Paul.
Moderator
- Messages
- 7,051
- Location
- Northampton. UK
Its a device that fits in the chuck and can be used to find hole centres and plate edges, this article explains it fairly well. and a video here
- Thread starter paul_f
- Start date
Its a device that fits in the chuck and can be used to find hole centres and plate edges, this article explains it fairly well. and a video here
I don't think it's chinese - I'd estimate that it's at least 20 years old - probably closer to 30
OK ignoring the chinese stuff - motor option looks favorite - it's not belts slipping and to give you an indication of how little torque it has sometimes you have to start the chuck spinning by hand to get it moving!!!!
It has however seen very little use in the 20 years and certainly if it runs for a while it then starts up straight away
Would pics help?
It could still be a far east drill even at 30 years old more likely taiwanese. From memory even then a lot of the British manufacturers didn't exist. Its pretty easy to tell by the sheer weight of the machine. Could be its had a replacement motor on it. Pics would be good to reveal all. Its also uncommon for an English machine to have 3 speeds only
The thing to take notice of is the motor plate take a look at what h/p it is. its probably 1/8 hp or something similar. Generally i think from memory Good old English ones can have anything from 1/3 horse up to 1 horse or more depending on the capacity and MT of the machine. Just checked one machine i have in the garage at home at that's 3/4 horse and a 2 MT but its not the original motor on that machine. Next time im at the factory i will check my machines there for you.
Providing everything is running free on your machine sounds like the motor has no guts, so replacement would be in order. Pics and motor plate info would be a great help.
Kind regards,
Scott (ward eng)
BChild
SIP - enough with the mods!!!!
- Messages
- 1,023
Thank you Scott - I'll get some pics tonight as you suggest
brightspark
Member
- Messages
- 41,272
- Location
- yarm stockton on tees
type in google chronos tools they have wiggler kits roundbout 8 quid or type in wiggler centerfinder on google. or even little machine shop.com saves me explaining how they work
brightspark
Member
- Messages
- 41,272
- Location
- yarm stockton on tees
looks quite substantial motors a bit crap though. try and get a third or a half horse motor for it both will b the same size nearly
peterd51
happy to be here!
- Messages
- 1,593
I think it is a early taiwanese machine before china had a big foot hold and before they realised they could sell complete junk to the western markets and get away with it.
Although it says supplied by blah blah. Only means supplied and not made. The motor plate gives it away a bit taiwanese motor on it and looks original to the drill itself. Few other small details give it away too small things like the depth stop nut and the quality of the thread not typical of what you would get from an Uk maker. Looks half decent all the same, decent looking pillar clamp etc.
Sort the motor and it will probably be OK and last you a long while. I would try to get an Italian or an alternative motor as apposed to the cheap Chinese ones on the market. You will pay little more for it but get a lot more motor for your money.
Kind regards,
Scott
Although it says supplied by blah blah. Only means supplied and not made. The motor plate gives it away a bit taiwanese motor on it and looks original to the drill itself. Few other small details give it away too small things like the depth stop nut and the quality of the thread not typical of what you would get from an Uk maker. Looks half decent all the same, decent looking pillar clamp etc.
Sort the motor and it will probably be OK and last you a long while. I would try to get an Italian or an alternative motor as apposed to the cheap Chinese ones on the market. You will pay little more for it but get a lot more motor for your money.
Kind regards,
Scott
brightspark
Member
- Messages
- 41,272
- Location
- yarm stockton on tees
should be sum decent british fractional horsepower motors on e bay third or half horespower wouldnt pay more than 30 quid inc postage mind . try autojumbles sumtimes get em for a tenner
Do we still make any here anymore? Not sure if we do or do not. Only suggested Italian stuff as quality is ok at fair price and availability. If not buy BLITISH!
brightspark
Member
- Messages
- 41,272
- Location
- yarm stockton on tees
Hi,
I bought exactly the same drill - although it's labelled as a Fragram unit -, exactly the same color, brand spanking new off a woodworker a few months ago for a song.
I daresay that he was glad to see the back of it. He said he only drilled a few holes with it - that was his only comment before grabbing my money.
I cannot comment on accuracy or performance of the drill since I only powered it on about 5 times to check everything's in working order. Every time it ran I had a nasty sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Which did'nt worry me too much coz I intent to cannibalise it for other projects. I'm currently leaning towards running a buffing wheel off it but am considering converting it to a toolpost grinder. Suggestions are welcome.
