Clausing Drill Press

edl · Oct 20, 2016

Having searched a bit, can't find any information on this Clausing drill press

the motor is a baldor Model 35E454-73

it is a 3/4h, single phase

the unit is floor standing

can anyone tell me anything about this machine? - problems to look for? - good? bad?

it is available locally on craigslist for a few hundred dollars and would be used in a home shop for drilling in metal (mostly, some wood)

here are a few pictures

thanks!!

redlee · Oct 20, 2016

Clausing is still in buisiness, hard to find a better press for that money. Providing it isnt worn out or damaged.
Tell me where it is and Ill get it for you.

edl · Oct 20, 2016

thanks Redlee - after some sleuthing, talks with the seller and with Clausing, it appears to be a Model 1642 15" floor model made in 1977

the key now is for someone like me (i.e., who knows nothing) to figure out if it is worn or broken - what is the best way to do that?

obviously i will run it at all speeds and listen for ugly noises and drill something - other than that?

gadget73 · Oct 20, 2016

Have a look in the chuck. You don't want to see the ends of the jaws bellmouthed or bashed up. Jacobs chucks can be rebuilt with new jaws, but its just something else to buy and deal with. Fully open and fully close the chuck too. It should go without crunching or jamming.

Pop the belts off and spin the various parts. If the bearings are bad, you'll feel it grinding. May or may not hear that with it running. Bearings generally can be changed, but again, something else to deal with.

Bill D · Oct 20, 2016

be nice if it is three phase. Extend the quill and shake it to get a feel for quill slop. reteract it all the way and shake to get a feel for bearing slop.
Bil lD>

tommy1010 · Oct 20, 2016

I also have a clausing drill press. Mine is a cabinet mount (not a floor model like yours). Mine also has a Jacobs chuck 3 mount vs yours with a (more desirable) morse taper mount. The five speed pulleys with the 3/4 HP motor never let me down. I also wired a drum switch on mine for forward and reverse. I paid $400 a few years ago for it and had to free up the quill. It spun but would not move up or down. Found a dead mouse in a nest around the quill and the pee rusted the gears together. Kroil and patience got it to move after a few hours. The little SOB was dried up and must have been there for years. Drum switches are cheap and reverse is needed (IMHO) on a drill press. I still use the clausing installed on/off switch just leave it on and control the drill press with the drum switch. You will need 5 wires between the drum switch and motor. Need to break the power lead in the drum switch. You can abandon the clausing switch and run the power leads directly to the drum switch and then you only need 4 wires to the motor. switch red and black.

edl · Oct 20, 2016

gadget73 said:
Have a look in the chuck. You don't want to see the ends of the jaws bellmouthed or bashed up. Jacobs chucks can be rebuilt with new jaws, but its just something else to buy and deal with. Fully open and fully close the chuck too. It should go without crunching or jamming.

Pop the belts off and spin the various parts. If the bearings are bad, you'll feel it grinding. May or may not hear that with it running. Bearings generally can be changed, but again, something else to deal with.

thanks G73 - 2 great tips - will do!

edl · Oct 20, 2016

Bill D said:
be nice if it is three phase. Extend the quill and shake it to get a feel for quill slop. reteract it all the way and shake to get a feel for bearing slop.
Bil lD>

Bill - it is single phase - 2 great tips... will do and thanks

edl · Oct 20, 2016

tommy1010 said:
I also have a clausing drill press. Mine is a cabinet mount (not a floor model like yours). Mine also has a Jacobs chuck 3 mount vs yours with a (more desirable) morse taper mount. The five speed pulleys with the 3/4 HP motor never let me down. I also wired a drum switch on mine for forward and reverse. I paid $400 a few years ago for it and had to free up the quill. It spun but would not move up or down. Found a dead mouse in a nest around the quill and the pee rusted the gears together. Kroil and patience got it to move after a few hours. The little SOB was dried up and must have been there for years. Drum switches are cheap and reverse is needed (IMHO) on a drill press. I still use the clausing installed on/off switch just leave it on and control the drill press with the drum switch. You will need 5 wires between the drum switch and motor. Need to break the power lead in the drum switch. You can abandon the clausing switch and run the power leads directly to the drum switch and then you only need 4 wires to the motor. switch red and black.

