Steel City Drill Press Parts

[Dudley Wireman]

Hi all!

I recently damaged my Steel City drill press, model 20520, while moving from my garage to a new workshop. It fell off the trailer, despite the tie down I had cinched down. It damaged the hood and the front spindle shaft that goes through to the chuck. When you rotate the chuck down you can feel the resistance the farther down you rotate the chuck. I haven’t tried running it yet as I suspect there will be wobble in the chuck since the spindle looks slightly bent.

My question then is can you still find Steel City parts anywhere? I know the company went out of business in March 2015. Has anyone tried finding parts or substitution parts from other manufacturers that worked?

Thanks in advance!

[Richard Coers]

Try Grizzly. They might have come from the same factory. Otherwise, call the insurance agent and start shopping.

[Curt Harms]

Here is one posting found on lumberjocks. it's old, 2016 but might be worth pursuing. I hope it's okay to copy/paste from another site. If not, edit or delete as required.

Many thanks to everybody for taking the time to try to help.

Here is what I know up to now: I’m living in Quebec city, Canada. The biggest machine tools dealer around here is Normand Tools. When Steel City closed their doors, the inventory of Steel City machine tools and spare parts were bought by a Canadian company called Nordis Distribution, which is owned by Normand Tools. Nordis Distribution is a wholesaler of machine tools and their web site is www.nordis.ca The web site of Normand Tools is www.normand.ca

Steel City web site is still alive, and they refer to the tel No 877-724-8665 for parts. When we call that No., Nordis Distribution answers. Steel City is also still active on Facebook (Steel City Tool Works).

Since they closed their doors in 2015, Steel City Tool Works was present at several woodworking shows in Canada, with well equipped booths, always with Normand Tools nearby. Amongst them:

- the 26, 27, 28 of Feb 2016 in Hamilton Ontario, Canada
- from 30th of Sept to 2nd of Oct 2016 in Woodstock Ontario, Canada
- and recently, the 24th, 25fth, and 26th of Feb 2017 in Hamilton Ontario, Canada.
- I think that they also participated at a woodworking show in Montreal last year.

In my opinion there are 3 possibilities that can explain the situation:

a) Nordis Distribution bought the inventory of machines and parts from Steel City Tool Works and is trying to sell that through their distributor which is Normand Tools, saying that Steel City is still alive and knowing that it is false, or

b) Nordis Distribution not only bought the inventory of machines and parts, but also the brand name and the rights to produce Steel City machine tools by an Asian manufacturer, or

c) an Asian manufacturer bought the name of Steel City and the rights to produce Steel City machine tools, and Nordis Distribution is the Canadian Importer.

I tried to dig further, but I’m stuck, I can’t find anything more.

Once again, thanks to everybody.

Edit: Look what I found following a link the the above thread. https://steelcitymachines.ca/ Canadians can indeed buy new Steel City machines, I don't know what would be involved to order parts.

[Bill Dufour]

It can be straightened. Take the spindle out of the quill and roll it on a flat surface. Hopefully it is one simple bend not multiple bends at different angles. Set it on two vee blocks bend up and use a soft hammer or hopefully a arbor press to take it below straight. I would over bend by 0.05" to allow for spring back.
After each pressing check it again and repeat.
My spindle was out about 0.013. By using a pipe clamp I pulled it too the column and got within 0.002 before I called it good enough.
A crankshaft or driveshaft. shop can do this for you.
If the cast iron quill is bent I do not have much hope it can be straightened without breaking.
Bill D

[Bill Dufour]

In theory it can be straightened in a lathe with a gas flame and air blast for cooling.
Bill D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNuSh8ZMKIo

[William Lessenberry]

Send an email to terry@steelcitymachines.ca and they can help you out.
BillL