# Converting A Basic Taiwanese Drill Press To Vfd Controlled Beauty



## Techie1961 (Mar 16, 2016)

I've had this old drill press for a while now and while it did a reasonable job at some tasks, it didn't work for many that I needed to use it for. To start with, it looked like crap which isn't a big deal but since I have been on a restoration/rebuild kick lately, I thought that I would spruce it up a bit. Next is that it's a 3 shaft machine with step pulleys and it doesn't have the range of speeds that I needed and it is seriously lacking in power. Lastly, as a tool and die maker no longer doing that kind of work, I really missed having a tool room drill press with reversing switch for power tapping.












The first thing that I did with it was strip it down to nothing and clean or sand blast all of it. It's a cheap Taiwanese machine but not built too badly and is reasonably robust. Lots to be desired in overall quality but beggars can't be choosers. I also wanted to show the process of doing this so that if there are others that want to, they can follow my lead.









I removed all of the rivets using the TIG welder to put a blob on each one and pull them out with visegrips.









As the final piece to clean up was the post, I had to figure out how I was going to make it look good. I tried to remove the bottom flange but even with some heat, it wouldn't budge. I wasn't completely in need of removing it but thought that it would be better without it when spinning it in the lathe. So on it stayed.


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## Techie1961 (Mar 16, 2016)

Now that it was all cleaned up, it was time for the changes to be made as well as the painting. First up was getting a motor ready for it and finding a VFD. I am fortunate that there are machines in my line of work that use motors and VFDs and some of them end up scrapped or salvaged for parts. The motor is a 1 1/3HP motor that is used to spin filters on dry cleaning machines and the VFD was from a small industrial washing machines that I scrapped. While the motor is a bit big for the drill press and the VFD, you can set limits in the VFD to protect it and since the motor is too large anyway, down rating it to 1HP is okay with me. This is the motor that I started with.












You'll notice that it's a flange or face mount so a new bracket was needed for the attachment to the drill press. I had some scrap steel plate lying around so it donated itself to the cause.









The pulley wasn't the correct bore diameter since the old motor was 1/2HP versus the new motor at 1 1/3HP. I decided that rather than turning the motor shaft down to fit, I would bore out the pulley. I didn't have a small boring bar so I ground a piece of high speed steel down to suit.



It's starting to come together at this point. I have been doing the machines in my shop with Tremclad Royal Blue and Burnt Orange so this one got the same colour theme.


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## brino (Mar 16, 2016)

Excellent start. I am "watching" this thread. Thanks for sharing it!

I have never seen that technique for removing rivets. I guess you remove the plates first, then TIG the blob and pull the rivets, right? Are the plates re-usable with just a bigger hole?

-brino


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## Techie1961 (Mar 16, 2016)

Since the majority of the structure was done, it was time to do some electrical work. I spent way too much time trying to figure out how to mount the VFD. It is a narrow piece and the drill press had a large hole in the side where the old motor and light switch were. I wanted to hide that as best as possible while protecting the VFD from chips and keeping the controls near the front for easy operation. I milled a piece of aluminum to hold the VFD and built a small panel for the controls.









I did some trial fitting with the belt cover on. I had to cut out the back a bit to clear the new motor mount. It had some issues though so I had to take it back off and do more metal removal on it. Unfortunately, when I painted it again, the paint didn't cure so it damaged the first coats of paint.






So back into the sandblaster and it got a new coat of paint.



For the foot switch, I found an old part that I had salvaged and cleaned it up and painted it.






This is the final enclosure along with the finished wiring. I also added an LED bulb to the hole that held the original bulb.






During testing I found that the new belt that I put on it wasn't accurate enough. At high speeds, there was a fair bit of vibration. Since it was a cheap belt I changed it out for a good quality cogged belt which is also shaved so the thickness is more consistent.






In these final images of the press, you'll see that I had to add some gussets to the motor mount as it had a bit more flex to it than I could accept.


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## Techie1961 (Mar 16, 2016)

brino said:


> Excellent start. I am "watching" this thread. Thanks for sharing it!
> 
> I have never seen that technique for removing rivets. I guess you remove the plates first, then TIG the blob and pull the rivets, right? Are the plates re-usable with just a bigger hole?
> 
> -brino



Thanks! What I first tried to do is get under the label to lift out the rivets. It was deforming the plate too much so I carefully ground the heads off with a die grinder and the label came off easily. After that, it was TIG time.


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## Techie1961 (Mar 16, 2016)

I wasn't sure that I was going to share this build or not. I decided that it might help some who are thinking of such a conversion and since I had to figure it out, I would share it. I found that VFDs aren't that scary and the added functionality is fantastic. I have two modes of operation other than the switch for the lamp and main power. In drill mode, it goes in forward direction only and the variable speed operates normally. In tapping mode, the foot switch becomes active along with variable speed so you can revers out.

Someone from another site that I am on made up a new label for the control panel and once I have that on, I'll post the pics. It just came in tonight so I still have to install it. I also put a larger knob on the potentiometer.


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## Bob Korves (Mar 16, 2016)

Did you turn the column to a smaller size?  If so, how did you make it fit the head and the table bracket?


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## Techie1961 (Mar 16, 2016)

Bob Korves said:


> Did you turn the column to a smaller size?  If so, how did you make it fit the head and the table bracket?


