Drill Press Disaster(it broke)

[James Combs]

I have a Delta 17-950L drill pressed I purchased in April of 2008. Today it literally fell apart. I have(had ;-)) a Palgram cross-slide vise installed on the work table and was using it to hold a piece of 1/4 steal plate steady while cutting it to length with a jig-saw and suddenly everything is on the floor.
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The two trunions for fore and aft tilt shattered.
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Glued them back together to get an idea of what they looked like, here is also a screen shot of the unavailable part.
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Now I have questions since the replacement parts are no longer available:

1st. Does anyone happen to have a couple of these parts in their back pocket?:D

2nd. Does anyone own a 18-900L. Just looking at it's comparable part on screen, there doesn't seem top be a lot of difference. If you do have one and if it's not to much of a hassle, could you get some dimensions off of your trunion for comparison to mine. The picture below is your version if you have the 18-900L and it is available. Laying a ruler lengthwise from the left top edge to the right top edge, mine is exactly 4" the width, 90deg to the previous measurement is exactly 1.25". What would be similar to the radius of the arc, center top edge to the outside edge(pic bottom) is 1.25" Please tell me your is the same or nearly the same. Fat chance right? lol
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3rd. What do you folks think of the Wen 4227, in case I have to go for a new one? It(the Wen brand) shows up in most any google search for "best floor drill presses".
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4th. Does anyone have any other great options for me. :D


Edit: As and FYI the available part seems to be fairly universal, it is also used on band-saw tilt tables, I am assuming Deltas but... maybe others.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

$638 will buy some great old arn if you take the time to look.

[Mike Kreinhop]

Have you tried Renovo Parts:

http://www.renovoparts.com/5140029-80-trunion/

[Ben Rivel]

I have an 18-900L, Ill try and remember to take the measurement and pic later tonight when I make it home. If I dont post back tonight, PM me tomorrow and remind me.

[James Combs]

$638 will buy some great old arn if you take the time to look.
Thanks Mike, did a little look at used on eBay but didn't see anything I would be interested in. Getting a little long in years to handle some of that heavy iron anyway. It will be all I can do to assemble a new Wen if I go that route.


Have you tried Renovo Parts:
http://www.renovoparts.com/5140029-80-trunion/
Thanks Mike K., saw them in my research today but the pricing I saw for two was nearly half of a new Wen. At 18+ each, I can handle that. Thanks very much for the link. Since their list of compatible presses seems to skip the 18-900 series but definitely includes mine I will go ahead and order two.


I have an 18-900L, Ill try and remember to take the measurement and pic later tonight when I make it home. If I dont post back tonight, PM me tomorrow and remind me.
Thanks Ben, but you probably don't need to bother, Mike K. above linked me to a third party supplier, however, in keeping future options open it would be nice to know if they are the same if your feel like doing some investigation. Might help you out in the future as well plus you can check to see if yours is suffering from any stress cracking or other problems.

In any case guys, I really appreciate the input.

[Joseph Quattro]

Sorry to hear of the troubles. I just replaced one of those on my jet bandsaw, a bit easier to find though, but no less frustrating. Wonder how universal those trunnions actually are.


Edit: Just measured my broken jet trunnion, same size, at least for those two dimensions. I think I paid around the same price, maybe a few dollars cheaper, don’t remember, for the jet branded part.

[Steve Demuth]

Sure looks the same.

The dimensions on my 18-900L are:

Length (diameter of the trunnions semi-circle) 3 15/16"
Width (not including the mounting tabs) 1 13/16"
Center to center distance between two holes on the two hole side 2"
Center to center distance of holes across trunnion 1 7/8"

I didn't dismount and measured upside down, so I would not bet closer than 1/16" on any measurement.

[James Combs]

Sorry to hear of the troubles. I just replaced one of those on my jet bandsaw, a bit easier to find though, but no less frustrating. Wonder how universal those trunnions actually are.
Edit: Just measured my broken jet trunnion, same size, at least for those two dimensions. I think I paid around the same price, maybe a few dollars cheaper, don’t remember, for the jet branded part.
Thanks for your response Joseph, I probably should have waited a little longer before ordering from Renovo, may have gotten by a little cheaper but...


