Repairing a Waldown "new" drilling machine - pre 8SN

**lostwax** · 4th November 2022, 02:16 PM

I picked up an old Waldown bench drill this morning, a 50's model as far as I can tell. It's "The New Waldown Drilling Machine", according to both the label on the side and the info here: Brobo Waldown Machinery History and Information

Mostly it's all there and seems in reasonable order, if well used. The bolts that clamp the quills that the motor slides on have had their heads broken off, which will be a bit of fun, and the quill return is missing its spring. Most fun though is the bent spindle or quill (I assume spindle?) - there's about 1mm of runout at the chuck jaws.

So a couple of questions - does anyone know if I can use the return spring from an 8SN in this drill? (Return Spring • Brobo Group Pty Ltd) It looks like it should fit (and I'll ignore it's over half the price of the drill).

And the main one - how it is straightening the spindle best done? I feel like putting a stiff bit of steel in the chuck and bending it is probably not the done thing, but I'm much more a timber than metal worker.

Any thoughts are welcome.

**Vann** · 5th November 2022, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by lostwax

...how it is straightening the spindle best done? I feel like putting a stiff bit of steel in the chuck and bending it is probably not the done thing, but I'm much more a timber than metal worker.

Any thoughts are welcome.

I believe it's a bit hit and miss straightening a spindle. First you want to identify where the bend is (roll the spindle on a flat surface to see if you can pick the spot). Mark it and take it to a press (at a mate's, the local car maintenance place, etc). Support the spindle at two points equidistant from the bend (maybe 100mm either side) and press slowly against the bend. It's very easy to bend not enough or too much. It's also easy to bend at not quite the right place and end up with a very gentle 'S' bend in your spindle.

You might be best to take it to someone who has experience.

And if all else fails, use the existing spindle for dimensions to have a new one turned up (and then see if the spring still sounds expensive

).

Good luck.

Cheers, Vann.

**Chief Tiff** · 5th November 2022, 08:36 PM

Before you go too far how do you know it isn’t the chuck that’s bent? If yours has a morse taper spindle you can just either throw in a MT shanked drill bit or a drill chuck arbor and check for run out. If the end of the spindle is machined as JT6 or similar chuck taper then knock the chuck off and check as before.

**lostwax** · 5th November 2022, 09:58 PM

I disassembled a fair bit of it today and the spindle is now sitting on my workbench, I still have to remove the chuck and the bottom bearings before I can have a good look at it though. The chuck and spindle is JT6, no morse taper. The chuck does look beaten up, however the whole chuck body has run out so I will be surprised if it is the culprit. I've just been looking at youtube videos of JT arbor removal, which I've never done before, and will have a go in the next few days.

Bearings are not perfect but acceptable for timber work and the rack and pinion looks to be in really good nick and decidedly overbuilt.

I'm mulling on Vann's suggestion of giving it to someone who knows what they're doing. I have a couple of people I can ask in that direction but if anyone knows a machinist sympathetic to old machinery in Melbourne I might be interested.

**China** · 5th November 2022, 10:05 PM

If the bearings are not perfect then they are not suitable for woodwork or any other work, while it is pieces replace them.

Thread: Repairing a Waldown "new" drilling machine - pre 8SN

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Repairing a Waldown "new" drilling machine - pre 8SN

Similar Threads

Waldown Super Sensitive High Speed Drilling Machine.

Dainichi universal machine (previous thread under "Mitsubishi" )

Repairing "antique" chairs

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions