Show us your drill press

[A_Pmech]

I think it's safe to say that no one would put a plate on it that says "made in China" if it wasn't made in China, he-he.

Thanks again,
Steve

One would think so, but who knows with those guys.

No problem!

 

[LoFlow]

ACME wall art.

 

[Canadian Charlie]

Here is my made in Asia drill press, the table is a bit un-stable but it works. I use it to drill and buff.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Nothing special here. Dayton by Grainger, a 20 inch with a huge 4 inch diameter column. It has a one horse motor on it. Apparently fell on its face and smashed the switch and cracked the head, top to bottom. A co-worker bought it at a Grainger open house and sale (in its damaged condition) and realized it was something he had no use for. I bought it from him, we loaded it from his pickup (which it never left after the sale) to my trailer. The head is straight, the cracked section is a thin false front for mounting the switch, it doesn't affect the function of the drill press at all. I did price a new bare head and it was $250 so for what I got it for, I could have afforded to put a new head on if needed, which it turns out, it didn't need.

I removed the foreign made 5/8 chuck and put a Ebay special on, a 3/4 Jacobs Super Chuck. It ran crooked and I couldn't separate the arbor from it, but the machine shop at work did their trick and got it apart and re-seated it and it runs true, or did. I think I sprung a jaw by running a too small of a drill bit in it. Someone here said that could happen. It pops when you release it with the key, and doesn't run true on smaller bits. so I bought another Ebay chuck, nearly new and doesn't look like its ever been used, for $83 total.

I need to get a 3/8 or 1/2 chuck with a straight arbor to use for small bits, by just chucking it into the larger chuck.

The switch I replaced with a Square D drum switch and ran flex conduit and wired it to reverse the motor (motor had diagrams for doing just that)

This is a tank of a drill press, and has been very handy.

Charles

 

[s_ontario]

mine

 

[macgyverwannabe]

hofferwood: I like how you set up your intermediate pullies. I'm going to have to look at mine and see if that is an option. It runs way to fast for large bits.

 

[mkdive]

Picked this up on my local CL about a year or so ago. Scored it for $80. It is brand new condition! The original owner I bought it from said he only used it a few times. I am super happy with it. I like that fact that the top cover is made out of metal (not plastic like the current model). Next I'm going to add a key-less chuck & a larger square t-slot table.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50104

Added a Re-purposed wire rack to hold bits & a 6x12 mag-chuck a friend gave me.

 

[Keep]

I have a couple, both from the 40's or 50's, first up the bench top.

13inch Beaver: $60 not the greatest of pictures.

Next up the 15 inch Canadian Buffalo floor model: $30 even came with a mortising attachment.

These two both get used regularly. The bench top was moved to the wood shop, and the floor model has a permanent home in the garage.

 

[Nick M]

Bought it for $60, from a tool and die company that was closing.

Before:

Degreased, new bearings, re-wired, painted. Built in Kitchener (where I live) for Buffalo produced by Kitchener Blower and Forge. Actually I bought it from the tooling company that made parts and tooling for these drill presses.
I love this thing.
I fabricated a beefy and ditched the stand it came with.
Now I have my eye open for an older Buffalo to restore.

What brand/color paint did you use there?

 

[peterj]

Clausing 15-inch step pulley I found on CL about 100 miles away. I believe it is a 1966 model from the serial number and it works perfectly. All I had to do was get the beast home and clean it up a bit.

 

[lametec]

Craftsman Pro 17". "Stole" it from Sears for $179.

 

[TheGrooveking]

Craftsman Pro 17". "Stole" it from Sears for $179.

You ****!

TheGrooveking

 

[ambenz]

My old King Seeley Craftsman...

 

[VegasBruce]

Here is my Taiwan HF. $75 off Craigslist.

 

[cbacres]

Here is my Powermatic going through a quick rehab. Just waiting to reassemble motor and finis putting back together this weekend. The serial inicates it was made in 1966.

I have not used, only have had for a few months, inherited from my Dad.

It had a three phase motor, bought a used single phase one that needed bearings.

Just picked up right size bearings today. First set was had exact numbers, but ID was larger. In all the years buying bearings by using number on old bearing, never had a diffrent size.

It's varible speed, something I have wanted for a long time.

