Drill Press 7

 
We've been a bit depressed this week. Lack of a job and money troubles have led us to be a tad low ......

However, to take my mind off it I have been doing a bit of research on the drill. I still don't know the maker, but it seems that it was originally a shaft driven power arrangement. I found this image where the base casting is very similar to mine:


The problem with that is the fact that the layshaft casting and the drive and step pulleys are missing and would be impossible to find or replace.
Therefore I am going to try to configure the drill a bit more like this:


The motor can simply be bolted down behind the drill, belting won't be a problem since I have tested the 4mm lathe belt for size and the diameter is a perfect match. Unlike the 'A' belt that was on the drill which is far to big in section and wouldn't seat properly. It has damaged the flanges of the motor pulley.
That leaves the problem of the two idler pulleys at the back of the head casting.
Eventually I want to improve my skills to the point where I can make a 'proper' addition to the drill, but for now it has to be a 'Heath Robinson' affair using whatever I have to hand.
I found two brass connector blocks from some earth rods, and a nice piece of aluminium rod from an old printer. The only pulley wheels I could find were some pot metal ones from a washing line. They'll have to do for now.

I turned these parts using the Unimat M4


Then I turned drilled and tapped for M6 threads


The assembly loosely fitted to test ...


The trouble is I have to wait for the last bits for the Unimat SL to arrive in order to finish off the assembly.
I have learnt that I can get accurate results using the Mk4, and it's a pleasure to use on brass and aluminium. It still scares me a bit using steel, but I will get more confident. I also learnt that hand threading without any kind of aid is very inaccurate! All the threads I have hand cut so far have been pissed. I will find out how to aid guided threading in future. Neither lathe has thread cutting abilities, but I believe that there are ways of using the lathe, and the drill press to 'guide' a straight thread.