Timmeh's Workshop.

[timmeh]

Drill press getting a long overdue birthday. It has some serious table droop, the lift mechanism needs a proper seeing to and the column could do with a clean up.
We'll see what else crops up.
First step, set up the portable gantry crane and remove the drill head.

 

[timmeh]

Bit of rework on the table lift gearbox, teardown, clean and check mounting flange for parallel to column. Seems OK.
Replace horridly made, poorly sized, single thrust bushing with two(1 either side of pinion gear) and reduce 10mm axial clearance down to about 2mm.
Probably doesn't need both due to angle of rack and pinion teeth, had to cut the salvaged oilite bearing to suit anyway and the other half fit nicely in there.
Now the pinion stays within 1mm of where it should be, vast improvement on what was.
Removed the nasty grub screw from the handle that I damaged last time it was worked on.
Poor quality item, wrong sized Allen key, sheer frustration at it coming loose so often or all of the aforementioned.
No matter, it stayed put for 15 to 20yrs.
Bit of panelbeating on the rack, much better now.

 

[timmeh]

#1art of an old printing press I scrounged years ago.
#2:Opposite plate that I started chopping up back a way's.
#3:Some pieces from smaller sections of the machine, made really good "squares".
#4+5:This'll make a good spot to hang the chuck key and maybe some other stuff.

 

[timmeh]

Clean up the leadscrew and remove bumps, dents and burrs and such.
Surprised at how straight it is, dialled in under .01mm clamped in the chuck.
No shims, no tweaking, just magical.
Bonus!!

 

[timmeh]

The drill press tool rack thingamabob, helps keep the top rack guide doohicky nice and true.

 

[timmeh]

Some further refinement of the carriage oiling system, ball oilers weren't working as well as I would have liked.
Need to grind a punch type flare tool to get a better fit for the tubing as it's a tad small on diameter.
Would have used recycled mig welder tip holders for all three done so far, alas 2 of the holes are bit too far of centre.
Bit of a trial run with a pipe cleaner to get oil to the traverse case.
Plans in the future to mount a pair of reservoirs inside the apron.

 

[timmeh]

Finally put the finishing touches on the modified cross slide vise.
1,2 and 3, re-enactment for demonstration purposes, scrap of rhs with pre-existing hole for hold down bolt, drill 1/2" hole adjacent, cut and trim up on bandsaw.
Carve up a salvaged brass bearing(more of that aforementioned printer) that had a circlip groove, closed end and oiling hole, perfect fit.
Turn the end of the screw to suit.
All that's left to do now is set it up and see how close I've managed to get it true/square/parallel/planar.

 

[timmeh]

Chuck keys all stowed, carriage and tailstock tooling to go.
I'll have to beef up the crap catcher, it's going to get a little weighty up there.