Lets see those machines!!

[Greg Menke]

Deleted commercial post.

 

[englewoodcowboy]

I just acquired this small Drill Press, a Leland Gifford and I know it has been modified throughout the years. I intend on using it in my small restoration shop and eventually want to restore it to its former glory if I can find more info on it. If anyone has any info they can share, photos, manuals etc. parts sources I would be greatly appreciated. I am also looking to buy some other equipment for my shop such as a small lathe and mill. I have never restored an antique machine before but I don't expect it to be too daunting. Any tips, tricks etc. would be greatly appreciated.

 

[TheWizard]

I have this same blue drill press sans table & pedestal.
Same seafoam paint over, looks black underneath.

I just finished replacing its bearings. Didn’t put an indicator on it but seems it will make good (if tiny) holes.
Part numbers here: Need advice on old drill press repair.. -

The Home Shop Machinist & Machinist's Workshop Magazine's BBS

You can find old ads for it (“sensitive drill”) but no company literature.

 

[Billygoat]

I replied to this thread with a couple posts in 2009. I have done a few restorations since then. My favorite is a ~1917 20" Flather that I inherited from my father in 2010. I have only seen one other the same and it was chopped up a little. I believe this machine was the Cadillac of its day with very heavy castings. I was with dad when he got the lathe in 1972 when I was 15 yrs old. Dad had another lathe and a scrap guy he knew said he had a machine with a big chuck on it. We went to look at the chuck. There was the Flather leaning up against a big pile of scrap, complete and undamaged. Dad bought it for scrap weight, $130. Weight is 4100 lbs. I had to tear it completely down to get it out of dads basement.

The story was that there was a shop in Carnegie, PA that had a fire and every machine was scrapped. This machine was in the rear of the building no where near the fire. About 3 years ago I was contacted by a guy that saw pics of my Flather online and he saw I lived in Carnegie, PA. He was the owner of the shop that burned and was inquiring if I may have had his old Flather. He came to the house to see it and I let him run it. He was in his late 80's and it made his day to run his old machine that he hadn't seen for 45 yrs.

 

[Arclight]

I have been going through the 1938 Hendey lathe here for a while. This thing sat in a Harley shop for many years and every piece of tooling has 30 years of grease, rust and cigarette smoke on it. My new best friend: A $150 ultrasonic cleaner loaded with 100% strength Simple Green or (more aggressive and removes paint) 100% Purple Power concentrate from Walmart, in the automotive section. I pretty much won't even start working on something until its had a 30 minute bath in this stuff at 40-50 degrees C. Once it's out, I rinse and blow out the crevices with compressed air and then bake at around 150 before either painting or hitting it with some "Tool Saver" rust protectant.

I'll get some before/after pics up.

 

[dundeeshopnut]

!903 Hendey 12" I am putting the finishing "adjustments" on. Awesome shout out to the "Lord of all things Hendey" for making this labor of love a reality! She is not so clean and bright anymore.