19mm steel rod - Where to get some

[steck]

Hi,
I am restoring a Buffalo Forge Post drill. (see Picture!)350046
The axle on which the Fly wheel and cog spin is rather battered and a bit corroded. It is 19mm diameter X 185mm. I presume that the rod is really 3/4 inch. It was very hard to remove and doesn't quite want to fit back into its hole.
Can anyone help me by recommending a place where I can buy a suitable replacement? I am located in Oakleigh, a suburb of Melbourne.
Is there a special type of steel I should be asking for?

Thank you

[kwijibo99]

Handy Steel Stocks in Heidelberg are pretty good.
http://handysteel.com.au
They cut to length, free delivery, no minimum order, competitive price, quote before order.
No connection, just a happy customer.
Cheers,
Greg.

[Vann]

...They cut to length, free delivery, no minimum order, competitive price, quote before order.Well you can't ask for fairer than that.

However, if you want I'll check out the spare flywheel shaft I have. It's ex a Canadian Blower & Forge No.61 post drill - which is/was the Canadian division of Buffalo Forge.

Cheers, Vann.

ps That looks complete and should come up nicely. What model is it? More photos please.

[Techo1]

Handy Steel Stocks in Heidelberg are pretty good.
http://handysteel.com.au
They cut to length, free delivery, no minimum order, competitive price, quote before order.
No connection, just a happy customer.
Cheers,
Greg.

Free delivery on a 185mm long piece of 19mm bar??

[jack620]

Even closer to you:

Lockbar Steel and Aluminium
2 Barlow Ave
Cheltenham VIC

ph: 9584 8777

I don't think they have a minimum order.

[Anorak Bob]

Hello Steck,

I have the same drill. Call out if you need any close up photos or measurements.

Bob

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=167034&d=1302662515

[george mavridis]

Is Ungar metal still on Warrigal Rd near Holmesglen ?

[steck]

I have fired of an email to the Handy Steel people. We'll see how that goes?

Thanks Vann for the offer. If I cant source it locally, I may take you up on it!

Bob, My drill is very very close to yours. The only difference I can see is in the slider on the top of the rotating/sliding drill shaft.

Thank you to all posters!

The drill is a Buffalo Forge Company no. 612. I picked it up for $20 along with a Globe Post Drill which is in much worse condition.
The Buffalo is intact but was very seized up, without much pitting!
Attached is a photo of the drill after 4 days in my home made Electrolysis bath. All the screws and bolts then came out easily but the shaft and gears were still frozen. It came out of the bath much improved.
Over the next 2 weeks I used a combination of degreasers, penetrating oils, Freeze and release, and a flame gun to get it apart. I even converted my Hammer Drill to the task!

350179

[Anorak Bob]

What a metamorphosis Steck! Hard to believe it's the same drill.:2tsup:

I just slipped up to the shed. Mine's a 611. In 1929 these drills were fitted with ball thrust bearings, the 611 was called a 611-R, the 612 stayed just that. I don't recall finding a ball bearing on the spindle. A bit more here - http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=4907

Bob.

[jackaroo]

This guy might be closer? They cut to size and buy whatever quality you want/need.
http://www.steelsolutions.com.au/

3/4-6 Awun Ct, Springvale VIC 3171



(03) 9562 4778

[steck]

This guy might be closer? They cut to size and buy whatever quality you want/need.
http://www.steelsolutions.com.au/

3/4-6 Awun Ct, Springvale VIC 3171



(03) 9562 4778




Bingo!!
I sent off a few emails and Steel Solutions replied in under 10 minutes. I drove round there and they cut to size and charged me $3.

[DSEL74]

Nice score, especially since it was complete and you got a second drill for $20

Keep the progress photos coming.

[steck]

Hello Steck,

I have the same drill. Call out if you need any close up photos or measurements.

Bob

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=167034&d=1302662515


Hi all,
progress on this drill has been slow but it's coming along. I have a question about the arm that moves the top wheel to lower the drill. Mine is seized. I assume that the toggle flips over to engage the wheel. Can anyone fill me in on how it works?
thanks
Steve
http://www.woodworkforums.com/webkit-fake-url://d72d3d23-7222-407d-80f2-c34fd46b34ea/imagejpeg

[DSEL74]

The pawl rocks on the pivotal rivet. The ball end is a weight bringing the pawl back to centre and as the arm moves over the cam on the main cog the point end acts as a ratchet on the top feed wheel.

