Tuned up a drill press

[Tom King]

Not really any tuning, but lubing, and installing a table lift.

I bought this lift system off ebay years ago.  I have two Powermatic 1150's.  One a belt changer, and the other a Reeves drive.  I put off deciding which one to put the lift on, but the Reeves drive requires some work if I let it set for a long time.  This old belt changer is 100% reliable, and really is easy to change the belt on, so I decided to get this one going.

I have a strong rope attached to a chain that I use the loader to lift some things.  I tied the rope around the column.

The hard part was getting the base off.  I ended up ruining a HF 4 pound dead blow hammer, but did get it off.  To get the base back on, I used the dead blow hammer to lean against a cribbing block, and a 10 pound sledge hammer.  The bigger hammer worked.  Serial number lookup says it was made between 1964 and 68, and I don't think the base has ever been off of it.

I thought about taking the column all the way off, and soaking it in rust remover, but I'm fixing it because I need to use it, so don't have time to worry about cosmetics.

It spins dead true, and I can change the belt position in less than 30 seconds without getting in a hurry.

The table lift is slow, but smooth and accurate.  I think it will be easier to use it for adjusting some hole depths than the limit stop, which is in itself one of my favorite things about this beast.

I don't know how much it weighs, but it's more than it looks like.  I bought it from a school auction in 1975 that I also brought an 8" jointer home from.  I've used it that long without a table lift mechanism, but it will finally be a pleasure to use it like this.

I have a Lee Valley table coming for it.  I didn't want bright red or blue, and I like the LV fence.  No time to make one.

 

[Mark J]

It looks like the table lift's position on the column is adjustable, too?

[Tom King]

You can walk it up, and down the column.  I didn't measure the range of motion, but probably one foot.

[Tom King]

The Lee Valley drill press table took two days to get here. Ordered on Tuesday afternoon, it came this morning.  I haven't had time to open the box yet, since we're busy battening down the hatches for another blast of Winter weather, but I was really surprised it was a two day delivery.

[Tom King]

I'm liking the table lift a lot.  It allows for the table to be swung side to side.  It's also much easier to fine tune depth of drilling than the depth stop built onto the drill press, even though I've always liked the depth stop on the 1150's.

The LV drill press table, that came Jan. 20th, finally got put on today.  The preinstalled threaded inserts to mount it to the table wouldn't work with this drill press, but they had included some extra threaded inserts, which were fairly easy to install where I needed them.

I'm all set up to drill holes for the handrail balusters, but will watch the hearing today, and will probably drill the holes tomorrow.

My BIL was helping me.  They're staying here for a while in their new camper.  He was most impressed with the drill press mobile base I built, and is ready to sell, or toss, all his mobile bases.

[gee-dub]

Nicely done. Sure to make things easier/more accurate.

[Tom King]

I forgot there were people staying in the rental house, so it will be after Friday before I can do the next step on the handrails.

I like the LV drill press table.  Truthfully, the only reason I chose it was that I thought bright blue or red would be out of place on this old drill press.  The fence is a good design.  My only issue is the slugs holding the fence in the track don't clear the track intersections cleanly.  I have to reach under with a pick to clear the jamb.  I still have the aluminum cutting blade in the beater miter saw, so it will be an easy fix when I think about it-will try to remember to post pictures of tapering the end of the slug.