I beg you to reconsider spending any money on this unit - I did'nt get any feeling of power, quality, rigidity when I ran it. It simply did'nt inspire any confidence.
I think you will be better off investing your money on a better drill even if it's second hand.
Note, I do love the Chinese - I would'nt be able to afford lathe cutting tools without them and I would have gladly traded you the drill that I have.
Regards and best of luck.
I bought exactly the same drill - although it's labelled as a Fragram unit -, exactly the same color, brand spanking new off a woodworker a few months ago for a song.
I daresay that he was glad to see the back of it. He said he only drilled a few holes with it - that was his only comment before grabbing my money.
I cannot comment on accuracy or performance of the drill since I only powered it on about 5 times to check everything's in working order. Every time it ran I had a nasty sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Which did'nt worry me too much coz I intent to cannibalise it for other projects. I'm currently leaning towards running a buffing wheel off it but am considering converting it to a toolpost grinder. Suggestions are welcome.
I beg you to reconsider spending any money on this unit - I did'nt get any feeling of power, quality, rigidity when I ran it. It simply did'nt inspire any confidence.
I think you will be better off investing your money on a better drill even if it's second hand.
Note, I do love the Chinese - I would'nt be able to afford lathe cutting tools without them and I would have gladly traded you the drill that I have.
Regards and best of luck.
brightspark
Member
- Messages
- 41,272
- Location
- yarm stockton on tees
lol if the build qualty and acuracy is that bad i wouldnt be making a toolpost grinder out of it
BChild
SIP - enough with the mods!!!!
- Messages
- 1,023
Thanks for the advice but it's fine for what I need - just needs a bit more poke for drilling steel - it whistles thro softwood and there is no slop in it
Maybe I'm underrating it too much. As mentioned I have never used it.
I'm going to give it a try enlarging punch marks with the centre drill. See how it goes - maybe I can keep it intact and find a good use for it.
Cheers.
Well, i tend to mark out without centre punching. Fire the drill up and bring it down onto the job bearly marking the surface, move job till centred, crack on with the drilling.
That said, i'v always been crap at drilling accuratly with a pillar drill! For accuracy, i use a mill with drill/wobbler (depending on accuracy required) to find the edge of job, pitch across to the hole location, spot face drill to start the hole, then plow through with the right sized drill. If your carefull, with ali you can do without the spot face drill, but start very gently.
I never use a pilot hole, just grind a split point onto the drill tip. This means there is very little of the flat (mentioned earlier in the thread) that doesn't do any cutting as such.
In the OP you mention drilling two holes perpendicular to one-another. To do this i'd clamp the vice in position and bolt down an end stop. This allows you to remove the material to turn it, but be assured that it will go back into position, meaning the holes will intersect.
That said, i'v always been crap at drilling accuratly with a pillar drill! For accuracy, i use a mill with drill/wobbler (depending on accuracy required) to find the edge of job, pitch across to the hole location, spot face drill to start the hole, then plow through with the right sized drill. If your carefull, with ali you can do without the spot face drill, but start very gently.
I never use a pilot hole, just grind a split point onto the drill tip. This means there is very little of the flat (mentioned earlier in the thread) that doesn't do any cutting as such.
In the OP you mention drilling two holes perpendicular to one-another. To do this i'd clamp the vice in position and bolt down an end stop. This allows you to remove the material to turn it, but be assured that it will go back into position, meaning the holes will intersect.
Hi, I inherited one of the alpine drills from my father, pretty good for what it was,also made in the eighties. One problem I had was a chunk came out of the spindle pulley, made out of aero bars I think, good job I can weld then. Sold it and got a good report about it later though! Dave
penfold
Ambassador plenipotentiary
- Messages
- 2,116
- Location
- Argyll and Bute, God's own country.
My old man has an identical one with SIP stickers on it, and it's shoite; the chuck it came with had an eccentric taper socket so it vibrated itself across the bench until it was bolted down and the jaws were made of chocolate; threw that away and fitted a genuine Jacobs. The quill flops around in the floppy bearings so drilling straight holes is not a possibility. The belt it came with appeared to be made of chewing gum and sawdust; it stretched rapidly and filled the belt guard with black debris. One day I might get bored and linebore the quill bearing surfaces and fit some brass journals, but it's not likely to happen soon.
