# Pillar Drill Restoration.



## Scouse (19 Oct 2010)

Ok. So I thought that rather than simply ask questions and read other peoples stuff, I would make a meaningful contribution to the life of the forum by putting up a few pictures of my latest restoration.

Having recently discovered that my small Leytool drill was not in fact powered by Revolutionary Marxist Pixies, I felt confident that it was unlikely that my pillar drill was subject to a similar propulsion system. I could see the cogs on this one.

So armed with a wire brush and some sandpaper, here is what I did.







Beginning with an unpromising pile of rusty bits, I began to scrubb.






More rusty nuts etc






At this point, Trevor the Sheep reminded me that I was very close to the wood with a can of Hammerite. I explained that it would be ok, and that the ash was in no danger. He said he would stand by with a rag just in case.






A shiny bottom. I tried different paint on this, but it didn't cover very well, so I returned to Hammerite.






Some bits, including the replacement handle I made out of one from a scrap Millers Falls number 2. Also a few projects for later, Hobbies fret saw and a JCB bandsaw which will be renovated and converted to treadle power on the Singer base you can just see under the MDF top.






Beginning reassembly. At this point I had to send Trevor the Sheep to the shops because he was freaking out at the amount of oil and grease near the new workbench.






Fiddly bits. Trevor returned with custard creams, a chicken and mushroom Pot Noodle and a more relaxed attitude, thank goodness.






The finished article. The sheep was sulking in a corner and wouldn't have his photo taken. The big baby.

Next project will be the bandsaw. I haven't had a proper look yet, the side door is siezed but, like the Leytool drill, I suspect it to be powered by a combination of magic and fairy-tale folk; Goblins, this time. They used to pull on the blade and make it go round, but they appear to have established a system of 17th century indentured labour whereby they employ Gnomes from the front garden on fixed term contracts in exchange for travel and accomodation to the Back Garden New World. The threat of treadle power turns them quite militant, and we don't want another Boston Tea Party...

I never thought restoring hand tools would be such a challenge.

El.


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## yetloh (19 Oct 2010)

Nice job; made to last forever.

Jim


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## Russell (19 Oct 2010)

do you need to walk a around them 3 times in sunwise circles to make them work :lol: nice job by the way


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## Jamesc (19 Oct 2010)

Nice work

It's good to see someone else around here with old iron disease.

James


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## jimi43 (19 Oct 2010)

Excellent! I love these too!

However...may I be the first to pronounce you totally certifiable....  :wink: 

Jim


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## Alf (20 Oct 2010)

Nice job. Although if one word of this shiny paint job gets out to mine, I will be holding you entirely responsible when it sulks...


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## bugbear (20 Oct 2010)

Scouse":27yxdi86 said:


> Ok. So I thought that rather than simply ask questions and read other peoples stuff, I would make a meaningful contribution to the life of the forum by putting up a few pictures of my latest restoration.
> 
> Having recently discovered that my small Leytool drill was not in fact powered by Revolutionary Marxist Pixies, I felt confident that it was unlikely that my pillar drill was subject to a similar propulsion system. I could see the cogs on this one.
> 
> So armed with a wire brush and some sandpaper, here is what I did.



Are there *really* no stray drill holes in the base?!? That's a first (IME).

Beautiful drill.

BugBear


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## Karl (20 Oct 2010)

Nice job - and is that a Richard Maguire bench you have? 

Cheers

Karl


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## Scouse (20 Oct 2010)

OH NO! Do drills sulk too? Things are bad enough round here as it is!

It is a Richard Maguire bench, I am a violin/cello maker (I hesitate to use the word luthier- that seems to have been taken over by people building electric guitars from kits!) and everything I do is by hand, no electricity whatsoever, so a good heavy bench is essential. I looked at Sjobergs and a couple of others, but for not much more money a Maguire seemed much better value; there isn't a piece of wood on it less that 4 inches thick!!!

Thanks for all the positive comments. My avoidance of electricity explains the Union A1 pillar drill above, amazingly with no stray holes(!).

Gosh, I got all serious there for a moment. Now if you will excuse me, Trevor the Sheep is trying to delete Masterchef from the Sky+ so he can record EastEnders. It will all end in tears...

