Saving A 1930s Drill Press Table | Surfacing Cast Iron Machine Parts | Manual Machining
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- A viewer sent in this job. This is the table from his 1930s drill press that he restored, but the table was never quite right.
In this video, I show just how bad the table was, setup, cutting, troubleshooting of the setup, and completion of the facing of this antique drill press table.
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Welcome to Topper Machine LLC! I’m Josh Topper, owner of Topper Machine LLC, a Spooner, WI manual machining, welding, and fabricating shop. I Specialize in repairs and custom one-off jobs, and I work on larger parts requiring precision and careful setup. This channel combines professional craftsmanship with personal projects, like restoring my steam traction engine and dragline crane and running my homemade sawmill.
With years of industry experience-from high school machining to leading OEM production-I bring expertise to every project. You're in the right place if you love skilled craftsmanship. Stay tuned for the art of manual machining, unique shop services, and exciting projects.
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🔎 Related Phrases: Antique Machine Restoration, Antique restoration, antique machinery, vintage machinery, drill press, mill setup, fly cutting, fly cutter, surfacing, cnc, machine shop, manual machining, machinist, restoration, repair, industrial repair, maintenance
Hashtags #toppermachine #topper #machining #machining #cncmachine #machineshoplife #machine #precisionmachining #cnc #homemachineshop #cncmilling #milling #restoration #repairing #rebuild #boringmill #machineshoplife #cee #trend #viralvideo #antique #antiques
Thank you Josh and all your viewers! I so much appreciate what you do. You used one heck of a big machine on my little Walker Turner. Your story will be a part of my machine. I am proud of that. We use this machine for small holes and after reworking the spindle and with the new old stock chuck holds true to within one thousandths.
Whoa! I recognized that table immediately. When I was growing up, we had a W-T with the same table. My dad was a tinkerer, and he got the machine from a friend who had a shop. Keep 'er goin'! Cheers...
@RickTashma thank you for that memory! Small drills need quite a few RPMs to work well.
No matter which tool used, if it works well, use it. The skill of the operator is the most important thing
There’s going to be a smile when the customer unwraps the piece. Well done.
Your boring projects are never boring!😏
Thanks for another great video Josh!!
‘’I’m going to be absurd about it.” What a statement and way to back it up. Awesome!
I’m always impressed at the quality of older, castings, minimal flash, nice and smooth.
From a time of Pride in Manufacturing.
Yeah, modern stuff is often junk. You look at it the wrong way and it breaks.
The castings on the low-end “Driver Line” is really beautiful. Cool shapes and proof of time show it is good. Maybe the rough finish of the table was at a high feed and DOC just to stop some crazy chatter. I don’t know but now it is correct thanks to Josh.
Nice one Josh. Looks like the table had previously been sanded freehand using an angle grinder. Good to see the boring mill in action. Cheers Tony
Ey up Tony 👍
Top man Ralfy. Glad you agree @RalfyCustoms
Josh, since the customer wanted aerospace tolerences 😊, maybe the next step would be a surface grind followed by scraping? Thanks for the video!
Carl
Always so cool to watch you do your job, Thank you 👊 I really hope your business picks up soon
That was an amazing job, its the first time i have seen a boring bar in a fly cutter, awsome, true thinking outside the box, Have an awsome day Josh.
Thanks for going the extra mile for our entertainment, nice video
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very enjoyable video. The value of that drill press was raised just by the fact it was done by Topper Machine 👍
Thanks 👍
Love that sound. Takes me back.
I agree with you Josh.
The HBM was the way to machine the drill press base.
Nice work.
Customer should certainly be happy with this.
Thanks for sharing. 👍🇺🇸👍
I wonder what machine back in ‘34 when it was cut? I would like to know but I do know that Josh used a lot more care and I appreciate him. Also, thanks for your comment.
@cogentdynamics I would not be surprised if they did the surfacing in the same manor back when it was made.
Just the feed and setup was not as good as Josh's setup.
Josh was careful and malicious.
Glad that you are restoring your old drill press.
Have a great weekend. 👍🇺🇸👍
Love it. Perfect use of a massive boring mill. 😀
Glad you like it!
