Rockwell drill press, what to look for?

[Brandon Keck]

Hi. I found an old rockwell drill press, but I need some advice on what to check out when I go look at it, and whether I should buy it. This will be my first drill press, so any tips/advice will be appreciated. Thanks.

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[Mike Hollingsworth]

Personally, I'd look for one with all the parts. Shake the quill. Too much slop is no good.

[Dave Macy]

My opinion is just look at the runout and make sure everything else works.

[Cary Falk]

Something tells me the steering wheel is not OEM. Unless it is real cheap I would pass.

[Bill Adamsen]

Yes ... that takes the term "hand wheel" to a new level! Surprised they didn't mount the "clamp on speed turning knob."

Amazingly, that table looks unscathed with no "arc of shame" which might indicate that (until recently one would assume) it was in a commercial shop and well cared for. As other's have mentioned, check for parts, bearings (sound/slop) and runout. The latter either with a dial indicator or a known true bit. Make sure the electric is compatible with your service. Many dp of that ilk are 3-phase.

[pat warner]

I suspect it was so screw-ball that no one used it.
Might be, you can switch back the spider/lever.
I think it's worth a look if it ain't too shaky & spins well.
I have a rebuilt model, similar. VFD etc. can drill O/C to .001" with mine.

[Rich Riddle]

Thanks for that statement in bold. I almost fell on the floor laughing with the implication that commercial shop equipment is well-cared for. That's the polar opposite of my experiences after rebuilding dozens of tools purchased from commercial shops over the years.

On a lighter side, it is a split head design which is good. There are plenty of three-phase motors out there as others indicated. Look for a capacitor on the motor as an initial sign that the motor is 1-phase (120 or 240 volts). The steering wheel, well it's not a factory option mentioned in any literature. It's not mentioned if the original poster knows about runout or table squaring, but Jerry Cole offers a video on youtube entitled, "Testing Drill Press Run-Out and Table Squaring." It is easy to search and I don't think we are allowed to post links.

Yes ... that takes the term "hand wheel" to a new level! Surprised they didn't mount the "clamp on speed turning knob."

Amazingly, that table looks unscathed with no "arc of shame" which might indicate that (until recently one would assume) it was in a commercial shop and well cared for. As other's have mentioned, check for parts, bearings (sound/slop) and runout. The latter either with a dial indicator or a known true bit. Make sure the electric is compatible with your service. Many dp of that ilk are 3-phase.

[Bill Adamsen]

Rich ... you are right ... no real correlation between "care" and "commercial shop." I eat my words. But still, it is unusual to see an older drill press that was actually used, without the nearly ubiquitous "arc of shame." Seems that a universal experience is that some unsupervised worker gets their hands on the press and does their damage. To your point, just because it isn't damaged doesn't mean it has otherwise been treated with respect and properly services. But it is an indicator of use.

[Bob Elliott]

What is the model # of the drill press?

I have a similar drill press and using the serial # I discovered it was made in 1968. I found it in the trash out in the rain. The run out was almost unmeasurable. I used some muriatic acid to get most of the rust off and sanded out the rest. It works great and is a welcome addition to my garage shop. It is a quality machine that is built to last.

I can post the model number of my press tonight when I get home if you are interested.

Bob