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Atlas 1020 Drill Press Restoration

Earl Wong

Active Member
I know, I know ... a drill press isn't the sexiest thing in a shop, but I just love mine. I saved it from being tossed in the garbage, it had missing parts, looked ugly and sounded like it had rocks in it. After a complete
teardown, replacing all the bearings and making some new parts, its the most impressive machine in my garage. It is deathly quiet, and has only .0015 runout with the quill extended. My wife couldn't even tell it was running when I used it for the first time, she thought I was messing with her.
The table looked as if they were using it as an anvil, and obviously didn't know what the hole in the center of the table was used for. I filled the holes with a metal compound then had the table surface machined.
I had to fabricate some missing lock handles, and fabricated a replica of the available for the time, accessory stand. I finished it by putting on a Rohm keyless chuck. This is my baby. Best of all... it was free!

i phone 274.JPG i phone 013.JPG i phone 007.JPG i phone 103.JPG IMG_2231.JPG
 

RobinHood

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Very nicely done Earl. I like your attention to detail!

Isn't it amazing what a little TLC will do to an old clapped out machine?

Cheers, Rudy
 

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Very nice. Something special about restoring the old iron. And it will repay you with years of reliable service.

What was the exact material you filled the drill tracks with? It looks great. I guess cast iron would be a bugger trying to weld... maybe braze or something but that brassy color would just accentuate the scars under its evil prior owner :)
 

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Another one of you McMaster insiders! Grrrr....
 

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Earl Wong

Active Member
Thanks guys, I really think these old machines were built to last, hate to see them discarded. Peter, yes in fact I did try and tig weld them with silicon bronze filler rod, tried a spot underneath to see how it would behave, the spot became harder than Japanese arithmetic so I abandoned that idea, ended up using an epoxy from Wurth that's used on large machine ways, cant remember the name of it. BTW.. good eye on the Mcmaster bag, I do order from there a lot and usually end up with lots of spare stuff, if your ever looking for something let me know I may have it or can get it for you, heres a pic of some vintage clone Eagle 66 Oil cans I made using raw brass material from Mcmaster since it was cheap, originially was going to be Christmas presents but they turned out so well I had to keep them, got the plans off Hobby Machinist IMG_2129.JPG
 

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PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Very nice oiler cans Earl. What a coinkydink, I was just looking at Eagle 66 pump build on Youtube by MrPragmaticLee. I had not realized the plans were available. Is this link the most current PDF? http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/pump-oil-can-prints.33616/ My oiler is not the best, that's why I was looking. Do you use yours for the typical machine external ball type oiler nipples? Did you have the same O-ring issue other people were mentioning? Sorry for subject matter departure, they look awesome. On my long to-do list when lathe is operational again.

Wurth epoxy sounds interesting. I've heard of it for bedding machine surfaces but I didn't realize they made other cool recipes. I'm a bit of an epoxy geek, now I must have some! Where did you buy it?
 

Earl Wong

Active Member
Yes Peter, that's the link I downloaded and printed, the drawings were done by Robert Miller, I keep 2 oilers on hand, one filled with way oil and the other for spindle oil to squirt into the external ball oil nipples, I had to machine the nozzles smaller to make it work for the ball oil nipples. One of my cans did leak from an o-ring used to seal the finger pump to the valve body, the others were fine, I think the key is to hold a close tolerance when you machine the o-ring seal groove. The other thing is to drill a small vent hole in the top cap screw and dont fill it above the finger pump. Email me at ewong@westgatechev.com with your address and I'll mail you out a complete set of o rings, springs, check balls, brass tubes and washers for free. I had ordered enough from McMaster to build a dozen oilers but i don't plan on making anymore, at least for awhile. It would be my pleasure.
The epoxy product is called Diamante Moglice. It is sold out of Germany. I found out about it from Stephan Gotteswinter's you-tube channel, then asked my Wurth rep if he could get his hands on some. He showed up with a small jar for me about 2 months after my request, not really sure if it came from Wurth or he somehow arranged to get me some through Wurth. You can find info on the Internet: http://diamant-polymer.de/en/products/moglice/
I can see if he can get me anymore that I can send you.
 

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Emailed you Earl & thanks for nice offer.

I miscommunicated on the epoxy. That looks like fantastic stuff & I saw it on the same Stefan YouTube channel. I don't really have a bedding or metal repair project, it was their other specialty adhesive goodies that peaked my interest & had me wondering about CDN distributer. One of my other hobby/sicknesses is RC models & related composites. Sometimes we have finicky bonding issues like metal +carbon layup + heat + vibration. And some guys are using similar high metal potting epoxies for mold tooling when they need to be autoclaved for resin cure.
 

