Drill Press Speed Reducer

old toolmaker

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Are there any plans around for building a drill press speed reducer?
I have a restored Toro drill press with a low end RPM of 860. I would like to reduce the low end speed to around 250-300 RPM. I think I can build a jack shaft (lay shaft) that will fit into the top end of the tubular column and it would carry the stock four step pulley as well as a large pulley driven from a smaller pulley on the motor.

Dick
 
Dick, are you thinking of something like the 3 pulley system on this Jet 20" DP? It allows speeds of 150 to 4200 rpm with belt changes. The middle pulley has a shaft that mounts in an oillite bronze bushing set in the cast head (if I'm remembering correctly) and then there is an arm that goes out maybe 3 inches to a post that mounts the pulley. This allows the middle pulley to swing for belt tensioning. The shaft and bushing are offset from the plane of the two end pulleys by the length of the middle shaft arm. It was recently sold so I have to rely on the one photo I have.

On my 17 inch Jet I went to a variable speed 1.5 hp DC motor but retained the motor, center and spindle pulleys as you can see in the other photo. This gives almost an infinite number of speeds. The DC motor and controller were from a donated treadmill. I got lucky on that as some treadmill motors are what are referred to as 'beer can' motors and not worth the effort to salvage. More expensive treadmills have higher quality and usually more powerful motors and drives. The downside of varying the electric motor rpm is that it uses less current which means lower power (torque). The upside is that most drilling I do is 3/8 and smaller. I can slow it down enough to power tap from the chuck....once I figure out the wiring of a dpdt switch to reverse the motor.
Jerry

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switching to a 3 phase motor and VFD is one excellent way to do it.
 
Hi Dick and welcome to the forum!
I've been considering something similar for my 1980'2 model Enco drill press. Mine is a PD13, which I believe means it is about a 13-inch swing and is currently set up with 2 pulleys (4-6 steps each, cannot remember for sure right now). I need it to turn slower for some of my planned projects. The current plan is to implement something like Jerry described and gave pictures of. If you get to this project before me, please let us know how it goes and if you run into any issues. I'll do the same when I get into it.
 
This is a great forum . Welcome to you ,I'm going to add a Jack shaft to my 20" Rockwell delta . I think all drill presses run to fast at there lowest speed. I'd say a low of 60 or 80 rpms would be the starting range and 2500 to 3000 as top would be best , just my preference . As I said welcome.
 
About 5 years ago I restored my WT-900 drill press. I debated the options for variable speeds and decided to go with a 220v 3phase, 3/4hp motor controlled by a 110v input VFD. At lower speeds with a VFD you lose some power, but the 3/4hp motor was a step up and works just fine. After 5 years of use I couldn't be happier with it.

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I have an old Atlas Model 52 that I picked up off CL....since it was manufactured for drilling wood, I browsed the bay for the factory reducer, since I would be mainly using it to drill metal. So, to no avail, i made my own.

I used a muffler expander to lock my reducer into the factory support, then fashioned up a pulley system using some oilite bushings and pulleys. I do not know if this would work on your DP but it definitely made my life easier. Total cost was roughly $40....bushings and pulleys and miscellaneous hardware. The plates are 1/4" aluminum I had left from a welding job. I can chuck up a 3/4" drill bit and drill 1/4" plate with ease....I would say at roughly 50-60 rpm...a nice steady ribbon off the bit. Nice thing is, the attachment can be removed in a matter of minutes and returned to factory speed setting should I need it.

I can post more detailed pictures if need be....

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I used a muffler expander to lock my reducer into the factory support

Excellent re-purposing!
Nice mod all around.

Just be careful around the open belts.

-brino
 
Here's a few more ideas from old magazines. Google the Popular Science & Mechanics references. All the old issues are online.
http://www.opensourcemachinetools.org/archive-manuals/large-hole-drilling.pdf
Pop Sci, Nov 65
Pop Mech, Mar 42
If you have access to the magazines Home Shop Machinist/Machinist's Workshop there are likely several ideas as well tho I don't have any specific references.
I vaguely recall a photo of a drill press with a geared reduction box added to the mix. Given the reduction ratio on many of them I expect the lowest speed would be in the vicinity of "revolutions per hour".
I used the opensource technique above and was able to drill 1" holes in mild steel with it using lots of cutting fluid & patience. If you are using >1/2 inch drills (Silver & Deming) it is a really good idea - based on my experience - to purchase the ones with the three-flats on the shank to prevent slippage in the drill chuck.
 
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