Champion Blower & Forge Co Post Drill No 96

Still have not found any model number in the usual suspects locations, but did ID it in a 1926 catalog

So what I have here is a Model No 96.  Quite the deluxe model, does not seems to come up very often.

It is a two speed, quick return, auto feed model.  Can also be adapted to power with a pulley, max 250 RPMs.  Boy that would be throwing oil and grease everywhere at that speed :-)

By 1926 it sport a thrust ball bearing,

mine does not and also shows up in the 1907 catalog

 

I also seen drawing with ball bearings features from the 1902 catalog

Found this pic, one of the rare few, of a model No 96.  Note that one has ball bearing.

That is the look I am after, except obviously mine 

will be mounted on a post as it is supposed to be.

You can drill in the middle of a 15-1/2 in circle.

Will drill up to 1-1/2 in holes in metal.

That drill has a 3 in quill range, with the added Jacobs chuck, 

you really cut down on the range, or do you??

Pic from Pinterest

You may notice also that this model never sported a handle on the top gear as they mostly do.  That is because the quick return lever makes that unnecessary.

I do not know, yet, when they introduces ball bearings in their models, but they been making this model since 1896.  Guessing mine is from the turn of the century.  That would make her 121 years old approximately.  Not quite twice as old as me.

My first thoughts were to make a wooden table, shimmed it square to the drill quill.  But that would again reduced my range drastically... Unless.

Yes I could use a longer post.  That chunk of solid steel would be anything but cheap.  Using a hollow post?  Not really necessary.

You see, the work table top can swing out of the way to reveal a large opening between the forks

You can now drill down on longer pieces and get your clearances back.

Or, swing the whole bracket to the side.  I also seen the tube separated from the drill body and relocate lower.  Or, simply make a lower table to accommodate longer Wood Working bits.  Many options without having to lengthen the post. 

One mod I would make for sure, is to install a Jacobs chuck under the fixed 1/2 in chuck.

All that is making me re-think the proper location on its post.

Will have to experiment again.  Now that the back board is removed from it, would be a lot easier.

With the hardware attaching the drill to its back board, removed,

I could separate the two.

But I had one square lag bolt that gave me a hard time, 

look how tight the wood was packed around it. Bottom lower right.

I was forever turning with an open end wrench ...

The back board.  Looks like from a nominal 2X6 construction lumber.

But it is not SPF, more like some hardwood.  Very dense and heavy.

Beveled edges, stained, then coated copiously with lubricants. 

Where she stand now.  Still unable to remove flywheel.

Need a gear puller for sure.

I keep picking at it, should be pretty well scraped and ready 

for a quick cleaning degreaser then paint, soon, my minion :-).

Similarly, my plans to remove the damaged gear is stalled.  Removed locking screw, but unable to spin out the handwheel on top.  Removed screw thru it, which I found out is acting like an anti rotation of the jack screw enabling it to push or pull the quill when turning the top handwheel. So now I really mucked up its position and will need re-adjusting.  No big deal.  How difficult can it be?? :-)

She is still surprisingly heavy, even with all the parts I removed.  So now that I know the model number it was easy to find out how much they claim it weigh.

Not 300 plus, not 200, just a mere 130 pounds!  Shipping code Feather.  Yes, it`s the biggest of the small ones (usually between 60 and 100 pounds) after this one you jump into biggest baddest machines, 300 - 400 pounds and up.  The big guy. 

Still, it`s very awkward to pick up, and you have to be mindful of the rotation of the parts cause, they will pinch you (read seriously bruised you or worse) in a hurry.  It`s a big brute.

Bob, who just found out by asking my wife, that we had throw away gloves all along.  Who knew? :-)

Said He, has he washes his hands one more times.