Meddings pillar drill

[Steve Maskery]

Hi all
Well I think Christmas has come early. I bought a Meddings pillar drill on ebay and it arrived yesterday (I didn't even have to arrange carriage, it used to live near to MIL and SWMBO went to visit this weekend, she picked it up on her way home ).

It's older than I had anticipated, but it's built like a tank. The pillar is solid, not a hollow tube and there is no play at all in the quill. It has had the bearings replaced, so I don't have to grease them every three months and there is excellent travel, the main reason why I wanted an old one and not a new one. Yes, I know they are available, but at at a price beyond my budget.

The guy had offered it locally in the paper and only wanted £100 for it, but had no response. so he was delighted that I bid rather more than that. But I'm happy too, it's just what I've been looking for. I just hope the absence of a rack and pinion table isn't too much of an inconvenience.

The table is in quite good clean condition, the paintwork isn't rusty, just a bit jaded. I'm thinking of stripping it down and giving it a new coat of pain before I get it all set up.

It's all in pieces at the moment but I'll post some pics when it's together, or during the refurb if I actually do it.

For now I'm still painting walls and ceilings

Cheers
Steve

 

[Harbo]

Hi Steve - do you mean Meddings?

I haver one but it is 3 phase which I am running with an invertor which is not really up to it and loses power when things get tough!
I have a single phase motor ready to replace - it one day!

Certainly built to last.

Rod

 

[Steve Maskery]

Hi Steve - do you mean Meddings?

Er, thank you

 

[Steve Maskery]

Well it arrived in bits like this:

As you can see, a bit scruffy, but essentially sound. The previous owner had already replace the original bearings with sealed-for-life ones, so that wasn't a problem.

So I stripped it all down, cleaned everything up and gave it a nice new coat of paint. Undoing that spring was fun!

The original switch was just a dipole job, so I've made a new switch plate to house an NVR.

Brian-next-door has given me a hand with all this. It weighs a ton (that column is solid, not a hollow tube).

Once we had stripped it down we realized how it fits together. Proper old-fashioned engineering, no frills, totally serviceable.

The only job left it to reattach the badge. It was half off when I got it and I took it off completely to make the painting easier. But it was riveted on , the rivets being an integral part of the badge casting and now there is not enough metal to protrude through and rivet over. I may have to resort to Araldite, although I'm not keen.

As you can see, the table has taken some abuse, but I'll build a secondary table for it, so I won't see it anyway. It came with an XY table, not sure what I'm going to do with that. It'll be something else to get in the way, but I'm a bit reluctant to sell it. What to do?

I rang Meddings yesterday and spoke to a very helpful chap. I give him the serial number and within 30 seconds he could tell me that it left the factory in May 1963, so it is 45 years old.

It's cost me just under £200 including the refurb, and it purrs beautifully. If I'd bought, say, the Axminster, it would have cost me £300 and I don't think it would be as good a machine, nor would it have the capacity. The only thing I' think I'll miss from my NuTool one is the rack & pinion table rise & fall, but actually, adjusting the table is not as hard as I imagined it would be. Anyway, I've enjoyed the project, I have a machine I'm delighted with and I'm happy. I reckon it's now ready for another 45 years.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Racers]

Hi, Steve

Nice job mate, but how about a white racing stripe on the belt cover? that ridge is just calling out for one. I have a Fobco under my bench (to good a deal to pass up) that runs very nicely and a Axminister floor standing one for everyday use.

Pete

 

[TonyW]

Hi Steve
Very nice job there. Although you say that it was a bit scruffy as received it looks a lot better than some of the rust buckets I have seen offered on the bay!

What is the max quill travel (if that is the correct terminology) - most modern machines I have looked at appear to have max of 80mm?

Cheers
Tony

 

[Steve Maskery]

Thanks guys.

The quill travel was one reason why I wanted an old one.
I've not measured it exactly, but I think it's 4", maybe a tad over, and there is absolutely no play even at full depth.

Pete, Yes I did think about having drill-faster stripes, but it's been a bit of a pig to paint actually. There are a few bits that need another coat still.

I think I'm going to have to give her a name, she is so beautiful. A good 1963 name, I think.

Suggestions, anyone? I'm leaning towards Lulu at the moment

S

 

[motownmartin]

Hi Steve

Lulu's a good choice and got me thinking along the same lines and the name Dusty came to mind, if it were to be used in a woodwork shop then Dusty would be a very apt name

 

[wizer]

Well it won't be Red Ken will it... :roll:

Looks fantastic Steve

 

[dickm]

I have a Fobco under my bench (to good a deal to pass up) that runs very nicely and a Axminister floor standing one for everyday use.

Well, if it's having to sit under your bench, are you sure you wouldn't like me to give it a more comfortable, working home ?
I'm sure it would find my present Fobco wouldn't be jealous.

 

[Rich]

Same as that, my fobco has 5" travel.
Rich.

 

[Racers]

Hi, DickM

Its still hibernating, I plan to wake it up some time and keep it for drilling metal, when ever I get the extension built, thanks for the kind offer.

Pete

 

[OPJ]

Nice restoration work on the drill Steve!

 

[Racers]

Hi, Steve

How about Scarlet?


Pete