New Meddings owner. If I've learnt one single thing...

[Bm101]

It's that patience is a virtue when buying old machines. Several months, many, many dead ends later I've ended up with this Meddings drill. It's in good nick where it counts as far as I can tell. Needs some work but it works, the rest I can put off till I have time to remedy.
Until then, from researching on here, I understand the manual is either non existent or singularly hard to come by. I know I can get some info from Lathes.co.uk but I'd rather not pay if possible. Does anyone have any thing they are willing to share. A parts diagram might be enough. I'm willing to do private dances for info. :-$
Expect more stupid questions.
Thanks as always.
Regards
Chris

 

[worn thumbs]

I can't help with the manual but you must be aware that Meddings drills are the standard to which most others fail to compare.Other than a good clean,what actually needs doing?

 

[Bm101]

I'm a daft pipper. I meant to post a couple of pics.
Ebay pic. It came with the stand and vice.

The return spring is Kaput. Looks like it's been fixed a couple of times. New one probably in order.

I'm guessing it's an M4 from the plate. Can anyone shed any light? Sorry for my ignorance.

Other than that it's just awaiting resurrection. Some tidying on the electrics, a degrease and clean up... Oh and some help from the neighbours lads to help me lift it into place.

 

[marcros]

meddings sent me a parts diagram when I asked. They are very good.

I am not sure if I still have a copy but will look.

 

[custard]

I've ended up with this Meddings drill.

Huge envy here! I spent a couple of years looking for a local Meddings or a Fobco while I struggled with a piece of Chinese junk. In the end I gave up and got a top of the range Axminster engineering pillar drill. It's nice enough, but when I read stories like this I wish I'd kept hunting a bit longer.

Good luck with the refurb!

 

[toolsntat]

Well done Chris, hope there's no hidden niggles for you =D>
Cheers
Andy

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Meddings will identify it and date it from the number. Having said that according to them mine doesn't exist, despite the plate being perfectly legible and not interfered with in any way.

 

[Steve Maskery]

My Meddings is called Lulu, because she was built in in 1963 (or whatever year it was that Lulu had a hit with Shout).
And yes, I know that a better name would have been Cilla the Pilla Drilla.

Edit - It was 1964, apparently.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I'd put a smiley in if I could get the right hand side of the screen back. My bench drill apparently has the number of a pillar drill built in 1959, which date wise is likely as a plate on it says property of Bush Radio - which ceased to exist as a solo entity in 1961. Still sweet, though.

 

[finish_that]

Thats an MB4 B for bench - F would be floor plate has been badly stamped .
Good plan to get help as they are dangerously heavy, check the gearbox oil as if it did not leak in transport it may be low on oil.

 

[Bm101]

meddings sent me a parts diagram when I asked. They are very good.

I am not sure if I still have a copy but will look.

Thanks Bud, will get in touch with Meddings. The lathes manual is £40. :shock: That's nearly a third of what I paid for the drill! Think the parts diagram will be enough info anyway.

 

[Bm101]

I've ended up with this Meddings drill.

Huge envy here! I spent a couple of years looking for a local Meddings or a Fobco while I struggled with a piece of Chinese junk. In the end I gave up and got a top of the range Axminster engineering pillar drill. It's nice enough, but when I read stories like this I wish I'd kept hunting a bit longer.

Good luck with the refurb!

Thanks Custard. I suppose needs must as a professional, I had the time to hang it out. Saw some nice ones get away and nearly gave up. One Fobco star I was watching went for £505...
Funny enough I nearly got a denbigh floor standing, after a bit of misunderstanding about forklift trucks and walked over to turn ebay off in defeat when I saw the listing for this one. Much closer and half the price and sale in an hours time. In the end it all comes down to luck.

 

[Bm101]

Well done Chris, hope there's no hidden niggles for you =D>
Cheers
Andy

Cheers Andy, been a long and winding road eh? Got there in the end! :wink:

 

[Bm101]

Meddings will identify it and date it from the number. Having said that according to them mine doesn't exist, despite the plate being perfectly legible and not interfered with in any way.

Thanks Phil, good tip as always.

