By the way, I'm glad to hear that the pinion teeth weren't sheared off. I was wondering how your Grandpa would have managed to do that.
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Vintage Craftsman Drill Press - Repairable?
- Thread starter Gilmourisgod
- Start date
Also: Look at McMaster-Carr under Torsion Springs. They have a whole selection of generic wound torsion springs, which have straight ends. Pick one which has the right ID, wire diameter, number of turns, etc., based on the existing spring. Then bend the ends as needed.
Thanks for the link @Bruce Johnson
The part that broke on the spring was just the little 90 degree bend at one end, the rest of the spring looks fine, including the loop on the other end that is held captive by the handle rod. The other end gets grabbed by a "forK' on the end of the return spring tensioning knob. Is it possible to bend the last coil in towards the middle of the spring diameter without it breaking or creating metal fatigue that will cause it to fail eventually? I suppose heating it enough to create the little bend would trash the temper? It's a 70+ year old spring, so I'll cut it some slack, so to speak, but if I can salvage it, might as well. I took a trip over to my local hardware store just for yucks, they have much larger torsion springs, but nothing close to the 5" length and roughly 1/2" dia. needed to fit inside the pinion shaft. I've seen a few original 4" long springs on Ebay, but $35 for a 70 year old spring seems a bit muc, and would require modifying or drilling the pinion shaft to thru-pin it anyway.
To get rid of the vertical slop in the spindle shaft, is there any reason I can't just stack a few more washers between the top quill bearings and the stop collar? the bearings themselves seem perfect, I'm guessing my Grandpa replaced that at some point. From the original exploded diagrams, it looks like there were supposed to be one washer and one "fiber" disk, which is long gone, between the top bearing and the stop collar, either removed or more likely just disintegrated.
I'll check out the links too, somebody must have something that will work.
The part that broke on the spring was just the little 90 degree bend at one end, the rest of the spring looks fine, including the loop on the other end that is held captive by the handle rod. The other end gets grabbed by a "forK' on the end of the return spring tensioning knob. Is it possible to bend the last coil in towards the middle of the spring diameter without it breaking or creating metal fatigue that will cause it to fail eventually? I suppose heating it enough to create the little bend would trash the temper? It's a 70+ year old spring, so I'll cut it some slack, so to speak, but if I can salvage it, might as well. I took a trip over to my local hardware store just for yucks, they have much larger torsion springs, but nothing close to the 5" length and roughly 1/2" dia. needed to fit inside the pinion shaft. I've seen a few original 4" long springs on Ebay, but $35 for a 70 year old spring seems a bit muc, and would require modifying or drilling the pinion shaft to thru-pin it anyway.
To get rid of the vertical slop in the spindle shaft, is there any reason I can't just stack a few more washers between the top quill bearings and the stop collar? the bearings themselves seem perfect, I'm guessing my Grandpa replaced that at some point. From the original exploded diagrams, it looks like there were supposed to be one washer and one "fiber" disk, which is long gone, between the top bearing and the stop collar, either removed or more likely just disintegrated.
I'll check out the links too, somebody must have something that will work.
Looking at your photo, I can see a number of parts missing, unless they’re out of camera range. For one thing, right above the Jacobs Chuck there is threading which should have a collar threaded on there. There should also be a bearing above that piece that has the threading. There are a number of both steel and fiber washers that go in various spots on the shaft. By the way, the Jacobs Chuck is only attached with friction—there is a taper on the bottom end of the shaft that fits into a precisely machined socket in the taper. I believe Craftsman originally supplied a wedge with the press for forcing the chuck off. I think I tapped mine off rather easily with a brass rod and light hammer, tapping alternately around the chuck. If you so wish, there are good YouTube videos detailing how to disassemble the Jacobs chuck for cleaning and lube (being careful to get the three jaws back in the right order; they’re not interchangeable).
I’ll run out to the garage in a bit and take a photo of the area above the chuck on mine.
