So, I found a big cast iron table with two Clausing variable speed heads attached (one 2286 and one 1770) for what seemed to be pretty cheap considering I've never seen a used one of those drills or their Powermatic counterparts on ebay or craigslist for less than $1000.
I was too far away to check them out in person, so I had them send me video of them powered on just to be sure the motors still ran. They both spin, but 1770 has some rattling that I would want to address immediately. When researching them I found an older post on PM that said you can replace all primary spindle bushings and bearings for $75 back in 2017. I'm thinking those will be automatic, then replace some of the missing knobs, fix loose fitting covers, and a fresh coat of paint and they will look great.
Now reality has set in that I just bought two giant drill presses with an even bigger cast iron table. It will be a bear to move, but could make a cool work bench surface. A smooth metal top with perimeter tray will be ideal for reloading and gunsmithing. There are quite a few drill holes/craters in the table top. I can either fill them with bronze brazing or collect a bunch of cast iron filings and mix them in with some JB weld. I don't want to try any welding on such a large piece of solid cast iron. I think long term I will get both fixed up and keep an eye out for a scrapped drill press stand that I can mount one of them on to sell and maybe even recoup my initial purchase! Any recommendations for where to find solo stand components would be greatly appreciated. There is a 20" table on ebay, but having trouble finding a base.
Anything in particular I should know about working on these guys? So far everything I have read about them online is that they are awesome DPs and seem to be a final stop for manual drilling. Here are some photos and videos of them:
I was too far away to check them out in person, so I had them send me video of them powered on just to be sure the motors still ran. They both spin, but 1770 has some rattling that I would want to address immediately. When researching them I found an older post on PM that said you can replace all primary spindle bushings and bearings for $75 back in 2017. I'm thinking those will be automatic, then replace some of the missing knobs, fix loose fitting covers, and a fresh coat of paint and they will look great.
Now reality has set in that I just bought two giant drill presses with an even bigger cast iron table. It will be a bear to move, but could make a cool work bench surface. A smooth metal top with perimeter tray will be ideal for reloading and gunsmithing. There are quite a few drill holes/craters in the table top. I can either fill them with bronze brazing or collect a bunch of cast iron filings and mix them in with some JB weld. I don't want to try any welding on such a large piece of solid cast iron. I think long term I will get both fixed up and keep an eye out for a scrapped drill press stand that I can mount one of them on to sell and maybe even recoup my initial purchase! Any recommendations for where to find solo stand components would be greatly appreciated. There is a 20" table on ebay, but having trouble finding a base.
Anything in particular I should know about working on these guys? So far everything I have read about them online is that they are awesome DPs and seem to be a final stop for manual drilling. Here are some photos and videos of them: