Post drill question

[Brent Cutshall]

I acquired a post drill a while back, it's a Champion 4 1/2. I was wondering if anybody here had one and if they were willing to show some illustrational illustrations of the gears. See, I am not sure if the gears on the right side (if you're facing it) are correct. Doctor Google is being annoying and won't help. I would also like to know what to do with the hole chuck situation, it didn't come with one durn it! I think I know what size I need and have one lined up on eBay. Would a MT2 shank fit? Does anybody have any homemade fixes? Anyone got a picture? Anybody know why Tarzan doesn't have a beard? Hello?

[Steve Eure]

George at WWGOA has a post drill circa 1850's (approx.), that he did a short video on. You may be able to contact him on his website and get a bit of information from him.

[george wilson]

Have you tried looking for post drills on Ebay,or go to as blacksmithing forum. I have never owned one myself.

[Brent Cutshall]

I've scoured eBay for the like, but nothing. Aside from that, if I can't find a shank for the chuck, I'll make one. So, my priority is the gears on the side. I might have to contact someone like Steve said.

[Richard Line]

I think I turned up something on my Google search. Try 'Champion post drill' and look at the pictures and check this site, that I found from the Google search - http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=13510. This says it is a 4 1/2. Hope this helps.

[Mike Lemon]

There is at least one listed in the link (Richard beat me to it). The chuck is probably for a Silver and Deming bit (1/2" shank), just get a 1/2" to whatever adapter (may have to cut excess length off adapter) and Jacobs chuck from your site of choice. http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=165&tab=4&sort=1&th=false&fl=

[Brent Cutshall]

Mike, Richard, I've done been on site y'all suggested, thank you for posting this, but the problem is that they only show a small portion of the side I need to see. I don't know if there's supposed three or four gears on the right side.

[Mike Lemon]

They never show what you need to see. I have been looking for a picture of the fence adjustment for an Atlas tablesaw. There's a million pics of everything else, but no adjusting mechanism. The only advice I can give is just play around and see if everything works. I have only seen two post drills in person, mine you can move the handle to another gear to change speeds, the other you had to move the gear with the handle to a different spot.

[Brent Cutshall]

Mike, I think you have just answered my question. There's two rod that fit the handle and it's gear perfectly, but I would never had thought that it might just be another gear placement. In both places the handle turns the main shaft so I reckon that's a very possible possibility. Thanks Mike! Thanks all! Now on to the question of the chuck and Tarzan's beardless self.:D

[Mike Lemon]

I answered the chuck question above. It is likely a straight 1/2" hole (for Silver and Deming style bits). You need an adapter- 1/2" straight to whatever chuck you want. 1/2" to 3jt and 3jt chuck for example (3jt-jacob taper?- for 3/4", 2jt for 3/8ish). Just make sure your adapter and chuck match. I bought a chuck and adapter for about $20. Tarzan, his beard got caught in the vines when he was young, so he plucked it out when it started coming in. Now it can't grow, like women who pluck their eyebrows too much.

[Brent Cutshall]

I don't know if you guys know exactly what I'm talking about with the chuck. I'll get some pictures later. I really think that was it with the gears, they line up perfectly.... Vines huh?...

[Mike Lemon]

I'm assuming you are talking about there not being a modern chuck on the spindle, just a hole with a set screw? That hole is the chuck, for 1/2" shank bits. Or is yours broken? Or perhaps two piece and part missing?

[Scott T Smith]

Brent, I have an old post drill and I think that it's a Champion. I'll see if I can take some pix in the next day or so and post them.

[Brent Cutshall]

Here's the end of the shaft. It didn't come with anything on it at all. The inside of the shaft will either fit an MT2 or MT3 shank. I know they make MT inserts with an actual chuck on the end, I'll bet I need to get one of those. You know, it seems kindly funny to me, these where the height of non-electric technology back then and these can be found fairly readily for the right price. But it's rare to find genuine parts for these anywhere. I'll look into it, any suggestions?