As for the spring, there are a couple of active groups on Facebook where someone might have parts available. One is OWWM, the Facebook presence of the Old Wood Working Machines website, and the other is Craftsman Tool Collectors, which seems to be inhabited by guys (I don’t think I’ve seen a woman posting) trying to collect pretty much anything and everything that Craftsman ever marketed, and it seems a minority actually use the tools they collect. But I’d give even money on someone having parts in one of those groups. I was able to get the proper motor for mine from an OWWM member.
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@farace
Thanks, I'm realizing that there are at least a few parts missing, and since I'm taking the time to rehab this thing, might as well restore it to better function if possible. If it's missing a collar just above the chuck, that might explain the extra vertical "slop" in the spindle shaft. I can move the whole chuck up and down about 1/4", which can't be right. Any photos of an intact drill appreciated. I actually tried to join the OWWM last week, and was told my membership was "under review", so far no word. Maybe nobody minding the store due to Covid?
Thanks, I'm realizing that there are at least a few parts missing, and since I'm taking the time to rehab this thing, might as well restore it to better function if possible. If it's missing a collar just above the chuck, that might explain the extra vertical "slop" in the spindle shaft. I can move the whole chuck up and down about 1/4", which can't be right. Any photos of an intact drill appreciated. I actually tried to join the OWWM last week, and was told my membership was "under review", so far no word. Maybe nobody minding the store due to Covid?
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I hope this helps. I believe that earlier in the thread someone posted the manual that has a parts breakout. It’s not the clearest diagram, but it shows where other steel and fiber washers are placed on the shaft where it emerges above the quill.
Oh, BTW, I’ve read that finding a replacement for that particular size chuck key can be rather difficult, so don’t lose it!
For reference, the Knurled Collar has nothing to do with the bearings. Its purpose is to eject the chuck from the spindle shaft. The chuck is attached to the spindle by friction on the taper. It's a male taper on the end of the spindle and a matching female taper on the inside of the chuck. If the collar were on there, you thread it down against the chuck. Continue turning it down, and it pops the chuck off of the taper. That's the easy official way to remove the chuck for service or replacement. However, you don't have to have the knurled collar. You can use two wedges to pop the chuck off.
I believe the chuck and spindle are the common JT33 taper. You can replace it with a new one, if it's worn out. Or you can get a keyless chuck for it, which is really handy.
I believe the chuck and spindle are the common JT33 taper. You can replace it with a new one, if it's worn out. Or you can get a keyless chuck for it, which is really handy.
As I mentioned, I disassembled my chuck for cleaning/re-rusting/lubrication. I found it interesting—I never knew that the outside sleeve is a friction fit over the half-nuts*, and it’s neat to see how it all goes together. Reassembly is sort of a fun puzzle. The jaws and slots are (or should be) marked for location, so it’s not a puzzle as to where things fit, but in trying to keep it all in alignment while you reassemble the half-nuts and press the sleeve back in place.
*Half-nuts like this are machined as a whole and then carefully snapped in half, allowing them to fit precisely back together. And interestingly, having never encountered them before, I ran into them twice in a short time, as snapped half-nuts are also used in the Reed Mfg.-made Craftsman vise I rehabbed right after the drill press.
*Half-nuts like this are machined as a whole and then carefully snapped in half, allowing them to fit precisely back together. And interestingly, having never encountered them before, I ran into them twice in a short time, as snapped half-nuts are also used in the Reed Mfg.-made Craftsman vise I rehabbed right after the drill press.
Would the missing parts on mine explain the extra 1/4" of vertical slop on the spindle? Im guessing my chances of finding those parts now are slim and none, but ill look anyway. At this point the chuck aint broke, so I wont fix it, and maybe ill put a wire loop on that chuck key.
I would imagine, if the slop is the spindle moving in the quill, then yes. Look at all the things that are attached to the spindle shaft above and below the quill.
