NDR - Drill Press Restoration & Relocation

[Steve Sanford]

All~



As part of my months' long sabbatical - cleaning and organizing all the storage spaces here at the farm - I took the time to restore and re-locate my drill press. I bought this 1940 Walker-Turner 900 Series Benchtop Drill Press sometime in the early '80s. I have my Dad's Walker-Turner band saw and table saw (and long ago sold his W-T shaper) and wanted comparable quality. It has served me well in several shops over the decades.



I decided to move it from one of my benches (itself built in 1953 by my Dad) to a steel cabinet that was given to me along with a DeWalt radial arm saw. I added a wooden top with a high "curb" to catch many of the shavings that boil out of a decoy body when I am hollowing with a Forstner bit. Instead of bolting the machine down, I instead screwed down 2 chocks that fit the underside of the cast iron base. They and the 100 + (150 ?) pounds of machine will keep it from walking around its new bench.


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I added pull-out trays to hold some of my drill bits and paraphernalia.


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I gave it a new power cord and fresh paint. I first took everything apart, de-greased and cleaned and sanded and burnished and re-lubed. I even bought a neat little rig from NAPA to re-pack the bearings on the main shaft.


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This machine has the optional third pulley - to add more speeds.


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I bolted on a 32-inch-wide 3/4-inch plywood surface to help when drilling long pieces.


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I have a couple of wooden fences that clamp onto the new surface (much easier than onto the original cast iron table). I use spring clamps for quick jobs and C-clamps for longer projects where precision is critical. The fences store on nails on the adjoining bench.


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I do not do much metal work - but have an oil can handy when needed. The can got both new paint and its own custom shelf so I can always find it.


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Most important: I finally painted the chuck key a bright color so I do not lose it when I absentmindedly set it down among other tools.....



All the best,



SJS

 

[Mark Spolarich]

always amazed by your attention to detail...awesome

 

[Rick L]

nice tool

reminds me a bit of my pre war Craftsman which still sits on its original metal stand still runs great -

 

[Eric Patterson]

You just have to love an old Walker Turner, and a lot of other vintage drill presses from back in the day. Very nice clean-up and additions too. As usual, tastefully done Mr. Sanford.

Eric

 

[Linhardt]

Nice work! FYI, Chuck Key on a chain attached to the drill press keeps me from misplacing it.

 

[JimG]

Years ago I put a hose clamp on the vertical shaft of the press. To that I hung a retractable key chain, like maintenance guys use, and attached the chuck key to that. Works great