Looking for ways to raise Delta DP table easily

Hi,

I received one method of making my DP table raise & lower easily. I would like to see if there are any other methods.

It is an old (40s) Delta drill press. I think it contains the same amount of metal as a steam locomotive. That table is HEAVY. It does move easily. I think it would drop to the floor if I unlocked it and let go.

Enjoy,

Jim
 
Hi,

I received one method of making my DP table raise & lower easily. I would like to see if there are any other methods.

It is an old (40s) Delta drill press. I think it contains the same amount of metal as a steam locomotive. That table is HEAVY. It does move easily. I think it would drop to the floor if I unlocked it and let go.

Enjoy,

Jim

I recall seeing somone using an electric motor to raise and lower the table, a search of google shows this link.

http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/cached_files/19038_files/

Good luck.
 
Hi,

I received one method of making my DP table raise & lower easily. I would like to see if there are any other methods.

It is an old (40s) Delta drill press. I think it contains the same amount of metal as a steam locomotive. That table is HEAVY. It does move easily. I think it would drop to the floor if I unlocked it and let go.

Enjoy,

Jim
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You might consider mounting a small winch (boat winch etc.) in a convenient operating location and with a snatch block anchored in a ceiling joist above the press and possibly one more snatch block the cable could be pulled down and hooked at the back edge of the table to raise it.
 
I know a fellow named Bill Richardson (check the www.woodmagazine.com old tools and machinery forum) placed some form of a screw or hydraulic jack under his table to raise it. Crude, but pretty simple. I think it sits on the floor with a wooden piece of 2x4 or 4x4 that sits against the bottom side of the table.
Paul Hubbman
 
For 118 bucks you can buy a heavy duty linear electric actuator that would raise and lower the table. I think you are limited to 12 inch movement, but I seldom move my table more then that anyway. It might or might not work for you.

Northern Hydraulics has them in light duty, and heavy duty models. In case you don't know what one looks like, here is a picture I gleaned off the internet.

TA1.JPG
 
Jim,
FWIW, I have an old pre WWI drill press that has a counterweight inside the shaft. A pulley at the top of the shaft guides the cable down to the table. It actually works quite well - very smooth with little effort.
It may be a bit difficult to retrofit onto a "modern" drill press though.

Wes
 
I have a couple of heavy bits in my shop that need quite fine adjustment at times. I use a hydraulic bottle jack (pic attached in case you chaps have a different name for it) to give me the movement with a degree of finesse. They are dirt cheap in the smaller sizes and do the job just fine.
 

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I used a battery intended for computer standby. It is a gel lead acid battery. I hardwired a wall wart for it. Just have to plug in the wall wort to keep it charged. In the case of the handicapped accessible pulpit, it is a good thing, as it gets stored in various places until it is needed.

I got the battery and the wall wart from Batteries Plus, a retail store. The guy helping me was real intrigued with what I was doing.
 
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