Ellis.


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## CroppyBoy1798 (20 Oct 2010)

Nice work!!

Theres one of those drills sitting in my grandparents shed for years now, tis sitting there many more years than I've been on this earth, thats for sure! Its missing the chuck though. Its there for the taking but I could never see any benefit in having it or finding space to keep it!


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## Scouse (20 Oct 2010)

Thanks, Croppyboy. I do think they're worth restoring, and chucks are easy to come by.


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## mickthetree (20 Oct 2010)

hey scouse. I've never seen one of these in action. 

Seen a few go for a song but always wondered how effecient they are.

Would you be so kind as to offer up a small video perhaps?


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## AndyT (20 Oct 2010)

Does it automatically lower the bit into the work, or do you do that separately by turning the handle at the top?


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## jimi43 (20 Oct 2010)

I had a minature one of those...superb tools...

Nothing like it for accurate controlled slow drilling.

Wish I hadn't sold it now but a Dremel (washes mouth out with shavings)...takes on most of those jobs now...and it is controllable too (the varispeed one).

If I were a handtool sage then I would get another of them there giggery pokery things!

 

Jim


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## lanemaux (21 Oct 2010)

Just back after a wee absence and I come across this... wow ... purty. My guess is that you will get many happy hours from your restored (read as good as new ) drill. You have my envy Mi Amigo... gotta get me one of those.


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## bugbear (21 Oct 2010)

AndyT":1i586mj3 said:


> Does it automatically lower the bit into the work, or do you do that separately by turning the handle at the top?








Behold the automation!

BugBear


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## AndyT (21 Oct 2010)

Ok, I was looking at that as a ratchet, but it's not, is it. Instead, the long black bit with a pivot in the middle gets knocked by something at the bottom (not quite visible) every time the crank gets turned, and so the top "pawl" shifts forward, advancing the screw down a bit.

It's not so easy when you've never seen one working!


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## Scouse (21 Oct 2010)

mickthetree":2db5sa0x said:


> hey scouse. I've never seen one of these in action.
> 
> Seen a few go for a song but always wondered how effecient they are.
> 
> Would you be so kind as to offer up a small video perhaps?



Video... Now you're asking!!! I'll try and have a go.

The drill has an autofeed mechanism which works off a cam on the inside of the big drive wheel; this moves the pivoted arm in a sort of nodding donkey affair which pushes the horizontal toothed gear round and lowers the chuck slowly. It moves three teeth per revolution of the drive wheel, so it's not fast in it's descent! The mechanism can be turned off by means of the small brass lever below the mechanism and moved manually by the wheel at the very top of the drill. 

The drill has two speeds (although there is a version with just one) which are changes by removing the drivewheel and replacing it in one of the two holes, one of which is a more or less direct drive through the centre of the iron drive gear, the other is a lower hole which allows for the use of the gear system via a gear on the inside of the main drive wheel.

It is a much simpler system than the convoluted way I have just described it!!!

I emailed T.S. Harrison, who owned Union, and they sent me this, noting that it was the only information they held on the drill.






Ellis.


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## bugbear (21 Oct 2010)

The brag sheet says "three rates of feed"; how's that work?

BugBear


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## Scouse (21 Oct 2010)

That's a very good question and I'm glad you asked... :? 

To be honest I did read that, but this drill just has a small lever which by way of a worm gear type thing moves the horizontal gear up onto the pivoting arm, or down out of it's way. Setting the lever half way, doesn't really achieve anything. I have also tried shouting at it, but that didn't seem to work either. :lol:


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## bugbear (21 Oct 2010)

Scouse":160xs96i said:


> That's a very good question and I'm glad you asked... :?
> 
> To be honest I did read that, but this drill just has a small lever which by way of a worm gear type thing moves the horizontal gear up onto the pivoting arm, or down out of it's way. Setting the lever half way, doesn't really achieve anything. I have also tried shouting at it, but that didn't seem to work either. :lol:









If that's the contact plate that connects with the cam on the big wheel. it looks as if rotating it would contact the cam to a greater or lesser extent.

It also looks as if it *can* rotate.

It's also too complex a shape to be "fit for purpose" if it were just a simple contact.