Sure looks the same.
The dimensions on my 18-900L are:
Length (diameter of the trunnions semi-circle) 3 15/16"
Width (not including the mounting tabs) 1 13/16"
Center to center distance between two holes on the two hole side 2"
Center to center distance of holes across trunnion 1 7/8"
I didn't dismount and measured upside down, so I would not bet closer than 1/16" on any measurement.
Thanks Steve, agreed they do look very much alike and except for the width the dimensions are basically the same. The only dimension that would be questionable is the width, got one of the glued together ones in front of me and it is definitely only 1.25" OD wide not including the tabs, however the kicker is that my mounting hole dimensions are also the same as yours but your width is just over a half inch wider?? Is that a typo and should be 1-3/16 instead of 1-13/16". 1-3/16 would make them nearly identical.

[Earl McLain]

You seem to be on the way to solution, so i'll simply note that you were fortunate to not have that thing land on your foot!! I don't normally think about steel toes in the woodshop--but seeing that picture makes me wonder.
earl

[James Combs]

You seem to be on the way to solution, so i'll simply note that you were fortunate to not have that thing land on your foot!! I don't normally think about steel toes in the woodshop--but seeing that picture makes me wonder.
earl
Hi Earl, yep, got lucky on that one. You should have seem me doing the two step to get out of the way when it let go.:o

[Greg R Bradley]

Cheap chinese junk potmetal trunions. That is what you get for a new $1000 drill press that has features like a table that is adjustable for angles. If you think that the Delta didn't hold up, don't try the Wen as is much lower end. Each unit has their good points and bad. You just found the bad.

In a business, I think I paid about $2000 for the last basic, but made in US, Delta drill press in the 1990s. That would equate to around $3500 now. For one quarter of that, you have to accept compromises.

Solutions are old iron, spend a bunch on a new quality press, or fix the defects in your unit. I'm not criticizing the purchase, I bought a new Delta myself a few years ago for $700. I just accepted that only bought me a certain level of quality. I think there might be a market in new, high quality, trunions at a couple hundred dollars for the pair.

[Joseph Quattro]

I was pretty annoyed at how cheap the pot metal actually was when mine let go. Might have been like that for some time, but the saw table had been set flat for years, never had a need to set any other angle.

Never did look for aftermarket ones, wonder if they exist?

[Steve Demuth]

Is that a typo and should be 1-3/16 instead of 1-13/16". 1-3/16 would make them nearly identical.

Yep, fat-fingers on an iPad. It's 1 3/16".

[John K Jordan]

[QUOTE=James Combs;2817460]I have a Delta 17-950L drill pressed . . . I have(had ;-)) a Palgram cross-slide vise installed on the work table and was using it to hold a piece of 1/4 steal plate steady while cutting it to length with a jig-saw and suddenly everything is on the floor.

James,

It appears you have this well under control now.

Another option if anyone else gets in this fix and uses their drill press like I do: I've never used the tilt feature on either of my drill presses. If I want to drill an angled hole I make an angled wooden table or wedge and clamp that to the flat table. If drill press support broke I'd consider making some fixed brackets to hold it permanently level.

In your case I wonder if vibration from the jig sawing, plus the weight of the heavy cross-slide vise could have caused tiny defects or cracks form over time and to propagate. A heavy bench vise made for metal working might be good if you did a lot of that.

BTW, I've always found big bench vises way too high for comfortable work when actually mounted on a work bench. I welded a steel stand from square tubing for a big pipe and bench vise, 16" high so the top of the vise is 28" from the floor. This height is perfect for me for pounding, welding, cutting, drilling, tapping, and grinding with hand and power tools. Doesn't take up any room on the workbench. When welding and grinding the sparks and such are on the floor instead of the workbench. Another advantage is it is easy to skid across the concrete floor to reposition as needed for long or awkwardly shaped pieces or haul where needed.

