Can anyone identify this old drill press? J&S?

[Kostiantyn UKR]

Hi everyone,

I recently purchased this vintage drill press to restore it as close to its original condition as possible. Despite numerous searches, I haven't been able to identify the manufacturer or model of this machine.

I'm contacting all of you, hoping someone might have experience with this type of equipment. I'm looking for a few images of this machine's appearance when it was new, or at least information about its manufacturer and country of origin.

Initially, I thought it was a German machine (I found it in Ukraine, where I currently live), but after disassembly, I discovered that the thread on at least two of the studs is 1/2 - 12 treads, which suggests it might be from the UK or the USA. After reviewing many archival images, I suspect my drill press is very similar in style to John & Shipman or Pollard.

I would greatly appreciate any help you can provide! I plan to create a video documenting the restoration process.

Thank you very much!

Best regards,
Kostiantyn (KOLT Workshop)

 

[heimlaga]

Ласкаво просимо to the forum

1/2 " 12tpi is a Whitworth thread. Which is of English origin and was never used in USA.
However Whitworth threads were once in common use in most of Europe. My old rip saw which was made in Germany in 1885 has Whitworth threads. So has my mortiser which was made in Finland in the late 1940-ies and my bandsaw which was made in Sweden in the 1910-s.
Simply because Whitworth threading tools were available.
Metric threads became common much later than metric measurements.

We can conclude that your drill press is of European origin. As it has modern ball bearings and modern V-belt pulleys I would guess it is made after 1930. Ball bearings became comon in mainland European machinery the 1910-s and in British machinery in the 1920-ies. V-belts became common in European machinery in the 30-ies.
Though it looks too oldfashioned to be made after 1950 or thereabout.

Unfortunately unable to identify the maker.

I suppose the motor was mounted on the bench and the mount on the back of the frame held two pulleys that redirected the belts down to the motor.

I think it will make a good drillpress.

 

[Kostiantyn UKR]

Ласкаво просимо to the forum

Щиро дякую!)

Thank you so much for your advice and information!

My initial guesses about the origin of this machine were that it might be of German origin, specifically from the company Hille. Still, I couldn't find any photos of models similar to mine in the archives. When I disassembled the drill press, I found what seemed to be an atypical thread for German machines, but you provided new information about this. I will try to look for more German machines since they are quite common here due to historical events.

Among UK machines, I found some similar in style, like Pollard, but I haven't seen an exact match yet. I will continue my search and gradually repair what I have.

Thank you very much for your response and for taking the time to help.

All the best!

 

[Sideways]

Definately some similarities with the Jones & Shipman drill presses of the 1920's, but nothing quite matches
https://www.lathes.co.uk/jones-shipman-drills/index.html

Same for Hauser
https://www.lathes.co.uk/hauser-drill/

Superior
https://www.lathes.co.uk/superior-drills/

Wa-Co
https://www.lathes.co.uk/wa-co/

Denbigh
https://www.lathes.co.uk/denbigh-drills/

My quick trawl through the best source I know of can't spot your machine, but the links above show some makers of drills in similar style and may help you to date yours.

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/home.aspx also has info on manufacturers of vintage drill presses and is well worth a look.

Please let us know if you positively identify it.

 

[ChaiLatte]

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/home.aspx also has info on manufacturers of vintage drill presses and is well worth a look.

AIUI, vintagemachinery has a policy only to cover UK and US machinery. In other words, you won't find anything European there.

I am not saying do not look there but do so with that in mind.

 

[Kostiantyn UKR]

My quick trawl through the best source I know of can't spot your machine

Undoubtedly, this is a very extensive archive where I have found many interesting machines that can at least serve as excellent references for restoring mine. However, if I might still manage to find the original, and if that happens, I will share it here. If not, I will at least show the result of my restoration efforts.

 

[Kostiantyn UKR]

I am not saying do not look there but do so with that in mind.

Absolutely. Thank you.

 

[heimlaga]

Looking forward to the result!
Your people has quite an international reputation for the ability to reengineer stuff and make it work.

 

[toolsntat]

Bear in mind that this could be a spindle from a multi-spindle drilling machine.
Cheers, Andy

 

[Fergie 307]

Possibly one of the many thousands of machine tools sent to USSR during the war?

 

[Fergie 307]

Ласкаво просимо to the forum

1/2 " 12tpi is a Whitworth thread. Which is of English origin and was never used in USA.
However Whitworth threads were once in common use in most of Europe. My old rip saw which was made in Germany in 1885 has Whitworth threads. So has my mortiser which was made in Finland in the late 1940-ies and my bandsaw which was made in Sweden in the 1910-s.
Simply because Whitworth threading tools were available.
Metric threads became common much later than metric measurements.

We can conclude that your drill press is of European origin. As it has modern ball bearings and modern V-belt pulleys I would guess it is made after 1930. Ball bearings became comon in mainland European machinery the 1910-s and in British machinery in the 1920-ies. V-belts became common in European machinery in the 30-ies.
Though it looks too oldfashioned to be made after 1950 or thereabout.

Unfortunately unable to identify the maker.

I suppose the motor was mounted on the bench and the mount on the back of the frame held two pulleys that redirected the belts down to the motor.

I think it will make a good drillpress.

The Americans were actually among the first to adopt Whitworth threads, along with many of his other ideas. Arguably the foundations of their mass production industries.
They continued to use the form in some industries well after the second world war.
Whitworth was the basis for their own UNC.

 

[Kostiantyn UKR]

Bear in mind that this could be a spindle from a multi-spindle drilling machine.

It is probably so.

 

[Kostiantyn UKR]

Possibly one of the many thousands of machine tools sent to USSR during the war?

Probably so. Either help from the allies, or machine tools taken from Germany after the overthrow of Nazism.