Fobco drill press clean up

[Distinterior]

I dont think the missing collar necessarily needs to be made of steel......I have a Startrite pillar dril and its locking collar is made of Aluminium and it holds more than well enough....

 

[Craig22]

I wonder why also...? I do know someone with a lathe, (they are currently quite sick with covid - no surprise I guess) but until then I'll use the little clamp. Seems I can't buy the paragon paints down here, but I can take the top lid to a paint shop and ask them to match it. Next to find a pulley. Or I might just do a fancy careful masking job and spray it with the motor still in position. Thanks for all your feedback so far, I'd be completely lost without it.

Companies who do paint jobs on car wheels are a place to look. They can do most colours.

 

[Sandyn]

I wouldn't worry too much about the clamp at the moment. Once you have the main body of the drill set, I doubt you will ever move it again. The table goes up and down to accommodate larger things on the table. Just make sure the body is clamped tightly to the column. In this instance, having a clamp would have made no difference, you would have slackened that as well .
I would leave the pulley on the spindle and mask the motor. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!! By removing the pulley, you are inviting problems you don't want.

 

[Jill]

That's the advice I was hoping for! I'd rather not take things apart further, so its good to get 'permission' so to speak, as I was worried it would look like a job half done. I've been to the paint shop today to see if they can match the colour - next on the list is to make a proper table / stand for this to sit on - and with plenty of space around in the interim so I can spray this in a continuous session. Thanks again everyone.

 

[Fergie 307]

Looks like you are having fun, will be very nice once you have it finished. Only observations I would make are that Plus Gas is really good as a penetrating fluid to free up rusted parts. It's also easier to clean off afterwards before painting than some other products. And you can use vinegar or similar to clean parts, but really only if you can totally dismantle them first. Otherwise, as you have found, any dislodged dirt, rust etc can just gum everything up.

 

[Sandyn]

I see lots of old machines which have been completely refurbished/painted and they do look fantastic, but I like to retain the original look, warts and all. I give the machine a really good clean with de-greaser and where possible the high pressure hose or the spray bottle on my compressor. I fix what needs to be fixed then enjoy using it.

 

[Jill]

Sounds like a very practical approach to keep the warts and all! I've now scraped off all the paint and warts so no going back... I was told that I could get a spray can filled - but seems not, so I might now be faced with having to either paint this with a brush, which they have very good instructions for on the paragon website or - hire a spray machine.. mmm. I enjoy painting on plasterboard, wood etc but painting on metal is new to me. I imagine the enamel paint might settle more easily on metal? But it's hard to beat spray.
I think I can order in some Plus Gas (not common here). For the shaft, how best to buff this up? Is there a favourite attachment used to do this? I've got a variable speed angle grinder and have bought a few attachments but not convinced I've got the most appropriate tool yet.

 

[Fergie 307]

Paragon paint is very good. Personally I paint the awkward bits with a brush and then finish any large areas with a four inch foam roller. You may get bubbles using the roller, if so just leave it for a few minutes then pass the roller very lightly over any persistent bubbles. Between costs just wrap the wet roller in a plastic sandwich bag or similar, it will be ok for several days of you exclude the air. If you want to spray then Over here at any rate any place that sells paint etc to the bodyshops will usually supply spray cans filled with any colour and finish you like. Might be worth a trip to your local car bookshop and ask if they know any local suppliers that could help. The paints sold for tractors and agricultural machinery are also very good, but may only come in a limited range of colours.

 

[Sandyn]

For the shaft, how best to buff this up

Which shaft?

 

[Jill]

I mean the main central column that everything moves up and down on (that the clamp is missing on).
The table is currently very stuck, so I need to loosen it all up.

Re paint, yes I've found an automotive service who will make me up some in a spray can - !

 

[sawtooth-9]

I have used POR 15 ( Hardnose brand ) which is a two part urethane.
It's great because you can spray or brush.
I have used it on many machines and it has lasted well over many years.
You don't need to get spray cans made up - and if you do, it will not have the durability of POR 15

 

[Sandyn]

I mean the main central column that everything moves up and down on (that the clamp is missing on).
The table is currently very stuck, so I need to loosen it all up.