thanks Tommy - step 1 is to land the eagle - he is at $300 and i need to take a look at it - once home, diagnose and come up w a plan - it is advertised as in good working condition - we'll see

Bill D · Oct 20, 2016

That one does not seem to have a table lift. I think they can be added to most models. look for some extra holes around the table clamp area that a lift may bolt to. otherwise think about a gas strut or counterweight to balance the table+vise weight.
Of course ten years later I have yet to fix the quill spring on my dp.
Bill D.

edl · Oct 20, 2016

Bill D said:
That one does not seem to have a table lift. I think they can be added to most models. look for some extra holes around the table clamp area that a lift may bolt to. otherwise think about a gas strut or counterweight to balance the table+vise weight.
Of course ten years later I have yet to fix the quill spring on my dp.
Bill D.

Bill - that is right - my understanding is that you need to support the table when raising or lowering (and arm power it up when raising) - will look for the pre-drilled holes to add a track and handle...good point

thanks

jimk1960 · Oct 20, 2016

I have one just like that, got it in 1982. Mine has a bent arbor, but the rest of it is great. Seeing this one make me want to get it out of storage and fix it.
I do not think you can go wrong with it even if it needs some TLC.

edl · Oct 21, 2016

jimk1960 said:
I have one just like that, got it in 1982. Mine has a bent arbor, but the rest of it is great. Seeing this one make me want to get it out of storage and fix it.
I do not think you can go wrong with it even if it needs some TLC.

Thx jimk1960 - I will look at it today and let you know what happens

edl · Oct 21, 2016

OK - had a look - machine was used for wood...sawdust everywhere - i did not have a mic, so i could not measure runout, but absolutely no noise when running, and none with belt off and spinning pulleys by hand - no slop (that i could tell) with quill up or down

only issue (apart from light surface rust on the table) is that the table is seized to the column

the release only moves a half a turn - i called clausing and understand that is how it comes - so i am thinking some kroil, a 2 x 4 and a few taps may get all that going

as for price, was able to get him down to 250 - will pick it up tomorrow! - first DP...thanks for the input

CWB · Oct 22, 2016

For $250 you can do a LOT better IMHO, I was in HGR a couple weeks ago and they had several at that price. Those drills came with a few nice options and were good quality albeit light-duty but thats the base model cheapie. I'd want one with the larger table, table lift, reeves drive, and power feed. For metalworking you also might want one geared a bit lower, IIRC Clausing had a few different speed variations of that machine.

wawoodman · Oct 22, 2016

I think you did just fine. Enjoy!

edl · Oct 22, 2016

wawoodman said:
I think you did just fine. Enjoy!

Thanks wawoodman - you saved me from myself

redlee · Oct 22, 2016

You might do better , but when? I would have bought that press for that price.

edl · Oct 25, 2016

so far the machine is cleaning up nicely

the oem part for the wiring is 14/3 - the motor is 3/4 hp, single phase - it can be wired for 220 or 110 - i will wire for 220

14g wire usually means a 15 amp breaker - is that sufficient for this motor? - or back in the day were they running 20 amps off of 14g (in which case i'll use 12g w a 20 amp breaker)

thanks for any advice

edl · Nov 7, 2016

Answering my own question for those that may be helped:

14/3 back in the day is the same as today...15 amp breaker,single pole or double pole (as i am running it) - the guys at Clausing said 15amps should be ample (sorry) for the 3/4h motor - so that is solved

I have now decided to take the whole thing apart and clean and repaint

will post photos down the road

thanks

Clausing Drill Press

Aluminum

Titanium

Aluminum

Hot Rolled

Diamond

Stainless

Aluminum

Aluminum

Aluminum

Diamond

Aluminum

Aluminum

Aluminum

Aluminum

Hot Rolled

Hot Rolled

Aluminum

Titanium

Aluminum

Aluminum

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