Thread: Faster speed change on drill press

I've thought about using a Motor cycle gear box? But the gear ratios are not of broad enough a range (usually 3:1) so maybe two gear boxes in series would give 21 speeds (but in reality only about 12 significantly different speeds). The problem is still the speed range would still only be about a factor of 7 so for a 3000 rpm drill the lowest speed would be only 430 rpm.

For only 1400 pounds you can purchase a lovely wide ratio racing MC gear box so 2800 pounds should solve the problem!

If anyone knows of a trial bike that maybe has a nice wide range of gears (5:1) x 2 please let us know.

Cheers.
BobL

How about replacing the pulleys and belts with a set of gears from a mountain bike, You usually get 3x7 or 3x8 which would yield 21 or 24 gears. Then set up the derailleur so you can change it. Hmm, mightn't work in a horizontal application though...

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">Gears would be a lot of mucking around although if you could get them work they would be a great addition, I was hoping for something easy to help speed up the process of changing speeds.. maybe it's too difficult otherwise manufacturers would have done it.

If I could just cut out a few steps like pushing the motor toward the column (so that you can loosen the belts) I'd be happy.
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Perhaps an oversize belt, maybe 1"-2" too long, and build a quick release tensioner?

Originally Posted by silentC

How about replacing the pulleys and belts with a set of gears from a mountain bike, You usually get 3x7 or 3x8 which would yield 21 or 24 gears. Then set up the derailleur so you can change it. Hmm, mightn't work in a horizontal application though...

Another problem is I don't think a derailleur is designed to work at 3000 rpm at the motor end.

Come on, where's your spirit of adventure?

what about an electronic speed controller
witch1

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Perhaps an oversize belt, maybe 1"-2" too long, and build a quick release tensioner?

Would the oversize belt be prone to slipping?Quick release tensioner sounds good, anyone have any plans for something like that?

Wouldn't slip provided it's properly tensioned.

The hardest part of making the tensioner would be catering for the belt moving up/down a pulley. If it wasn't for that, you could get away with a bolt winding in from the side, with a roller pulley at one end and a hand-wheel at the other. Perhaps something like that mounted in a slot so you could adjust it's height to suit the belt?

Not exactly quick release, but still a lot simpler than effing around with spanners, etc.

Originally Posted by Tiger

Many of us have drill presses and like mine it is a PITA to change speeds so we go on merrily using whatever speed is currently set despite knowing that we should change it. Had a look on Google and there's not much on how to modify the tool so as to be able to change speed easier, anyone been able to do this or have any thoughts about how to do this?

how come you can get a lathe with electronic speed control, or one where you can change speed by moving a lever but can't something similar in a drill press?

ian

Both Delta & Powermatic(Jet) have come out with variable speed drill presses, using the same split pulley system that is used in most Chaiwanese wood lathes. You just push/pull a handle on the side of the head & it changes speeds steplessly.

Now all we have to do is wait for the 'Woodman Group' to bring in the Powermatic, no chance of the Delta now it seems (it has even more bells & whistles, including digital depth readings)

So you -could- get a split pulley setup as spare parts from Hare & Forbes, then set up your own.

As long as the motor mount frames are standard, any retrofit replacement motor for a lathe with electronic speed control could also be applied to a drill press. ($$$)

On my ancient Craftsman drill press, the motor positioning rails are secured with bent bolts - looks like an allen wrench with threads on one leg, and a rubber blob at the end of the other. Tightened by hand without a spanner. I think it was originally that way, but might have been a DIY modification by a previous owner. Works pretty fast for belt shifting. An added benefit: in locked position, the short leg of the bent bolt is vertical upwards, and holds the chuck key with an attached piece of unstranded wire.

Joe

Originally Posted by ian

how come you can get a lathe with electronic speed control, or one where you can change speed by moving a lever but can't something similar in a drill press?

ian

You can.