Waddya' reckon?

BugBear


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## Scouse (21 Oct 2010)

Sadly it is a needlessly complex shaped simple contact. the arm is a single casting. I have another drill the same as this one, stripped down and awaiting renovation on which the arm is also a single casting.

The only time the shape might come into play is if the drive wheel is moved to the other speed position. The cam is located around the central spindle of the big wheel, so moving the wheel position to the higher or lower hole to change speed will alter the point at which the cam contacts the contact plate highlighted in your picture.

Or at least I think so, I'm beginning to confuse myself now! :lol:


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## bugbear (21 Oct 2010)

Scouse":2etpczd5 said:


> Sadly it is a needlessly complex shaped simple contact. the arm is a single casting.



Fair enough - I guessed wrong. I thought the dimple was a pivot.

BugBear


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## Mike_84 (27 Sep 2015)

Hello guys.

I'm new to this so have a question.

I've recently picked up same Union A1 drill and it needs a bit of TLC.

It would seem however that mine is set up for the lower speed or 1:1 (I think) ratio.

Does anyone know how to shift it into "second"? 

I'd think it needs removing the shaft with crank wheel and placing it in the lower position so the planetary is engaged but how to do that I'm none the wiser.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers
Newbie


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## Scouse (27 Sep 2015)

The main crank wheel just slides out and into the lower hole or the hole within the gear, as in the picture above. I've done a few of these now and it is common for the wheel to need some encouragment to come out, with a rubber mallet for example. After cleaning and lubricating it comes out much easier.


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## Bluekingfisher (28 Sep 2015)

No Leccy? You must be using one of those gas trubine computers and hand crank cameras to post the thread and piccys. It's amazing what those Victorians could come up with eh  Nice restore btw.

David


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## Andy Kev. (28 Sep 2015)

How easy/difficult is it to get hold of one of these machines? I'd love to have one and they look like they'll be still around long after all their electric cousins have ended up on the scrap heap.


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## AndyT (28 Sep 2015)

Andy Kev.":11c51uhz said:


> How easy/difficult is it to get hold of one of these machines? I'd love to have one and they look like they'll be still around long after all their electric cousins have ended up on the scrap heap.



I got mine by setting up a 'followed search' on eBay and waiting until there was one near me. They are often offered 'collection only' by people who want to get the space back but don't want to just scrap or dump them. That's good, as it means you can get one cheap, especially if it has a little rust. In contrast, I think that if someone is going to go to the trouble of crating it up, they will expect to get more cash for it.

Of course the fancy two speed models are not as common as the basic ones.

I'm assuming you have contacts in UK or come over here enough for this to work, or that they are just as common on German eBay - they must have sold in Germany at the same period as here and in the USA.


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## Andy Kev. (30 Sep 2015)

Andy,

unfortunately I don't have the contacts in the UK any more who would be in a position to organise such a thing. I'll settle for making a regular weekly check of German ebay to see what comes up (all comes to him who knows how to wait). So far I've seen one vaguely similar bit of kit but it was an absolute monster and frankly looked a bit primitive.


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## clauskeller (1 Oct 2015)

Servus Andy,

I love these old drilling machines and own of course a Union #1. I don't think they were exported to Germany in large numbers due to WW2 and later because there where a lot of similar machines of German origin.

I got mine through ebay UK, just asked the seller it he would ship it abroad. It's even sufficient that the seller packs it carefully, you can organize a pick-up by a courier easily online from Germany. I have done this many times.

Good luck, nice working machines!

Claus


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## Andy Kev. (1 Oct 2015)

Grüß Gott Claus,

thanks for the tip. Which courier firm do you use to collect things from the UK?

Andy.


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## clauskeller (2 Oct 2015)

Servus Andy,

I used this one: https://www.dercourier.de/default.asp, because you can hire them from your place in Germany. Actually this is an agent, the courier it GLS.

Now look on ebay UK, there are several drills offered. Search for "pillar drill" and/or "drill press" together with "vintage, old, Union".

Good luck

Claus


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## Rhyolith (16 Dec 2015)

Does anyone know anything about the "Union" company? There seems to be virtually no info on it anywhere...