I didn't have to turn it at all. I was very surprised at how well it polished up with some open mesh emery cloth. I had to keep the speed of the lathe down since A, it scared the crap out of me and B, it shook a bit due to the flange still being attached.


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## brino (Mar 16, 2016)

Techie1961 said:


> I wasn't sure that I was going to share this build or not.



I am very glad you did. Cheers!



Techie1961 said:


> I found that VFDs aren't that scary and the added functionality is fantastic.



Personally I have not taken that plunge, but I do see the benefits!



Techie1961 said:


> In drill mode, it goes in forward direction only and the variable speed operates normally. In tapping mode, the foot switch becomes active along with variable speed so you can revers out.



Does the foot-switch just give the reverse then? Do you hold it for reverse or is it latching with a push to toggle between forward and reverse? Is the reverse speed the same as the forward speed?

Sorry for all the questions.....maybe it will be more clear when you have the control label installed.

Thanks!
-brino


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## berniehernandez (Mar 16, 2016)

Very nice job. I was going to post my conversion, but yours puts mine to shame. Thanks for posting, I picked up some cool tips and motivation.


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## David VanNorman (Mar 17, 2016)

Looks good Nice shop.


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## Techie1961 (Mar 17, 2016)

brino said:


> ...Does the foot-switch just give the reverse then? Do you hold it for reverse or is it latching with a push to toggle between forward and reverse? Is the reverse speed the same as the forward speed?
> 
> -brino


Yes, just reverse. When in drill mode, it is dead but in tapping mode, while it is pressed, the motor is reversed. When you let off, it goes back to forward. Both directions have the same speed.



berniehernandez said:


> Very nice job. I was going to post my conversion, but yours puts mine to shame. Thanks for posting, I picked up some cool tips and motivation.


Please post yours as well and thanks for the compliment. The more that do, the more that will do and it helps all of us.



David VanNorman said:


> Looks good Nice shop.


Thanks David!


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## chips&more (Mar 17, 2016)

Your many pictures are also awesome...Dave


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## dlane (Mar 17, 2016)

Ya thanks for the real pics (full size)
And nice build.


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## schor (Mar 17, 2016)

Great job on the press.


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## Techie1961 (Mar 17, 2016)

Thanks again guys. I put the new faceplate on so it is now officially finished.



And a short video of it in operation.


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## Steve-626 (Mar 18, 2016)

Techie1961 said:


> Next is that it's a 3 shaft machine with step pulleys



It's pretty

Did you start with 3 pulleys ?

I would have kept them.
I like the slow speed for tapping and hole saws, but you do lose torque at the lowest speeds.

I also would have put the control box somewhere else.
I can see it being in the way for a couple of things I have done.

Do you have a Canadian  source on that footswitch ?


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## Techie1961 (Mar 18, 2016)

Steve-626 said:


> It's pretty
> 
> Did you start with 3 pulleys ?
> 
> ...



The centre shaft was worn in the cast iron housing and it really offers no benefit since the VFD can cover such a large range. I am still able to move the belt up and down on the two remaining pulleys for a huge range in speeds. I suppose that it might get in the way on some obscure part and certainly if you do one, you can put it wherever you wish.

The foot switch is used in my industry which is dry cleaning repair service. I can get them new and you can purchase one from me if you like. I don't have any used ones other than a pair of very rusty ones that you are free to have if you want to pick them up. Just PM me.


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## amuller (Mar 19, 2016)

Very nice job on the press!  I agree with getting rid of the countershaft.  Could you provide a link to the foot switches you are taking about?

Alan


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## Techie1961 (Mar 19, 2016)

amuller said:


> Very nice job on the press!  I agree with getting rid of the countershaft.  Could you provide a link to the foot switches you are taking about?
> 
> Alan


Do a search for "treadlite footswitch" and you'll find them as well as some sources.


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## Nammar (Mar 20, 2016)

Dear Techie1961,

What a great restoration job. The machine is now better than new. I have the same machine in my workshop at home, which works, but niggles the hell out of me when using it, as the light does not work (something wrong with the light fitting) and the belt tensioning levers inside the casting are disconnected and every time I want to change belt positions, I have to get the crowbar to re-tension the belts. Otherwise, the machine seems to be well made and is quite sturdy. Not like old iron, though.

While you had the spindle out, did you renew the bearings, or did you just leave them? Geoffrey.


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## Techie1961 (Mar 20, 2016)

Nammar said:


> Dear Techie1961,
> 
> What a great restoration job. The machine is now better than new. I have the same machine in my workshop at home, which works, but niggles the hell out of me when using it, as the light does not work (something wrong with the light fitting) and the belt tensioning levers inside the casting are disconnected and every time I want to change belt positions, I have to get the crowbar to re-tension the belts. Otherwise, the machine seems to be well made and is quite sturdy. Not like old iron, though.
> 
> While you had the spindle out, did you renew the bearings, or did you just leave them? Geoffrey.


Thanks Nammar! It was an annoying drill press for me also; never the right speed and it vibrated a lot. When I had it apart, I changed the spindle bearings and if I recall correctly, they were 6204 (maybe 6205) bearings in the spindle and the top driven pulley were definitely 6204. You can see them to the left of the housing in this photo.


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## calstar (Mar 20, 2016)

Very nice work, its a beauty.

Brian


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## Guv (Mar 22, 2016)

A very nice conversion well done!


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