Worth Restoring - Cincinnati Drill Press (pretty rough)

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Just wondering what you guys thought. I saw this for sale and was wondering if it would be worth restoring. I'm not sure about the spindle? and where to get a replacement for it. I just rebuilt a Craftsman 17" that I bought used and kinda enjoyed it. What do you guys think?Brian
Reply:Continued...
Reply:It all depends what they want for it. As long as none of the major parts are missing it might be a neat project. You don't find machinery like that anymore and they were built a lot better than todays drill presses. I can not tell what kind of motor is on it but with the flat belt you will transmit good power and  if you have 220 1ph power, find a good 3ph motor and put a VFD drive on it so you will have a full range of speeds without changing the belts. For the spindle, you might get a few quotes from local machine shops and make sure they put either a MT#3 or MT#4 in the spindle if it has to be re-machined so that you can use almost any twist bit or tapping head.I would like to know what they did to bend the spindle like that.Last edited by Chris T.; 10-01-2013 at 08:01 AM.TOO MANY TOOLS & NO MORE SPACE
Reply:Looks like a better candidate for a parts machine...unless you have a parts machine already. I wouldn't worry about the spindle as much as I would the cast iron lower spindle mount casting. It appears that both the V-way ears are busted off of it. It will be a much more difficult part to find.Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:That bent drill shaft say's you'll never get it accurate again.But, I've taken on worse messes and had something useful after a whole load of fun work.So, if you can get it cheep (under 2x scrap rate of $200/ton) and you want a multi-month project that will challenge your metal-working skills, I say GO FOR IT!Be wary of The Numbers: Figures don't lie,. but liars can figure.Welders:2008 Lincoln 140 GMAW&FCAW2012 HF 165 'toy' GTAW&SMAW1970's Cobbled together O/A
Reply:Yeah, I agree......scrap prices only when making an offer.I would be inclined to guess that the slide ears of the table and the quill shaft got bent by rough handling only after the DP was removed from service. Like, maybe it got knocked onto the concrete floor or fell off a forklift while being moved.