[Mike Lemon]

Brent- That looks odd. Do you happen to have a pic of the drill all put together?

[Scott T Smith]

Brent, here are some pix of mine.

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[Brent Cutshall]

Weeell, I have quite recently de-parted it and am working on restoring and painting it, sorry, no before pictures. It might be a week before it gets put back together. I will show pictures of the finished product when I'm finished. As far as looks, the first picture there is exactly what it looks like hanging on the drill.

[Brent Cutshall]

Brent, here are some pix of mine.

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Thanks Scott. What model would that happen to be?

[Jim A Walters]

It appears to be a model 93. It has the square table and is a two speed. The crank can be moved forward to the shaft with the larger gear. Both turn the same mechanism but of course at different rates for each turn of the handle.

Jim

[Matt Evans]

Disregard. The way the thread showed it looked like you were still looking for info on the check shaft, didn't show a lot of the other replies.


Are the two round holes threaded? If so, they may be a user addition for set screws ( or the odd manufacturer set screw option)

I've had two drill presses set up to accept drill bits with MT2 or MT3 shanked bits. You can still get them. . .I think I bought one on Amazon a couple years ago, and I know Grainger and Fastenal have them.

[Brent Cutshall]

Disregard. The way the thread showed it looked like you were still looking for info on the check shaft, didn't show a lot of the other replies.


Are the two round holes threaded? If so, they may be a user addition for set screws ( or the odd manufacturer set screw option)

I've had two drill presses set up to accept drill bits with MT2 or MT3 shanked bits. You can still get them. . .I think I bought one on Amazon a couple years ago, and I know Grainger and Fastenal have them.
Yes, the bottom hole will accept a set screw. I am in the process of ordering an MT3 shank with a compatible chuck. I'll need to get a set screw for it to.

[george wilson]

I haven't read the whole thread,but those type spindles were made for drills that all had tapered shanks,such as Morse Taper shanks. I have a bunch of them,running from about 1/2" to 1 1/2". I had them up to 3",but left them for the museum when I retired. I never used a drill that large. The large lathe at work could probably have powered a 3" drill,but my 16" drill at home is only 3 H.P.,and I seriously doubt it would. In steel,at least! There are other ways to bore holes,and more accurate,too.

If that set screw in the spindle is ORIGINAL,as said earlier,the hole may just be a 1/2" straight bored hole to take the "Silver and Deming(sp?) drills that you could get commonly from 1/2" to 1" with 1/2" straight shanks,in 1/16" steps in size. But,that elongated hole at the top usually indicated that the drills were taper shanks. The elongated hole is where you would insert a tapered "key" to knock out the Morse Taper drill shank. They could get jammed pretty tight. Blacksmith's hole drilling needs were usually pretty limited compared to those of a machinist.

Morse taper drills came in all kinds of sizes. The smallest Morse Taper ones I have seen down to 1/8". Morse tapers start at #0(IIRC) and go up to who knows what! My 16" lathe's
spindle hole is a #6,which is quite a large Morse Taper. The most common are the #2 MT (Morse Taper). smaller size lathes like 10" or 12" swing,including wood lathes in that size range,have a #2 in both tailstock and headstock. My 1950's Oliver is #2 M.T..

If you needed to use a drill that had a shank in M.T.,a size or 2 larger or smaller than the one on the spindle,you can buy adapters to fit their shanks. But,I don't think the post drill could handle a drill larger than the usual #2 shank size. They top out at about 3/4" Dia.,but there are always special sizes not usually found outside the usual range of their shank size. Too large a drill on a smaller than ordinary shank could result in the flat tang,or the whole shank itself being twisted off.

As much extra trouble as it is to make drills with MT shanks,I'd have thought it easier to just use a simple chuck. Range 0 to 1/2".

You can buy a chuck with a built in #2 MT shank and just use that for most jobs. Those do take up vertical space,though,limiting the thickness of material that you can get under the drill bit. I can pretty much guarantee however,that you'd probably be exhausted by the time you hand cranked a 3/4" drill through a i" thick piece of steel!!