Richardson Drill Press

[bollie7]

In the thread about moving my mill recently Bryan asked to see some pics of my old Richardson drill press.
I've had this since about 1975 when my uncle bought it (for $30) from someone who he had bought some other equipment from. At that time it had been stuffed in a leanto out the back of some workshop for quite a few years apparently.
It originally had 3 step flat cone pulleys and a 3 phase motor on it as well as a rectangular, fixed table. At the time I put a 2 speed washing machine motor on it and fabed the stand out of old gal pipe that dad had laying around, and ran it like that until around 1992-3 when I gave it a rebuild. I had some ex student exercise, cast iron 4 step, M section pulleys which I used. I also fabricated the circular table arm. The table itself is off an old, small, Perkins engine. Also put some shelves in the stand and filled it in. I have no idea how old this thing is but it doesn't even have a spline on the main spindle fro teh drive from the pulley. It uses a sliding feather key. Which as it turned out, was a good thing as it was easy to slightly increase the size of the keyway on the spindle and make a new key when I re - pullied it.
Its been a great of bit of equipment. The only regret I have now is I didn't keep the original table as at that time I wasn't interested in the historical aspect of the machine. Mind you, the table had been lightened a lot before I got it.:)

bollie7

[Stustoys]

Hi bollie7,
Is this the drill that went after your foot the other day?
Whats the thing chained to the pillar?
Is there a bear in the top of the casting above the spindle and pulley?

Stuart

[bollie7]

Hi bollie7,
Is this the drill that went after your foot the other day?
yes

Whats the thing chained to the pillar? Its one of those belt sander attachments. Can't think of the name atm. I got it as a birthday prezzie some time ago. Works quite well, but I haven't used it for some time.


Is there a bear in the top of the casting above the spindle and pulley? yes. The pulley is mounted on a sleeve with an internal keyway which takes the sliding feather key, bearing top and bottom.
I just remembered that when I rebuild it I also made a new pinion for the quill feed as the old one was pretty badly worn. Thats when I had access to a fully equiped machine shop after hours.
bollie7

[Bryan]

Thanks for the pics, Bollie7.

[Dave J]

Nice looking unit,:2tsup:

Dave

[bollie7]

These are pics of another Richardson drill that I took a couple of years ago. Its in a workshop here at work. Its a column version with a morse taper spindle and the super low reduction pulley set up

[Anorak Bob]

Boll,

The outrigger motor is unusual, sort of setup the contrary French would come up with.:U

You've done a fine job of keeping your Richardson alive. I understand the replacement table thing. When I acquired my 40 dollar Tough, the table was a victim of wanton chain drilling. I couldn't bear to look at it so I found and fitted a Taiwanese table in it's place.

BT

[Stustoys]

Hi bollie,
Any idea why they wanted such low speed?
Is the winch for moving the table or something else?

Stuart

[bollie7]

Stuart
I spent about 10 mins last night typing up a big long answer only to lose the lot when I clicked "post reply" grr
Anyway, as far as I'm aware the outrigger motor setup is original though I'm not sure of the motor pulley has been changed or not. Being a morse taper spindle the lower speed would be needed. Yes the winch is (was) for raising the table. I found it laying in a cupboard years ago so made up the brackets etc to fit it to the drill. It worked fine but since I was transfered out of that dept someone has managed to break the pulley and have never bothered to fix it.
BT
Thanks. When I was converting it to use the "M" section belt and pulleys I thought I might have had a problem with smaller section belt slipping under load but its never been an issue. The pulleys were really cheap which is why I used them. I also have another one to make a compound drive up which I hope to get to one of these years. I would also like to make a belt tensioner so I don't have to use the small pinch bar. Again, one of these years.:)
bollie7

[pmcgee]

Hi guys,

Just wondering ... one of my pedestal drills looks just like the one you have at work - except for the motor outrigger ... but it is only plaqued as "manufactured by Sterling Machinery".

I wondered if this was a kind of knock-off, or re-badging or etc.

It is kinda neat as, being 3 phase, it has an On-Off-Reverse switch box.
It has an MT2 spindle.

Appreciate any info,

Thanks,
Paul McGee

[bollie7]

Paul
Thats interesting, Certainly looks the same. I have no idea what the story is though, unfortunately. Maybe they were made by the same company under different names. A lot of that went/goes on. If I get a chance in the near future I'll see if I can go and have a close look at the label on the one at work, see where it was made.

bollie7

[Bryan]

I've been pondering the integral pulley guard, thinking it must make it a pain to work on the pulley or spindle and why would you do that? But it's just dawned on me it must be for an outrigger bearing, which would give a lot of extra support. Can anyone comment in real-world terms on any extra accuracy or rigidity provided by this feature? And is it really a pain to work on?