You have slackened the table, but it won't move on the column? I would apply penetrating fluid of some kind where the column and table clamp meet. I would secure the base to the bench. This will allow you to rotate the table on the column. it should move a fraction, then turn it back and fore applying more penetrating fluid. It should free off that way. If it doesn't, then the clamp could be seized. I would remove the chrome lever used to tighten the table clamp and see if the clamp bolt is slack. If it isn't, get soft mallet, and strike the end of the bolt. If you don't have a soft mallet, you can use a bit of hard wood and a hammer. If you are very careful you can just use the hammer to tap the end of the bolt, but avoid damaging the thread.
If the clamp bolt is slack, but you still can't move the table, I would get a helper to try to rotate the table on the column, or leave it overnight to let the penetrating fluid soak in.

if all that doesn't work, you can try using something to wedge open the table clamp, but only by the slightest amount, a fraction of a mm should be enough In the picture below, the blue line shows the seam on the column clamp. You want to tap something gently in that seam to break any seizure of the clamp. You are definitely not trying to wedge it open a lot. It's awkward to do. the secret is finding the correct thickness thing to wedge in, because it depends on the gap on the seam.

Cleaning the column. I wouldn't use any powered wire wheel or abrasive wheel on a grinder, too aggressive and leaves horrible swirly marks on the column. I just use wet/dry abrasive perhaps starting at 240 grit with penetrating fluid and start rubbing up and down the column. A messy business, but strangely enjoyable to reveal clean metal then I use finer and finer abrasives to get a better finish.

Does the base come off that machine?? it's better to work on the column without anything attached to it.

 

[Fergie 307]

Another thing that works well is one of the stainless pan scourers, the ones that look like a ball of swarf. Or if it's not too bad a scotchbrite pad.

 

[Fergie 307]

You have slackened the table, but it won't move on the column? I would apply penetrating fluid of some kind where the column and table clamp meet. I would secure the base to the bench. This will allow you to rotate the table on the column. it should move a fraction, then turn it back and fore applying more penetrating fluid. It should free off that way. If it doesn't, then the clamp could be seized. I would remove the chrome lever used to tighten the table clamp and see if the clamp bolt is slack. If it isn't, get soft mallet, and strike the end of the bolt. If you don't have a soft mallet, you can use a bit of hard wood and a hammer. If you are very careful you can just use the hammer to tap the end of the bolt, but avoid damaging the thread.
If the clamp bolt is slack, but you still can't move the table, I would get a helper to try to rotate the table on the column, or leave it overnight to let the penetrating fluid soak in.

if all that doesn't work, you can try using something to wedge open the table clamp, but only by the slightest amount, a fraction of a mm should be enough In the picture below, the blue line shows the seam on the column clamp. You want to tap something gently in that seam to break any seizure of the clamp. You are definitely not trying to wedge it open a lot. It's awkward to do. the secret is finding the correct thickness thing to wedge in, because it depends on the gap on the seam.

View attachment 139101

Cleaning the column. I wouldn't use any powered wire wheel or abrasive wheel on a grinder, too aggressive and leaves horrible swirly marks on the column. I just use wet/dry abrasive perhaps starting at 240 grit with penetrating fluid and start rubbing up and down the column. A messy business, but strangely enjoyable to reveal clean metal then I use finer and finer abrasives to get a better finish.

Does the base come off that machine?? it's better to work on the column without anything attached to it.

The trick to avoiding marks from a wire wheel is to take the edge off it first. Just run it hard against a thick steel plate, an old iron casting, or even an old file. This will blunt the bristle ends, it will still strip paint, rust and so on but wont scratch the metal, unless you really go mad.

 

[Jill]

Hi folks - making progress, have freed up the table, have decided to take the pulley off the back so I can paint the parts more easily. Taking that slowly as it is quite stuck, using a gear puller and leaving it overnight to soak in the crc.

 

[ybsom]

Great to hear your story. I am currently fitting new bearings in mine, having inherited it from my father. Having dismantled it I am even more impressed by the build quality - it is at least 50 years old and will last at least another 50, so worth looking after.