Yep, upgrades/improvements during a project can definitely impede progress.

Mag-drills are exceptionally good for some jobs, but when the drilling job
is in an engine compartment, remote locations/outside of a shop, up in the
air, or has the operator working on a floor, under a truck chassis for
example, a Cole drill often makes it much easier.

BTW, a drill motor can be added to a Cole by taking the handle and ratchet
wheel off, and using an adapter threaded onto the shaft (Cole used to supply
such an adapter).
One can be fabricated from a piece of round or hex stock (drilling and
tapping a hole in the Cole end, and flats for a chuck to hold on to at the
drill motor end).

I like to sketch out these sorts of small upgrade/improvement ideas and
stick the drawing up in the shop space where they can be seen, so when I
need to make a similar part, it's more convenient to make a nifty do-dad.

It sounds as though you're nearing completion, and being able to see the
conclusion getting near (light at the end of the tunnel) is good motivation.

It'd be great if you could post some pictures of the project when you're
done.

--
WB
..........


"Jon Anderson" wrote in message
...
On 10/30/2011 4:48 PM, Wild_Bill wrote:

One step further.. add a thin key to a slot in a bar (silver solder etc)
which is just a little narrower than the head slot.

That was my first thought, but I'm neck deep in projects and just getting
started on this one, which has been sitting at the front of my garage for
2 years now. About danged time I get moving with it, and not going to risk
putting it off further by stacking yet another project in front of it!

I'm using a rod I machined to the ID for alignment, it's the same length
as the drill, which helps a lot.

I'm finishing (finally) the conversion of my old Millport CNC knee mill
back to manual. Sold the balls screws out of it, and bought a brand new
set of lead screws off eBay out of some BP clone. The screws didn't line
up on the same centers as the originals. I have the Y done, by shimming
the knuckle. But that put the X screw up too high, and a bit too far back.
So I'm drilling and tapping the 4 end holes on the table to 3/4NF. Then
I'll clamp up the end bearing plates, get the X screw aligned, spot and
drill/tap new holes. This will look way cleaner than obrounding the end
plate holes, and make it easy for anyone down the road to add a power
feed. In fact, nobody would ever know what I did if I didn't tell them.
I'd borrowed a mag drill from a customer and tried mounting it to a large
angle plate. But it's just too heavy for me to hold up, align over the
hole, and activate the magnet.

Cole drill to the rescue! It's a lot of work drilling that size hole that
deep in cast iron. Drill and tap one a day, that's about what I can
handle... G


Jon