Took apart just about everything , sandblasted, painted with Rust Oleum epoxie paint, cleaned and lubed.

Will post more when done.

 

[NJHandyGuy]

I remember wanting one of those as a teenager in the worst way, but couldn't afford one. My friend's dad had one and I thought it was the coolest thing.

it's for sale see my classified ads

 

[airbuff101]

CB,
That Powermatic is real nice!
Great that you are keeping it in the family.
Rob

 

[Mr9two9]

New guy here: found this on craigslist - Craftsman 113.21370 1/3 hp motor. guy even had the original operators manual, Somebody has installed a foot-brake. I got the cover as well.

 

[nissan_crawler]

1.5hp Jet, 3/4" chuck, 20" swing, 18"x16" table. Awesome drill press.

 

[cbacres]

Here is my completed Powermatic. Installed a used 1 HP with new bearings. Drills a 1/2" hole through 1/4" steel like nothing. Finally, I have a DP that will really do some holes with out slipping or stalling. The varible speed is tops.

 

[premierplayer]

mine

Camelback?

 

[willy3486]

I have a couple but this one is the newest. Its a late 30s to early 40s if I remember correctly made by Walker Turner. I got it from my MIL. My FIL had it for years but hte deck lift was broke. I was able to fix it by making a saddle for the outside of the clamp and bolting it on. Now I can tighten it down so it can go up or down. I just got it refurbished around thanksgiving. I have the belts on it now that were not on it from the photo. I also run a new elecdtrical line to the post its by. It runs like a top. I also have a smaller import for the bench and one of the setups you put a hand drill on that I started with.

 

[larry_g]

Here for your viewing pleasure is a Buffalo No. 14. In talking with the mfg this machine was a one year offering in 1921 or 1922. It was called a sensitive drill press. They made one similar that was a floor standing model. I got this one at a swap meet and the guy said it had gone through a flood. So I disassebbled what was there and replaced the bearings. It was a bit out of tram so I machined the base and the column to get things squared up. I remachined the spindle to a jt33 and fitted a Rohem chuck. It is now a good hi speed drill press. The vise I picked up at auction. It fits the T-slot on the base or easily moves out of the way. The table it sits on is a scrapyard find that has adjustable lets and a ground top (flat). I still have to fit a return spring to the quill and make a pinion gear for the motor/belt adjusting rack.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[airbuff101]

Real nice job on that Walker-Turner!
You are lucky to have the rising table.
I redid a mid 30's 900 for my son recently. They sure are smooth ,rugged sweethearts to use aren't they?
Rob

 

[Mike007]

This is my drill press. I wanted a quality American made machine that I didn't have to constantly fool with belts to change the spindle RPM, and I didn't want to pay a zillion dollars for it either. I picked up this 15" Delta in like new condition for $150. It was cheap because it is 208-230V 3 phase. I removed the motor starter and replaced it with an AC Tech variable frequency drive with a phase converter. It does 3 things, it converts single phase power to 3 phase power (allowing me to keep the existing motor), it has adjustable output frequency from 1 to 240 (variable speed), and if needed can convert the input voltage as well. I could have went with a 120V input model, but elected to go with the 220V input instead. This unit has a ton of set up features. One in particular I like is speed scaling. I planned to leave the pulleys set for the lowest spindle RPM which was 425 RPM at the motors rated frequency of 60. With this information plugged into the AC Tech, it can calculate the spindle RPM thru the frequency range and display the exact RPM on the front of the remote control. When all is said and done, I have it set up so I can run the spindle from 150 - 1700 RPM without moving a belt. I set the minimum spindle speed at 150 because I was concerned the motor might overheat running any slower since the cooling fan obviously slows down with the motor. Ive done some long heavy drilling at 150 rpm without issue. I would never try it, but if I was so inclined, I could adjust the belts and achieve a maximum spindle speed of 22,000 rpm. In the end I have a total of around $350 ******* in the machine. Thats about what a new Asian made machince would cost. Not bad.