[Anorak Bob]

One of the biggest issues regarding accuracy in a drill press is wear between the head casting and quill. I can't see a way in which the outboard bearing would alleviate that wear occuring between the sliding surfaces unless, in a conventional arrangement, pulley belt load is transfered to the spindle splines. I guess that might occur if the pulley bearing was faulty. The outboard bearing would lessen the possibility of pulley tilting.

Both my Waldown 3M and Tough have pinch (?) bolts allowing the partial removal of the wear induced play as does the Richardson. Nice features that go someways to keeping the machines alive and well.

BT

[PDW]

And is it really a pain to work on?

Yes. I got given one of these bench drill presses last year. The belt was completely cactus, not surprising as the drill had been sitting unused for close to 30 years.

I've got a length of link belt that I'll use to get it going again when I get around to it. Got to get a new switch as well.

I think very little of the belt tensioning system - pinch bar or timber wedge adjustment. If I had a spare 240V 3 phase motor I'd stick it on with a VFD. Only motor I have that'd work is a 415V one and without disassembly it can't be altered - I already looked at the connections. Too much hassle to bother. I could use it as-is with a 415V VFD but the cost of the plug, wall socket and VFD exceeds the value of the drill press utility to me.

PDW

[JohnQ]

First used this Stirling drill as a second yr apprentice in '76. I later acquired it in mid '93 when the workshop was closed. It has a single phase 1/3 hp Crompton Parkinson motor (might look at fitting a 1/2 motor I have). Jacobs No34 chuck / JT6 taper. Fixed chuck runout last year as someone had scored the taper.

[bollie7]

JohnQ
yours looks likes its in good nick. Definately looks lke a Richardson so maybe they had a name change in the later years. I've had a bit of a search on the net but there is virtually nothing about them. Came across a job advert from 1947 where they wanted a moulder to work in "A modern foundry". That was about it.
Looking at your pics I reckon the machine at my work would have had the same pulley on the motor originally. Why it was changed is anyones guess. Could be as simple as someone pinched the pulley and that was all they could find to replace it.

regards
bollie7

[JohnQ]

Bollie7

I asked an old work mate at a reunion last year, he said it was agout 50 year old.
The only upkeep I've done on it is to change the top belt 18mths ago, fix the taper & give it a wipe over.

Will try & get some speed readings later today.

Regards
JohnQ

[JohnQ]

Bollie7

Finally got a few RPM readings. When trying this on Friday I had it set to the lowest speed. Turned it on, motor was laboring with the reduction, turned to pickup the tacho & returned to see smoke starting to come from the motor. Turned it off.

No time like the present to upgrade to the other motor which was 3/4hp & not a 1/2/hp as thought. Think I will definately need to clamp everything now with the extra power. The old motor still runs but the start winding is a bit scorched.
Here's some of the speeds.
76 - 142 - 220 - 347 - 554 - 554 - 1300

Must agree the belt tensioning is a pain.

Regards
JohnQ

[bollie7]

OOh No, you let the smoke out. I've had a couple of elecos tell me that once you let the smoke out of something they are never the same.lol. I saw an april fools day thing once at an electrical wholesaler where thay had a a brochure advertising coloured smoke in cans.
Your has a lot lower speed than low on mine I think
regards
bollie7

[Quasimodo]

Congratulations JohnQ,

You have the nicest and newest looking Richardson/Sterling Drill I have ever seen (apart from that motor which isn't original any way).

They were great Aussie made drills - pity not made any more unfortunately like a lot of things we once manufactured.

[Keith_W]

I have had a few Richardson Drill over my time which I sold off, some as spares. Here is a few pictures of them if it is of help.

Regards,
Keith.

[Com_VC]

I think they must be a generic thing, I have one very similar to what keith posted but it's a paper drill. It has a nameplate that says Bristol Industries.

Do you happen to have a spare spindle available Keith? If not anyone else know where I may find something?

Thanks

[Keith_W]

Hi Com_VC,
I sold thoes parts a while ago now, but these types of Drills come up all the time on Ebay so you could do some good there.

Regards,
Keith.

[Com_VC]

Thanks for that anyway, will keep a look out on eBay.