# The Mother Of All Drill Presses?



## Three44s (May 21, 2016)

The Mother Of All Drill Presses?

I recently bought a radial arm drill press at an auction:

http://s557.photobucket.com/user/Three-44s/slideshow/

I gave more for the drill bits for it than the press cost me!

Three 44s


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

I've been looking for a press something like that I have drill bits up to 4" but no working drill press.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

We have one close to that size, but its not a radial press. Man will it drill. No problem punching a 2" or 3" hole. Saw one at Miller Equipment auction a few years back and they couldnt get a bid on it...

Farmer Brown, how close are you to Bechtelsville, Berks Co., PA? That's where the auction was. My bet is the press is still sitting there...


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

What a beast....and nice. Any idea on weight?

Regards, Mike


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## Uphayman (Oct 31, 2014)

I'm thinking the neighbor probably will come over to see if he can borrow it for a couple days. You know.......I'll bring it right back.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

You can tell it was built BEFORE bean counters got to much say in the amount of material used. Looks almost un-breakable and already lasted a lifetime. Of course OHSA would have a field day if it was in a manufacturing plant today. Hope it serves you well.

Larry

PS looks heavy enough that it won't be walking around on you either.


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## Three44s (May 21, 2016)

PaMike said:


> We have one close to that size, but its not a radial press. Man will it drill. No problem punching a 2" or 3" hole. Saw one at Miller Equipment auction a few years back and they couldnt get a bid on it...
> 
> Farmer Brown, how close are you to Bechtelsville, Berks Co., PA? That's where the auction was. My bet is the press is still sitting there...


There were two of us at this auction that wanted at least part of it. The other guy besides me just was after the tombstone (table) for a friend. I was prepared to go much higher since I wanted it intact .......... I lucked out at $500 for the press. The shortened apple bin of drill bits ran up to 2 7/8" and Morse Taper #5 went for $700.

Our biggest challenge was getting it home without tipping it over, it's pretty top heavy.

Best regards

Three 44s


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## Three44s (May 21, 2016)

Vol said:


> What a beast....and nice. Any idea on weight?
> 
> Regards, Mike


Mike,

Thank you and yes, we weighed it .......... 8800# and very top heavy. We manuuuuvvvvered it ...... LOL! with a 7000# Clark ............. very ............ VERY carefully!!!

We had two forks to work it and the other .......... 5000# Wiggins did not even faze half of it. The ever stout Clark could not lift it straight away ....... you had to tip it forward, raise for all the machine had in it and then tip it back to the lift proper.

Once we got of off the low boy (we did not need that many axles) but it was our best ride and lowest deck available at the time ........... we kept the drill press real close to mother earth in case the worst happened.

Best regards

Three 44s


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## Three44s (May 21, 2016)

Uphayman said:


> I'm thinking the neighbor probably will come over to see if he can borrow it for a couple days. You know.......I'll bring it right back.


I think he'll hurt his back just studying it? LOL!

We took the apple bin of drill bits and an unrelated purchase home the day of the sale but had not a worry about somebody "lifting" the press .......... we were instructed to wait till the middle of the week before coming for it because the auction yard wanted lots of stuff picked up around it by other purchasers so as to facilitate safe loading of our press.

The auctioneer about lost it unloading it so they were spooked a little by it.

Best regards

Three 44s


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## Three44s (May 21, 2016)

r82230 said:


> You can tell it was built BEFORE bean counters got to much say in the amount of material used. Looks almost un-breakable and already lasted a lifetime. Of course OHSA would have a field day if it was in a manufacturing plant today. Hope it serves you well.
> 
> Larry
> 
> PS looks heavy enough that it won't be walking around on you either.


Larry,

It minds real well ......... you put it somewhere ........ you don't even have to order it to "stay"! Of course that assumes a good base under it .......... concrete ..... steel ........... don't want to come back the next day and just see the just the tip of it sticking out of the ground .............. LOL!

Yes, they put stuff into stuff in those days!

Best regards

Three 44s


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

Spent some time running a couple of about the same vintage. I hope it serves you well. You must have some holes to drill to tie up that much space, it takes a big drawer when it's time to put it away.


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## bluefarmer (Oct 10, 2010)

iPad won't download the picture


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## Three44s (May 21, 2016)

Wethay said:


> Spent some time running a couple of about the same vintage. I hope it serves you well. You must have some holes to drill to tie up that much space, it takes a big drawer when it's time to put it away.


Well actually we don't have space for it ... we have make space for it.

We are still not sure exactly how but we are pretty close on "where".

This whole project (if you will) started out needing a "good" drill press. Our little tiwannie press is all right to about 1/2". Beyond the chatter starts in and by 5/8" bits it's getting ridiculous.

Our old heavy drill press from around 1905 is broken from 30 years ago thanks to my big hurry little brother. Getting it fixed involved having a custom gear made. Enter this drill: Granted we will spend some treasure and burn some sweat equity making a home for it but in the long run we will have so much more to show for it.

I had know idea all the things you could do with a big radial arm drill until I started communicating on another forum about this topic (after I had already bought it).

Three44s


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## Three44s (May 21, 2016)

bluefarmer said:


> iPad won't download the picture


I don't know what to tell you, I am on an iPad right now and it loaded up for me. Perhaps you can try a different machine?

Best regards and good luck

Three 44s


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