Shopsmith Forums

My new Shorty Drill Press

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Thanks Bill Mayo for the inspiration. It is exactly what I wanted to do.
Now confession time. Several lessons learned. It is nearly impossible to try and get the motor on from the top - don't ask how I know that second why does the power cord always get in the way when you try to slide the motor back on ??? Third you do have to put the table on the same way as the motor - again don't ask how I know finally if anyone wants to know how to do this I have now put three together if you count all my attempts to get it correct !
Now we are having FUN !

Looks good, I don't use it drill press much. When I do I have a lift assit. Thanks for posting.

2centsworth wrote:My new Shorty Drill Press

[ATTACH]23537[/ATTACH]

Thanks Bill Mayo for the inspiration. It is exactly what I wanted to do.
Now confession time. Several lessons learned. It is nearly impossible to try and get the motor on from the top - don't ask how I know that second why does the power cord always get in the way when you try to slide the motor back on ??? Third you do have to put the table on the same way as the motor - again don't ask how I know finally if anyone wants to know how to do this I have now put three together if you count all my attempts to get it correct !
Now we are having FUN !

Since you have lamented your experience in assembling this in an unorthodox configuration, I felt a tremendous urge to contemplate how I would get it together if and when I should ever need to attempt it.

I copied yer pix for easy reference here.

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Assemble the base as pictured sans the table, headstock, tie bar and carriage with the bare tubes pointing up.

Assuming you are tall enough, slip the carriage onto the way tubes oriented as shown in yer pix and secure it with the carriage lock far enough away from the 'hinge' so the table can be inserted into the carriage with the trunion set to '0'.

*See 'Eureka' below!!!

Crank the table trunion posts fully into the carriage so the mounting tubes protrude fully*. Lock the table in place. Slide the carriage as close to the hinge as it will go and lock.

Tilt the whole shebang over onto the trunion posts*. It now rests on the trunion posts* and the two ends on the leg with the way tubes at a tilt but close to horizontal. Not sure if it is above or below horizontal, but this is a mental exercise and measuring 'not allowed'.

So next slide the headstock onto the way tubes(taking care to not let the power cord get in the way:D). Easy said, but it is heavy! There is likely not enough weight to counter it so you will have be bo totally supportive at this point(still easier than holding it over your head!)

Lock the headstock to the waytubes near the edge of the table and install the tiebar.

Tilt 'the whole shebang' back on it's feet, retract the table, tilt the table to 90, lower the carriage and call it done.

Now I realize your way tubes are too short to do this since you cut them off,:eek: but IIWM, I would not have cut them!:D

Still the tilt to get the tubes 'near horizontal' is a valid procedure.

After raising back to 'vertical' check the way tubes for twist(the two tubes should be equal angles from true vertical in all directions although they will likely vary 'around' the tubes). Correct by loosening the tie bar and 'counter twisting'. Headstock and carriage locks must be loose when doing so.

Eureka!!! After adding the pix above I had the following hot flash!

Insert the table into the carriage with the trunion set to 0 but from the 'bottom' of the carriage. The larger table surface will make a 'superior' foot for the tilted 'shebang'.

2centsworth wrote:My new Shorty Drill Press

[ATTACH]23537[/ATTACH]

Thanks Bill Mayo for the inspiration. It is exactly what I wanted to do.
Now confession time. Several lessons learned. It is nearly impossible to try and get the motor on from the top - don't ask how I know that second why does the power cord always get in the way when you try to slide the motor back on ??? Third you do have to put the table on the same way as the motor - again don't ask how I know finally if anyone wants to know how to do this I have now put three together if you count all my attempts to get it correct !
Now we are having FUN !

Beautiful Job. How long are the bench tubes? For others, please note that the quill is centered over the middle of the frame. A small bottle jack makes raising and lower the headstock real easy. I put the carriage on in the upright position, inserted the table legs into the carriage and tilted the way tubes back to the horizontal position and used the table height adjustment to make the way tubes level. I actually put my stool under the table to hold the way tubes horizontally. Then I just mounted the headstock upside down on the way tubes and place the assembly back into the upright position. I would believe I could remove or attach the motor pan to the headstock much easier with the headstock upside down in the horizontal position.

Well it is interesting. I guess them main point here is compactness. And you still have another shopsmith for other drilling functions right?

How much room do you have between the table at is lowest and the drill chuck? Can the table tilt at all?

Functions that remain would be the drill press, over head routing/shaping, drum sanding, mini vertical lathe, and buffing station.

Thanks for sharing the idea and posting the results.

Ed

So Jerry, Now you have a shorty, a stubby and a normal setup Good job.
Fred

fredsheldon wrote:So Jerry, Now you have a shorty, a stubby and a normal setup Good job.
Fred

And a Greenie I am making into a mini and the 10ER fully functional. Can you come over and play ? I want to get the 10ER back together and running. Need your expertise.

billmayo wrote:Beautiful Job. How long are the bench tubes? For others, please note that the quill is centered over the middle of the frame. A small bottle jack makes raising and lower the headstock real easy. I put the carriage on in the upright position, inserted the table legs into the carriage and tilted the way tubes back to the horizontal position and used the table height adjustment to make the way tubes level. I actually put my stool under the table to hold the way tubes horizontally. Then I just mounted the headstock upside down on the way tubes and place the assembly back into the upright position. I would believe I could remove or attach the motor pan to the headstock much easier with the headstock upside down in the horizontal position.

Bill I cut them 10 inches long. Having measured everything 12 inches left the front legs out front of the table. I liked the 10 inch mark. I can stand in front of the table no problem.

Jerry, did you cut the way tubes? I'm thinking that I'd leave those tubes close to full length, just to have the extra capacity.

Also, the only issue I see with the headstock and carriage/table reversed, is you can't do a vertical cut (like a door knob or hinge mortising) in a long piece of wood. BUT, you still have a regular Shopsmith, with it's horizontal drill-press mode, that will do this function just fine.

I've still got to build a real stand-alone (short based) ER drill-press, and I'm thinking of going backwards, too. I'd need to do a shorter base, than my lathe extension setup. That one has the 2 diagonal braces touching in the center of the bench 2X8 boards. Makes it 27 X18 inches, at the ground. I'd want 18 X 18 inches for the drill-press, because I don't want to be reaching over the end of the bench. Means I need to re-think the diagonal braces. Since ER metal legs are hard to find, I'll probably just get a used bed frame, and use some of the angle iron to make new shorter braces. (Goodwill has bed frames for just a few dollars. Great source of angle iron.)

steve

Yep I cut them to shorty length. I am 5'9" so it worked out for me to be a very good height. Yes I have a full 520 and a 510 shorty as well. Working on my Greenie and just brought home for Christmas my 10ER.

Having Fun !