Nova Voyager Drill Press

[ear3]

Brilliant job [member=69479]Jiggy Joiner[/member] .  Can you provide some additional info on the hand wheel crank?  That looks like a great solution.

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

Thanks Edward, the wheel is aluminium, 120mm diameter (4-1/2”) It came with a 12mm centre hole, so I drilled it out to 14mm, then drilled the side of the boss, and tapped an M6 thread to take the original lock screw and nut from the crank handle.

It works well, the table needs a little lift with my other hand whilst cranking, for elevating. That could be from the extra weight of the additional table though? Lowering is easy, just the one hand.

I would like to source a steel wheel, and I think up to 5” diameter would be ok, depending on the table design.
The thing with a 4” to 4-1/2” wheel though, would allow for a deeper table to wrap around the pillar more.

I worked out how big I needed my table to be before starting, and it’s so far been more than big enough.

I was going to use the table from my old press but, it needed a fair bit of modifying, so I decided to just start from scratch but, glad I did now.

 

[ear3]

Lol, I also started to type a question about how you got you managed to modify your DP with such a monster 12" quill travel -- and then I realized where you were writing from.

Thanks Edward, the wheel is aluminium, 120mm diameter (4-1/2”) It came with a 12mm centre hole, so I drilled it out to 14mm, then drilled the side of the boss, and tapped an M6 thread to take the original lock screw and nut from the crank handle.

It works well, the table needs a little lift with my other hand whilst cranking, for elevating. That could be from the extra weight of the additional table though? Lowering is easy, just the one hand.

I would like to source a steel wheel, and I think up to 5” diameter would be ok, depending on the table design.
The thing with a 4” to 4-1/2” wheel though, would allow for a deeper table to wrap around the pillar more.

I worked out how big I needed my table to be before starting, and it’s so far been more than big enough.

I was going to use the table from my old press but, it needed a fair bit of modifying, so I decided to just start from scratch but, glad I did now.

 

[Cheese]

I would like to source a steel wheel, and I think up to 5” diameter would be ok, depending on the table design.
The thing with a 4” to 4-1/2” wheel though, would allow for a deeper table to wrap around the pillar more.

Jiggy...FWIW...when it comes to tooling components such as drill bushings, spring plungers or hand wheels these are my go-to people.

Jergens:http://www.jergensinc.com/Handwheels-Handles-x20-And-x20-Knobs

Carr-Lane:https://www.carrlane.com/en-us/product/handles-knobs-screw-clamps/hand-wheels

Winco:https://www.jwwinco.com/en-us/products/1.3-Adjusting-with-handwheels-and-cranks

Kipp:https://www.kipp.com/gb/en/Products...wheels-crank-handles-position-indicators.html

McMaster:https://www.mcmaster.com/hand-wheels

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

[member=37411]ear3[/member]  lol Edward, imagine having that kind of quill travel!  [blink] [big grin]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] Thank you very much Cheese, I was struggling to find a decent one, I rang an engineering company who had one but, wouldn’t post, they were 150 miles away. The one I bought was clearance stock at an Axminster branch, so I’ll study those links.
Many thanks.

 

[Michael Kellough]

That kind of quill travel...

Between the on axis movement of both the table and quill support you can drill a hole about 3 feet deep. Now in storage in Jersey City.

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

Wow! What’s the runout like on that machine Michael?

 

[Michael Kellough]

Wow! What’s the runout like on that machine Michael?

Never measured, but could probably check it with a grade school ruler.

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

Yeah, I love the old presses, we still have an old Fobco that runs well, I think it’s older than me?
They knew how to build them in those days.  [thumbs up]

 

[Belle City Woodworking]

All I know about the Voyager is that I absolutely love mine!

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

Well after the Rohm chuck situation, there was a wait for inspection and refund etc.
So I then ordered the Albrecht, and it didn’t arrive at the stated time. The supplier said there was a hold up in Germany because of their shut down period, and did I still want one, or a refund.
I figured it would be difficult to source one elsewhere without a wait, so I said I wanted it and would wait a little longer.

Anyway, it arrived today, and it’s a nice bit of engineering, and I’m now glad I had the Rohm issue, as in my opinion, this is a better chuck, and by quite a margin.

I’ve mounted it onto a Rohm arbor, as I just could not get an Albrecht. I’m very pleased with it, it’s the finishing touch the Voyager needed  [thumbs up]

 

[rvieceli]

You will certainly enjoy using it.

 

[msc]

[member=69479]Jiggy Joiner[/member] Ime in Uk as well, just wondering where you purchased from?
Ime after a used drill press (probably Meddings) and all I’ve seen have keyed chucks.

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

You will certainly enjoy using it.

Thanks.

[member=24307]msc[/member] I bought it from Knighton Tools, and dealt with John
There was one on ebay last week stated as new.

 

[msc]

[member=69479]Jiggy Joiner[/member] could you send a link please? I have seen one but looks like a weird arbour. I assume arbour can be removed and i morse taper put on? Sorry I don’t know much about pillar drills as I’ve just used cheap machine mart Clarke type ones in past. I do know meddings are engineering quality hence looking out for one on ebay in single phase (missed out on one last week)
Thanks for the supplier info

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

[member=24307]msc[/member] Yes Meddings and Fobco, Startrite all made really good drill presses. We have an old Fobco that’s still going strong.

Do you mean a link of the chuck?

 

[msc]

[member=69479]Jiggy Joiner[/member] yes one on eBay and/or the one you bought.
I’ve had a look on Knighton tools website and there so many different ones and kind of appears there’s different  chucks for different arbours

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

Yes mate, they are all different sizes and fitting. Some have integral Morse tapers too.
Mine is a B16 2MT

That means the end of the arbor/morse taper, that goes up into the drill’s quill/spindle, is 2MT fitment size, the other end of the arbor/morse taper that goes into the chuck, is B16 size/fitment. My chuck takes 3-16mm drill bits.

My chuck, is 15th down the list, the last one before the integral chucks:
http://www.knighton-tools.co.uk/acatalog/ALBRECHT_CHUCKS___JAW_SETS.html

This is the one on ebay:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-16mm-A...ck-B16-Taper/143204264134?hash=item2157a3a8c6:g:8uoAAOSwWkFcqM2p

 

[msc]

[member=69479]Jiggy Joiner[/member] thanks for enlightening me on this. I didn’t realise there was so much to chucks! I just remember the term morse taper and thought this was standard for pillar drills. I think I’ll have to keep looking for the drill and then upgrade the chuck.

 

[Michael Kellough]

They say a drill/jigsaw is only as good as the bit/blade. The bit part still applies to a drill press (pillar drill) but once you need a stationary drill (as opposed to holding a drill by hand) you really want the bit to spin true and that’s where the superior chuck comes in. Even then you need spend enough to get a sufficient straight quill for the chuck to engage.