Wolf Drill Overhaul

[dickm]

Ive had great success with Plus Gas on things like King Pins, if youve been able to get it to move perhaps a good squirt of Plus Gas and knocking the parts back on before trying again, Ive got difficulty visualising what your doing,,is it a wheel with built in hub onto a keyed shaft?
Steve.

Basically, it's a plain, keywayed axle, with a pressed steel 10 inch wheel on it, held in place with big circlip. No idea when/if it's ever been off, certainly not in the 12 years I've had the machine. If/when it comes off (no, when the **** thing comes off) there's going to be a good slather of Copaslip going on that axle!

 

[bourbon]

It really pre-dates the period when companies were obliged to sell spare parts (Wolf, like other firms in that era, ran a repair depot network), so an exploded diagram is possibly asking a lot

My Dad's first job was in a Wolf repair depot in Birmingham in the 50's. His bench, complete with wolf logo, is sitting in one of my sheds now.

 

[Keith 66]

I had a similar wolf drill years ago, proper wrist breaker, I used to use it for drilling keelbolt holes on boats. Extremely well made.
however 50 or 60 years on from the production line there is a potential problem with all of them.
Metal case & dodgy wiring, Anyone who owns one of these would be wise to check the wiring inside, The flex & wiring from the switch etc used rubber insulation & it can & does go rock hard & become very fragile, in this state the machine becomes absolutely lethal & is liable to electrocute you.

 

[JobandKnock]

I still use one or two metal bodied tools (especially vintage routers). I always replace the flex (because rubber always perishes eventually), fit modern plugs and run them through a RCD. Rubber gloves are optional!

 

[Fergie 307]

I had a similar wolf drill years ago, proper wrist breaker, I used to use it for drilling keelbolt holes on boats. Extremely well made.
however 50 or 60 years on from the production line there is a potential problem with all of them.
Metal case & dodgy wiring, Anyone who owns one of these would be wise to check the wiring inside, The flex & wiring from the switch etc used rubber insulation & it can & does go rock hard & become very fragile, in this state the machine becomes absolutely lethal & is liable to electrocute you.

Which is why I would personally strip it right down, and rewire it if it hasn't already been done.

 

[keithy1959]

Thanks for the advice re electrics. It had started to perish, so I did check the connections and taped it up, but I will be replacing with modern flex based on your comments. I think it has always been used in it's stand, so the wear is a lot less than it could be

Thanks again.

Richard

 

[TheTiddles]

I had a similar wolf drill years ago, proper wrist breaker, I used to use it for drilling keelbolt holes on boats. Extremely well made.
however 50 or 60 years on from the production line there is a potential problem with all of them.
Metal case & dodgy wiring, Anyone who owns one of these would be wise to check the wiring inside, The flex & wiring from the switch etc used rubber insulation & it can & does go rock hard & become very fragile, in this state the machine becomes absolutely lethal & is liable to electrocute you.

Yep, we inherited some old metal cased circular saws in the 90’s, steel blades, none of this rubbish modern carbide nonsense, mostly burnt through the wood rather than cutting but did it with a cool blue glow as the motor and brushes sparked all over the place, the first one tripped the house circuit board and the second one just caught fire after a few seconds. Still, probably fifty years old even back then, they really lasted well.

My Mafell has only worked flawlessly for 12 years (because I bought it 12 years ago)

 

[keithy1959]

Well, all done and back together. I have also dismantled and re-built the chuck , and added a switch to make things a litte easier and safer. Thanks for all your sage advice.
Richard