sparkness
Well-known member
simple gear motor from eBay and a 10mm x2 lead screw
Show us your cool, "old" drill press
- Thread starter rickairmedic
- Start date
bubinga
Well-known member
i'd like to make one of those drill press lifts
Do you have a link please to the gear motor you used?
bubinga
Well-known member
lt's still good though.
bubinga
Well-known member
Damn Man, I'll ship you my DP, dissassembeled of course for you to paint!Bought this Atlas 1060 for $40 and spent a few times that on bearings, paint, wire wheels and misc parts. Was a whole boatload of work but really happy with how it turned out. Now thinking about a VFD conversion...
Love the funky retro color, what is that paint? Some nice **** there!
Is that a straight shoot and walk away, or is that clear coated as well?
sparkness
Well-known member
i'd like to make one of those drill press lifts
Do you have a link please to the gear motor you used?
DC12V 24V 31ZY5840 Turbo Worm Gear Motor Large Torque Gearbox Reduction 7~470rpm | eBay
Optional Speed: 7RPM ~ 470RPM. Gearbox Size: 58 40 31mm. Motor Body Length: 57mm.
www.ebay.com
Thank you! Paint is Rustoleum Hammered Deep Green. There is no clear coat, just two coats of the Rustoleum (and one coat of primer underneath).
bubinga
Well-known member
Oh yeah, primer always helps, a lot.
l can see you took some time on the prep too!
bubinga
Well-known member
You know the "Hammered" paint is nice too, cause it blends little imperfections too.
PeterPeter
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tombell572
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PeterPeter--best post yet!! Bet it would make your wife smile but worth the effort. Oh--beautiful drill.
Tom B.
Tom B.
Matt018888
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Mike'smeatshop
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Is that a Delta. Looks great.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
You all have some beautiful and beautifully restored drill presses! Great work, all!
Most seem to be old production or commercial shop models, which is great, too.
But here's a vintage--not real sure just what vintage--drill press from the opposite end of the scale: The big-box (catalog) store cheapo homeowner's-grade press:
I present, for your elucidation, the Darra James Model 350! Marketed, apparently, by Montgomery Wards and branded by ToolKraft Corp. of Waterbury, Ct--probably made in Japan, but who knows?
As found, Saturday just past:
Yeah, pretty rough, but the price.... It had been sitting outside for who knows how long, and obviously missing some parts, but it was as cheap as I could ask.
Missing parts were the motor, motor pulley, handle, depth stop, power switch and return spring/housing. The rest of the parts were actually there--some hiding within the drive pulley casing.
After a few evenings working on it, it now looks like this:
Yeah, it still needs a return spring and depth stop, but it works and has already been put to it, drilling 1/4" holes in 1/4" steel:
The motor and motor pulley are from a POS MIC press I killed a little while ago--I bent the crappy, maybe 8mm spindle. The spindle of this one is 5/8", so a little harder to bend. The rest of the parts are from my various bone yards. It's even up to maybe making OSHA happy, but I may need to add a guard over the motor pulley--which I can make from the guard off that same DP I killed.
First impressions? Post-war, cheapo home-owner grade back then was way better than today. Sure, it has bushings for the spindle instead of ball-bearings, but so did early Craftsmans. It's a hundred times the drill press my last, Skil-branded DP was! The bit doesn't wander at all when starting a hole in steel--which was a major PITA with the Skil and other cheap MIC presses I've used.
I'm not done working on this by a bit. I need to find a return spring and housing--just missed out on one on Fleabay--and I may want to do something different for the motor. But it works and it's in use in a brewery shop after three casual evenings of work.
Most seem to be old production or commercial shop models, which is great, too.
But here's a vintage--not real sure just what vintage--drill press from the opposite end of the scale: The big-box (catalog) store cheapo homeowner's-grade press:
I present, for your elucidation, the Darra James Model 350! Marketed, apparently, by Montgomery Wards and branded by ToolKraft Corp. of Waterbury, Ct--probably made in Japan, but who knows?
As found, Saturday just past:
Yeah, pretty rough, but the price.... It had been sitting outside for who knows how long, and obviously missing some parts, but it was as cheap as I could ask.
Missing parts were the motor, motor pulley, handle, depth stop, power switch and return spring/housing. The rest of the parts were actually there--some hiding within the drive pulley casing.
After a few evenings working on it, it now looks like this:
Yeah, it still needs a return spring and depth stop, but it works and has already been put to it, drilling 1/4" holes in 1/4" steel:
The motor and motor pulley are from a POS MIC press I killed a little while ago--I bent the crappy, maybe 8mm spindle. The spindle of this one is 5/8", so a little harder to bend. The rest of the parts are from my various bone yards. It's even up to maybe making OSHA happy, but I may need to add a guard over the motor pulley--which I can make from the guard off that same DP I killed.
