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Slowing Down My Drill Press !!!
- Thread starter chip maker
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2013
- Messages
- 230
Just writing to let everyone know how this update to my drill press worked out. The parts came from Grizzly and I started the upgrade today. Needless to say, and I knew this upfront things didn't just fall together. The idler pulley mount was larger than the hole on my drill press so had to drill the hole and also use some shim stock because I only had a 9/16 drill and needed one just a bit smaller. Tried to figure out how to set this up on my lathe to just turn the shaft down but couldn't get it to fit. Next the motor pulley needed to be flipped over and then the set screw would not be even close to tightening the pulley to the shaft. This pulley is not solid so I made a plug that fit in the under side to give me extra material to thread in a new set screw and also give more support on the shaft. Than came the belts, sorry but they don't fit, they are both to long for my housing the Grizzly machine must be longer in the upper housing. Off to Advance Auto and was lucky because they had belts that would work for me. After all this it has worked out GREAT and I can't be more satisfied with the out come. I went from a 5 speed to a 12 speed and the lower speeds will be worth it. In all, even with the not used and replaced belts I still only have about $70.00 in this upgrade. 
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2013
- Messages
- 1,834
Great job, and great sourcing... I am also curious as Frank asked!
George, we obviously have similar tastes in drill presses!
Bernie
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George, we obviously have similar tastes in drill presses!
Bernie
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- Joined
- Dec 7, 2013
- Messages
- 230
To be honest I haven't checked it with any type of meter or anything but I did buy the belt adjustment label also from Grizzly and they show the slowest speed at 140 and than 260,320,380,480,540,980,1160,1510,1650,2180 and 3050. Before the redo the press started at 700-3000. I always thought that it was really to fast but never thought of trying to slow it down. This has been another great upgrade to another tool that I have had for many years already and just used as it was till now. Thanks John
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2013
- Messages
- 1,834
Fantastic! I am sure it is a huge difference! That changes the usefulness of your machine for metal greatly!
Bernie
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Bernie
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- Joined
- Jul 26, 2011
- Messages
- 4,142
An excellent job,bernie! Very glad that the Grizzly parts were good for the mod to your drill press. It will make your machine so much more useful than it was.
I use the high speed of my drill press to rout out inlays for guitar fingerboards with 1/16" router bits. It is so much better than trying to use a Dremel with the router base,which is what most builders have to resort to. You can see what you're doing so much better.
I can get rid of most of the wood,then use small chisels to get into corners,etc..
I use the high speed of my drill press to rout out inlays for guitar fingerboards with 1/16" router bits. It is so much better than trying to use a Dremel with the router base,which is what most builders have to resort to. You can see what you're doing so much better.
I can get rid of most of the wood,then use small chisels to get into corners,etc..
Gunrunner you need to order a set of these for the Z axis hand crank. Bill did you just spit coffee on your monitor? :rofl:
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View attachment 253356
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2011
- Messages
- 4,142
I have no doubt that cast pulleys can explode. Fortunately,mine hasn't. The shape of my drill presses' casting does cover the spindle pulley enough to keep fragments away from the operator. I don't use the very highest speed on my drillpress. It gets pretty loud and dangerous sounding when at full speed. I use one notch below that!
That describes how mine was too. I never intentionally used the higher speeds because there was more vibration than I liked and it just didn't sound right. On the day of the incident I had inadvertently changed the belts to the highest speed. I had even made a belt chart with associated speeds so it shouldn't have been set that high. I knew as soon as I heard the motor laboring to come up to speed that I had chosen the wrong arrangement. The pulley exploded before I could reach for the off switch. Again, thank heaven for the metal guard. Fortunately a member of another machinist forum that I was on then had a Rockwell drill press he was parting out and I was able to replace the 40+ year old pulley. It worked well until I sold it a few years later when I got a 20" drill press.