My Drill Press shorted out! What to do about Pen Blanks, etc?

[Roger Chandler]

This last weekend, my old Penn State Industries drill press shorted on me when I tried to change the light bulb, and it totally messed up the switch. It will still run, but PSI does not even carry them anymore....I got this one back in about 1985 and as far as I know cannot get any parts for it anymore!:( I will find a way to wire a new switch of some type........

I have an anniversary this week [37 yrs.] and a birthday here in about 2 weeks.......my better half saw the short out when it happened..........she suggested I get a new drill press.....:D ....well, I am not going to turn that down, now am I?

Picked this up from my local vendor this morning! 17" swing with a laser!

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71KYR09NXJL._AA1500_.jpg

[Marty Eargle]

Nice gloat. You had to do what you had to do. ;)

My press shorted out a few weeks ago and I've been forced to drill blanks out on the lathe.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Roger - congrats on your new drill press! I have had one since 2000 or so and really enjoy using it! Should make drilling pen blanks a breeze! Have fun!

[charlie knighton]

nice gloat Roger

[James Combs]

Nice going Roger, how did you get in there and prearrange that short?:D Seriously nice gloat.

[Roger Chandler]

Nice going Roger, how did you get in there and prearrange that short?:D Seriously nice gloat.


That is funny JD! :D I have been thinking about a new one for over a year anyway, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.........with my wife seeing the sparks fly and it being our anniversary and my birthday close at hand..........she needed a good idea for my B'day present anyway.......I married a good one for sure! ;)

Thing is........only the switch for the light messed up.........the one for the drill press is fine .......and the thing still runs great.........I was thinking about getting a clip on light or a magnetic base light and let that give me task lighting.....

With her blessing and money :D the new one is such a sweet machine, and the timing could not be beat!

[Harry Robinette]

Roger
That is a really nice machine,Ive had one from about 2002 or 3 and have used it allot. This new one has one very small problem the plastic handles don't last very long.If I was you I would turn a set of handles now and put them on.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Congrats Roger on a fine looking DP.

[Michelle Rich]

congrats on the new press..you could have saved a bunch of $$ and drilled your blanks on your lathe, but hey, what fun is that??? :-) I won't tell if you won't!!!

[Terry Beadle]

Jet sure makes a beauty of a press. Congrats ! Two gloat points awarded and a envy badge pinned to my chest!

Enjoy!

[Alan Zenreich]

I have the same drill press... it works fine. I use it with forstner bits, or when drilling holes in metal

However, for pen blanks, I now typically bore the holes (in wood or acrylic blanks) using a lathe with a Jacobs chuck in the tailstock.

I've also considering using my mini-mill to bore some holes.

Can't have too many toys, or ways of doing things.