drill press broken return spring

[Joe Tuminello]

Is it possible to repair a return spring of a drill press? I have an old rockwell 15-069 DP that needs a spring and can not find one.

[John Vernier]

I recently helped a friend replace a broken return spring on an 80s vintage delta drill press. It was urgent, so we scavenged a spring from a cheap Chinese drill press on which the motor had bitten the dust, and much to my surprise the spring fit and worked well enough, although it wasn't a perfect match. Even the outer casings for the springs were obviously different diameters, so I didn't think it would work, but it did. I'm not saying these springs are universal, but there is hope if you can track down a derelict DP.

Actually creating a bent end on the broken spring to form a new attachment would be a lot of trouble. You won't be able to bend it with out heating the steel to red hot, otherwise it will just break off (if not immediately, then soon after you start to use it!). Then once you have bent it as needed, you will need to re-harden the spring and temper it to the proper spring temper. That is no small task.

[Tom M King]

I had one of those exact presses with that problem, and never could find that replacement spring, or one similar.

[Cary Falk]

Maybe you could find a part from Grizzly that will be close enough to work. Maybe find one that is similar or that has the same quill travel.

[M Toupin]

What's wrong with the spring? If just the end is broken then heat it red hot with a touch and make a new hook. A pair of needle nose to grasp the main spring and a pair of regular pliers to bend the end over. All you're doing is heating the very end, not the entire spring hence the temper is only removed from the first inch or so which does not effect much if anything. Works fine, had to make the same repair to my 15-000 a few months ago when I rebuilt it.

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=18221

Mike

[Dave Richards]

I've got my grandfather's Atlas/Craftsman drill press made in the mid-40's. The return spring on it broke probably 50 years ago. He couldn't find a replacement so he fixed up a bracket from the motor mount to which he attached an extension spring. To the other end of the spring he attached a piece of string which he wrapped around the hub of the hand feed wheel and tied to one of the handles. It's not all that fancy but it works. And it's still working after all that time. Even the string has never needed to replaced.

[Lee Schierer]

Depending on where your spring broke, you might be able to use the end where it broke and bend it into the shape needed to hook it up again so it will work. If it needs a hole drilled, heat the very end with a torch and let it air cool and you should be able to drill it and bend it to the shape needed.

[John McClanahan]

The return spring was broken on my Powermatic when I bought it. I just bent a new end on the spring and it works fine.


John

[Don Sundberg]

Amazon seems to have a lot of choices.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dtools&field-keywords=drill+press+spring

Not sure if any of them are correct. I had to buy one a while back ago for for my little 8" bench top after it broke and I got tired of dealing with it.

Don

[Thomas Canfield]

The return spring broke on my Delta about a year back and of course Delta does not support their parts any longer. I went on line and found a repair facility out in Colorado (Denver area?) that had a replacement part. They were helpful when I called before ordering.

[Tom M King]

I "fixed" the spring on my old Rockwell, and it lasted a couple of more years. If anyone figures out which one of those replacement springs will work, please post it. I gave that drill press to someone 20 some years ago, and I'd like to get a spring for him.

[Mark Walden]

I replaced the one on my Delta 17-900 DP with one from Grizzly. I just ordered a spring for their floor model DP it fit perfect. It was $7.95, so if you have a Delta and the spring breaks order one from Grizzly.

[Joe Tuminello]

Thank you for all the responses and suggestions. I did think of repairing the spring as suggested, but then decided that the spring to string to handle set up might work. It does and got me through finding a spring. I just didn't like the thought, while remote, of the spring possibly failing and flying at me , I found a spring cheap enough on amazon. So thanks for that too. For about 10 bucks and free shipping you can get a spring that will probably fit. However, I bought the whole assembly for about 15 dollars more since my case was fairly worn out. It fits perfect.
Details are below. Just go to Amazon with this information.


2-1/8" DRILL PRESS QUILL SPRING ASSEMBLY

by Accura (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_hi?ie=UTF8&field-brandtextbin=Accura&node=228013)



http://www.amazon.com/DRILL-PRESS-QUILL-SPRING-ASSEMBLY/dp/B003STS70U

[Tom M King]

Great thanks!!! The internet is a lot better now than 20 years ago or so when I tried to find one. This will be a great late Christmas present for the guy I gave the Rockwell drill press to.

[Joe Tuminello]

It's better Tom unless you are looking for a chuck key, but that's another story. Have your friend go over to the site run by the good people of vintage machinery.They have a manual for a similar model Rockwell 15-081 which has installation instructions.
http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=5837