The Denbigh Drill

[Dieselman 63]

Not long after I bought my Fobco Star I uploaded some pics in a thread about drills on here (not the restoration thread) and I discovered there was both a larger 5/eight and 7/eight model, the latter of which could take 3mt in the spindle which I thought would be pretty neat to own as my Bantam lathe takes 3mt in the tailstock, and the tooling could thus be shared.

@MattF and @spencer 427 commented on that original post saying about the joys of owning a beautiful camelback drill, which I believe planted the seed for this next endeavour! Whichever I could find first, a nice camelback of a Fobco 7/eight, I’d try and get it. I’ve kept looking for ages and seen a few things come and go - a few pedestal drills of my 1/2 capacity, but seldom few 3mt drills. Well, stop press! The other week I spotted this beauty, and somehow I’ve convinced myself that it would be a good idea to go and collect it.

 

[Dieselman 63]

The drill is 425 miles away. Unlike previous purchases however, I can now drive and have a car of my own. I’m going to mission out on Friday night after work, pick up my sister who didn’t want to miss out on a road trip, and together we’re going to drive up the North Island to Mangawhai. It’s the biggest trip I’ll have ever done, and I’m looking forward to it immensely!

At course today I filled the car up with oil and coolant, and checked the air pressure in my tyres too. I’ve got an SG5 Subaru Forester which I’m figuring will be suitable to pick up the drill if I first dismantle it. Though large, it should fit into the boot space of the Suby with both seats down. I will update progress as I’m on my way.

 

[God mode restorations]

Not long after I bought my Fobco Star I uploaded some pics in a thread about drills on here (not the restoration thread) and I discovered there was both a larger 5/eight and 7/eight model, the latter of which could take 3mt in the spindle which I thought would be pretty neat to own as my Bantam lathe takes 3mt in the tailstock, and the tooling could thus be shared.

@MattF and @spencer 427 commented on that original post saying about the joys of owning a beautiful camelback drill, which I believe planted the seed for this next endeavour! Whichever I could find first, a nice camelback of a Fobco 7/eight, I’d try and get it. I’ve kept looking for ages and seen a few things come and go - a few pedestal drills of my 1/2 capacity, but seldom few 3mt drills. Well, stop press! The other week I spotted this beauty, and somehow I’ve convinced myself that it would be a good idea to go and collect it.

Nice one. I really like the camel back drills. Fantastic machine.

 

[chris pruteanu]

You should get it in a trailer of some sort, it looks like a big lump o cast iron, do hope you will not be riding on the bumpstops ! Otherwise have a safe and pleasant journey...

 

[northwest]

Bit of T-Cut and you could get it looking like this one:

From this thread: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=205858&highlight=drill+press+restoration

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@Dieselkid 63 Firstly, congratulations on getting your license and the Subaru

I was going to say you must have the same amount of space available for your machines as @spencer 427

 

[Kram]

500kg across the seats of a car

 

[Ton-up]

Nice one Chad, I bet you will make it look great!

10 cwt in a Forester might be a tad over what it should take, you can always leave your sister behind after she's helped load it!

 

[Dieselman 63]

Nice one Chad, I bet you will make it look great!

10 cwt in a Forester might be a tad over what it should take, you can always leave your sister behind after she's helped load it!

Yes, it’s a bit of a... well yes.

I’m 70kg and she’s less than me, so that’s about 2cwt. Ten to go! The legal loadout is apparently 450kg which doesn’t really make sense if you consider five seats and a boot would have you working over the limit if you carried five adults and cargo. Still, I bet they never anticipated this to be the cargo!! The seller sent me another photo, what a beast! 76” tall and the base is 18x42”.

 

[northwest]

That's it. I am done with ANYTHING photobucket. They are blurring the photographs now.

 

[gaz1]

get photos of the 3mt part of the area more so the part where it splits the 3mt from the arbor where it can be damaged by users

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Still, I bet they never anticipated this to be the cargo!!

You've just got to post a road trip thread on this one.

 

[Kram]

Please get lots of photos. How do you even dismantle that beast? I bet the pillar is not a loose fit in the base. Sod trying to lift a 250kg round out of a 250kg hole without a crane and plenty of help!

 

[Geoffm]

Looks the same as mine. I am in Auckland just off the motorway if you want to call in for a cuppa.
I second using a trailer. They are heavy and awkward bits of kit.
Mine came from a scrapyard 30 years ago and it had been in a fire. New power wire and switch and it has been chugging away ever since.
They made them up until the 1970s

 

[Matthew Tinker]

I have a Denbigh like that, I bought it sight unseen, had it shipped to France, from Scotland, Changed the belts, it's been used pretty regularly for the last ten years! Mine has a flat belt where yours has V belts, I didn't change that belt when I bought it, now it needs changing! I frequently use a 50mm bit wit a a morse 3 to 4 adapter! It's a pity it didn't have a 4 morse taper to start with!
Regards, Matthew

 

[gaz1]

id adapt a tensioner ( mower roller ) onto the inside of the belt just to get a little longer before cutting and rejoining pieces again

 

[Dieselman 63]

id adapt a tensioner ( mower roller ) onto the inside of the belt just to get a little longer before cutting and rejoining pieces again

I think the belts have a pin which you can pull on the joint.

 

[northwest]

I think the belts have a pin which you can pull on the joint.

Yes they do and if you get stuck I have new bits to make up a join.

 

[dell boy]

Nice drill but 0.6 ton in your vehicle !!!

 

[Turbo]

I have a similar drill to that & I reckon it weighs 3/4 tonne!

This is me lifting it into place with the tractor & home made crane. Check out the bow on the lower half of the crane beam - that's 80x40x3 rhs steel!

I wouldn't dream of trying to get that into the back of a car. There's a good chance you'll not get a 100 year old drill taken apart, then your 950 mile journey is wasted.
Even if you can dismantle it each piece is still going to be very heavy & very difficult to get into an estate car.

No matter how well you load the car it will still be sitting very low at the rear. If you're spotted by the cops (a good chance on a 950 mile trip) they could stop you & then you're in trouble, especially if you just got your licence!

As other have said, I strongly advise using a trailer. I went 100 miles for my drill, was lifted on by a gantry crane & off again by my tractor.

I had it well strapped down & it never budged!