heath robinson Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Hi all, I've recently obtained a large, old, and above all hugely heavy pillar drill. The thing is ancient, and everything bar the motor is exceptionally free sliding/running etc. Even the motor/belt/main shaft spin freely, despite the enormous birds nest in the head cover... However, the motor isn't the original, and while it seems of the right power and indeed looks of the right vintage, it has the singular distinction of having a short shaft. Short of getting a selection of belts and pulleys to give me different speeds, is there anything I can do? I have the feeling (due to not being able to find one for sale) that a motor with a longer shaft is going to cost more than the dill it's self. Thanks, Jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 I've welded an extension to a motor shaft before, it's probably a really bad idea and will lead to the end of civilisation as we know it .... but it did work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Extended shaft motors was the reason my bridgeport was scrapped out at work, deemed far too expensive to repair. How much short are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heath robinson Posted March 12, 2013 Author Share Posted March 12, 2013 I'm about 6ft, so not that sort really... I'll take a photo to demonstrate in a moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heath robinson Posted March 12, 2013 Author Share Posted March 12, 2013 As you can see, the motor shaft doesn't come even halfway up the birds nest... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomark10 Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 that looks fine, you just need to get the other side of the staggered belt wheel http://shdesigns.org/Craftsman-12x36/images/DCMotor-1.jpg for example Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve200TDi Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Nice pillar drill! The old ones are the best! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Generic multi-vee pulleys are available from http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/MULTI-_VEE_PULLEYS.html'>RDG As it's unlikely that the belt path will remain constant with a generic pulley, you'll either need plenty of adjustment or a couple of different length belts. How much do you want to spend? What about a new IEC framesize motor and inverter? Too much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heath robinson Posted March 12, 2013 Author Share Posted March 12, 2013 Those RDG ones look pretty perfect, there's adjustment aplenty in all directions. The whole drill cost less than £100 , including delivery, so new motors are probably a bit of a stretch, if it can be solved by a £23 pulley bit. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, that's ideal. Cheers, Jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Just so you know, I'd say they're cast and then machine back, they're not amazingly high quality - there are some bubbles visible on mine where it's been bored out. The casting will pretty much match your short shaft - they're not solid, more of a bell. There's no keyway, I've been looking in to picking up a broach to add one to mine. That said, it's running my Bridgeport absolutely fine - I do have the 'unequal ratio' issue - I can't use all combinations without changing the belt - but that's no problem as I use a VSD anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heath robinson Posted March 12, 2013 Author Share Posted March 12, 2013 I've ordered one, so I'll see how it shapes up. In all honesty, it's the lower rpms that I need, so it shouldn't need the key way. If it comesto it, I've cut key ways into alloy before with relative success with a hacksaw and Dremel. However, while popping out to check the girth of the shaft, as it were, I accidentally started cleaning a little of the grime off it, and... well... Now it's in many pieces. Some of them clean. It's so well made that it's a joy to disassemble (and hopefully reassemble!), and with not too much effort is cleaning up really well. It's massively built. The head, without the motor or lid or main rotating assembly, must weigh about 30kgs! It was supposed to be a tool though, not a complete restoration project, so I'll have to restrain myself, and get it back together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zim Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 I've got the exact same pillar drill. As said above you just need a staggered pulley on the motor. I Only have 1 belt and it works on the whole range with no slipping. I assume the 2 pulleys have to be the same but reversed. They are very nice drills Gordon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomark10 Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 I Only have 1 belt and it works on the whole range with no slipping. I assume the 2 pulleys have to be the same but reversed. Thats is the usual way, some bigger drills or mills have a tensioner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heath robinson Posted March 13, 2013 Author Share Posted March 13, 2013 I think the belt-size issue might arise from the pulleys on the thing from RDG increasing in different increments to those on the drill already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 Put a sleeve on the motor shaft and use larger bore pulleys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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