EricB

Active Member
Just read through both of your restoration threads, Earl. Great work! I like the sound of that Wurth epoxy too; my lathe ways are pretty scarred up from abuse, I might have to look into getting some of that.
 

Earl Wong

Active Member
Emailed you Earl & thanks for nice offer.

I miscommunicated on the epoxy. That looks like fantastic stuff & I saw it on the same Stefan YouTube channel. I don't really have a bedding or metal repair project, it was their other specialty adhesive goodies that peaked my interest & had me wondering about CDN distributer. One of my other hobby/sicknesses is RC models & related composites. Sometimes we have finicky bonding issues like metal +carbon layup + heat + vibration. And some guys are using similar high metal potting epoxies for mold tooling when they need to be autoclaved for resin cure.
Hey Peter, your care package is on its way, i included everything you need to build one, enjoy and have fun!
 

Earl Wong

Active Member
Just read through both of your restoration threads, Earl. Great work! I like the sound of that Wurth epoxy too; my lathe ways are pretty scarred up from abuse, I might have to look into getting some of that.
Thanks Eric, I'd really like to take Richard Kings scraping class If he's ever in Canada, the then we're talking way repair and improvement!
 

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Thanks again for the care package. My lathe is 'on the hoist' at the moment, but hopefully all will be well soon.

Re Richard King, I've never done scraping but I'm fascinated by what I've seen on machinist forums, videos etc. Everything from making your own precision surfaces to machine restoration to greatly improving beat or lower quality tooling. I'd consider a class. Sounds like they go on all the time in USA but ++ travel expenses etc. I've also read where groups of individuals band together & bring him in. I saw he went to Europe recently.

Have you done any scraping yourself? I've ebay lurked for something used like these but they are brutally expensive.
http://www.dapra.com/biax/scrapers/index.html
 

Dabbler

ersatz engineer
Earl - I'd second the Richard King class idea. If lots were interested, we could bring him in?

Peter, save your money and make your own from carbide blanks. Unless you're doing a *lot* of scraping, the replaceable blade handles aren't worth it. An old file is a great foundation to braze the carbide to. I've used Bert's for years, and we haven't worn it out yet.
 

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Peter, save your money and make your own from carbide blanks. Unless you're doing a *lot* of scraping, the replaceable blade handles aren't worth it. An old file is a great foundation to braze the carbide to. I've used Bert's for years, and we haven't worn it out yet.

I was talking about the motorized bad boy :) but they are BIG bucks used. Why I wonder? Are they that precision of a stroking tool? or maybe special vibration dampening?
Anyway, Armstrong/carbide is probably the only feasible way to go & consistent with wax-on wax-off apprenticeship even though my bum shoulder will hate me more.

I'm confused by the file & braze business though. I thought files were to grind & redress edge as scraper (using the hardness properties) just not as long lasting as carbide. And the reason for these purchased 'handles' is the carbide is a replaceable bolt on affair (which you buy from them of course)? Am I misunderstanding? Can carbide be sharpened with a green wheel on the grinder or are we talking diamond?

And sorry, Bert is...?
 

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EricB

Active Member
It's funny you guys are talking about scraping, I've actually been e-mailing Richard King about getting his DVD and about his classes. He did say that due to hassles with Canadian Customs he doesn't think he'll be coming back to Canada, but I bet if we got a good size class together we could push him to rethink that policy. I know I'd be in for sure! I've been looking into biting the bullet and heading down to the States for a class, but I'd much rather have it here!
 

Dabbler

ersatz engineer
What I was referring to was to take a large, old file and belt sanding the sharp bits off. Attach a normal file handle and braze a carbide to the wide end. Bert, my friend, used some 1" X 1/4" cold rolled 16" long. He uses a normal file handle, but if you are doing a lot of scraping, turn a 2" wood ball and attach to the dull end. A single 1" X 1/4" X 3/4" carbide blank has lasted for 35 years. He doesn't' scrape often, perhaps every 5 years. Lately I've used it for small jobs about every 2 years. C2 carbide chips less than C6.

I have bad shoulders, but taking lots of breaks helps.

You can buy a Biax if you have mucho $$$. Hand scraping takes longer, but might be more accurate (depending on who you believe, etc).

We can provide all the materials if Richard has problems bring them; The biggest problem is with declaring his stay as 'paid work' versus 'visiting friends'... For the past 9 years or so, entry for other than tourist purposes has really tightened up. If Richard can be convinced, and I can afford it, then I'm in.
 
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