Gear or chain driven drill press..

[Patrick Walsh]

I am looking for info on gear or chain driven drill presses.

I was not aware drill presses even ran in this way. Im not sure why but it iust figured they where all belt drive.

I have access to one i can have for free. I cant find the manufacturer or any of the info on the machine other than a Cuttler Hammer logo on the on off switch.

The machine also looks to have some kind of oil revisor dispensing unit hooked up to quill. In addition to this a very powerfull magnet with a electrical cord hanging out of it is stuck to the tables.

The machine looks a hell of a lot like a old Delta DP-17 from the 40's...

What can people tell me about such a machine?.

[glenn bradley]

I'm betting its a mill. Try a machinists forum for possible info(?).

[Greg R Bradley]

A gear drive is very normal for larger drill presses starting at about 1.5hp. It becomes the norm around 3hp or so. Unless they are very well made, they can be noisy. A DP-17 has a very deep sheet metal cover for the obvious belts. I don't know how a gear drive can look like that.

There are lots of gear drive Mills.

A chain drive? That is something I've never seen.

[Patrick Walsh]

Even with a stationary table?

It sure looks exactly like a drill press with a chain drive and some kind of retrofit for working with metal.

Hmmm,

I tried Vintagemachinery.com but i always have ahard time posting on that forum. For some reason whenever i go to start a new thread i am prompted to log in even though i am logged in. When i then go to log in im told my username is incorrect.

I have contacted a moderator and am waiting to hear back.



I'm betting its a mill. Try a machinists forum for possible info(?).

[Chris Parks]

Any chance of a photo? If the price is zero dollars and it is a usable DP in its present state I would be taking it and asking questions later.

[Patrick Walsh]

Ill get photos tomorrow.

I'm not realy sure why i forgot i had a camera in my pocket when i was looking at the machine this afternoon.

The press belongs to my uncle. He is a woodworker by trade and antique car restorer by hobby. Point is he told me it was a drill press and i trust him. I guess he eneded up with something even nicer and no longer needs this machine. At the moment it is sitting in a corner in his shop needing about $400 worth of parts he already purchased put on it..

Why not just take it? Well i only have room for one drill press in my smallish 1000sqft shop. I dont want to take it or say i want it then something else comes along and it ends up in the way. Being its a gift it would be rude to give it back or sell it.

In all honesty i have been holding off for a Powermatic 1200 to surface in my area. Or better yet a 40's 3phase Delta DP-17 that i can trick out with a VFD. I actualluy found one of these Delta machines today and am waiting to hear back from the seller. It looks like it is in tough shape and maybe missing a few parts. Im not really sure how hard it is to find parts for this machine but it has my interest.

Back to the gear drive. I had not realised the machine my uncle was offering me was gear and chain driven. Now i have no idea if this makes the machine any better than a belt driven machine. I also have no idea if this is a diamond in the rough or piece junk. I guess im trying to figure that out before i say i want it or ill pass. Crap im just trying to figure out if a chain driver gear drive assembly is a the norm on some old machines?

I guess pictures would be a good starting point.

[Brian W Smith]

A nameplate,model might help jog a synapse as well.

[Patrick Walsh]

No nameplate model. Not a darn thung but on the switch and motor. The motor is a replacment and has boston gear works written all over it...

[Brian Lamb]

Plenty of drill presses made with gear drive and gear boxes to change speeds. Arboga come to mind as a high quality European version... plenty of others. A picture will get you a lot better answers.

[Patrick Walsh]

Brian,

My guess is you recognise my screen name.

Thanks for chiming in. I will not make it out to where the machine currently resides again till next weekend. I meant to get there today but that did not happen.

It will be interesting to figure out what this machine is regardless of if i end up taking it.

I'm entering into a education on all kinds of machinist tools as a result of agonizing over what this machine is and if i want it.

Case in point. I have been trying to contact the owner of a 1940's 17" Delta all weekend. He got back to me a bit ago thinking i was asking about a radial arm drill press i guess he also has for sale. One google search and it was pretty clear i dont need one of those lol..

I guess i could get a small Euro mill but i primarly work in wood. Sure once and a while i wish to be able to make something out of metal but it is rare. Plus that metal mess all over my shop is not something im sure i want to deal with.



Plenty of drill presses made with gear drive and gear boxes to change speeds. Arboga come to mind as a high quality European version... plenty of others. A picture will get you a lot better answers.

[Brian Lamb]

Hi Patrick,

Sure, I recognize a lot of folks on this site, just recently joined in over here. There are a lot of geared head drill presses made, most are intended for metal work as they generally have lower rpm's available, but they are pretty much general purpose. I tend to like the heavier duty and larger tables that most of them have, they can be a little noisier when running than a belt drive, but I doubt you'll stand in front of it all day.