Need info/help 20" drill press

[Aldon 4,827]

Gents,

 

i need to order the pices that hold hold material onto the drill press table.

 

Any info that points me in right direction is appreciated.

 

i always called the part that slides into the slot a T Nut. Are they called something else? Not sure what size to get. Anyone have a press this size that can make an educated guess or point out how I would determine that?

 

I assume wherever I'd find those, I'd find source for the clamps etc...

 

I can always use misc washers and bolts/nuts etc but I would prefer the right equipment.

 

[Ed Kennell 38,748]

Tee nuts and studs of different lengths.     Check McMasters Carr.      Just measure your slot and order the one that fits.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#machine-table-t-slot-nuts/=17s9wyb

 

       And the clamps     .https://www.mcmaster.com/#table-clamps/=17s9yjy

Edited May 25, 2017 by Ed Kennell

[Aldon 4,827]

3 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Tee nuts and studs of different lengths.     Check McMasters Carr.      Just measure your slot and order the one that fits.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#machine-table-t-slot-nuts/=17s9wyb

 

Thanks Ed

[Ed Kennell 38,748]

           When I was still working, I had this clamp set for holding turbine blades on a 5 axis mill and coordinate measuring machine.

                                                                              A little pricy, but they really work well for various height work.

[JAinVA 4,623]

You need to check the tee nut measurements described but you will also need to know the slot width at the top.I have a 10" turntable that takes a 3/8" stud and the tee nuts came in two different top widths.I believe that 1/2" tee nuts also come in different top widths as well.The sets that Ed pictured are really great and the are not that expensive.

Edited May 26, 2017 by JAinVA

[squonk 41,464]

If McMaster-Carr aint got it no one's got it!   (although MSC Direct rivals MMC and then some! 

 

We had a guy at work who had more "Yogi-isms" than Yogi Berra.  McMaster-Carr was always "Master-McCarr" 

 

My favorites: Instead of "opening Pandora's Box" it was "opening a pan of boxes"   and the other was "smokes like a fish"! 

11 hours ago, Aldon said:

Gents,

 

i need to order the pices that hold hold material onto the drill press table.

 

Any info that points me in right direction is appreciated.

 

i always called the part that slides into the slot a T Nut. Are they called something else? Not sure what size to get. Anyone have a press this size that can make an educated guess or point out how I would determine that?

 

I assume wherever I'd find those, I'd find source for the clamps etc...

 

I can always use misc washers and bolts/nuts etc but I would prefer the right equipment.

 

Aldon, I see you keep your compressor on the pallet like I do. Going on 20 yrs. 

Edited May 26, 2017 by squonk

[obone 142]

Here's a place I've been looking at for a few years. I still need a press first. There are a few down the page. Only around 60 bucks for the set.

http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_category.php?category=1963256902

[Aldon 4,827]

3 hours ago, squonk said:

 

Aldon, I see you keep your compressor on the pallet like I do. Going on 20 yrs. 

 

Yup. Great compressor but it's a beast to tilt over to completely drain/change oil.

 

 

[squonk 41,464]

3 hours ago, Aldon said:

 

Yup. Great compressor but it's a beast to tilt over to completely drain/change oil.

 

 

I plumbed a lower drain pipe on mine and switched to synthetic compressor oil for easier and less frequent changes 

[Sarge 3,463]

Be really careful in measuring those t-slots - for that size Rockwell there would be 4 different nuts and only one fits . You'll need the width at the top of the slot , width at the bottom of the slot , height of the top step ledge , height of bottom ledge and overall height .

Like this -

http://www.engineersedge.com/hardware/dimension_table_for_tslots_bolts_and_nuts_13508.htm

 

Also , make certain NOT to get a set of clamps/nuts/spacers that have full pass-through threads on the t-nuts . Some of the imported sets are like that , the t-slot nuts should have a closed out thread at the bottom so a stud or bolt cannot go all the way through and hit the table , which can crack the cast iron . If the description doesn't mention this , don't buy them . I have taken cheap nuts and put a small weld tack in the bottom and ground it flush to prevent this - it's too easy to crank down on a nut in one of those studs and drive the stud right into the table , which can have some catastrophic results .

 

Those step blocks are a very useful tool for setting up stuff - you can use them as bridge clamps with slotted bars as well as putting them together in a stair-step fashion for leveling objects to clamp it down . A set like that is a must and don't be surprised if the old Rockwell uses 9/16" t-slots , it was common on older machines and some newer imported stuff (Sears) . All the sub $100 range sets are imported , regardless of what their name implies per the newest marketing tactics , good USA sets are well north of $300 but for a drill press it's really not worth the extra coin .