How nice!!! It took some time to set it up but just a few thousands off trued the part up. I would have never guessed that the face could be off or wavey. Thanks for the video. You always do a great job filming and teaching.
Monster flycutter! End result is fantastic. 👍
Experimenting with video playback speed myself, makes some interesting cutting sounds. I enjoyed this video as much as the ones who wrote something. Thanks Josh. Hope your business picks up, and your whole area as well
Outstanding Josh…best wishes from Orlando, Paul
Looks like a perfect job for my shaper!
While a shaper would do a good job, he wanted the original.milled finish, only flat.
or grinding. its not a restoration. so grind that thing flat!
I was even thinking it would be a good piece to setup in the 4 jaw and face flat in the lathe. Many ways to do it for sure
@@TopperMachineLLC also, the shaper was heading out to a new owner right? I thought about that. Also thought about my lathe… work holding! People keep telling me. 🙂↕️
@@cogentdynamics The shaper should be leaving in the next month or so.
Nice one Josh, always difficult to find a register on something wonky, interesting solution, and well done as always. I hope things are picking up for you buddy? Best wishes to you and yours Ralfy
Great video as usual Josh, especially for an odd bod job like that.
Thanks!
Thank You!
Nice quickie Josh 👍🏻
Nice job. Guy should be very pleased.
A lot of overkill, but fascinating to see a huge machine working in the shop, and it also demonstrates the patience needed to operate said equipment . Beautiful result and a happy customer I am sure.Enjoyed, cheers!
@@howder1951 overkill is a threshold thing right? ☺️
@@cogentdynamics Not if the finish is good enough!
Watching Josh work and enjoying my new Topper Machine Coffee Mug...nice Saturday evening! 😃👍 Greetings from Berlin!
Cheers!
Cool. The simple things make it easier for us beginners to understand. Thanks.
I was thinking about a work stop on the back for support. That foam was really interesting. Nice job!
We used to put castings through a stress relief anneal to elininate the stresses due to the casting process. I would bet that that casting was never annealed, allowing the movement due to the machining.It was probably that way since new.
You're probably right about this one, but after 90 years, I'm guessing there shouldn't be much stress.
The dense rubber was a smart move.
Just a FYI with my background mainly being in surface grinding I have had good luck with Pot Magnets for taking harmonics out while grinding. You can get them in different sizes for different weight which makes them handy. You would have to be aware of deflection if you are hanging the magnet on the part but if you use them bolted to a steady rest you can adjust the push or pull force. I was just thinking you may have been able to stick one in the webbing on the top corners to help with the harmonics/chatter. Cool vid keep them coming.
Shall I send the table finishing? 😝 my German friend who is a retired toolmaker told me to get it ground! I like overkill. I like the machining marks which look like they were done. Changes to make it complete and “up to par”. A USA machine should have been done better than they did in New Jersey. N. Wisconsin takes the win!
@@cogentdynamics Grinding the table would be overkill as you have mentioned unless you have the capabilities and time. I am sure what Josh has done to the table will be just fine for drill press work. A German toolmaker friend is quite friend to have around.
also a SG would violate the "like original, but perfect" idea, Josh chose tool, feed to match the original finish
@@bcooo1 I like to joke around. Do many good people here. German guy wants to sell me his grinder with a magnetic sign vise. I don’t have room nor the skill. It would be cool to play with the grinder. Not on a drill press. I had trouble with grinding as a youngster. Heat and force makes it challenging. I threw my motorcycle cylinder out of one and broke a pie section out of a borrowed grinder. Oops! Everyone hit the floor and crawled to the breaker panel.
I like watchinng how you figure priorities for jobs like this, thank you much!
That was very neat. always enjoy seeing that machine in action
this was great, perfect for a Saturday morning
So glad to see this done on the Lucas.
Smooth operator!!
Two things Josh, It was made like it Second it was made like it. It has not had a hard life as it has not holes in it.
Good video as ever
Nice bit of machining !
Came out nice, I'm sure he will be happy, Thanks Josh.
Very nice result. As good or probably better than when the casting was factory new. Now the owner needs to send you the machine base for a similar treatment.
No "Arc of shame" on the Drill Press table. A responsible owner.
Since 1936! My ownership has only been in the last 4 years. There were two small peck marks. It wasn’t me or the 3 guys have been using it. I trust Josh!
