# Easy, cheap drill press upgrade



## fussy (Jan 18, 2010)

A while back I realized my 36 years old drillpress was inadequate. It was still smooth and powerful, but at only 5 speed, the lowest of which was 750 rpm, I burned a 3" plug cutter. Not wanting to spend big bucks on a new one (my Lovely Bride wouldn't let me anyway) I did some research.

If you look at any 12+ speed drill press out there, they all have a idler pulley between the spindle pulley and motor pulley. This sits on a idler pivot that goes into a convenient hole in the head. PRACTICALLY EVERY DRILL PRESS OUT THERE USES THE SAME ARRANGEMENT. Mine is a HF (before HF-Chicago Power Tools) bench type with 1 hp, 2 1/2" stroke, weighs about 160# and cost $80 in 1975, so i looked at the manual for the HF 38142 and ordered the above-mentioned parts. The bearings were out of stock, so I ordered them from VXB (6202RS=about $19/10,oh well). The pulley was about $10, the pivot was $8, and I got the belts at TC when I saw what sizes I would need. Long story short, I can now go from 220 rpm to 3600 rpm with 14 stops in between. It is still smooth as silk, has more guts than a butcher's dog, and I didn't spend a whole lot of money. The Grizzly parts are identical, as I'm sure every other brand is. The pivot dropped in like it was made for mine.

Anyone in need of more speed selections on their dp should consider this. Save money and be HAPPY. Hope this helps.

Steve


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## scarpenter002 (Sep 16, 2007)

Sounds like a great project. Please post some pictures of you modification maybe under a project or a blog. I am sure others would like to see. I have an old Reliant 5 speed I purchased almost 20 years ago. It is a 5 speed similar to yours, and I have many of the same issues with it running at too high of speeds. 
Thanks for sharing.


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## bigike (May 25, 2009)

So I'm guessing you have 14 speeds?

I have the same drill press as you but mine has the idler pully and it's 12 speeds.


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

as one who isn´t very good at the english terms on tecnic I am one of those 
who always love to see picturebooks of how things is done 

Dennis


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## fussy (Jan 18, 2010)

Scott and Dennis, I'll try to post pics as soon as I get some film for my digital camera. Ike, nope, 16 speeds.
My configuration is like the attachment I'm trying to add. Hope it works.

Steve


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## fussy (Jan 18, 2010)

Didn't work. The last 4 configurations cut off. Dang fotobucket.

Steve


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

>" film for my digital camera"

Yeah, I caught that one. LOL!

Edit: I was trying to help you out but you beat me to it.


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## fussy (Jan 18, 2010)

That got it. Ain't tiknolegee wunderful.

Steve


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

))) LOL

thank´s I thought it should be something like that 
have seen it on a drillpress from 1920 
but that can only be done if there is enoff room between the moteor and the drill :-(
so not for me to do on my small tabledrillpress

Dennis


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## nyislander (Jul 28, 2012)

Steve,

Thanks for this info. I have a HF Central Machinery 5-SPEED DRILL PRESS Model #38119 and would like to add the idler pivot & pulley as you described. The 38119 does not have the hole in the head casting for the pivot but I can add an internal angle and drill a hole in the pulley cover. I plan to order the idler pivot & pulley from HF and the bearings from eBay - are these the correct bearings (2 required):

6206-2RS seal bearing 6206 rs bearings 30×62x16 (eBay Item: 140747240533)

mike


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## fussy (Jan 18, 2010)

Mike,

Nope. The bearings I used are here: http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/15mm/Kit484_1 . They are 15mm ID x 35mm OD x 11mm thick. The ones on Ebay are 30MM ID x 62mm OD x 16mm thick and are too large for this application. If ordering the pivot and pulley from HF, just order the bearings (Part # 60202: item #18 from DP #38142. TWO are required and press in one atop the other in the bottom of the pulley. I used the VXB bearings only because they were os at HF and I didn't want to wait.

If you loook closely at the top of your dp, you will find the necessary hole for the pivot in the pulley cover about dead center on the hinge side. The head casting is open beneath it. You can download the manual for your dp here-http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/38000-38999/38119.pdf if you don't have it. If the hole isn't there, just drill one about a 32nd oversize in the approximate location shown in the pulley cover. Nothing else is needed-maybe A dab of grease in the shaft.

THe only problem I see is the fact that the motor pulley from the 38142 is upside down as compared with yours (look at the speed chart I posted above) so yours will have to be reversed to get the speeds on the chart. This means that you MUST GET AS MUCH PULLEY ON THE MOTOR SHAFT AS POSSIBLE without rubbing the motor casting. If you don't have a lot of up-down adjustment on your motor mount, the belt will assume an odd angle going to the lower steps on the motor pulley from the idler. It will look funny, but it will run smoothly and hurt nothing.

It is really a simple conversion. It's not perfect but it works well enough that it may as well be. Welcome to Lumberjocks. It's a fun place filled with good people. Let me know if I can be of further help.

Steve


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## nyislander (Jul 28, 2012)

Steve,

I already ordered the idler pivot ($6.71) & pulley ($14.52) from HF, I guess I could try and add the 2 bearings. I did not include the correct bearings from eBay in the original post, this is what I should have posted:

(2) 6202-2RS rubber seal bearing 6202 rs bearings 15×35x11 mm (eBay Item: 130627537542) = $4.66 shipped

You are right about the motor pulley, when I turn it over the set screw will not make contact with the motor shaft unless I remove the pulley cover. I will pick-up a small single pulley along with the belts since I just want the slow speed(s) for steel.

I think I will add the angle under the pulley cover attached to the drill casting to support the idler pivot because the 2 belts pulling in opposite directions might produce too much shear on the sheet metal cover.

mike


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## fussy (Jan 18, 2010)

Mike,

I doubt you will need any reinforcement for the pivot. The two belts pulling in opposite directions will cancel the force exerted by each giving a net zero shear pressure on the cover. They've built them like this for A hundred years (starting with old Deltas and Yates AMERICAN, etc.) and no problems.

Good luck and let me know how it works out.

Steve


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