 

Look around on the net , there are a ton of ideas on clamping and setting up work - it helps to have a variety of ways to do things on a press to help make it more accurate . I generally run a large X-Y table and 4-5" milling vise on mine to help with positioning but that adds a ton of weight to the table , so be careful . Consider buying the largest ground drill blank that will fit in the chuck - use that as a squaring and setup tool for accuracy . A small set of machinist squares , dial test indicator and a centering gauge are needed to set the old girl up and keep an eye on bearing wear in the head and help with getting round work centered in a vise . Those little Palmgren mini mill vises are like gold on a drill press for doing small work and holding odd objects - I use both of mine all the time . Get a can of TD Foamy - for tapping and drilling there is nothing better I've found and goes a long way to prevent cutting bit wear and provide a much cleaner cut to boot . Dull taps work like new with this stuff and stays where you put it better than any other product I've seen to date .

 

Might want to take some time and read some of the machinists' forums and go through that vari-drive on the Rockwell just as a precaution - parts aren't cheap for those . Good luck with the new toy - that's a very high quality machine and should last a very long time .

 

Sarge

[Aldon 4,827]

7 minutes ago, Sarge said:

Might want to take some time and read some of the machinists' forums and go through that vari-drive on the Rockwell just as a precaution - parts aren't cheap for those . Good luck with the new toy - that's a very high quality machine and should last a very long time .

 

Sarge

Thanks for all the great information and advice. I searched for this model and could not find much on the web. Perhaps I need to search more generically.

 

When I bought it at fair price due to its vari speed being inoperative I had incorrectly assumed I would be able to find information and parts. Or manual in the drive etc...

 

So I took it apart and just figured it out. Sometimes knowing you can't get a replacement part makes you really think and ponder consequences before you pull the trigger on an action.

 

Root cause for it's not working was a broken bearing on the main control knob. That bearing was ~$6.50 Fromm amazon. The vari drives pulley is on a lever and cam system and the prior owner(s) basically used it at whatever setting it was at when the part broke. The vari drives split pulleys had rust seized on the shafts. 

 

Works well now.

 

I plan on tearing it down and cleaning it up. Remove rust, new paint etc. 

 

someday:-)

[Sarge 3,463]

For info , try these -

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/home.aspx

 

http://owwm.org/index.php?sid=292bba1ec74b043af5b29ad38ad01c0a

 

The Old Woodworking Machines site is a bit misleading , but they have a whole metal machines section and drill presses can land in either the wood or metal categories as they apply to both .My 1810 Atlas/Clausing is pretty rare and were a limited production machine with all odd parts - but there are 3 on that forum with 2 already restored and in service . Your old Rockwell is basically the same as a Powermatic and several other brands , all Swiss built if I remember correctly .

 

The biggest issue with the vari-drive is not to ever turn the speed crank unless the machine is running . Moving that speed dial will break that bearing and possibly crack/bend that linkage arm as well and can also damage the drive pulley assembly . Later models had a warning label to prevent people from doing just that , but folks tend to read the label after doing the damage anyway . It's a very solid and well built machine , should serve you very well for at least another 30yrs if taken care of ...

 

Sarge

[Uncle Buck 246]

On ‎5‎/‎28‎/‎2017 at 8:18 AM, Sarge said:

For info , try these -

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/home.aspx

 

http://owwm.org/index.php?sid=292bba1ec74b043af5b29ad38ad01c0a

 

The Old Woodworking Machines site is a bit misleading , but they have a whole metal machines section and drill presses can land in either the wood or metal categories as they apply to both .My 1810 Atlas/Clausing is pretty rare and were a limited production machine with all odd parts - but there are 3 on that forum with 2 already restored and in service . Your old Rockwell is basically the same as a Powermatic and several other brands , all Swiss built if I remember correctly .

 

The biggest issue with the vari-drive is not to ever turn the speed crank unless the machine is running . Moving that speed dial will break that bearing and possibly crack/bend that linkage arm as well and can also damage the drive pulley assembly . Later models had a warning label to prevent people from doing just that , but folks tend to read the label after doing the damage anyway . It's a very solid and well built machine , should serve you very well for at least another 30yrs if taken care of ...

 

Sarge

Sarge has given you the keys to the motherlode with his suggestion here! I am glad to see that I am not the only one trying to spread the gospel for old machine tool repair parts! Way to go Sarge!

[Sarge 3,463]

My quest for old machines is driven by the same mindset with buying old Wheel Horse tractors - they just don't make stuff like this quality anymore . Today's world is disposable junk and I hate it - when I was younger folks just repaired things and put them back in service - now stuff ends up in the trash or scrap pile and in my opinion that's wrong . Buying older machinery/equipment/tools/vehicles requires a fair bit of mechanical knowledge and the willingness to do the research needed to repair and restore things . Best part - that sweat equity , a few parts and some labor is all it takes to attain things that will live longer than you and can be passed onto later generations . I spend the time to teach others as it helps the bigger picture - the more information available as well as reproduction parts (folks like Lowell on here) give us the tools needed to restore and use this old equipment . This can be passed along to newer generations easily - they are starting to understand the world's disposable direction and are nearly just as disgusted with it as us older folks . I use that to teach my daughter and her kids the reason to learn to work on things - they absorb this stuff like a sponge and passing on those skills to their generation helps the larger picture again .....