Fascinating video as usual! BTW, your honey is amazing! Fun to get it along with the other stuff for my shop. ❤😁🤙
Awesome! Thank you!
Came out very nice .
Good job
nice job
Being a retired Tool and Die maker from the 70's and 80's this brought back memories. I liked your process well done. When I reflect back on my history it brings back many amusing memories of using unusual tools and different methods to achieve the end results. Thanks for your effort on an interesting video, hope that the workload picks up for you!!!
Nice one, Josh. And hey, if you got it flaunt it! 🤣 Take care.
2:28 I love that “I’m gonna be absurd about it”😂😂😂😂😂
Outstanding job 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Nice work!!
Enjoyed watching. I used to run a big G&L hbm so anyone on youtube showing this kind of work big or small, i give props to. Nice work!
Absurd? The other day I used a 12HP snow blower to remove a 1/8" snow dusting. Now that's absurd. Lol. Love your channel!
meanwhile I used an electric leafblower on 4 inches of powder and ice! worked way better than I thought it would , especially on the tamped ice in the driveway
Good work.
Hi Josh, thanks for an interesting way of resurfacing the drill table, and absolutely agree with you comment 'why not' 😁
Another really cool video
Awesome job
Great thanks for your response
Great work Josh!
I think your choice of machine to getter done was perfect. I hope to see more projects using the HBM in the future. KOKO!
An interesting setup with the large fly cutter on your huge boring mill. A little different but, as you said,“why not?). I didn’t expect the mounting surface to be as square to the face as it was, since there’s usually draft on castings. You’re on a roll; keep it up.
the mounting surface is machined true first from the factory , I think
facinating, great job
At the outset I was thinking that this was a little like cutting butter with a chainsaw but turns out to be a pretty good choice. The part originally may have been a product of rotary surface grinding (Blanchard) as a lot of woodworking machine tables and stuff like that are - heavy material removal with so-so accuracy. Viewer should be pleased with the outcome and the process was interesting to watch.
As always great work!!!
I like it!👍👍
Really good video and I liked the top down camera view. Wanted to ask about your fly cutter, is it shop made, and if so, could you please show some close up detail and share some words about making it. Thanks much, please keep the videos coming.
Shop made. I have other videos of it.
Greetings Mr. Josh from the oldest town in Texas, Nacogdoches. Using the Boring Mill for that job is like using a sledgehammer to kill a fly, which is exactly what I would do. If it is worth doing, it is worth overdoing!! 😂
I like when I can see the setup process. Set ups are easy when you have a square edge or one flat surface. Thanks for making the video
I like the machine.
Just found this channel and wanted to say thanks for making a nice concise videos. I've been learning lots.
Nice job! That is a pretty cool machine, I've never seen one in person.
Josh, for parts like that, prone to chatter, we had lead bars about 2 x 4 x 16. Just lean em against the back.
Love the video! The camera you are using is very clear. It was like I was standing there watching. The method of getting the piece flat may have been a little overkill but it made a great video!
Another great machining job but I must say that flycutter looks so much more lethal on a horizontal mill vs a vertical mill!
You should see my 32" fly cutter. Lol
Hey Josh, I realize you're an expert machinist, but holding that mic so close to that running machine was stressful! That sound quality was fantastic, though! Maybe you could tape that mic to a stick 😅
That got me thinking- Have you done many videos about general shop safety? Would you be willing to share any "war stories" of accidents you've had or seen throughout your career or talk about lessons learned? Better yet, it'd be cool if you had some footage to talk over & tell us what you learned from a mishap or a major mistake. Personally, big mistakes are the ones I've learned the most from. especially when it costs other people's time or money.
I manage for a trucking company & safety is always a main topic of discussion. Whenever we have collisions or near collisions we try to show all our drivers the dash cam recordings of the event and talk about how to avoid similar situations in the future, so that's more or less where I'm coming from.
Great video & great work on this little job!
Greetings from west coast Canada Josh. Just saying hello.
Beautiful final surface finish.
For the sake of showing the problem of deflection in circumstances like this, could you possibly set up your dial indicator on the bed and indicate off of the BACKSIDE of the work piece and video that while the cutting is happening. Doing so might show just how little deflection it takes to cause chatter, and how much damping your anti chatter technique actually provided. I'm a believer and it might make some good content if you could show it on video.
