Advice needed on Walker-Turner drill press

You can easily measure the size with a tape measure. The size of a DP is the distance from the upright column to the center of the drill chuck, times 2. If it's a 15" drill press that distance will be 7-1/2".

You can often get comparative pricing from ebay.

I wouldn't pay more than $150 for it. It's old, US and cast iron, but it won't have a lot of features you might want.

Check out

for a few tips on buying a drill press.

GWE

Bruno wrote:

What kind of features might it not have?

UA100

I forgot to measure it when I saw it -- I was hoping someone would know based on the model.

I can get it for a little less than that, but still a hard job convincing myself. I've got an old K-S Craftsman 150 which is very nice, but a bench model and I'd really prefer a floor standing model. Also, neither has the speed reducer, which would be better for metal working. So, maybe not worth the trade (which is what it would basically be).

What other features are you thinking?

Lazers!

Morse taper spindle, table raising/lowering crank, quill stops, jackshaft (center pulley so you go from one belt to two) for more speeds, integral work light, slotted table, things like that. These are all standard on the modern import drill presses. And you will use every one of them. You can certainly get by without them, too, of course.

Grant

that all important laser guidance system, of course....

Not all modern imports have MT spindles, you're right about the table crank, I've never seen a DP _without_ depth stops, jackshafts can be added, I've never used a work light but it's easy enough to add, and most midrange modern imports have tables with similar slotting to the old ones.

What you get with a vintage drill press is a really well made, solid machine that's easy to play around with. I can't get used to new ones now that I have a couple real oldies.

GTO(John)

I don't recognize the model number, but I have a WT 900 from the '50s. I've had it for around 25 years and I used one just like it in production over 30 years ago, drilling many thousands of holes with it in aluminum and steel.

Mine is still going strong, although I will have to replace the bearings soon, if I can figure out how. The model I have does have provision for a jackshaft and I have one I bought at the time I got the drill press.

Since they were built less than 5 miles from my home, I have a warm spot for them. The shops in this area are loaded with old WT's.

Ed Huntress

According to a catalog I have, a 1316-32 is a Standard Speed, Bench Model with a 6" spindle travel. BTW the motor is standard at 1/2 hp.

What shape is the floor base? Floor models were round, Bench models, rectangular. It could have been converted..

Tom

Walker Turner is good iron. They tended to use nonstandard bearings. Shrug

If you need speeds from slooooww to FZT!!! stick on a 3/4hp 3ph motor and pick up a cheap VFD from Ebay. Dial your speed and for really low end low rpm torque, simply change the belt on the pulley. This gives you infinite speeds at all torque ranges.

Gunner

"In my humble opinion, the petty carping levied against Bush by the Democrats proves again, it is better to have your eye plucked out by an eagle than to be nibbled to death by ducks." - Norman Liebmann

The Walker Turner I have does indeed have a jackshaft. It's just visible in the photo, above the top of the column - flipped upside down though, because I wasn't using it when I took the photo:

IMO that machine is a real industrial workhorse. No way I could ever wear it out in my lifetime of hobby use. Of course it has depth stops, the worklight is a compact fluorescent that's mounted off to the side in a reflector fixture. The table's slotted but there's no crank for elevating it. That's the one luxury I sort of miss.

Jim

Bruno wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

I have a benchtop model at the end of my welding table. If it sounds good, runs good, little run out, I'd buy it for $150 any day over an import. MANY easy upgrades you can do to it, Jackshaft, VFD etc. If it has a Morse taper spindle you can easily put a nice chuck on it....mine had a JT33 with locking collar, wasn't hard to find a good chuck for it, but not as easy as a MT spindle

Marty

Thanks to all who responded here.

Thanks, Tom for spotting this in the catalog. The one I saw had the large round floor model base. I did measure the column and was surprized that it was 2 1/4" diameter, not 2 3/4".

I contacted the seller and he measured the spindle to column at 8

1/2", but I don't see that there was a 17" model then, so I'm not sure where he measured (maybe to center of column).

The machine was posted for sale locally at $150 (in "mint condition") but when I saw it there was light to medium rust all over it. We live near the ocean, so that had me concerned. While it worked, it would still benefit from serious cleanup and I had to consider all the effort for that. He offered to sell if for 100 if I'd take it then, but something held me back. Anyway, he later had someone commit for $125 and gave me first right of refusal back at $150. I said no.

Thanks, Grant, for getting me to think about other features. One of the things that really held me back in the first place was the lack of speed reducer (since I do metal work). But I realize now that a cranking table would be very good to have.

-Bruno

Lots of the older shops that still have WTs have put in a small crank and pulley to lift/lower the tables. Very easy to do. Some use a counterweight inside the vertical support.

Gunner

"In my humble opinion, the petty carping levied against Bush by the Democrats proves again, it is better to have your eye plucked out by an eagle than to be nibbled to death by ducks." - Norman Liebmann

The South Bend I have here at work has a strange lever widget that ratchets the table up. The machine at home is pretty small so I don't mind armstronging the table up. I just have to remember to take off the heavy vise if it's on the table, first.

The cable/winch or counterweight idea is cute though.

Jim

I hate to say it, but you really missed out on that. Prices vary by location but I'd be driving home right now with that DP if I could get one for $100. Jackshafts are easy things to make.

GTO(John)

I omitted the obvious, it is listed as a 15" machine..

Tom

I omitted the obvious, it is listed as a 15" machine..

Tom

Based on the motor and column size, it's probably a 15" machine. It's easy to determine by measuring from the tip of the chuck to the column; if that measures around 7.5", then it's a 15" (swing) machine. In MHO it may be worth around $100 to $200 depending on the OA condition. My guess on age would be

50's or early 60's. Good luck, John