First impressions? Post-war, cheapo home-owner grade back then was way better than today. Sure, it has bushings for the spindle instead of ball-bearings, but so did early Craftsmans. It's a hundred times the drill press my last, Skil-branded DP was! The bit doesn't wander at all when starting a hole in steel--which was a major PITA with the Skil and other cheap MIC presses I've used.
I'm not done working on this by a bit. I need to find a return spring and housing--just missed out on one on Fleabay--and I may want to do something different for the motor. But it works and it's in use in a brewery shop after three casual evenings of work.
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Outlawmws
Well-known member
Great Progress Timm!
Matt018888
Well-known member
Walker Turner
Beerhippie
Well-known member
With the crank handle, I'm feeling like the return spring is optional. I may just make a cover for that hole.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
I've been thinking that. The spindle is 5/8", while the quill is about 1"--lots of room. I have a good working relationship with a local machinist. He likes weird projects. For now, the bushings are tight enough it will do what I require.
It occurred to me that all the fasteners, shafts and threads on this are SAE--or USS or Imperial or whatever. Not metric, so maybe not made overseas?
Outlawmws
Well-known member
In that era most likely a US provider. The question is who made it for Monkey Wards? Someone here may know who did other DP's for MW, and that may be a clue.
Mike'smeatshop
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I restored one of those years ago. I may have some parts left over. I know I have some step spindles if you need any?
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Parts I'd like to have are the pinon gear that drives the quill--mine is pretty trashed but still works--and the return spring housing and spring.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
It isn't branded Monkey Wards anywhere--just the Tool Kraft. From what I could gleam from the 'net, that was a Monkey Wards brand. Info on the Darra James 350 is sketchy.
RTM
Well-known member
Darra James / Toolkraft (see footnote, they had the same street address). Name change in 1948. Don’t think that was a MW brand, Powr-Kraft was, which they made for ME.
Darra-James Corp. / ToolKraft Corp. - History | VintageMachinery.org
vintagemachinery.org
Supposedly US made, saw a post elsewhere that Darra James bought them from ToolKraft. Not quite.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Hmm... changed from Darra James to ToolKraft in '48... but this badge has both....
Thanks for the link!
Thanks for the link!
z28lsc
Well-known member
I recently scored this drillpress that I really wanted for a while.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
The rare prewar Mohawk! Nice find! Has someone started a restore? paint looks new.
Lots of interesting stuff online about the company. There's a jointer for sale on FBMP (up in Maine), says Darra James, and ToolKraft, but Springfield, MA.
The VM site only seems to mention Waterbury, CT.
I also found this site, which indicates that the company was in Chicopee, MA when it closed in 1984. No mention of other locations, which is unfortunate (unless you like solving mysteries)...
It looks like this new company is independent (another forum says owned by a former TK employee), and offers replacement parts for those machines.
I don't know if they have NOS, or are reproducing parts, nor do I know if it makes financial sense to buy new parts for an old machine (that's always case-specific), but it can't hurt to reach out to them about your needed DP parts!
Mike
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Beerhippie
Well-known member
If "step spindles" are the pulleys, I could use both. The motor one is missing--I currently have five steps on the motor and four on the head--and the head pulley (sorry, not entirely familiar with the terminology) is pretty beat up.
RTM
Well-known member
Damn it, not another mystery
Chicopee is only 4 miles from Springfield,
700 Plainfield St no longer exists, seems to be a vacant lot. But a Disston facility is nearby.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
More progress toward OSHA not having a cow when they see this machine. Having the motor pulley and half the belt exposed seems to be something that would elicit just such a response, so I need to cover them.
I have the top guard from the old dead press, so, I do some measuring, get out the lay-out tools (combi square and sharpie) and the angle grinder with cut-off wheel and start cutting. A little fit-in-place and here we go:
The only problem now is that the rest of the machine isn't blue, it's kind of a primer-gray. What paint to use? Hmm... Gray primer?
If I'm careful, I'll be able to save this:
Which isn't right anyway as I used two different sets of pulleys.
It's in the oven curing right now. I have the mounting holes drilled and tapped and the screws and washers set aside, so it's about done.
I have the top guard from the old dead press, so, I do some measuring, get out the lay-out tools (combi square and sharpie) and the angle grinder with cut-off wheel and start cutting. A little fit-in-place and here we go:
The only problem now is that the rest of the machine isn't blue, it's kind of a primer-gray. What paint to use? Hmm... Gray primer?
If I'm careful, I'll be able to save this:
Which isn't right anyway as I used two different sets of pulleys.
It's in the oven curing right now. I have the mounting holes drilled and tapped and the screws and washers set aside, so it's about done.
