Hand powered drill press

[Rickinlexky]

This drill press is at the aviation museum where I'm a volunteer, it was used in the building of Kentucky's first airplane in 1908. The builder had neither electricity nor steam power available in his shop. The drill press is hand cranked, which seems simple enough, but there's no lever (and no free hand) to lower the drill into the work. I've added notes to this photo to point out how it was done. The cam is on the hub of the hand crank, cast into the back of the bevel gear, and the cam follower is the horizontal bar below the cam.


There's also a lathe, which was powered by bicycle pedals - it included a sort of tractor seat to free the operator's feet up for the task of pedaling. Maybe I'll get a picture of that into another post.

 

[RJSakowski]

I have 5 of these post drills in my barn. Some of the later models were fitted with flat belt pulleys and not all have the feed advance.

 

[Charles scozzari]

Really a beautiful machine. Im always impressed with the high quality of the castings of long ago. I can see the repair to possibly two breaks in the arm of the table that also look to be very well done. Im glad this one is still around. Thanks for posting it.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

I’m in awe of the old school engineering like these drills.
Thanks for sharing

 

[C-Bag]

I see these old machines and my mind fills with questions. How did they come up with the different mechanisms, did they use hand powered machines to make this, and on and on. It seems a lot has been lost when looking at it as a whole.

 

[Rickinlexky]

We get to a point where we think things can’t be done without our current technology, but precision instruments and machines were being made hundreds of years ago. It took longer, and cost more, but it got done.

 

[Rickinlexky]

There’s a second drill press, this one shows the screw at the top of the quill


And here’s the lathe. There are 3 pedals on the power shaft, so the operator can sit towards either end of the bed.