There is probably not enough adjustment for the spindle collar to make up for all the missing parts, especially that bearing. The distance the spindle can move up and down within the quill is basically determined by the upper and lower spindle collars, and much of that space should be taken up by the bearing and the washers.
The diagram for my drillpress doesnt show that bottom bearing, just the collar used to force the spindle off, still not sure what would create the extra slop. Ill take another look at it, im missing something.
I took the diagram from the manual for my press. I imagined them to be nearly identical, and I had it right here on my iPad. I may have been wrong to make that assumption.
Yeah, mines slightly different, mines a model 103.23640. I managed to post a parts search on OWWM and Garage Journal, we'll see what pops up. This seems to be a fairly common old drill press, but the parts are getting scarce and expensive. The closest match (1" too short) to my spring, the guy wanted $35 for the part and $20 to ship it! Nope. In the meantime, I'm having a bit of fun scrounging around and looking at old tool forums. Win!
If you’re on Facebook, check through Marketplace. I’m surprised at how many old Craftsman drill presses (and table saws, and jointers, and . . .) turn up inexpensively on there regularly. Maybe you’ll find one that’s beat up enough that it’s good for parts, but not worth fixing.
so, that quill spring (26140) is a pretty common item on a large amount of drill presses and mills. it is also known as a clock spring. these can be made fairly easily from blue spring steel of the correct thickness and width. bending the attachment points is accomplished with some careful heating and bending. you maybe able to source one from another make of machine as well if you know the dimensions. price wise they are all pretty much in the $30-40 range. shipping is tbd.
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Looking at the exploded drawing, it occurred to me that the quill spring is actually made from an extension spring, not a torsion spring. They are just using it as a torsion spring. Extension springs are commonly available in long lengths like that, with both ends bent into the D-loops. Find one of the right diameter and wire diameter, cut it to length, and bend the end into the straight leg to engage the adjusting knob.
McMaster-Carr
McMaster-Carr
@Bruce Johnson
Are you sure about that? It "feels" like a torsion spring in that it resists twisting pretty strongly, but maybe that's just due to the heavy wire gauge. I called McMaster Carr, and they didn't have a torsion spring like that with a loop on one end, and a 90 degree bend into the spring ID on the other. I have seen a few extension springs at hardware stores with loops at BOTH ends, and I thought if I could find one like it in Torsion mode, I could just clip off the loop portion on one end, leaving a 90 degree "stub". If it's just an extension spring, I just have to find one in 5" length, which is an oddball size. it's cheap enough to give it a try anyway, I'll pull the spring out this weekend and count coils, wire gauge, etc. and try to match it from McMaster as an extension spring. Thanks for the tip! I'll post results.
Are you sure about that? It "feels" like a torsion spring in that it resists twisting pretty strongly, but maybe that's just due to the heavy wire gauge. I called McMaster Carr, and they didn't have a torsion spring like that with a loop on one end, and a 90 degree bend into the spring ID on the other. I have seen a few extension springs at hardware stores with loops at BOTH ends, and I thought if I could find one like it in Torsion mode, I could just clip off the loop portion on one end, leaving a 90 degree "stub". If it's just an extension spring, I just have to find one in 5" length, which is an oddball size. it's cheap enough to give it a try anyway, I'll pull the spring out this weekend and count coils, wire gauge, etc. and try to match it from McMaster as an extension spring. Thanks for the tip! I'll post results.
so, it's actual round wire not flat spring steel? that diagram isn't conclusive. fwiw, still not an obstacle though. I bought a $10 coil winder from ebay and have made a fair amount of spings with it. even easier then with flat spring steel. a picture of your existing spring might help.
Yeah, it’s standard round section coil wire, not the flat “clock spring” type used on modern drill presses. It looks like a typical extension spring, but it never occurred to me it might actually BE just an extension spring. If so, this should be an easy fix.....