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## Andy RV (16 Dec 2015)

Rhyolith":1c28xxge said:


> Does anyone know anything about the "Union" company? There seems to be virtually no info on it anywhere...



Try Boxford Union.


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## Rhyolith (17 Dec 2015)

Here is my Union A1. I fully restored it about 2 years ago. 



Union Bench Drill by Rhyolith, on Flickr

I tried Boxford Union, does not seem to be anything relating to drills.


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## Andy RV (18 Dec 2015)

Apologies, I jumped to the end of this thread and presumed we were discussing slightly more modern drills... like Boxford Unions!


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## Monkeypaws (24 Jan 2016)

I realise that it is a while now since you restored you drill but it remains the best source of information about this model. I recently bought on in pretty great condition - all teeth on wheels and cogs all present, undamaged or worn. I have hit a slight problem though that while the arm advancing the quill does its job happily when not under load but once drilling it does not advance. Can only think that the spring returning the arm might need replacing but was wondering if you had similar issues? Any light shed would be very much appreciated.
Yours
William


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## Rhyolith (26 Jan 2016)

Could you photograph or even better video the problem? I struggle to help with these things from written info only. If not there will probably be others on here who know something


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## biskit (29 Jan 2016)

I had one of these drills, it was in a lock up garage that the travelers broke into, all the metal went and the hand bench drill.  
Great job you've done. =D>


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## Wildman (29 Jan 2016)

I believe the rate of feed is set by the position of the ratchet pawl plate, slacken and move it to increase/decrease the number of teeth it traverses


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## Monkeypaws (18 Feb 2016)

Have taken some pics of the offending spring. Basically, much like the spring loaded prawl at the head of the pivot arm, this seems to be employed to keep the pivot arm in contact with the cam on the wheel. If other people's drills do not have this, how does the pivot arm stay in contact with the cam?

Any light that can be shed on this would be fabulous as while I can use hand braces for most things this is needed to help me with such drilling that needs a higher degree of presision esp when drilling on angles. I live in a converted carriage house next to a old manor house. The owners have been more than happy to let me convert the loosbox attached into a woodshop on the proviso that noise is kept to a minimum, with no electrical machines allowed. So I leave work at the joinery and effectively step back into the 18 century much slower but generally more fun.


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## Bod (19 Feb 2016)

Some "Cam contact" springs are torsion springs, which are around the pivot rod, and work by twisting rather than pulling or pushing. Given 50-100 years of gunk they can sometimes not be easy to see at first glance.

Bod


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## clauskeller (19 Feb 2016)

Bod,

It should look like this:

Front: 




Back: 




Claus


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## Bod (19 Feb 2016)

Looks good to me.
There are several different manufacturers, each had their own ideas.
Yours looks to be one of the better simpler ones.

Bod


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## Scouse (20 Feb 2016)

Gosh, this takes me back! Been away for a while and only just seen this!

Well, from what I remember, the spring was weak on all of the 4 or 5 drills I restored, and I simply replaced it with a modern alternative.

I seem to recall that the feed rate was controlled by how fast you turn the main gear, the contact point with the advance gear was controlled by a simple on off lever, with no capacity for changing the feed rate. I think that manually turning the top wheel will allow you to advance the feed rate, but this would require the addition of a third pair of hands.

My caveat here is that, although I did restore and use the drills, they all went to the great auction site in the sky 4 or 5 years ago, so this is all from memory!


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## clauskeller (21 Feb 2016)

I think, the rate of feed is controlled by the lever. Left = disengaged; middle = slow rate; right = fast rate. Thats with the Union A1.

Claus


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## Bod (21 Feb 2016)

All the drills of this type, I've seen/had, the feed rate is wrong for what ever I've been drilling, so has been not used.
My current Mancuna will actually bend the pillar(!) if the auto feed is used, unless the drill bit is cutting aggressively.
Most will advance by 1-2 notches per turn of handle, and can often be adjusted by a screw.
Just flip the rachet over to stop the autofeed.

Bod


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## Stanleymonkey (30 May 2016)

Just stumbled across this thread in a google search for other things. 

Great restoration - did you ever get round to the bandsaw conversion?


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