Rockwell 15-650 floor-model drill press questions

[martin a miller]

Hi,

I haven't posted to this forum but perhaps once, but routinely go through it with envy at the restoration work done by members. However, right now, I don't have the time, expertise, or money to do the kind of restoration work I see here on Atlas, Walker Turner, Sprunger, and the like --yet I'm in immediate need of a drill press, preferably of some vintage and in good shape.

My question is this--in a CL posting in a nearby town I have come across a Rockwell 15-650 floor-model drill press, serial number 1377612, which looks to me to be around 1965, with a new Dayton 3/4 horse motor and a variable speed range of 450 to 3500 rpm. It's advertised as "Clean, good paint and working condition, chuck runs true, no wobble," which I understand can be a matter of opinion. The CL asking price is $300.

My question is this--assuming that description is true, and that the machine has no quill rattle, excessive vibration, and meets the criteria set out by Grant Erwin in "How to buy a Drill Press," is $300 a reasonable price?
If it's not, what do members think is a reasonable price? I work in hardwoods primarily, with bits of 1/8" to Forstner bits of about 1"

Thanks much for any comments.

Martin

[John McClanahan]

I have a Powermatic 1150VS that is similar to that Rockwell. I would say it is a fair asking price. If you can get it for $275, all the better.

John

[Charles Taylor]

18 or so months ago I bought a Rockwell 15-655, a similar machine, for that price and with the knowledge that it needed a repair to the Reeves drive. I'd be okay with that price for a machine in good working condition.

[martin a miller]

Thanks, John,

I thought the price might be in the ballpark if all is ok with it as the CL posting indicates. I'm looking for something that holds up accurately for a year or so, so I can get going but buy some time till I can get a more substantial vintage machine.

Martin

[martin a miller]

Ok, Chuck, that's helpful. I'm not sure, but thinking that the -655 is an update to the -650 with the 655 VSR unit, and that the "guts" of both machines are similar if not basically the same. Your post is helpful.

Martin