What year is it? How old is my new drill press

[Anthony Whitesell]

A few weeks back I picked up an old Delta Rockwell drill press. The only ID number on it is 118-1869. It is a 240/480 3-phase drill press weighing about 9900 pounds (ok so maybe more like 400). The motor pulley has 4 sizes and the quill has five. So two questions:

1) How old is it?

2) I'm used to both pulleys having the same number of sizes. What gives with the different counts and which ones am I allowed/supposed to use?

Once I have the VFD and control box installed and it is running, I'll post pics.

[Tom Wassack]

Hey Anthony,
According to the magic decoder ring at Vintage Machinery, I believe your DP is a 1956 vintage. Here's a link for your viewing pleasure...

http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/DeltaSerialNumbers.ashx

Regards,
Tom Wassack
Asheboro, NC







(http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/DeltaSerialNumbers.ashx)

[Anthony Whitesell]

Cool thank you.

That makes my tablesaw a '52, my drill press a '56, my snowblower a '65, and my tractor a '74. So what does it say about a person when some of the equipment then depend the most on, is older than they are?

[Rich Engelhardt]

So what does it say about a person when some of the equipment then depend the most on, is older than they are?
I depend a lot on something designed in 1911.... :D

[Jeff Duncan]

Cool thank you.

That makes my tablesaw a '52, my drill press a '56, my snowblower a '65, and my tractor a '74. So what does it say about a person when some of the equipment then depend the most on, is older than they are?

It means they're smart enough to know quality machinery when they see it;)

JeffD

[Anthony Whitesell]

Hey Anthony,
According to the magic decoder ring at Vintage Machinery, I believe your DP is a 1956 vintage. Here's a link for your viewing pleasure...

http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/DeltaSerialNumbers.ashx

Regards,
Tom Wassack
Asheboro, NC



(http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/DeltaSerialNumbers.ashx)

Any chances any one knows if there's an instruction manual floating around for this drill press?

There a few extra set screws here and there that I'm not used to having. I also have some questions about the pulley's and belt speeds? The machine came with a 4-way pulley on the motor and a 5-way pulley on the quill. Is it supposed to be that way or has one been changed? I'd also like to find out what the chuck RPMs are for each of the combinations. I had it fired up testing the VFD control (one small mod to make tonight to finalize it) and on the middle setting, the chuck seem to be going REALLY fast.

[Myk Rian]

Any chances any one knows if there's an instruction manual floating around for this drill press?

Again, vintagemachinery.org is your friend. Publication reprints.
The motor pulley was probably changed at some time in its past life.

[Anthony Whitesell]

I was able to find some manuals. I will have to check to see which one best fits my machine (I'm not sure if it is 14" or 17").

It does appear the pulley was changed. Or the motor AND pulley were changed. I found reference to a 4 step pulley in one of the documents.

If I was to try to replace the motor pulley (4 step to 5 step), where could I find what size the 5 step was? I looked through every document that was for the 1950's or undated and didn't see any specs.