Thread: Champion & Blower 20inch CamelBack Drill Press

A few weeks ago I picked up a 20in Champion Camelback drill. It was sitting in a shop unused for years. It is in working condition though. She is complete, but has a broken auto-stop collar and a bar to replace the original arm for the auto feed lever. Everything was initially tight but moved with some strain. Oiled everything up and now all is running smooth.



Serial number 16598, but I'm not sure what year it was manufactured.


The motor, a 1hp Century Repulsion Induction, is not original, but works fine.



Leather belts are dry and could use more tension. I like the leather and they will do for now.


The lower pulleys have whats seems to be hard tar like substance, perhaps years of dirt and belt dressing pressed and heated by the friction of many years of work.


The auto down feed lever must have been broken and replaced with a straight bar. I would like to re-create a new lever that is like the original.


Rapid up & down arm wheel is intact, seems many of these get broken over the years.


The upper drive pulleys and power down pulleys are solid and the babbitt bearings are tight.


The spindle graduations are clear, looks like about 6 1/2 inches of spindle travel.


The table is relatively clean, A few drill points pepper the surface, but its not too bad.


The drill came with a 12 inch shaper vise. Has to be around 200 pounds, I am guessing.



I think these camelbacks are neat, I've been interested in getting one for years, really looking forward to having it in the home shop. The power down will be nice and its a joy to watch running. If any of you guys have one like this I'd surely be appreciative of some measurements for the auto down lever, I'd like to remake one like the original. Thanks !

The stop collar and kickout arm were missing and broken respectively on my Canedy Otto 20" drill press. I had patterns for the two halves of the stop collar 3D printed by my buddy. I gave those patterns to the foundry and they cast them in aluminum bronze, strong stuff. I fabricated a new kickout arm. I'm in business.

I wrote up the stop collar part of the project:

http://www.nwnative.us/Grant/shop%20...es/stopCollars

If your quill happens to measure 2.370" diameter, you could use my patterns to cast yourself a pair to machine. Or even if it's just close - you can always machine it a little bigger.

metalmagpie

Wow. Nice CLEAN machine! You will have more than 6 1/2" of travel as the quill travels past the markings. something close to 9 inches. That machine looks almost identical to a Royersford 20 or 21 incher of the same era! If you need an immediate downstop, a muffler clamp of the appropriate size gently clamped to the quill will get the job done.

Good looking drill press.

Great save JK. There are still a couple of suppliers that will make new leather belts to order if you decide to replace the old ones, but treating them with neat's foot oil may help in the meantime. What was the machine next to your drill press in the first picture? Jim Custom Leather Drive Belts-Single-ply (11/64'&#39, up to 4'' wide Any size flat drive belts supplier | Al Bino Industrial Belting

Looks like you are missing the guard over the bevel gears, [unless it never had one]. You WILL want one however as those gears delight in flinging little bits of whatever you feed them especially when you have her "screamin'" at 500 rpms.

You're correct that the tar-like substance on the pulleys is most likely old belt dressing. There's many different recipes, most of which seem to have been home-brew, but they used to be common for giving a little extra grip to those smooth flat belts.

I mixed myself some awhile back and it seems that the common ingredients were rosin, pine tar, tar, pumice powder, borax powder, asphaltum, beef tallow, steam cylinder oil, and other various oils or additives to prolong the belts life. However you mix it, the goal was to make something that went on smooth, didn't harden too fast, and stayed tacky.

what am i missing i dont see any pics?
how do you know theres missing gard or a tar-like substance on the pulleys guys?

Originally Posted by metalmagpie

The stop collar and kickout arm were missing and broken respectively on my Canedy Otto 20" drill press. I had patterns for the two halves of the stop collar 3D printed by my buddy. I gave those patterns to the foundry and they cast them in aluminum bronze, strong stuff. I fabricated a new kickout arm. I'm in business.

I wrote up the stop collar part of the project:

http://www.nwnative.us/Grant/shop%20...es/stopCollars

If your quill happens to measure 2.370" diameter, you could use my patterns to cast yourself a pair to machine. Or even if it's just close - you can always machine it a little bigger.

metalmagpie

Magpie, I saw your 3D printed clamp pattern. Really nice job on that ! I'm not sure of the diameter, its probably close to yours, I will check tonight when I get home.

Originally Posted by dundeeshopnut

Wow. Nice CLEAN machine! You will have more than 6 1/2" of travel as the quill travels past the markings. something close to 9 inches. That machine looks almost identical to a Royersford 20 or 21 incher of the same era! If you need an immediate downstop, a muffler clamp of the appropriate size gently clamped to the quill will get the job done.

Thanks Dundee ! Great idea with the muffler clamp as a way to get the job done. Thanks for sharing

Yeah I'm missing that cover, would be great to find one. There always seems to be dust falling from the ceiling in the barn.

Originally Posted by jmm03

Great save JK. There are still a couple of suppliers that will make new leather belts to order if you decide to replace the old ones, but treating them with neat's foot oil may help in the meantime. What was the machine next to your drill press in the first picture? Jim Custom Leather Drive Belts-Single-ply (11/64''), up to 4'' wide Any size flat drive belts supplier | Al Bino Industrial Belting

Thanks very much jmm03 for the leatherbelt lead. I would like to keep running leather on it. The machine to the right of the drill is a ~1905 Chandler & Price "old Style" printing press.

Originally Posted by pan60

what am i missing i dont see any pics?

\Pan60 this in interesting. I inserted large pictures within the body of the text. About 9 or 10 of them. On my home computer they show up nice and clear and large. On my work computer, I don't see any of the pictures. Not sure why. Must be a reason and I'm hoping I'm about to learn something regarding posting pictures on this forum, so they can always be seen. If I figure it out I will report back.

Glad I could be of some help JK. I used John Knox for a belt on an old stamping press, as I remember it was a reasonable price for its size. I had guessed at it being a printing press, some more pictures of it might be of interest here. Please keep posting pic's of your restore as you progress, although it looks like it is in pretty good shape already. Jim

yea i would love to see the pics but not have anything here?
seems odd to me?
anyone have any ideas has to what the issue might be?

The power feed lever would be easy to make. The gear guard is a little more work but doable with some large washers and some strip stock. Or turn the whole shebang in 2 pieces and weld together at 90 degrees.

JK- The lever on mine is 5/16" x 3/4" bent at a 90. A little shape ground into the front. Pics below.

JMc

Bevel gear guard-

Originally Posted by cretedog

JK- The lever on mine is 5/16" x 3/4" bent at a 90. A little shape ground into the front. Pics below.

JMc

Cretedog and Dundee, Very much appreciated, Thank you! These pictures and information are excellent. The lever looks super easy to fab.

Originally Posted by cretedog

Bevel gear guard-

Looks like your machine is restored! Got any pics of her in her Sunday best?