Cincinnati Bickford Radial Drill HELP!

[MyLilMule]

I volunteer at a roundhouse that has this biggish radial drill. We have it wired up and it runs.

BUT, we can’t seem to get it to go down. We managed to use this lever on the back to get it to go up, but now, someone has raised it up to near the top, and no one can figure out how to get it to go down.

We looked at VM for a manual and didn’t find anything.

There’s a panel on the back for adjusting the clutch and I THINK that might be it, but that is full of oil and I am reluctant to remove it on a guess.

Does anyone have an idea where we can get some operating and maintenance instructions for it? Feeling a bit lost.

 

[romie24]

When you try to lower the arm, are the column locks releasing? I have a parts and operation manual for my CB radial arm. It seems to me we had that issue a while back but I will have to ask my guys about it but that won't be until Monday.

 

[john.k]

I had one of these ,and seen others with the same problem.........the motor was running the wrong way.........this stuffs up the elevation (rise and fall) limiter linkages .....Its never noticed until the arm is run up to maximum elevation and jams the clutch engaged.

 

[MyLilMule]

I had one of these ,and seen others with the same problem.........the motor was running the wrong way.........this stuffs up the elevation (rise and fall) limiter linkages .....Its never noticed until the arm is run up to maximum elevation and jams the clutch engaged.

OK this is interesting. Something for us to look at.

This thing came with a big rectifier that takes the 480 three phase to 220 (or there abouts) DC to power the whole machine. I wonder if those are backwards.

Is there a way for me to tell which way the motor SHOULD be turning?

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

When you press the “ run forward “ button does the spindle “ run forward “ ?

Regards Tyrone

 

[MyLilMule]

When you press the “ run forward “ button does the spindle “ run forward “ ?

Regards Tyrone

There is no “run forward” button.

 

[romie24]

On both of mine when you pull the lever under the head to engage the spindle for drilling I have to pull the lever towards the spindle for correct direction of the drilling and away from the spindle to reverse if that helps you. I have 2 CB super service radial drills and they both work the same for motor rotation.

 

[MyLilMule]

On both of mine when you pull the lever under the head to engage the spindle for drilling I have to pull the lever towards the spindle for correct direction of the drilling and away from the spindle to reverse if that helps you. I have 2 CB super service radial drills and they both work the same for motor rotation.

This does help. I may go down there again tomorrow (I generally only go on Saturdays) and check it out. Thanks!

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

There is no “run forward” button.

What starts the spindle running - try that. Surely something says “ forward- reverse “.

Regards Tyrone.

 

[romie24]

Neither of mine say forward or reverse for the spindle, but the lever on the left side for up and down elevation does state up and down. I will post some pics tomorrow. I don't know how long it would take to download the parts manual I have but I'll try and see what it will take.

 

[john.k]

Ive recalled that my problem was that when the screw elevation hits its limit ,a device kicks out the clutch ,but if the motor is running the opposite way ,it actually jams the clutch in harder.............Ive commenetd on this before for others when my memory was better.

 

[MyLilMule]

Neither of mine say forward or reverse for the spindle, but the lever on the left side for up and down elevation does state up and down. I will post some pics tomorrow. I don't know how long it would take to download the parts manual I have but I'll try and see what it will take.

The lever on the left for up and down does nothing when we try and use it. Neither does the left and right rapid traverse. The guy that used to operate this machine when it was at Eaton, Corp. is also a member of the organization where this is at and is going to try and meet up next Saturday to help.

I'm going to check the polarity of the motor this week, though, and try that out.

 

[john.k]

The other possibility that shouldnt be disregarded is the elevation nut has stripped from wear.........my current drill isnt a C-B ,however it has a double nut with a gap ,and if that gap is closed ,then the main nut is cactus.

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I’ve never worked on a Cincinnati - Bickford drill but on the “ Asquith “ drills there was a sort of slipping clutch in the transfer box on top of the drill column. The elevating screw ran in the driving gear inside the box. The drive to the screw was provided by the weight of the arm hanging on the screw and providing friction onto the gear. If for any reason ( arm bottoming out on a large component for example ) the friction was lost and the arm wouldn’t go any further. There was a striker on top of the arm that contacted a cam at the top of the elevating screw on the way up that raised the screw slightly and again friction was lost. A very simple but effective method to prevent damage to the machine in event of an over-run.

Why I’m mentioning this is that if the arm became stiff on the column for what ever reason ( rust, lack of lube etc ) the drive would work in the up direction because the friction was still working but would fail on the way down because the friction would be lost.

Regards Tyrone

 

[romie24]

Here's some pics of the manual,

 

[romie24]

 

[romie24]

 

[romie24]

 

[romie24]

I haven't read it at all, I hope this may help somewhat? It was quicker for me to take pictures and post them then to sit down and try and download that manual. I can try later on downloading it.

 

[MyLilMule]

This is very useful. A little different than the manual I found at VM. I'll be taking these scans with me tomorrow when I go down to the roundhouse.

Thanks!