Drill Press Project

[Mike Goetzke]

I have an old belt drive floor standing drill press that failed and found a DP head that I’d like to put on the column. Problem is the column of the floor standing DP is 2.9” and the head is 3.1”. Anyway to make this work?

[Lee Schierer]

From your dimensions you need to add 0.1" to each side of your tube. Purchase some 0.050" shim stock and put two wraps around the tube.

[Charles Taylor]

What failed on the older press? Anything that can be taken off the newer one to replace the failed part(s) of the older one?

[Mike Goetzke]

What failed on the older press? Anything that can be taken off the newer one to replace the failed part(s) of the older one?

The DP head is refurbished Nova Viking from Teknatool. May be pre-mature on this because I have yet to get a price quote on it.

[Charles Taylor]

The DP head is refurbished Nova Viking from Teknatool. May be pre-mature on this because I have yet to get a price quote on it.

Ah. Cannibalization is definitely not an option. Wish I had an easy answer to your question, but unfortunately I don't.

[glenn bradley]

Franken-press Lives!!! I'm with Lee on the shim stock. You will want the shim stock to be wide enough to be present over the entire contact area between head and column. That is if the column makes contact 2-1/2" deep into the head you do not want a 3/4" strip of shim stock around one section.

[Malcolm McLeod]

From your dimensions you need to add 0.1" to each side of your tube. Purchase some 0.050" shim stock and put two wraps around the tube.

Good idea for Mr. Goetzke^^.

For the sake of speculation, I'd assume the head has some tolerance in what size post it will clamp onto ... could it clamp on the smaller post as-is? The 0.1" per side might be too much for the post clamps I've seen, but worth an eyeball.

0.050" Steel shim stock is a bit too stiff to hand bend smoothly to the column's 3.1"D - IMHO. Brass might be a better choice if you go this route?

Or, have a sheet metal shop roll a piece of 12ga (0.105")* to the proper diameter. It might be easier to install this single layer in the head and drop them together on the post?

*- 13ga is 0.090", but probably not as common as 12ga.

[Mike Goetzke]

Good idea for Mr. Goetzke^^.

For the sake of speculation, I'd assume the head has some tolerance in what size post it will clamp onto ... could it clamp on the smaller post as-is? The 0.1" per side might be too much for the post clamps I've seen, but worth an eyeball.

0.050" Steel shim stock is a bit too stiff to hand bend smoothly to the column's 3.1"D - IMHO. Brass might be a better choice if you go this route?

Or, have a sheet metal shop roll a piece of 12ga (0.105")* to the proper diameter. It might be easier to install this single layer in the head and drop them together on the post?

*- 13ga is 0.090", but probably not as common as 12ga.

I was almost wondering too even with the difference in fit if you just tightened the head mounting bolts well if that would be enough to prevent it from moving?

[Mike Goetzke]

I got the quote for the DP head and it's about $500 to my door. Super tempting.

(I did find a supplier with a steel tube with 2.87ID and 3.00OD (my need is 3.07" OD and 2.88"ID.)

[Frank Pratt]

I needed some shim stock for my router lift because the motor was just a little smaller than the clamp body. I found some of the correct thickness on Amazon that just happened to be the exact right size. It was less than $10, probably closer to $5.

[Mike Goetzke]

I needed some shim stock for my router lift because the motor was just a little smaller than the clamp body. I found some of the correct thickness on Amazon that just happened to be the exact right size. It was less than $10, probably closer to $5.

I think I may make a go for it. I found the tube that gets me within 0.070" on the OD and maybe shim stock for the final amount.

Thanks for all the help!

[Bruce Wrenn]

Another option is to have someone "spray weld" the column, tten turn to correct size on the lathe

[Mike Goetzke]

Another option is to have someone "spray weld" the column, tten turn to correct size on the lathe

You know I did find another tube with the correct ID and 3-1/8” OD. So wonder is a machine shop could turn the OD down to 3.07”. (I’m not a welder but have one if that helps)

[Brian Holcombe]

Probably easier to have the head bored out.

[Jim Becker]

It seems to me that the easiest approach to this is what has been mentioned..very lightly shimming in the recess as long as the top of the column bottoms out on something inside the drill head. You just need to make it secure so it stays "in plane" in use and getting a snug slip-fit followed by securing, maybe with some set screws, will do the trick. I could be wrong, but the KISS method could be a great approach here.