1953 Delta Rockwell Homecraft Drill Press and Motor Restoration | Part 1 & Part 2
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Published 2022-12-29
Part 1 (Motor): • 1953 Delta Rockwell Homecraft Drill P...
Part 2 (drill press and stand): • 1953 Delta Rockwell Homecraft Drill P...
Delta Homecraft No. 11-120 11” Drill Press Operating and Maintenance Manual: www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/1141/18417.pdf
Delta Rockwell serial number look-up (determine what year and where your Delta Rockwell tools were made!): wiki.vintagemachinery.org/DeltaSerialNumbers.ashx
DIY Drill Press Stand: sawsonskates.com/diy-drill-press-stand-plans/
Details about the drill press:
This is a No. 11-120 Delta Homecraft 11” Drill Press manufactured in the Tupelo, Mississippi Delta factory in 1953. The Vintage Machinery link above has a database of all serial numbers for Delta equipment from the 1940’s-1980’s that can tell you both the year and location where your Delta tool was made just based on the serial number. This drill press was my grandfather’s that he used his whole life for every DIY project around the house. We used it together for woodworking projects he taught me when I was a kid in the 1990’s. Over the years it was painted and repainted, wiring added, and sat on a retrofitted stand with a dedicated metal toggle switch to start it up. When he passed away it sat around for a while before finally coming to me. You’ve probably seen it used in other restoration projects of mine, but the time finally came for its own moment in the spotlight.
Details about the motor:
This is a repulsion start induction motor made by the Leland Electric Company of Dayton, Ohio, USA. This motor dates to around the 1930’s or 1940’s and is not original to the drill press but has approximately the same RPM as the original motor. Repulsion start motors do not require a capacitor to start and rely on the carbon brushes that ride on the commutator to short to complete an electrical circuit in the rotor when the motor first starts. When the motor quickly gets up to speed, a centrifugal short circuiter switch on the commutator is activated and shorts all the bars on the armature and turns it into a standard induction motor. There are no bearings anywhere in this motor, only brass or bronze bushings with oil access holes surrounded by cotton (soaked in the oil) to keep the shaft lubricated and trap metal particles over time.
Timestamps:
0:00 – 1:33 Overview
1:34 – 2:35 Removing the motor from the drill press
2:36 – 5:33 Motor Disassembly
5:34 – 7:13 Rotor cleanup
7:14 – 7:52 Small parts cleanup
7:53 – 8:08 Motor housing cleanup
8:09 – 9:36 Stripping paint
9:37 – 10:10 Removing old bushing wool
10:11 – 11:50 Priming and Painting
11:51 – 12:20 Replacing bushing wool
12:21 – 13:15 Wiring cleanup
13:16 – 14:36 Rewiring motor
14:37 – 17:29 Reassembling motor
17:30 – 17:50 Before/After Motor
17:51 – 18:18 Testing motor
18:19 – 24:41 Drill Press Disassembly
24:42 – 29:20 Degreasing and wire wheeling parts
29:21 – 32:24 Stripping paint
32:25 – 33:23 Table surface cleanup
33:24 – 34:36 Priming and painting
34:37 – 35:46 Reusing switch and new switch box
35:47 – 44:39 Drill Press Reassembly
44:38 – 45:09 New table mounting
45:10 – 46:01 Wiring and mounting switch
46:02 – 47:16 Before/After
47:17 – 48:28 Testing
48:29 Thank you and please subscribe!
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All Comments (21)
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If I might add to my previous comment, as an “older man” I must tell you ,I find it so pleasing to see old machines restored, especially with the modern attitude of “throw it away “ . Those old machines were built by craftsmen with a lot of pride. I doubt if (with a few exceptions) any machine built today would still be around in 65 or 70 years from now👍👍😊
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this is the kind of stuff they don't made anymore 😍
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I love how you mention the other restorers in your videos. Great job.
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Excellent video! This drill press turned out amazing! I really love old tools with such history. Grandpa would be proud of you. 😊
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Excellent video. It's refreshing to see professional images/video without obnoxious music or someone trying to pretend to be a comedian.
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My uncle was a mechanical engineer for Delta during that time period and he sent my dad a drill press and table saw as a house warming present when dad built our house out on the farm. My drill press that I inherited is very similar. Some of the castings are different and it is labeled just as Delta Milwaukee. I think 1953 would be about the time frame. I did just what you did as far as restoration several years back. Nice job on yours.
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Your table was in great shape. When they are rough, I have not been above having a shop spin these in a 4-jaw and take a pass or two (my lathe is too small). Excellent restore, thanks for the video & (vicarious) enjoyment.
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Excellent restoration, but just so ya know, the spindle return spring should NEVER be greased! Just cleaned and oiled is all it takes. Grease attracts sawdust and dirt, making it stick.
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Very nice 👍 restoration. I really enjoy watching old tools come back to life.
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Very cool! I particularly appreciated the fact you kept the original power switch, polished by your grandfather's hand. I have a Delta of similar vintage and it's amazing that they built the homeowner's version to the same standard as the commercial ones.
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I have the same drill press that my father bought about 1955. I have used this drill press all my life. Great video!
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What a great video! I just picked up a 1953, same exact one, though mine has the original motor. Paid $40, what a deal! Mine is super gunky like yours was, I feel so much better having your video for a reference, I really appreciate it!
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A first class job. Round of Applause 👏👏👏.
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Very nice job. I have the same exact drill press. I restored my about 2 years ago and I really like it. A great drill press.
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beautiful restoration
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this turned out awesome , ive used so many of these drill presses over the years. thanks
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That was a very nice restoration, so much fine detail, and a lot of hard work, I’m actually in the process of restoring my great grandpa’s, Rockwell, bandsaw.
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Another great restoration!
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Beautiful job.
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I think you did a very nice job.
