Cincinnati Bickford 9" x 48"

[RMCSUPER]

Hi we have a Cincinnati Bickford 9" X 48" drill press and the column will go up but it won't come down everything runs while trying to go down but it won't move?? Anybody have this problem and what to do to fix it we have a owners manual but there's nothing in there about this problem.
Thanks in advance!!

 

[gbent]

I don't know about your bickford, but an American has a toothed clutch on the elevation screw. If you power the arm down onto something solid, the screw raises and the tooth clutch is disconnected. I expect your Bickford has a safety of some type that may be hanging up.

 

[john.k]

Is the motor running the wrong way?........reverse the wiring on the motor.

 

[RMCSUPER]

Is the motor running the wrong way?........reverse the wiring on the motor.

john.k, The motor has been wired the same for the last 24 years that I have been here?
Thanks, Kenny

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I don't know about your bickford, but an American has a toothed clutch on the elevation screw. If you power the arm down onto something solid, the screw raises and the tooth clutch is disconnected. I expect your Bickford has a safety of some type that may be hanging up.

“ Asquith “ radial arm drills had a similar device.
How free is the arm on the column ?

Regards Tyrone.

 

[RMCSUPER]

“ Asquith “ radial arm drills had a similar device.
How free is the arm on the column ?

Regards Tyrone.

Tyrone Shoelaces,
The arm feels normal we tried to adjust the clutch mechanism clock wise like it says on the plate and went too far and it wouldn't go up then, so we put it back to the same location and tried it counter clockwise and it still won't go down? Thanks Kenny

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Tyrone Shoelaces,
The arm feels normal we tried to adjust the clutch mechanism clock wise like it says on the plate and went too far and it wouldn't go up then, so we put it back to the same location and tried it counter clockwise and it still won't go down? Thanks Kenny

I’m not familiar with drills over there “ Asquith “ and “ Archdale “ had the market sewn up here to be honest. How they worked was the arm hung off the elevating screw which was driven from the gearbox at the top of the column. Inside the gearbox the elevating screw passed through a drive gear and was held in place by gravity. The drive was maintained by friction caused by the weight of the arm. When the arm came into contact with an inmoveable object or bottomed out, the arm was raised slightly, the friction was lost as was the drive. It’s really simple idea but very effective.
The point of all this is if the arm becomes sluggish or stiff on the column the friction can be diminished or lost completely. Then the arm won’t travel down the column but will always come up the column until you run out of travel.

Good luck with it,Tyrone.

 

[michiganbuck]

Hi we have a Cincinnati Bickford 9" X 48" drill press and the column will go up but it won't come down everything runs while trying to go down but it won't move?? Anybody have this problem and what to do to fix it we have a owners manual but there's nothing in there about this problem.
Thanks in advance!!

Check your travel limit stop switches and the direction of your travel motor.
very often a moror going the wrong way can make your stops the wrong way.

First check:
When you push the feed lever down the head should go downward and the lever up, go upward.
Then check the stop switches and their wiring..

 

[dana gear]

I have a Cincinatti super service, there is an elevating clutch system on it.
Check out Vintage machinery's site, there's a bunch of information both Maintenace and parts.

 

[RMCSUPER]

I have a Cincinatti super service, there is an elevating clutch system on it.
Check out Vintage machinery's site, there's a bunch of information both Maintenace and parts.

Dana Gear, Thanks but unfortunately I already have the book that they have on Vintage Machinery's web site and it's say nothing about the clutch system? Thanks again, Kenny

 

[MCritchley]

I don't know about your bickford, but an American has a toothed clutch on the elevation screw. If you power the arm down onto something solid, the screw raises and the tooth clutch is disconnected. I expect your Bickford has a safety of some type that may be hanging up.

That’s a clever feature, I had always considered the danger of crashing the arm down onto a work piece.

 

[dana gear]

Dana Gear, Thanks but unfortunately I already have the book that they have on Vintage Machinery's web site and it's say nothing about the clutch system? Thanks again, Kenny

I just checked it out and on Vintage's site, look at the Cinn Brickford super service and parts reprint on page 19

 

[MwTech Inc]

can only speak for a Cinn Bick Super but there is a lower stop plunger that stops the downward movement.
Located at the 2:00 position at the base of the arm casting while standing at the end of the arm looking towards column.
Make sure it hasn't been "jammed" up ,it does have some "free" up/down movement

 

[MwTech Inc]

Did you ever find the problem??

 

[RMCSUPER]

Did you ever find the problem??

Yes I found a gentlemen with EMRICK Machinery sales in Fresno California that knew right away what it was as soon as I tried to go down with it, there is an exposed acme style all thread running parallel with the column and it was spinning when going in the down position and if shouldn't have been. He took it apart and had to machine a new keeper washer to hold the all thread so it would stay in the fixed position. Problem solved. Thanks

 

[MwTech Inc]