(New to me), Ferm FTB-13 drill press clean up

GoceKU

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Today i bought this drill press at the local tool/ flea market, it was very cheap partly because of all the rust but more because the seller thought is not working, i spotted that the security tab on the belt cover was bent and knowing that i decided to take a gamble wich paid off because when got it home i straighten the tab and is working perfectly. This is a generic china made machine, i don't expect much from it, i plan to do as little improvements or modifications on it just to use it for smaller jobs. The plan now is to take it apart undo the neglect from the previous owner and found and make a holder to use it in my shop.
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Today i focused most of my free time to get this drill press in good working order, i started with disassembling it, the head come off with only one set screw, the work table also come off fairly easy the tilt nut on the table give me little fight also the three smaller bolts on the base ware rusty, first i chucked up the pipe in my lathe and used sand papire to take all the rust off whale turning i oiled it. I took the base and the table to the big garage and used wire brush on my angle grinder and my DA sander to clean them up, i could have painted the sides to remove the rust stains but i did not bother this machine is meant to be used, not admired. lastly i assemble it, use new bolts and clean the threads with a tap and put anti seize on them, and finally i tested it started with 3mm drill bit, went to 6mm no problems but 10mm drill bit stops the motor which is what i predicted so no disappointments there, i also removed the guard and travel limit because is plastic junk and will make a steel one in the future.
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It's been a month since i've own this little drill press and have used it on couple of jobs, and have seen that it can be used up to 13mm in steel but must be gear down in the slowest speed, it really needs more powerful motor, but i'll wait i'll this one dies or annoys me enaght to change it, as for the precision and ease of use is pretty good, i've found out that the quill is steel not aluminium like some of the china machines, all thing considered better then expected.
 
There is a lot of satisfaction to be had by bringing someone else's junk back to a useful life. It appears to me you did a very nice job of making it useful again. As long as bearings are good and run out can be kept within a reasonable amount, there are lots of non critical jobs it can do well.
You probably saved it from the scrap pile.
 
Nice clean-up job.
It's almost almost doesn't look like the same machine.
-brino
 
There is a lot of satisfaction to be had by bringing someone else's junk back to a useful life.

There is something really satisfying when bringing any tool or equipment from dead, this machine seems to be only used once or twice and stored in a wet basement and sold on because the rust and security switch not operating, the tolerance in the bearings is very tight also there is no real runout in the drill chuck, as a said better than expected
 
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