"I'd put a smiley in if I could get the right hand side of the screen back" *fixed*

 

[Bm101]

My Meddings is called Lulu, because it was built in in 1963 (or whatever year it was that Lulu had a hit with Shout).
And yes, I know that a better name would have been Cilla the Pilla Drilla.

Annnnd it seems we have a winner on the name that drill competition!
My old hand cranked rub your belly pat your head drill is named Bertha although (*looks over shoulder and whispers) I fear Bertha may soon be turning up in the sale section. Space always being at a premium in the shed but I will miss her. Funny that I wouldn't name any other bit of kit just big drills.

 

[Bm101]

Thats an MB4 B for bench - F would be floor plate has been badly stamped .
Good plan to get help as they are dangerously heavy, check the gearbox oil as if it did not leak in transport it may be low on oil.

Thanks, that's a big help. Already led me to more info online.

 

[marcros]

Thats an MB4 B for bench - F would be floor plate has been badly stamped .
Good plan to get help as they are dangerously heavy, check the gearbox oil as if it did not leak in transport it may be low on oil.

Thanks, that's a big help. Already led me to more info online.

I definitely never had a parts diagram for that. I think that I had Drilltru mark 2 and mark 3.

 

[Myfordman]

Replacement parts even if available will be silly money from manufacturers but surprisingly there are a huge number of generic parts on ebay. Search for "Drill Quill Spring"

 

[Bm101]

I'll get in touch with them direct I think Marcros. Thanks.

MM, I did see in an older thread that someone had got one shipped in from Hong Kong I think and it seemed to work fine. The return spring from Meddings was about £40 I think. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll take a look.

Edit. I've managed to find this MF4 exploded parts diagram online: http://imgur.com/a/7xA8p

In the meantime I have bought some ISO 22 oil, some Shell Gadus V2 grease which seem to be the modern equivalents of those recommended on the drill info plate annnnnnnd a grease gun. Phew. I need a pint after all that.

 

[Bm101]

Just a small update for any interested.
I kind of knew in the back of my head that I would never just give it quick clean and get it drilling although for a tiny while there I nearly got away with it.
I started with the column, base, table and the little tray thing that acts as a brake to the head. Stripped all the surface rust except on painted parts and degreased and cleaned the lot. Nice. Time for a pint and a bacon butty. Breakfast of Champions.

I popped to the van to get my set of massive work allen keys to undo the base. (we use them on the weight trolleys we abseil off, Silverline. My firm only buys the best gear when it comes to life saving equipment TBH With apologies to Silverline, actually they are fine. ) I'll have these off in just a mo. Had one of them embarrassing moments that you're glad no one sees before you share it with the whole internet as none of them fit. Ahhh ffs. Imperial! Eeejjit! Thank God no one saw that eh?

Then I heaved the drill head up onto the workmate. Christ on a bike. Heavy and covered in oil. No discs herniated . Sweet. Give it a basic clean up but reminds me of the saying, the world is a big place. Not if you have to clean it it's not. The more I cleaned the more I began to guess about the drill. The paint job is second hand. Underneath is a darker grey original colour scheme. No worries. I like a grey machine. Very dignified.

Spent some starting to derust the gearwheels. Opened the oil valve to empty the gearbox. Nothing. No surprise as most of it is on the plastic on the shed floor. Good to make sure. Still not sure where to pour in the new gear when it stands on the column. Started cleaning off the blue paint off the gearbox casing. (By this point we are committed to a repaint.)

Today I bought some imperial keys from Cromwell and another can of Jizer. Does nobody inform the Marketing firms of the names of these products? :shock:

Got onto Meddings. Lovely lady. She's sending me some info. Mark 2 M4 . August 1965. Mr Maskery I've tried to link it to Sandy Denny, Who knows where the time goes but that was released '69. Ironically The Beatles released Help in August '65. Lol.

Went to Mrs parents Golden wedding do on Sat. Got talking to the brother in law. I've bought this Meddings. What about the old one he says. Well its up for sale I say. But I love that drill he says, you can't sell Bertha!
Came to pick it up the next day on the way home to Sommerset.
:wink:
Everybody's happy.

Cheers
Chris