Thread: My "new" drill press

Tweet

I took a break from the 37 yesterday to do another small restoration project. Even though this is not the one my dad sold at the farm sale years ago it is the exact model of post drill I grew up with on the farm…..the first drill press I ever used. The one on the farm was motorized so the hand crank usually hung on the wall.

I have a motor and will set this one up the same way granddad had his (if I can get my grandson away from the crank long enough). Believe it or not granddads old drill was where I learned about gear ratios, bevel gears and cams. These also have an automatic feed that lowers the drill bit as it’s turning.

Slowly but surely my office area is turning into a replica of the farm shop where I got started in all this. I’ve got to admit looking around at the old tools brings a smile to my face.

That looks sweet. Imagine how something so old can look so cool nowadays.

Originally Posted by Trjohn57

That looks sweet. Imagine how something so old can look so cool nowadays.

If only that were true of old people too.

Originally Posted by redtail

If only that were true of old people too.

It is.........

Very nice press, in excellent shape too. Must give you fond memories from your past.

Very nice, Mike!!! Going to have a whole showroom full of equipment for the new shop!!!!

I'm going with Richards answer

"......Going to have a whole showroom full of equipment for the new shop!!!! ......"

Actually Dave my current office is about the same size as the old farm shop, and I’m considering setting it up like what I remember as a kid. I still need a few other tools to complete it but the forge, post drill and anvil are 3 of the big items.

I did some ornamental iron furniture several years ago and I’m thinking this would be an ideal area to do it in once I get all the tools and equipment moved to the new shop and all the old stuff moved in.

Mike-I would love to have that in my shop.WOW!!!.Darn you,now I will be on a search for one.LOL.Very cool.

Gary, surprisingly they are out there. Restoring the forge with my grandson was what got me thinking about the old drill. Just out of curiosity I typed in “Post Drill” on E Bay. Here’s one (but unfortunately he’s not offering shipping).

Blacksmith Champion Blower & Forge Post Drill | eBay

There are usually several on E Bay, the majority are buy it now in the $200 range (antique dealers) and usually 1 or 2 auctions by real people that go in the $50 range. I won this one and with shipping the total to my door was less than $75. If you’re in an area that has farm auctions, (those are always fun) they show up there too.

The things to look for is that it’s complete, no broken teeth on the gears, and the main casting is not broken (if the operator does not watch what he’s doing with the automatic feed, it can bottom out and will break the upper neck on the main casting.

These things actually drill amazing well, especially if you have a grandson who thinks it’s neat to crank the handle

That drill press is really cool, Mike. Isn't it funny how, as we get older, we try more and more to recapture the things that surrounded us when we were younger. The past becomes so much more important to us than it was even back then.

I bet sitting in that recreation of the old shop gives you great pleasure.

Don

Pretty cool piece Mike.
The one you ebay linked looks like it was set up to be powered off a line shaft. Those always fascinated me, powering a whole shop full of tools off one power source................and double points if it used a steam engine!

Very true Don. As kids we were taught to be careful (as much as my poor folks were able to implant in us anyway) but pretty much had free run of the all the buildings and barns.

Living on a farm out in the country with 1 TV and 3 channels (which mom watched her morning soap operas on) left a lot of time when school was out to explore and make our own fun. The forge and post drill were 2 things that fascinated me, and actually seeing how they worked was better than any book could be.

Yeah, looking at them brings back a lot of memories of what was a lot less complicated time. Sharing them with my grandson (and seeing the same look in his eyes as I probably had in mine) are making a whole new batch new memories….I suspect for both of us.

You’re right Bob. Would I get a point and half for a hit and miss?

One of the things I would love to get my hands on is the Waterloo Boy Hit and Miss my Dad restored in the 60’s. I helped with what I could but it was more watching and staying out of the way, although Dad did let me paint it.

Babbitt bearings, shim packs, drip oilers and grease cups, I learned a lot there too (and by the way if you have worked with the parts are I’m referring to you ARE officially old).

Unfortunately my younger brother has laid claim to that along with the 1936 John Deere “A” my granddad bought new. They are both sitting in sheds slowly deteriorating. The last time I saw them (a couple of months ago), the A had had some parts removed and the Hit and Miss while it still turned over had stuck valves (It will probably break the rocker if he tries to start it) and the rear of the cylinder was getting rusty.

Oh well what are you going to do, I’m just thankful for what I have.

Originally Posted by Mike P

You’re right Bob. Would I get a point and half for a hit and miss?

One of the things I would love to get my hands on is the Waterloo Boy Hit and Miss my Dad restored in the 60’s. I helped with what I could but it was more watching and staying out of the way, although Dad did let me paint it.

Babbitt bearings, shim packs, drip oilers and grease cups, I learned a lot there too (and by the way if you have worked with the parts are I’m referring you ARE officially old).

Unfortunately my younger brother has laid claim to that along with the 1936 John Deere “A” my granddad bought new. They are both sitting in sheds slowly deteriorating. The last time I saw them (a couple of months ago), the A had had some parts removed and the Hit and Miss while it still turned over had stuck valves (It will probably break the rocker if he tries to start it) and the rear of the cylinder was getting rusty.

Oh well what are you going to do, I’m just thankful for what I have.

You would have loved to tour Clyde Schurmann's collection. He had at least a couple hundred, ranging from small working models he made himself (he was a machinist among other things), to the biggest one I've ever seen with a 6 ft dia. flywheel. Absolutely amazing collection.



EDIT I just did a quick search to see if there was anything about Clyde's collection on line and found these pics from the auction they had the year after he died: http://www.lewisriver.com/gallery/20...n-auction.html

Wow!
Thanks for the link Bob...man I would have loved to have been there.
(Well no, I wouldn't have enjoyed it really...too much 'stuff' that She Who Must Be Obeyed wouldn't have let me bring home...)