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Beerhippie
Well-known member
The guard is mounted and working.
I saw a picture of one of these where someone installed a hinge on the "alien helmet". Since this is the side the new guard hinges on, I'm mighty tempted to add a hinge here.
It's still possible, if you want to really try, to stick your fingers up underneath the helmet. Let's hope OSHA don't notice.
I saw a picture of one of these where someone installed a hinge on the "alien helmet". Since this is the side the new guard hinges on, I'm mighty tempted to add a hinge here.
It's still possible, if you want to really try, to stick your fingers up underneath the helmet. Let's hope OSHA don't notice.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
I've sent an email inquiring about the parts I need. We'll see what happens....Lots of interesting stuff online about the company. There's a jointer for sale on FBMP (up in Maine), says Darra James, and ToolKraft, but Springfield, MA.
The VM site only seems to mention Waterbury, CT.
I also found this site, which indicates that the company was in Chicopee, MA when it closed in 1984. No mention of other locations, which is unfortunate (unless you like solving mysteries)...
It looks like this new company is independent (another forum says owned by a former TK employee), and offers replacement parts for those machines.
I don't know if they have NOS, or are reproducing parts, nor do I know if it makes financial sense to buy new parts for an old machine (that's always case-specific), but it can't hurt to reach out to them about your needed DP parts!
Mike
If I can find something about 1 3/4" dia--like a plumbing cap or something--I'll make a cap for the hole where the return spring and housing should be to at least keep crud out of the works.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Maybe a cyclone fence cap, or a large freeze plug?
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Cyclone fence cap I hadn't thought of! I think freeze plugs might go up to 1 3/4" and would be ideal for this. I need to get over to the NAPA store tomorrow--ran out of time today doing that annoying "job" stuff.
But the fence place is right next door... I wonder if the dome of a fence post plug will clear the quill lock? Without a return spring or stop, the lock is real handy when I'm working on anything around the quill or spindle so it doesn't just drop out.
A couple of minor improvements:
A little rare earth magnet to keep the back cover closed and another to hold the chuck key. I'll be playing around with where to store the key.
But the fence place is right next door... I wonder if the dome of a fence post plug will clear the quill lock? Without a return spring or stop, the lock is real handy when I'm working on anything around the quill or spindle so it doesn't just drop out.
A couple of minor improvements:
A little rare earth magnet to keep the back cover closed and another to hold the chuck key. I'll be playing around with where to store the key.
crguy
Well-known member
I'd be figuring out how to put a return spring on that spindle. Extremely aggravating to use a drill press without one. I would also get rid of the single arm handle.
z28lsc
Well-known member
The Previous owner repainted it many years ago. I will restore it to it's original color when I get a chance.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
My cool old cheap homeowner's drill press is now a sleeper!
It now boasts 1.3 hp continuous, 2.25 hp intermittent. It's continuously variable speed from a slow crawl to maybe too fast for the old bushings--and it's reversible! That'll be handy for left-handed bits and extractors.
I used a treadmill motor from a treadmill a friend gave me for hauling it off. He'll have to find another coat rack now. The speed controller is an MC60, which is what you want. It took me one evening, all day (9 hours) Saturday and about two hours today to get 'er done, but it works and is amazing! It goes from a slow crawl to maybe too fast for the old bushings--in forward and reverse!
If you're interested in doing a similar conversion, see Outlaw's thread here: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/out-with-the-old.159224/ My description starts halfway down the first page.
The one thing I'd advise if you do go down this rabbit hole is to get a BIG enclosure to the controls. I used an 8" X 5 1/2" X 3 1/2" box, and it was tight:
The choke had to go outside as it wouldn't fit inside.
Not to get out the thickest hunk of SS from the boneyard and see just how well it works!
It now boasts 1.3 hp continuous, 2.25 hp intermittent. It's continuously variable speed from a slow crawl to maybe too fast for the old bushings--and it's reversible! That'll be handy for left-handed bits and extractors.
I used a treadmill motor from a treadmill a friend gave me for hauling it off. He'll have to find another coat rack now. The speed controller is an MC60, which is what you want. It took me one evening, all day (9 hours) Saturday and about two hours today to get 'er done, but it works and is amazing! It goes from a slow crawl to maybe too fast for the old bushings--in forward and reverse!
If you're interested in doing a similar conversion, see Outlaw's thread here: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/out-with-the-old.159224/ My description starts halfway down the first page.
The one thing I'd advise if you do go down this rabbit hole is to get a BIG enclosure to the controls. I used an 8" X 5 1/2" X 3 1/2" box, and it was tight:
The choke had to go outside as it wouldn't fit inside.
Not to get out the thickest hunk of SS from the boneyard and see just how well it works!