[steck]

The pawl rocks on the pivotal rivet. The ball end is a weight bringing the pawl back to centre and as the arm moves over the cam on the main cog the point end acts as a ratchet on the top feed wheel.

Aah! It begins to make sense! I can't loosen my "pawl" (new word to add to the vocabulary!) That's the bit that's seized.
I may have to cut the rivet to remove it and then replace it. Any advice on this????
Thanks for the info.

[DSEL74]

They are one of the most commonly broken/missing parts on post drills. So my first advice would be be gentle on it. Try soaking it in penetrating oil for a week. Electrolysis or molasses.

[Combustor]

Was given one of these several years ago, complete except fot the pawl. Thanks for excellent photo's, I should be able to make a better one than my first attempt. My drill is near identical but has an extended drive shaft beyond the flywheel and two flatbelt pulleys. fast and loose, to give a power drive option.
My old machine had spent years as a piece of yard art, and was wearing a few coats of bituminous silver paint, but in otherwise good condition under it all. Cleaned up and repainted it and took it down to our local Ag Show along with a few vintage engines etc, and it seemed to attract some interest when I drilled 1/2" holes in a length of flat bar while minding some of my running engines.
Good to see there are still a few of thes old ones around. Still recall the 1950's when the well equipped farm workshop could boast one of these. Regards,
Combustor.

[shedhappens]

Aah! It begins to make sense! I can't loosen my "pawl" (new word to add to the vocabulary!) That's the bit that's seized.
I may have to cut the rivet to remove it and then replace it. Any advice on this????
Thanks for the info.

Heat the pawl and rivet to cherry red and quickly immerse in a bucket of water, move the part back and forward fairly quickly through the water to speed the cooling otherwise the steam surrounding the part will decrease cooling speed.
This will shock/kill the rust in the pivot and it will then move freely.

Shed

[DSEL74]

Heat the pawl and rivet to cherry red and quickly immerse in a bucket of water, move the part back and forward fairly quickly through the water to speed the cooling otherwise the steam surrounding the part will decrease cooling speed.
This will shock/kill the rust in the pivot and it will then move freely.

Shed


I personally wouldn't like to do that as the parts are cast iron with exception of the rivet, and I think it could end poorly. If it was a forged steel part I'd have no issues.

When you heat cast iron to weld it you have to do all kinds of things to stop it producing stress and making the casting brittle, also slow cooling in damp saw dust etc.

[bob ward]

IME heating to red hot and allowing to air cool accomplishes the same thing. Rust as we normally see it has water bonded in with the oxide, heating the rust drives off the water, changing the of rust into iron oxide powder.

An analogy is that of heating plaster of paris to return it to a powder.

[steck]

Another problem solved! I opted for the slow cautious approach first and put it into the electrolysis bath for a day. (plus, I dont have an oxy torch!)
It is now moving 360 degrees but not yet spinning freely!
thanks to everyone for their input!

[DSEL74]

Thats good news.

[janvanruth]

Another problem solved! I opted for the slow cautious approach first and put it into the electrolysis bath for a day. (plus, I dont have an oxy torch!)
It is now moving 360 degrees but not yet spinning freely!
thanks to everyone for their input!

dont need a torch

next time you just fire up a bbq and toss it in along with the meat

[Anorak Bob]

Steck contacted me chasing a few photos of my drill in hope of identifying correct washer locations. Mine might have been the economy model because it only features two washers, one under the downfeed handwheel and the other behind the feed lever's split pin. The former could even be a ring in given its size.:rolleyes:

BT

PS. Steve, let me know if you need any specific close ups or whether you want me to dismantle anything and snap a photo or two.

[steck]

Steck contacted me chasing a few photos of my drill in hope of identifying correct washer locations. Mine might have been the economy model because it only features two washers, one under the downfeed handwheel and the other behind the feed lever's split pin. The former could even be a ring in given its size.:rolleyes:

BT

PS. Steve, let me know if you need any specific close ups or whether you want be to dismantle anything and snap a photo or two.

The photos are great, thanks heaps! I have 3 washers left in my cleaning tub and I am not sure where the 3rd one goes? I think it was either with the fly wheel or the gear on the other end of the same shaft. After almost a hundred years, who can tell if its original or not?

After this my next challenge is to assemble the ball bearing race.
I am hoping (expecting?) that when I assemble everything that all the bits go round as they should! Fingers crossed!

I just checked on my original rusty photos and if there is a washer under the downfeed wheel its smaller than yours. Perhaps in this case size doesn't matter?