[mbrun]

The cast iron base of my 20-25 year old floor model drill press has broken. It has developed a crack about 8-12 inch long that runs front to back just to the right of the column support flange. Since cast iron cannot typically be welded I am looking for some good replacement base alternatives, or an ingenius way to salvage the one I have.

I do not yet own a welder, so if solution involves welding I will need to farm that out.

Thoughts?

 

[D-Dogg]

I thought the experts wound up agreeing cast iron could be welded. I thought thorough pre-heating was the key.

Anyway, I guess I'd recommend talking to a good welding shop as your first stop.

 

[LilysDad]

Maybe dumb but, can you fill the base with concrete?

 

[Kbeitz]

I weld cast iorn all the time...
You use nicad rods...

 

[Mike Milburn]

Probably cheapest would be to get a baseplate made from 1/4" plate. You can have flanges bent out for bolting to the floor, the vertical bend can be whatever you want, same with the width across the top.....Mike

 

[dodge trucker]

how wide is the flange? Maybe get a plate cut the same size and bolt it to the cast iron base? It would not seperate that way!

 

[mbrun]

I can't do it today but I will take some pictures to show what I am working with.

 

[Robert Webb]

it can definitely be welded .......just find a competent shop to do it and you will be fine.

 

[mbrun]

OK, here are the pictures of the base with the crack.

I have taken it off so I can see what my options are. I used yellow chalk to highlight the cracks so they can be seen in the pictures.

Tonight I realized the crack goes right through the rib the back. I also see that the crack rolls around the backside of where the column attachment flange seats.

I checked into a replacement base yesterday. According to Sears it is NLA.

I checked with a professional welder today and the word was discouraging. Opinion offered was that to repair the base, if it even survived repair attempt, would likey cost more than purchasing a used drill press of equal or better quality. Risk of success was too low to justify the expense of even trying.

As far as non-welding options are concerned I am considering grinding off the ribs on the underside of the base and bolting on a piece of 1/4" plate, if I can find cheap. I am also considering bolting the column flange directly the concrete floor of my garage. I have 6"+ slad floor, so perhaps with the right anchors this might be doable.

Other options include slab of 1/2" steel with feet to which I can then bolt the column flange to. Or perhaps I can find someone with a good base that has the same bolt-hole pattern as mine.

Perhaps there is a new/used drill press in my future. Today Mrs Claus asked if a drill press should be on my list for Santa list this year? I said no.

Now what was I thinking?

 

[John Snykus]

Why not a 1/4" plate on top with 4 bolts in the outside corners and hole thru for the column attachment? MHO.

 

[mbrun]

Why not a 1/4" plate on top with 4 bolts in the outside corners and hole thru for the column attachment? MHO.

Never thought of that.

 

[Kbeitz]

Looks like a very simple weld job to me.
Anyone that welds could fix that.
Even if they never welded cast before.
With nicads you just weld 1/2" and walk away.
Come back when it's cool and do another 1/2".
This way you wont have a problem. I use a needle descaler to remove the stress
each time before welding more. Weld with high-heat for good penetration.
Simple fix.

 

[orange j d]

Just weld the darn thing and get back to work. No wonder nothing is getting done. :sidelaugh


Ok and don't for forget to paint it nice be four you put it back together. :thThumbsU

 

[sadixon49]

You need to find another welder. I dropped the table on my drill press, broke it right off of the column, and welded it back up and have used it for 30+ years like that. I just took the table to my cousins farm, he had a welder, and used a ni-cad rod with a Lincoln Buzz box AC welder. It ain't the prettiest weld, I'm not a welder, but it has held up to 30+ years of use. That is right through the table lock which gets stressed every time you adjust the table. Your cracks are not in an area that will see much stress.

steve

 

[orange j d]

You need to find another welder. I dropped the table on my drill press, broke it right off of the column, and welded it back up and have used it for 30+ years like that. I just took the table to my cousins farm, he had a welder, and used a ni-cad rod with a Lincoln Buzz box AC welder. It ain't the prettiest weld, I'm not a welder, but it has held up to 30+ years of use. That is right through the table lock which gets stressed every time you adjust the table. Your cracks are not in an area that will see much stress.

steve

Did the chickens on his farm help you weld that.:sidelaugh



Just kidding. I have not taken my meds yet and had to pull your chain.

 

[sadixon49]

Did the chickens on his farm help you weld that.:sidelaugh



Just kidding. I have not taken my meds yet and had to pull your chain.

I'm no welder and have never claimed to be. I did this because my cousin, who was a very good welder, refused to do it. I figured it was broke and it wasn't going to get better by looking at it.

As I remember, I heated the pieces before welding and peened the weld after welding, but it was long time ago, I probably did this in 1976 or 77.

I'd never welded cast before I did this, and have never welded cast since, but I know it can be done.

I don't have a memory problem that I recall.
steve

 

[Tencubed]

I bought an old drill press at an auction years ago that had been repaired by the previous owner.

He took an old truck wheel, made a plate for the press column to bolt to and welded that plate to the wheel. It's still in use and works well.

Mike

 

[Tractor-Holic]

A friend of mine had a drill press like yours given to him with a busted base,he just welded the upright colum to a car rim with the right sized hole and bolted it to the concrete floor,using the lug nut holes !...

You may be able to braze it together too,brazing is the prefered method to repair cast iron,and isn't as tricky to do as welding it is..

 

[mbrun]

I wish I owned a welder. I would love to give it a shot myself. I have zero to lose.

 

[Kbeitz]

Did the chickens on his farm help you weld that.:sidelaugh



Just kidding. I have not taken my meds yet and had to pull your chain.

Welding with nickle rods will look like that if you weld every 1/2" and wait untill it cools... No pre-heating needed.