dang the forks are handy

[Showmedata]

I bought this ~1978 Powermatic drill press on craigslist (a disused tool room item from a local manufacturing company). They had mounted it to a 3/4" (!) steel base plate with fork pockets to make it easier to move about their factory - this also made it easy to get off my trailer and into the shop:

Look at that base plate!

A few minutes of wiping down and she's ready for action:

This replaces the more modern Delta that I've disliked ever since I got it (and silly enough will fetch more $$ than I paid for the Powermatic):

I really like old iron - this complements my 1960s Rockwell mill and 1937 South Bend lathe.

 

[BBFarmer]

I bought this ~1978 Powermatic drill press on craigslist (a disused tool room item from a local manufacturing company). They had mounted it to a 3/4" (!) steel base plate with fork pockets to make it easier to move about their factory - this also made it easy to get off my trailer and into the shop:
View attachment 162339

Look at that base plate!
View attachment 162340

A few minutes of wiping down and she's ready for action:
View attachment 162341

This replaces the more modern Delta that I've disliked ever since I got it (and silly enough will fetch more $$ than I paid for the Powermatic):
View attachment 162342

I really like old iron - this complements my 1960s Rockwell mill and 1937 South Bend lathe.

That's a nice score right there brother! Congrats!

 

[jaxs]

Reminds me of a big score I made at auction one time. Cost more getting 3ph hooked to it than I paid for it.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Love that Drill Press my man!

Good find for sure.


Hell, I bet just the steel cost for that base plate was some $$$$$

Great idea though…...

 

[Greenhorn]

Yes. I bought some inexpensive forks from Amazon and they’re very handy moving logs and many other things.

 

[lynnmor]

I like a foot switch on a drill press so that one can hold on to the workpiece and control the spindle. That would give you a reason to get rid of that rat nest on the side of the motor as well.

 

[Showmedata]

I like a foot switch on a drill press so that one can hold on to the workpiece and control the spindle. That would give you a reason to get rid of that rat nest on the side of the motor as well.

interesting idea, I'll think about that. The rat's nest will go away anyway because I need to put it on a VFD (3ph motor, no 3ph power in the shop).

 

[GeoHorn]

That’s an interesting speed/ratio control on that machine. I LIKE it!

Congrats.

 

[Clevus]

Looks like a good score.
Did it feel top heavy or squirrelly when moving it off the trailer?

Years ago I ran a fire call where a couple guys were load a big machine, and it tipped over trapping him. He was injured, but more trapped than crushed.
It was a good call from the standpoint that all OUR stuff worked as planned.

 

[Showmedata]

Looks like a good score.
Did it feel top heavy or squirrelly when moving it off the trailer?

Years ago I ran a fire call where a couple guys were load a big machine, and it tipped over trapping him. He was injured, but more trapped than crushed.
It was a good call from the standpoint that all OUR stuff worked as planned.

Not at all (of course I only moved at crawl speed). With the table lowered all the way and the fact that it was bolted to a 200# plate the center of mass was comfortably low. This was a *much* easier move than my 800# mill a couple years ago: