I'm new, so let me introduce myself. My name is David. I am a
novice-intermediate woodworker in the Bay Area. I have been reading
the wreck for some time, but this is my first post. Here is my
problem...

Someone just gave me an old Rockwell drill press. It is in great
condition. However, raising and lowering the table is a big pain. It
was built before the days of the nice hand crank and quick release
lock, so every time I want to adjust it I have to pull out the 3/4"
wrench and crank with one hand while I hold the table with the other to
prevent it from falling. Another problem is the clamping pressure
required to lock the table rigidly is so great that I stripped the
threads off the bolt last night while trying to lock it. I had to cut
it off.

So now I'm starting from scratch and wondering if anyone has any ideas
on a retrofit that will make my life easier. Perhaps some quick
release mechanism that is stout enough to withstand the pressure of
tightening; perhaps something to put between the clamp and the column
to aid in holding it and reduce the amount of clamping pressure
required; perhaps a completely different solution that has not occurred
to me.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

I am not that familiar with how the clamping mechanism works on this
unit but I fixed a similar situation on a clamp post using a
specialized set of vice grips that have a chain rather tham jaws for
clamping around pipes like this.

http://www.toolsource.com/ost/produc...G6GPBE1C 83C9

I can't help much with the lock other that to ask if you can tap out a
larger hole and use alternate hardware. I have even seen bolts with welded
or epoxied wrenches used for this kind of duty.

However, I got tired of lugging the table on my old Craftsman up and down.
A year or so ago I added simple counterbalance. My machine had a tube
clamp that acted as a safety just below the head of the drill press and I
used this to attach a small pulley (about 1-1/4" wheel - hardware store
quality). Using an available tapped hole in the back of the table, I
attached a standard hardware screw eyelet. I looped and crimped a length
of 3/16" steel cable from this eyelet up to the pulley and let the cable
hang down the back of the machine for sizing. I rounded up a suitably sized
and stiff rubber bungee (the kind with metal hooks on either end). I hooked
one end to a bolt that secured the base to the up-tube. I played with the
cable length until I found a length that more or less nuetralized the weight
of the table; then cut the cable to length, created a loop and secured it
with a crimp. Total investment was around $7-8.

This is not a perfect counterweight but it makes moving the table up and
down MUCH easier. BTW I installed this counter-balance after I installed a
30"x17" auxilary table and fence.

Oh - oh........ another David from the Bay area... does that mean you're
related to B.A.D ? (Bay Area Dave....;-0


I'm new, so let me introduce myself. My name is David. I am a
novice-intermediate woodworker in the Bay Area.

On 27 May 2005 09:24:51 -0700, "davide1209"
wrote:

I'm new, so let me introduce myself. My name is David. I am a
novice-intermediate woodworker in the Bay Area.

OH NO! another bay area dave!




I have been reading
the wreck for some time, but this is my first post. Here is my
problem...

Someone just gave me an old Rockwell drill press. It is in great
condition. However, raising and lowering the table is a big pain. It
was built before the days of the nice hand crank and quick release
lock, so every time I want to adjust it I have to pull out the 3/4"
wrench and crank with one hand while I hold the table with the other to
prevent it from falling. Another problem is the clamping pressure
required to lock the table rigidly is so great that I stripped the
threads off the bolt last night while trying to lock it. I had to cut
it off.

So now I'm starting from scratch and wondering if anyone has any ideas
on a retrofit that will make my life easier. Perhaps some quick
release mechanism that is stout enough to withstand the pressure of
tightening; perhaps something to put between the clamp and the column
to aid in holding it and reduce the amount of clamping pressure
required; perhaps a completely different solution that has not occurred
to me.

Any help is greatly appreciated.


here's a good place to start looking for parts:
https://reidecom.reidtool.com/xephr/qbe/HOMEPAGE

consider a pulley and weights system if yours doesn't have the rack
and pinion height adjustment.

You could rig up a pulley at the top of the column and use a
counterweight to make adjustement easier.


On 27 May 2005 09:24:51 -0700, "davide1209"
wrote:

I'm new, so let me introduce myself. My name is David. I am a
novice-intermediate woodworker in the Bay Area. I have been reading
the wreck for some time, but this is my first post. Here is my
problem...

Someone just gave me an old Rockwell drill press. It is in great
condition. However, raising and lowering the table is a big pain. It
was built before the days of the nice hand crank and quick release
lock, so every time I want to adjust it I have to pull out the 3/4"
wrench and crank with one hand while I hold the table with the other to
prevent it from falling. Another problem is the clamping pressure
required to lock the table rigidly is so great that I stripped the
threads off the bolt last night while trying to lock it. I had to cut
it off.

So now I'm starting from scratch and wondering if anyone has any ideas
on a retrofit that will make my life easier. Perhaps some quick
release mechanism that is stout enough to withstand the pressure of
tightening; perhaps something to put between the clamp and the column
to aid in holding it and reduce the amount of clamping pressure
required; perhaps a completely different solution that has not occurred
to me.

Any help is greatly appreciated.