Hank Knight
01-02-2007, 11:21 AM
Several months ago I bought an old Walker Turner bench style drill press from the Government Property Disposal Authority a the Savannah River Plant. I bought it sight unseen, but the price was right. I drove over to SRP to pick it up and when I saw it my heart sank. It was so beat up I don't think it would have made a good boat anchor, although it was certainly heavy enough. It was in several large pieces and, among other things, I had to remove a big dirt dauber wasp nest from inside it before I could load it in my car for the ride home. I didn't take any photos of it because I wasn't at all sure I could save it. But I took a shot of the table and the column last night, both of which I've replaced, so you can get some idea of what the thing looked like 3 months ago.
Luckily I found Walker Turner Serviced Machinery in New Jersey. They have parts, original color machine enamel and were a great help. I think this machine has an interesting history. It was built in the lat 1940s or by 1951, at the latest. The Savannah River Plant opened with duPont as the Contractor in 1951. I'll bet this drill press was one of the original pieces of equipment at SRP. This was the main reason I decided to invest the time and money in rehabbing this old lady. My shop has been a greasy mess for too long with this project, but I think the end result is worth it; now back to woodworking. :) Here she is in all her resurected glory.
[Edited for spelling - HSK]
Luckily I found Walker Turner Serviced Machinery in New Jersey. They have parts, original color machine enamel and were a great help. I think this machine has an interesting history. It was built in the lat 1940s or by 1951, at the latest. The Savannah River Plant opened with duPont as the Contractor in 1951. I'll bet this drill press was one of the original pieces of equipment at SRP. This was the main reason I decided to invest the time and money in rehabbing this old lady. My shop has been a greasy mess for too long with this project, but I think the end result is worth it; now back to woodworking. :) Here she is in all her resurected glory.
[Edited for spelling - HSK]