 

I'm at the point where health issues are starting to put me off from doing this stuff - just can't hardly do the work anymore . I applaud the younger crowd showing up here to take on the responsibility of keeping this stuff alive - it's our job to guide them and teach them to work with their hands , buy good tools and not waste money on new, disposable junk and appreciate how well older equipment was built and built to be serviced , not tossed out .

 

My old '77 Land Cruiser was built to be serviced - all of it . The service manual for that old truck details how to rebuild everything , including the steering box , water pump , fan clutch and even the vacuum brake booster with new repair parts - how many vehicles built today are made like that ?? Go research their values when restored - it's scary what those old Toyotas bring at auction for a reason , not to mention they are about the toughest , most capable off road vehicle ever built that was available to the mass public and easily one of the most reliable by far . Just like our Wheel Horse tractors - built to work for decades , over and over again .

 

Rant off , lol...

[Red144runner 657]

On 6/27/2017 at 10:48 AM, Sarge said:

My quest for old machines is driven by the same mindset with buying old Wheel Horse tractors - they just don't make stuff like this quality anymore . Today's world is disposable junk and I hate it - when I was younger folks just repaired things and put them back in service - now stuff ends up in the trash or scrap pile and in my opinion that's wrong . Buying older machinery/equipment/tools/vehicles requires a fair bit of mechanical knowledge and the willingness to do the research needed to repair and restore things . Best part - that sweat equity , a few parts and some labor is all it takes to attain things that will live longer than you and can be passed onto later generations . I spend the time to teach others as it helps the bigger picture - the more information available as well as reproduction parts (folks like Lowell on here) give us the tools needed to restore and use this old equipment . This can be passed along to newer generations easily - they are starting to understand the world's disposable direction and are nearly just as disgusted with it as us older folks . I use that to teach my daughter and her kids the reason to learn to work on things - they absorb this stuff like a sponge and passing on those skills to their generation helps the larger picture again .....

 

I'm at the point where health issues are starting to put me off from doing this stuff - just can't hardly do the work anymore . I applaud the younger crowd showing up here to take on the responsibility of keeping this stuff alive - it's our job to guide them and teach them to work with their hands , buy good tools and not waste money on new, disposable junk and appreciate how well older equipment was built and built to be serviced , not tossed out .

 

My old '77 Land Cruiser was built to be serviced - all of it . The service manual for that old truck details how to rebuild everything , including the steering box , water pump , fan clutch and even the vacuum brake booster with new repair parts - how many vehicles built today are made like that ?? Go research their values when restored - it's scary what those old Toyotas bring at auction for a reason , not to mention they are about the toughest , most capable off road vehicle ever built that was available to the mass public and easily one of the most reliable by far . Just like our Wheel Horse tractors - built to work for decades , over and over again .

 

Rant off , lol...

Couldn't agree more. My truck for my small landscaping biz, 84 GMC 3500. 350,  4bbl and 4speed manual. Simple reliable and built tough. I bought a new 4Runner for the same reason. My tools are all older made in USA stuff. My drill press was my grandfathers walker turner as was my Colombian bench vice. I used my 3-12 to pull a chain cultivator (80lbs) with 150lbs of weighted wheels and chain over my yard up and down hill. Good luck finding a new tractor under 5k that can work like that

[pacer 3,174]

Didnt see this mentioned - having this means you will rarely have to fool with T nuts, etc. With your big press you can take a 5" size and this thing is a wonderful tool for the DP's. Pulled this one off the bay for $45 free ship. Ive had one on my press for some 10-15 yrs and it is GREAT!

 

Search for "

5" Cross Drill Press Vise X-Y

 

[Sarge 3,463]

I've got an older Craftsman milling table similar to this one -

https://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-G8750-Compound-Slide-Table/dp/B0000DCZAH

 

Don't ever think you'll hold tight tolerances with these , but if you replace two of the gib adjusters with either t-bolts or a bolt with a t-handle on it you can lock it into place as they like to move a bit when trying to hold center. I don't use it for milling - have a buddy and a good welding shop next door for that , just work positioning to avoid having to use hold downs and the extra time involved for setup . With the milling table , a couple of t-nuts and some bridge bars I can position nearly anything . Avoid using one of these tables on smaller or lighter built machines - it will pull the drill press table out of square to the column due to the weight - mine is about 80lbs . Really need to finish some of my outside work so I can get that old Clausing back together - looking forward to having a tank for a drill press instead of a junk toy....

 

Sarge

[Sarge 3,463]

So , @Aldon - ever get the old girl in service yet ?

 

Sarge

[Aldon 4,827]

Sorry Sarge.

 

should have updated.

 

got the drill press repaired and was able to drill out the front axle braces so the press paid for itself.

 

I need to invest in bits and the hold downs and a nice vice at some point but it will be needs driven so may be a good while.

 

My plan is to eventually pull it apart and do a rebuild/restore on it.

 

thanks to all who advised and provided input.

[Sarge 3,463]

Glad to hear another machine saved - a lot better than the junk that is sold now to unsuspecting buyers....good for you . I've built up everything I have based on what I was working on at the time - it's taken 40yrs , but I can fix just about anything .

 

Sarge