A Bit Of A Tool Gloat (and A Question)

I bet you Starrett changed to wood soon after they received complaints from the government of the rubber not holding up at all to oils they used back then. Rubber in general back then was not very oil resistant as it is today, well almost. Try to handle rubber when it is saturated with oil, it's very slippery. I know this for a fact in a totally different application where we use Nitrile rubber forms that are used as sealing components in oil saturated environments.
 
I guess I'll just continue with this thread. I answered a Craigslist ad today for a 3/4 hp 1725 RPM motor ($25). I figured it would be an upgrade for my horizontal mill. It was a bit north of here but it was a nice day so I drove up and bought it. I also saw another ad that interested me but it was about as far back in the woods as you can get in this state. The directions were basically drive on this back road until you come to the New Hampshire border then turn around and make your first right on this dirt road. Not too far from where the story The Devil and Daniel Webster is set.

Anyway, I found the place and bought a Starrett 913 1/2 vise for $50. I did a search and couldn't find anything about it. It looks like this:

vise 1 s.jpg

Oh, and it came attached to this:

press 3 s.jpg press 2 s.jpg plate s.jpg

Believe it or not I didn't even try to talk him down on the price.
 
OK Charles, that deserves a resounding YOU SUCK. A little rust removal, and some handles for the quill feed and you should be good to go. Cheers, Mike
 
I have the handles. I took them off to move it.

There will be a bit more than rust removal. Those dark stains on the column are from where the previous owner sprayed WD-40 to unsieze the table.

The guy I bought it from said he only used it a couple of times and never used the belts to change the speed. Now to many of us of a certain age that could sound like "It was owned by a little old lady from Pasadena who only drove it to church on Sundays..."

However, I was inclined to believe him. It was stored inside and there was no rust in or on the head and motor. I opened the top and checked the belts and they were pristine. No wobble in the chuck. Inside the head casting was clean. No drill marks on the table.

But I'd be willing to bet a week's pay that it hasn't been lubricated since it left Taiwan.

I think I'll check it fairly closely before I move out my old drill press.

By the way, here's the Craigslist photo I saw:

00V0V_hf1VziGyHnU_1200x900.jpg
 
I went on youtube and found somebody with the same drill press except it was badged "Packard". They said they were going to restore it. I thought cool - I can learn something.

The "restoration" consisted of:

- cleaning the quill without showing the removal. They did show the guy using steel wool on it

- cleaning dirt off the base

- removing the head and painting it

- re-attaching the electrical wires

- putting in a new light bulb

I was underwhelmed. Judging by the comments I wasn't the only one.

Here it is. Watch it if you want to feel smarter and more accomplished.

 
Well, it doesn't do any good to complain about such on here. Or anywhere else for that matter. The Internet is full of it.

Except that yours is a floor model and mine a bench, that looks like my Enco, purchased new in I think the early 80's. Yours is missing the depth stop. I can do a photo of it if you wish.

On the bent rack, I think that you should follow the manual's valuable instructions. o_O
 
Charles Spencer said:
I guess I'll just continue with this thread. I answered a Craigslist ad today for a 3/4 hp 1725 RPM motor ($25). I figured it would be an upgrade for my horizontal mill. It was a bit north of here but it was a nice day so I drove up and bought it. I also saw another ad that interested me but it was about as far back in the woods as you can get in this state. The directions were basically drive on this back road until you come to the New Hampshire border then turn around and make your first right on this dirt road. Not too far from where the story The Devil and Daniel Webster is set.

Anyway, I found the place and bought a Starrett 913 1/2 vise for $50. I did a search and couldn't find anything about it. It looks like this:

View attachment 133430

Oh, and it came attached to this:

View attachment 133431 View attachment 133432 View attachment 133433

Believe it or not I didn't even try to talk him down on the price.
Click to expand...
I have that same drill press. Bought it new from Enco in 1986. It has been very good to me. One of the best features of it is that it has a 5" quill travel. Mine is in a little better shape...
 
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