has a really cool belt guard.

This is what my W-T 900 has for a mount. Works great.

 

[BSWS]

Yes, another CM 150 rebuild that can be blamed on Jeff's videos. I'm learning a lot from the posts by Jeff, Frank and few other DP gurus. I picked up 2 150s this summer and am just starting into a restoration of at least one of them. I also need to thank Mattblast for adding the bling my motor needed.

 

[Hanniballs]

Craftsman 100 floor model with vari slo.

 

[Davefr]

OK, here's Delta DP600 #6 in "as found" condition. It was made in 1946 and the PO used it primarily as a tapping machine. I've researched the odd motor mount and it appears this machine originally had power feed. It has the large production table with a just a few holes but no arc of shame and a huge 80lb 3 phase 1 HP motor. Cost was $250 but I sold the Tapmatic 50X for $200 which I have no use for. It's in great condition with nothing needed except for a 3 spoke quill handle along with a complete rebuild. Disassembly is complete along with the miserable task of stripping paint. I'll post more rebuild images later.

 

[Beerhippie]

I've implemented the switch mounting idea y'all suggested:



I used some fairly thin--just thick enough to hold #10-32 threads--aluminum plate as it was easy to work.

 

[Outlawmws]

Well executed Timm!

 

[SMOKEYBEAR]

I've redone two Craftsman drill presses here recently. Trying to move some stuff to make room and funds for a larger band saw or beam saw for future projects. There's plenty of green, blue, grey charcoal ect ones out there, decided to go outside the norm. This wont be for everyone, but I attempted to match the Gulf Racing livery colors. It I can't sell it, keeping it will not hurt my feelings. Not the original motor ( it was beyond salvaging) factory handles didn't match and was missing the top knurled nut on the depth stop. The foot switch is a square D painted to match. Its definitely not perfect, call it a 7 footer, I'm not a painter but have some decent time in it and was fun change of pace.

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

I've redone two Craftsman drill presses here recently. Trying to move some stuff to make room and funds for a larger band saw or beam saw for future projects. There's plenty of green, blue, grey charcoal ect ones out there, decided to go outside the norm. This wont be for everyone, but I attempted to match the Gulf Racing livery colors. It I can't sell it, keeping it will not hurt my feelings. Not the original motor ( it was beyond salvaging) factory handles didn't match and was missing the top knurled nut on the depth stop. The foot switch is a square D painted to match. Its definitely not perfect, call it a 7 footer, I'm not a painter but have some decent time in it and was fun change of pace.

It looks like you are a painter.