Pillar drill spindle

[N2ae86]

Hi Gents,

Over the past few months my Fobco Star pillar drill does drill as true as I would like. I was thinking it may require new bearings but having had a good look at it I am now not so sure.

The drill was an ebay bargain and at some point it looks like the past owner / owners may have cut off a small amount from the bottom of the spindle (suspect the chuck got stuck or it received some damage)

The cut they have made isn't square so I am wondering whether my issue is that the chuck isn't seating properly the spindle and as a result isn't dead straight.

Eyeballing it the spindle seems to run true, but with the chuck in place there is a small degree of play at the tip of the drill bit.

So does anyone have any good suggestions on how I could look to square off the bottom of the spindle without having to take the drill apart to do so. I would like to get it as square as I possibly can, without taking it apart. I also dont have access to a lathe, or know of anyone with one so I need to find a practical work around.

Cheers

James

 

[123hotchef]

what chuck does it have in it? my chuck just pulls out

 

[rtbcomp]

Check that the inside of the taper (in the spindle) and the outside of the taper on the chuck are clean and free from burrs.

The proper way to check is to use a dial test indicator (DTI) on the taper in the spindle

 

[tom 748]

check the outside for a small grub screw

 

[dab4318]

I had this issue with my drill. Turned out to be the Arbor on the chuck.

 

[AndersK]

If you have tried to mill with it or gotten high side load from other abuse the whole collet may have bent.

Don't ask why I know....

 

[daedalusminos]

You use the word 'play', do you mean run-out?

If you mean play as in the tip of the drill moves when you grab it, try extending the quill all the way out and wiggle again and compare if it's noticebly worse then could be quill to casting play....if your drill has a quill lock apply this with the quill extended then wiggle again...no play would again indicate quill to casting play.

 

[MattF]

A file will work for sorting the end if it bothers you. Personally, I wouldn't overly worry about a tiny amount of runout/play. It'll centre itself as soon as you start drilling.

You ought see the amount of runout from new on some of the import gear. It'd probably make yours look precise. Once tried using one where you had no chance on earth of hitting the spot unless you put the drill bit to the piece before you started the drill. It was that bad.

My Pollard has a slight amount of runout/play which I need to sort someday, but it's one of those jobs I'll get round to sometime, as it does its job fine.

 

[Turbo]

It could be a badly work chuck, I have a jacobs chuck that came on a pillar drill & it is that badly worn it is impossible to use due to excessive runout.

Check each jaw of the chuck by trying to move & twist it in the body, there should be minimal movement. The inner face that grips the drill bit should all be worn evenly. If a bit has been allowed to spin in the chuck it can damage the jaws.

 

[Keith 66]

You should try the far eastern ones in our school! I think they are made of that special lead alloy normally reserved for outboard motor bolts.

 

[N2ae86]

Gents,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. After your responses I had a further look at the drill press.

At full travel I cant feel any play in the spindle / quill. Everything seems nice and tight.

Narrowing it down a bit further I attempted to check the taper - used marker pen on the taper on the chuck and then ran the drill and offered it up to the spindle as it was spinning. The marker was wiped away in 3 places. Guess that would imply that the taper of the chuck and the spindle aren't a great match? Suppose that would require a strip down and time on a lathe to sort?

Having a really good look at the chuck I think the arbour might actually have a very slight bend in it. Need to find a way of checking that somehow. But from eyeballing it, I cant help but think its not straight. Someone has also taken a angle grinder to the end of the taper and removed a section.

Again focusing on the chuck there doesn't appear to be amy run out at the top of the chuck but at the base of the chuck whilst spinning there appears to be a noticeable amount. Again just eyeballing it. Sadly dont have a DTI gauge to hand.

The chuck is a Jacobs 6. Might see if I can find a cheap replacement and test it out .

Cheers

James

 

[rtbcomp]

I bought a decent chuck at a good price from RDG. I rebuilt a Progress No2 and fitted a Clarke chuck which described an ellipse when running, the RDG chuck showed barely no run out.

If necessary you can get a taper reamer to clean out the taper, but I'd try a new chuck first.

 

[Seadog]

I am right in thinking that the Fobco has a male taper on the quill? If so it could be a real pain to correct the problem. If the taper needs to be recut and the end of it has already been cut off, then you may run out of metal. It may need welding and remachining.