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  1. #1
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    Default Boynton & Plummer Post Drill

    Boynton & Plummer formed in the USA in 1879, a year after E.N. Boynton began making post drills. The company went under during the early 1940s.

    Mine is Boynton & Plummers model No.1½, which was first made by E.N. Boynton from 1878 and was still in production in 1903. I don't know when production ceased.

    (excuse me if I plagiarise myself and use much of the text from another thread...)

    I bought my No.1½ in August this year and collected it, just up the road from Seanz, in rural Canterbury late September. It won me over with it's classic looks (particularly the tapering curved part of the main casting that mimics an extension of the column), and its passing resemblence to a Silver.

    BP sellers3.jpgB&Pseller3.jpg sellers photographs

    BP adv.jpg 1878 advert (from OWWM). I just love this advert - I bet that magnetic oil can was ahead of it's time - though I suspect half the oil drained out...

    The crank arm is missing, as is the crank hub (that engages main crank cog or flywheel cog - depending on speed required). The flywheel has been replaced with a large iron pulley. The table is broken off and the head of the fork clamping bolt has snapped off.

    B&Pdisass.jpgB&PmaincastHL.jpg Home at last - with a little restoration started.

    Drilling to the centre of an 11" circle (i.e. a 5½" reach), this should be my smallest post drill - equal in reach to my Canadian Blower & Forge No.61. However it's quite massive in comparison. Here it's shown beside my recently acquired Silver.

    B&PcompareHL.jpg main castings - 12" Silver (left); 11" Boynton & Plummer (right)

    B&PforksHL.jpg B&Pforks2HL.jpg forks: (L-R): 12" Dawn; 12" Champion; 12" Silver; 11" Boynton & Plummer.

    The spindle is 1⅛" dia. vrs ø⅞" for the Dawn & Champion; and ø1" for the Silver.
    The column is 1¾" dia. vrs ø1⅛" for the Dawn; ø1¼" for the Champion; and ø1⅜" for the Silver.
    And the flywheel (if it had one) would be is 14½" dia. vrs ø11⅜" for the Dawn; ø12" for the Champion; and a tiny ø10½" for the Silver.

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

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  3. #2
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    Default Dis-assembling the Feed and Spindle

    Here's how I took the spindle, coupler and feed apart yesterday.

    1) To remove the Feed Screw and Spindle assembly, first remove the Feed Wheel. This is usually fixed to the Feed Nut & Sleeve by a square headed Set Screw. Tap the Feed Wheel off gently.
    BP1HL.jpg BP2HL.jpg the square head set screw shows in this pic.

    BP2aHL.jpg Feed Wheel is off revealling the Feed Nut & Sleeve - which extends right through the top lug of the main frame.

    2) Next release the Spindle by undoing the Coupler Nut. Prevent the Spindle from rotating during this operation by gripping the chuck fast or chocking the spindle gear.

    BP3HL.jpg BP4HL.jpg BP6HL.jpg

    3) The Spindle can now be slid down (right) and out, allowing the Spindle Cog to be removed. There is a loose Key inside the Spindle Cog.

    BP7HL.jpg spindle most of the way out... BP8HL.jpg ...and fully out.

    4) To remove the Feed Screw - wind the Feed Screw down until the Stay Bolt reaches the "patent automatic stop on feed" slot, at which point the Feed Screw can be rotated to allow the Stay Bolt to be undone.

    BP9HL.jpg

    5) Slacken the Stay Bolt Lock Nut and then the Stay Bolt can be unscrewed.

    BP10HL.jpg there's a slot hiding under all the grease.

    6) The Feed Screw can now be completely unscrewed and removed.

    BP11HL.jpg BP13HL.jpg

    7) Two Half-Washers hold the bottom of the Feed Screw captive in the Coupler Nut.

    BP14HL.jpg

    8) Remove the Feed Nut & Sleeve by gently driving downwards (right).

    BP15HL.jpg BP16HL.jpg there's just sufficient room to tilt the feed nut clear.

    This Feed Screw and Coupler arrangement is a little different from that on my Canadian Blower & Forge post drill (which I documented in another thread). Disassembly had to be carried out quite differently.

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  4. #3
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    Default

    Looking good. What your plans for the missing parts?

  5. #4
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hiroller View Post
    What your plans for the missing parts?
    Aahh well, like Baldrick, I have a cunning plan (or plans). This will take more than one post - but here goes...

    For the Flywheel: I believe the original flywheel was 14½“ in diameter. I may use the 14” pulley that came with the drill. It weighs ~4.7kg which is probably a lot lighter than the original.
    Another option is this 14¼“ wheel...

