Old Iron

[Rockytime]

CharleyL posted how he developed a precision drill press table. This started my search for another bench top drill press. I have a floor drill and a bench drill press but it is in my basement shop which does me no good in the scroll shop. I use the Dremel plunge router to poke holes in my patterns but it does wobble a bit and is cumbersome to change drill bits. I had looked at several from Ryobi to Harbor Freight. Last night i spotted an Atlas bench top drill press. Circa late 40's to 50's. This is a fantastic piece of iron. Very heavy with a chuck that will grip a #70 drill bit accurately. It had been posted for only a couple hours on Facebook marketplace. Price was $75. I committed to buy it sight unseen. Picked it up this afternoon. Should say my wife and I managed to get into her SUV. Getting home a neighbor carried it into my shop. A new belt, a little rust remover and a few drops of oil and it's good to go.

CharleyL's lazer information will get the lazer ordered and installed.

[DME72]

that was built when stuff was made to last! good score and will give you many more years of service.

[dgman]

Congratulations Les, looks like a real prize!

[Scrappile]

I love those old drill presses.  If I come across one similar, I will probably own it.  Nice find.

Edited April 21, 2020 by Scrappile

[OCtoolguy]

19 hours ago, Rockytime said:

CharleyL posted how he developed a precision drill press table. This started my search for another bench top drill press. I have a floor drill and a bench drill press but it is in my basement shop which does me no good in the scroll shop. I use the Dremel plunge router to poke holes in my patterns but it does wobble a bit and is cumbersome to change drill bits. I had looked at several from Ryobi to Harbor Freight. Last night i spotted an Atlas bench top drill press. Circa late 40's to 50's. This is a fantastic piece of iron. Very heavy with a chuck that will grip a #70 drill bit accurately. It had been posted for only a couple hours on Facebook marketplace. Price was $75. I committed to buy it sight unseen. Picked it up this afternoon. Should say my wife and I managed to get into her SUV. Getting home a neighbor carried it into my shop. A new belt, a little rust remover and a few drops of oil and it's good to go.

CharleyL's lazer information will get the lazer ordered and installed.

Les, that's the sort of deal I have been waiting to come along. I used to have one just like that but it was a Craftsman. The part I loved best is the spindle lock. You can put that spindle anywhere you want it and lock it there. I miss that feature so much. I'll have to get more serious about finding another one. There is one near me but they are asking way too much for it.

 

[Rockytime]

Craftsman was made by Atlas or even by Delta. I know guys in our machinists club that Craftsman lathes and Atlas lathes and they are the same. 

[OCtoolguy]

14 minutes ago, Rockytime said:

Craftsman was made by Atlas or even by Delta. I know guys in our machinists club that Craftsman lathes and Atlas lathes and they are the same. 

Yeah, Sears NEVER made anything of their own. Everything was made by whoever came in with the lowest bid.

 

[Wilson142]

Looks like a cross between something from "My Favorite Martian" and and industrial malt machine.

Edited April 22, 2020 by Wilson142
sp

[Woodmaster1]

I have one just like it and the book as well. I loaned mine to my brother in law because I didn't need it as much as I needed the space. Mine cost me $50 15 years ago. Nice find and great job on bringing it back to life.

[Matt B]

I have a Craftsman from the 60s.  Motor in the back like yours. It is a great drill press.  I have drilled with a

#68 bit.  The chucks are probably the same in these old drill presses. The Craftsman that I have was made by Emerson.  

[Ron Johnson]

Congrats Les. I love old tools. They have character, like the cars before 1970 and in most cases built better, not to mention $$ saved. 

[Fedido]

Well done on this gem. Pretty sure a bomb could be dropped on it and it would not only still work, but be accurate as well! Good find! 

[Rockytime]

Well, the bomb dropped. Turned on the drill and the motor smoked. A friend works for a metal salvage yard. He has a used replacement for $30. Could be worse.

[OCtoolguy]

15 hours ago, Rockytime said:

Well, the bomb dropped. Turned on the drill and the motor smoked. A friend works for a metal salvage yard. He has a used replacement for $30. Could be worse.

Keep it original and have your motor repaired. 

[Rockytime]

I've thought about that. Depends on cost.

[CharleyL]

That's a very nice and well kept drill press. Unfortunately, motors of this size are not worth rebuilding. The centrifugal switch in the non-shaft end of the motor likely stuck from no use, leaving the start winding energized. Start windings aren't designed to survive continuous use, so likely burned up when the switch got stuck. It's a shame, but a newer motor is likely fairly easy to find. You might want to put a slightly larger one on, since these old drill presses usually came with very small 1/4 or 1/3 hp motors. 

Be sure to check the direction of rotation and the operating voltage in the replacement before you buy it. Some can be changed, many can't.

Charley

 

[Rockytime]

Thanks Charley. Appreciate the advice. I have a 1/4 hp motor I got cheap. I only use small bits. Larger bits, spade bits and Forstner bits go on my large floor drill. 

[DME72]

On 4/21/2020 at 5:39 PM, Rockytime said:

Craftsman was made by Atlas or even by Delta. I know guys in our machinists club that Craftsman lathes and Atlas lathes and they are the same. 

les, the craftsman 101 series metal lathes were made by atlas. the smaller 109 series were not made by atlas, they were made by the ann arbor company. dont know if atlas made craftsman wood lathes.

doug

[Rockytime]

Thanks for the info Doug.

[amazingkevin]

Imagen a beast that size with a 1/16th drill bit in it, Meant for precision drilling!!! Great find!!!

[Rockytime]

Actually Kevin, I use a #68 drill bit in the drill. 1/16" is by far too large. It has a great chuck!

[nickp]

 

That is one "good ole arn" press...congrats...

I have an old Walker Turner floor model...can appreciate the Atlas.

 

[Puzzleguy]

mine is almost identical - not the atlas name 

think i bought it for like 50 bucks a zillion years ago.

since then i bought a full size metal working rockwell delta from a local BOCES

for like 100 bucks - but the original drill press will stay when we down size .

 

Edited May 25, 2020 by Puzzleguy

[Rockytime]

1 hour ago, Puzzleguy said:

mine is almost identical - not the atlas name 

think i bought it for like 50 bucks a zillion years ago.

since then i bought a full size metal working rockwell delta from a local BOCES

for like 100 bucks - but the original drill press will stay when we down size .

 

Yup, they are classic. You are another fortunate of old iron.

[Rockytime]

10 hours ago, nickp said:

 

That is one "good ole arn" press...congrats...

I have an old Walker Turner floor model...can appreciate the Atlas.

 

I see Walker Turner floor drill presses on craigslist occasionally. The are pretty pricey or would own one!