Industrial Meddings drill - build a table or...?

[6ply]

I've had this Meddings MB4/3 drill stashed under the workbench for a long while and I need to make a decision what to do with it. Ignore what it is bolted down onto in the photos - I needed it upright to mount the motor and take the photos.

It was originally bolted to a workbench (which I don't have) and I had plans to bolt it to a heavy steel plate and sit it on a wooden workbench (which I do have). Things have moved on and free space is in extremely short supply so I'm tempted to put it up for sale. I'm wondering whether to sell as-is or to make a table/base to make it more saleable. I'd much rather sell as-is, but what's it worth? I've scoured the usual places and asking prices appear to be unrealistically high, but sold prices (without a table/base) are hard to come by.

Just in case it is not obvious, the head has a rise/fall rack mechanism and the drill has a high/low backgear. MT2 spindle. The quill return spring is good. The motor is 3ph 1/2HP 220/440V. The machine runs quietly in both gears. The drill is very heavy - much heavier than it looks - hence the pallet stacker!

 

[Dilkris]

What a beautiful thing.

 

[6ply]

What a beautiful thing.

Not as handsome as its owner. But what's it worth?

 

[Dilkris]

Not as handsome as its owner. But what's it worth?

As much as you can get somebody to pay for it I guess - it would of course appeal to a wider market if it was complete. Some really knowledgeable people on this forum however - be patient, I'm sure someone will guide you regarding value.

 

[MetalMonkey]

Speaking as a seasoned buyer of far too much old machinery - I personally wouldn't pay any more for a machine with a "aftermarket" base/table, no matter how well made - I'd either want it as factory original for the collectability aspect, or buy it as is and modify it myself.

If you are going to keep it and make use of it, it makes sense to make one. But I don't think you would increase the value of the machine by the amount of time and materials it would cost you. Again just my personal opinion.

It is a nice machine though, I'd be tempted to keep it even if I didn't have an immediate need for it - quality old machines are becoming harder to find.

 

[Barking Mat]

If you're flogging it, sell it as is.

£150 - £200 ?

No idea.

 

[roofman]

Is that patina on the right side from someones hand rubbing the machine when pulling the handle through?...sell that south of watford and that alone is worth a bag of sand

 

[6ply]

Speaking as a seasoned buyer of far too much old machinery - I personally wouldn't pay any more for a machine with a "aftermarket" base/table, no matter how well made - I'd either want it as factory original for the collectability aspect, or buy it as is and modify it myself.

If you are going to keep it and make use of it, it makes sense to make one. But I don't think you would increase the value of the machine by the amount of time and materials it would cost you. Again just my personal opinion.

It is a nice machine though, I'd be tempted to keep it even if I didn't have an immediate need for it - quality old machines are becoming harder to find.

If I had the room I'd keep buying machines (even ones I didn't need) just to own and sometimes restore them. Sadly, I've run out of room!

I tend to agree with your thoughts of selling it without a table.

 

[Ali]

I know that base was only to have it upright for the photo, but if you found a cheap old faceplate you could make up a boss / sleeve affair pretty easily that would make a decent enough table.

 

[6ply]

I know that base was only to have it upright for the photo, but if you found a cheap old faceplate you could make up a boss / sleeve affair pretty easily that would make a decent enough table.

I must have had similar ideas when I first bought the drill, but strangely nothing suitable has turned up. It's actually a rather nice drill, earily quiet at all speeds, but I don't want to spend to much on it in case I decide to sell, which seems quite likely.

 

[6ply]

Is that patina on the right side from someones hand rubbing the machine when pulling the handle through?...sell that south of watford and that alone is worth a bag of sand

Well spotted!

 

[frank horton]

wish I lived closer.......

 

[Keith 66]

The base doesnt go with the mount that the column goes into, you can see the square mount holes peeping out from under it & the paint missing, I wonder if the column itself has been shortened as well? maybe it was set up for a one off job? Meddings are nice drills, about 5 years ago i had five floor standing ones out of a school in very good nick & iirc sold them for £350 to 450 each. So in that condition with table missing i would say around £150 tops.
Make a table & use it!

 

[Tigman]

I've got the same machine , base is wrong as said , will send a pic later !

 

[zzr1200]

If the head runs nicely measure the column diameter and post in for sale, someone with the right size column fitted machine might be looking for a geared head upgrade, you might get £200.

Other than that it's just a parts sale, open to offers

Plus it's agro of sorting the table out, which is why it's been sitting under your bench for so long....me thinks.... .

 

[6ply]

I've got the same machine , base is wrong as said , will send a pic later !

Ignore what it is bolted down to. I think I mentioned that in the original post.

 

[winchman]

The 3 phase limits the market, and the base missing also limits it as most people want one ready to go.
I would say £100-150, but if you just advertise it and wait you may get more, there is a bloke on Facebook who travels the country for this sort of stuff but he would give you the lowest he could

 

[Tigman]

Here what it should be lik

 

[6ply]

Here what it should be likView attachment 384002View attachment 384003 View attachment 384004

Thanks for the photos. Probably the same/similar head but mine has a head lifting mechanism and was intended to be bolted directly to a work bench or slotted table. Of course, the head could be used as shown.

 

[6ply]

Here what it should be likView attachment 384002View attachment 384003 View attachment 384004

Just out of curiosity, what's the column diameter on that drill? IIRC mine is 80mm or a close imperial equivalent.