    HBW16HL.jpg

    ...which is close-ish to the correct size, weight and shape (although it has only 4 spokes, not 5). This one weighs in at ~9.25kg. But it’s a bit rough, has two cracked spokes, and will need a bush made to fit the ~ø15/16” (ø23.45mm) flywheel shaft.

    For the Fork Clamping Bolt: I was able to remove the remaining (threaded) portion of the Fork Clamping Bolt by cutting a slot in the exposed end and unscrewing it with a screwdriver.

    Looking at photos of other Boynton & Plummer drills, and advertising material, I concluded that the bolt should have a flange and a square head. From there it was a simple job to sketch up a suitable bolt, and have one made. The thread measures ø 7/16” x 14tpi. I think the square, at ½ “AF, should have been a little smaller – maybe 7/16” AF?

    FCB9HL.jpg existing broken bolt (top), new replacement (bottom).

    Cheers (for now), Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  6. #5
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    Default

    I was at a loose end tonight, drank waayy to much last night, and so just passing through and see how the vintage section is going, been time poor all last year too didn't help.
    And its quiet here, but ever faithful Vann has a post drill thread up and going, you have my curiosity sir, I love anything made in the great USA of course.
    A quick scurry through many of my catalogs and I can't find a damn thing on this maker, and who was the importer/merchant for Aust and NZ ?!?
    Found the Aussie Dawns, found the Buffalo's....
    Sorry Vann, I have let the team down on this one, keep up the good work any way ...



    Melbourne Matty.

  7. #6
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    Default

    Ah Matty,

    You have far too many catalogues....lol. Like you I am dropping in, thankful that Vann is keeping things going, and feeling a bit guilty about not posting as often as I should have last year (so little time). I had a bit of a look at some of my catalogues, mostly what I have is in some of the earlier McPherson's catalogues. This is a snippet of the Buffalo (from the 1923 catalogue):



    I was interested to check the price, as I happen to have a pricing list for this catalogue, but unfortunately it is listed as "Price on application", I am guessing as it was an import item.

    I joke about you having too many catalogues, because I remember seeing your O.L Packard Machinery Co. catalogue, it may be in that??

    Cheers,

    Camo

  8. #7
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by L.S.Barker1970 View Post
    ...but ever faithful Vann has a post drill thread up and going
    Quote Originally Posted by camoz
    ...thankful that Vann is keeping things going...
    Ahh well, since my plans for world domination (ma-ha-haa) have come undone I've set my sights a little lower and am planning on Antique and Collectable Tools and Machines section domination - using post drills as my evil weapon...

    Quote Originally Posted by L.S.Barker1970 View Post
    ...and who was the importer/merchant for Aust and NZ ?!?
    Being too tight to buy catalogues (they're as expensive as the tools they advertise ) I don't know who the local agents were - unless they put a badge on the machines (and they didn't).

    Sorry about that Chief.

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  9. #8
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    Default

    Ha Cam your right !
    I was looking in the loose catalog section and didn't even think to look in the folio section...lol, thanks mate, not interested in being a part time librarian are you ?
    Vann, I'm always curious as to how these things make it to Australia, I have several American woodworking machines, some with merchant's badges some with out.





    Melbourne Matty.

  10. #9
    Boringgeoff is offline Try not to be late, but never be early.
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    Default

    I say, steady on here chaps..........importer/merchant for Aust and NZ?
    As an expat Kiwi living out here in the Golden West the breathtaking arrogance of the 'tother siders that a tool imported into the Land of the Long Wide Comb (apologies Ted Egan) would necessarily have to be handled by an an outfit with an Australian interest is going too darn far!

    Ahem, get over it BG, and get on with some (possibly) helpful dialogue.
    Vann bought the Boynton and Plummer down in Canterbury. In my youth there was a stock and station agent, Pynne Gould and Guinness, quite prominent in the South Island and they may well have been the supplier. As in most small rural communities the stock agent would be the first port of call when looking/enquiring about a new piece of gear. Who knows there may even be such a thing as Pynne's catalogue.
    Good luck with that Vann.
    Cheers,
    Geoff.

  11. #10
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Boringgeoff View Post
    I say, steady on here chaps..........importer/merchant for Aust and NZ?
    As an expat Kiwi living out here in the Golden West the breathtaking arrogance of the 'tother siders that a tool imported into the Land of the Long Wide Comb (apologies Ted Egan) would necessarily have to be handled by an an outfit with an Australian interest is going too darn far!

    Geoff.
    Geoff, you are right, I'm so sorry I should of put " and/or NZ" I apologize !
    I Just had the ANZUS treaty running around in the back of my head for some reason...lol

    Yes, NZ would of had their own separate merchants/dealers of course, but it is interesting to note that some of these larger companies were spread world wide, for example, H.P Gregory were located in Australia, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Oregon USA, San Francisco, Washington etc..
    I'm finding Vann's drill interesting because there was allot of British kit imported to Australia, and New-Zealand as being part of the Commonwealth the british imports have been more common than say American made Kit.