 

[JFoshee]

I have an antique Champion Blower and Forge drill press. I am in the process of rebuilding it. Does anyone know what color these were painted when they came new? I will try to insert a link to an ebay item that is like mine.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTIQUE-Champion-Blower-Forge-No-102-Post-Drill-Press-/130474231624?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e60dec748

 

[mikester]

I have a question for all of you folks that have the "Harbor Freight" type imported drill press. I have one and the switches on the side for the power and light are broken. Can anyone tell me where to buy replacement switches or even the panel with both switches as a unit ? I would like to keep the thing as original as I can instead of mounting a couple of rocker switches in a piece of aluminum.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Here's mine, another old Craftsman. Still works great.

 

[SweetD]

Here's mine. I bought it from a guy on this board last year. It's a "Power-Kraft" by Montgomery-Ward. Pretty cool because it's a radial arm drill press. For me (weekend warrior amateur), it's worked out great.

I think it's from the 50's, but not sure. It's got a nice Jacobsen chuck - overall it's in very good shape. I would REALLY like to restore it like some of you other guys have - those restorations look so nice.

Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics:

 

[airbuff101]

Nice Delta Mike and great conversion.
What era do you figure?
Rob

 

[airbuff101]

My sons Walker-Turner 900 series Floor model. From right around 1936 or so I think.
I really lucked out as it was in excellent shape 'cept UGLY. real ugly..........

30.00 + a belt and primer /paint. 3 days on/off of re-beautification.
Came with low-speed center pulley but haven't felt the need yet.
Smooth, quiet and solid.
These friggin' things are as addictive as ........Vises.
Rob

 

[Mike007]

Nice Delta Mike and great conversion.
What era do you figure?
Rob

Thanks Rob. I recall it was made in the eighties. Mike.

 

[Mike007]

My sons Walker-Turner 900 series Floor model. From right around 1936 or so I think.
I really lucked out as it was in excellent shape 'cept UGLY. real ugly........

Thats a sweet machine. I don't know if I'd want to even use that it's so nice.

 

[LoFlow]

I have an antique Champion Blower and Forge drill press. I am in the process of rebuilding it. Does anyone know what color these were painted when they came new? I will try to insert a link to an ebay item that is like mine.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTIQUE-Champion-Blower-Forge-No-102-Post-Drill-Press-/130474231624?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e60dec748

Black. This Champion's been unmolested.

 

[I can fix anything]

I have had this one for 4 or 5 months, and still have not used it.

 

[cnc-me]

Here is mine, a 1955 Walker-Turner 20" with power down feed 1-1/2 H.P. Reliance 3 phase powered.
This machine has been on GJ before, http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53716
but now it is sporting its new Allen-Bradley VF drive.
Originally rebuilt in 1989 added VF drive in fall 2010.

Custom aluminum box, housing the VFD and
12 volt transformer for the track light.

Cooling fins on the Allen-Bradley VFD.
I get a range of RPMs from 150 to 1300 without changing pulleys.
The motor is an 8 pole (855 RPM) so it has lots of torque even at 150 RPM
for driving big holesaws and such.

Toggle switch to the right, of the digital readout, turns the drive on and off.
Dial at the bottom varies the motor speed.
Its been one sweet rig to use for the past 20+ years, now its even
better with the variable speed setup.
The table raising/lowering mechanism is one of the best I have seen.
It rides on ball bearings, and rotates so easily you can use, just one finger
to move it. No sticking or binding, when raising or lowering the table, with this unit, had my Clausing lathe bed on it
and could still raise the table with no problem at all.

 

[cnc-me]

My sons Walker-Turner 900 series Floor model. From right around 1936 or so I think.
I really lucked out as it was in excellent shape 'cept UGLY. real ugly..........

30.00 + a belt and primer /paint. 3 days on/off of re-beautification.
Came with low-speed center pulley but haven't felt the need yet.
Smooth, quiet and solid.
These friggin' things are as addictive as ........Vises.
Rob

Very nice restore job,thanks for posting it up.

 

[hofferwood]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What he said!!!!
Chuck

 

[LoFlow]

Here is mine, a 1955 Walker-Turner 20" with power down feed 1-1/2 H.P. Reliance 3 phase powered.
This machine has been on GJ before, http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53716
but now it is sporting its new Allen-Bradley VF drive.
Originally rebuilt in 1989 added VF drive in fall 2010.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=96411&d=1295769073[/QUOTE]

Wow. Now this is a well set up drill press. Very functional.

 

[cnc-me]

Wow. Now this is a well set up drill press. Very functional.

Thank you. Sir