Good suggestion.
That was fun.
another great Topper Machine video!
Thank you Josh!
Great work. Hope for Time/hyperlapse video with normal speed audio.
Nice OEM finish, coarse finish helps fine debris get pushed out from under vice, part etc. Looks like original machining was poor, as you stated, unless someone else had a go in its 90-year history.
Now, that's a fly cutter. Dampener pads worked great.
Thanks for sharing.
@@bostedtap8399 I restored this one after purchasing an old woodworker who was moving to a “home”. Sad but it has a new life. It will run for another 90 with some care. Thanks! I’m loving Topper Machine, Josh is a very good man.
Great video is always Josh 👍👍
That was an interesting way of facing that table. Like you said, you could have used other machines, but it wouldn't have been as interesting.
I get that if this bothers the person, then fixing it is worthwhile, as otherwise it will bother him for years to come. I know that from experience where I’ll take a machine apart just to “fix” something that’s annoying, sometimes just to look at, but not really affecting the work. I’ve got four drill presses. If I do something critical, I don’t do it on a press, I do it on a mill. So whether this table, which, from a machinist’s view, is far out, really doesn’t affect whatever he’s going to do on the press. The errors I saw average out over the top. You also have to be wary about taking too much off. The tables on these little presses are pretty thin. You don’t want to get into a situation where you have to take off just a little more, and then a little more, and then a little more. Additionally, I’ve seen old pieces that have one side machined with the other as cast, when the part is thin, machining just a bit more off has the part warp over the next few minutes, and then some more over the next several days.
Ha! It has been age normalized for 90 years. I know what you say is correct. You would have thought I was off my rocker (and I am) to rework the spindle with new bearings after having it reground o.d. , hard chromed and re-ground. We use this machine for 4 years but it pissed me off just looking at the table! Thanks for commenting because people like you teaches us all more.
Nice job.
I'm guessing you squared the mounting surface also.
Thanks for the video.
Since he had zero issue with the mounting surface, it did not need attention. Had there been any irregularities, yes. When I set it on my table there was zero movement.
@@TopperMachineLLC if I need to address the surface on the column bracket. We know this was fine as it was but now it is better and many of us are smarter.
Good job. Like seeing all the things you can do. Small, medium or large. You can do it. Thanks.
Just a tip for a better visual for the viewer. Put some color ( blue, sharpie, spray paint ) on the part being machined so the viewer can see the low spots as you make fly cutter passes.
Perhaps you should consider something like the rubber bushing out of an engine mount, or possibly even something like an old piece of tire tread?
Thanks
thank you
very cool, l was thinking the other day, if you were going to maybe take on some viewer work.
I would if it would come in. Hard to get anyone to ship stuff to the furthest place from anywhere.
thoughts on checking table surface to mounting surface to be square/perpendicular?
There are many ways. The way I did it in the video with the square, then the indicator is the best I've found.
Iron can creep over time....
Good video
☹️🇬🇧
Pretty fly for a WI guy.
Well, doesn't that look the bees' knees?
One of those really nice little videos Josh.
I think the boring mill was an excellent choice; it matched the tool pattern already on the part. I can just imagine a jig with a bunch of tables ganged up running past a face cutter back when they were making these.
I'm willing to believe you know more about what this press looks like than I do, but it looked to me like the face you mounted on the table had some registration grooves. It certainly would have been a harder set up, but wouldn't it have been better to flip it 180° and indicate the mounting face and grooves? Like, I'm sure within the tolerances of a drill press it's still close enough, but if those grooves lock into the stand, the table will be crooked if you didn't indicate them (unless you go lucky when you chose your points)
Hey Josh new head cover looks cool if your hair challenged like me it is what you need also stops heat escaping from your head 😂
still got most of mine, just no time to get a hair cut.
a blast as glass beed
Awesome job. How long has a DRO been on the horizontal boring machine???
I could well have missed an episode where you did that.
That would make your life a lot easier.
Happy days from kiwi land.
SOUND A LOT BETTER
Kind of wondering why you did not put a clamp on top in the center to help support the part vertically?