Compact, belt-drive and reduction-geared drill presses

One of the most useful machine tools I ever had - and foolishly sold - was a Meddings drill press with reduction gearing in the head. It looked like an ordinary job, took up little room but had an incredibly wide speed range (another drill in the same mould that disguised its talents even more successfully was the little Kerry Super 8) I was wondering, was there ever an American-made drill press available with the same characteristics i.e. compact, No.2 MT and with belt drive and reduction gearing?

The Electro Mechano 601 has a similar set up as I remember. Also the Buffalo 18" could be bought from the factory with a Lima gear motor that would give you the same effect but not as neatly packaged. I think you can still buy both of them.

Electro-Mechano

Drills - Buffalo Machines, Inc.

Andy

I just remembered there was also a company (Darjay?) that made a V-belt multi step pulley with a planetary gear reduction built in. That pulley like the Lima gear motor (direct drive + 2 reductions)could be added to most normal belt drive drill press.

Andy

Cripes, is electro mechanical serious with that website???

Tony's right.......the Kerry Super 8 ( http://www.lathes.co.uk/kerrysuper8/ ) definitely disguises it talents and capabilities.

My Mk11 came to me (free) after a very hard life, but apart from a new backgear wheel & 2 MT spindle ( both of which I made in house) new bearings belt and switchgear, plus a coat of paint she was up an running as good as the day she left the factory.

Mines the bench model - sit's there taking up next to no room and does the job

1/16'' drill - no problem,(it's got the speed and sensitivity) 1'' S&D drill (at 87rpm) through 3'' 6000 series alu - no problem (there were over 200 of them !) and up to 4'' holesaws through 3 & 5mm steel plate - no problem ( several dozen of them) the list goes on.

Plus it's done 00's if not 000's of tapped holes - up to 1/2'' coarse and 5/8 fine, using a Goliath auto reverse tapper.

As the saying goes ;- what is there not to like?

P.S. And I sold the usual ''POS'' Chinese drill the Kerry replaced for more than I'd paid for it new

Andy St said:

I just remembered there was also a company (Darjay?) that made a V-belt multi step pulley with a planetary gear reduction built in. That pulley like the Lima gear motor (direct drive + 2 reductions)could be added to most normal belt drive drill press.

Andy

Click to expand...

Thank you Andy - that's very helpful. I wonder if Atlas ever considered adding reduction gearing to their long-lived range of drill presses? http://www.lathes.co.uk/atlas-drills-31-32/

Andy St said:

Also the Buffalo 18" could be bought from the factory with a Lima gear motor that would give you the same effect but not as neatly packaged.

Click to expand...

Same effect? Nope, gear reduction has to be at the spindle or it's worthless.
Belts slip with next to no load, where gears do not.