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JKJ

[Brian Behrens]

If it was mine, and I couldn't find new trunnions, I would get some bar stock welded on to the trunion mounts, and build a wood table for it. But I don't do any metal work on mine. That wouldn't cost much. You would lose the tilting table, but if you need an angled hole you could angle the workpiece instead, by making a wedge to support it

[John K Jordan]

If it was mine, and I couldn't find new trunnions, I would get some bar stock welded on to the trunion mounts, and build a wood table for it. But I don't do any metal work on mine. That wouldn't cost much. You would lose the tilting table, but if you need an angled hole you could angle the workpiece instead, by making a wedge to support it

For those who do both metal and wood working, consider getting a separate drill press for each. Metalwork is dirty and messy with oil and cutting fluids which I want to keep away from my wood.

JKJ

[John Sanford]

Given how often these assorted pot metal trunnions fail, it seems to me that there may be an opportunity for someone with either a CNC or a 3d printer to make some that are more durable.

[Frank Pratt]

Given how often these assorted pot metal trunnions fail, it seems to me that there may be an opportunity for someone with either a CNC or a 3d printer to make some that are more durable.

3D printed trunion??? Can't imagine that one would be strong enough or rigid enough.

[Van Huskey]

3D printed trunion??? Can't imagine that one would be strong enough or rigid enough.


It depends on the material used. Bugatti is printing brake calipers using Ti for example. 3D printing isn't just plastics.

[Steve Demuth]

It depends on the material used. Bugatti is printing brake calipers using Ti for example. 3D printing isn't just plastics.

It's absolutely true, but metal printed parts require $1M+ printers, so they are (at least to my knowledge) only used for pretty high value parts. I know of some people in the startup world trying to bring that down by a factor of 10 or so, but you're still not talking inexpensive. In our engineering lab at work, we still outsource metal printing, even though our machine shop has many plastic / resin based 3D printers, and an otherwise full-service metal machine shop. You can literally go online with your CAD files, get quote and order one-off or short run parts in a variety of sintered alloys roughly as easily as you might order a custom printed T-shirt.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Because these same trunnions were used on Delta band saws, check with Louis Ittura. He may have a list of compatables. Google is your friend. Google "Jet trunnions on a Delta Band saw," and the answer is there. Yes they do fit. Ebay has a pair of Delta for $30 delivered right now.

[Phillip Gregory]

Cheap chinese junk potmetal trunions. That is what you get for a new $1000 drill press that has features like a table that is adjustable for angles. If you think that the Delta didn't hold up, don't try the Wen as is much lower end. Each unit has their good points and bad. You just found the bad.

In a business, I think I paid about $2000 for the last basic, but made in US, Delta drill press in the 1990s. That would equate to around $3500 now. For one quarter of that, you have to accept compromises.

Solutions are old iron, spend a bunch on a new quality press, or fix the defects in your unit. I'm not criticizing the purchase, I bought a new Delta myself a few years ago for $700. I just accepted that only bought me a certain level of quality. I think there might be a market in new, high quality, trunions at a couple hundred dollars for the pair.

New US-made drill presses with an appropriate spindle travel and spindle speed for woodworking are not common. I know of two. The Ellis 9400 is an 18" unit with a top speed of 1200 rpm, spindle travel of 5 3/8", and costs about $4k. The 20" Clausing can be run up to 2000 rpm spindle speed with an 1800 rpm motor, has six inches of spindle travel, and costs about $5k. I have a 50 year old version of the current Clausing 20" and it makes a VERY nice drill press for woodworking as long as you get one with the higher speed motor. Mine survived getting beaten on in a metal shop for 50 years so it is a pretty stout unit.

If I had to buy a new drill press today (I wouldn't, I would get another used one), I would get something like the Grizzly G0779. It's a Rong Fu RF40 gearhead mill head on a drill press column with about 23" of swing, 5 inches and change of spindle travel, and has a speed range of just under 100 rpm to just under 2000 rpm. It goes for a little under $2k and is of pretty heavy construction. I would not want anything to do with the lightweight presses like the Delta or the typical consumer level units.