    Melbourne Matty.

  12. #11
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by L.S.Barker1970 View Post
    I'm finding Vann's drill interesting because there was allot of British kit imported to Australia, and New-Zealand as being part of the Commonwealth the british imports have been more common than say American made Kit.
    I think originally most imports were from Mother England, but then there was a period of USA imports, before we went back to importing primarily from Empire/Commonwealth nations.

    I've just been reading about the import of USA built railway locomotives from 1878. Up until then nearly all locomotives had been imported from Britain, but the US locos outperformed their British counterparts, both in adherence to specification (weight restrictions etc) and reliability. I suspect the doors were opened to a lot of other machinery imports from USA about the same time - let face it, those damned Yanks made some damn good machinery.

    Then, probably about the great depression, import restrictions were imposed (at least here in NZ) that made imports from non-Commonwealth nations difficult. That's when the British Government started encouraging local firms to compete. Record started producing clones of USA Stanley planes and Millers Falls breast drills, etc (from 1930). Stanley bought out JA Chapman to start manufacturing their products in the UK in 1936. I suspect that's why all the "modern" styled post drills (i.e. the later imports) found over here are Canadian made Canadian Blower & Forge or Australian Dawn models.

    Even in the 1950s and 1960s we were importing railway locomotives from General Motors Canadian plant in London Ontario and Clyde Engineering in Australia, in preference to their US plant at Le Grange (as well as from other makers in Britain and Australia).

    Enough rambling from me...

    Matty, can I ask what year that OL Packard cattledog is from?

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  13. #12
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Vann View Post

    Enough rambling from me...

    Matty, can I ask what year that OL Packard cattledog is from?

    Cheers, Vann.
    Ramble away Vann, a bit if history talk is good, there's not enough of it here !
    As for the Catalog, well there is nothing in it as far as a printed date but at a "Guess" looking at the types of machinery in it I would say 1890"s possibly even 1900.

    Melbourne Matty.

  14. #13
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by L.S.Barker1970 View Post
    As for the Catalog... ...at a "Guess" looking at the types of machinery in it I would say 1890"s possibly even 1900.
    Thanks Matty. I'll be stealing those catalogue pictures and adding them to my "Boynton & Plummer" pikkie folder.

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  15. #14
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    Default Plans for Missing Parts - part 2

    For the Crank Hub: The Crank Hub (marked "A" in Matty's picture of the No.1½) is the piece that holds the crank arm, and can be moved from the main crank gear shaft to the flywheel shaft, depending on the speed desired. It locks onto the shaft via a set screw that engages a groove machined into each shaft.

    I have the measurements of the crank hub fitted to a Boynton & Plummer No.2. It's too large for my machine, but looks the same. It should be just a matter of scaling down (no probs - I used to be a draughtsman in a previous life). I'll then turn a pattern in timber. After that it will have to wait until I've got enough patterns to make it worthwhile driving the 120km to the nearest iron foundry.

    For the Crank Arm: The Crank Arm is fairly straight forward. A piece of ¾" x ⅜" mild steel bar (if I can get it, or 20mm x 10mm bar if I can't), with a bolt through a wooden handle, should do the trick (I will, of course, attempt to replicate the original components).

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  16. #15
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    Default Plans for Missing Parts - part 3

    For the Table: Unlike most post drills, where the table pivots off a bolt through the fork, this post drill has (had) a table that pivots off the pillar/column.

    The remnants of the old table were still attached to the pillar when I took delivery of the drill. The removed remnant looks like this...

    TabHL.jpg

    The Boynton & Plummer 1903 catalogue (available online through OWWM) contains an illustrated parts list. I printed the page showing the parts and then blew-up the portion showing the table. Using a known dimension (the diameter of the pillar) I calculated a few other dimensions (always rounding to the nearest imperial dimension) resulting in this...

    CCF04012015.pdf

    As you can see (I hope) the 6 inch centres - pillar to spindle - caused me some concern, as this dimension would need to be 6⅜ inches (the pillar being 1¾" dia.) in order to allow the drill to "drill to the centre of an 11" circle" as advertised. So I measured the post drill. The dimension from the centre of the pillar to the centre of the spindle is 6 inches. That means it can only drill to the centre of a 10¼ inch circle. It appears that false or exaggerated advertising claims aren't unique to our lifetimes...

    Anyway, that confirms my dimensions. I now have another pattern to make (I haven't made the first one yet).

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

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