Photo Index - J. M. Lancaster, Inc. - Lancaster #220-D drawer clamping machine

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
J. M. Lancaster, Inc.
Greensboro, NC

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Other
Machine Size:	60" drawer length
Submitted By:	stephen thomas

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Lancaster #220-D drawer clamping machine
Date of Manufacturer:	unknown
Serial Number:
Last Updated	6/13/2005 10:12:40 PM

Comments:

(This was originally listed here as a model # 215-B. The size discrepancies with listed capacities on that machine lead to further net research, and the belief that this is actually more likely to be the larger #220 model.)

I had wanted one of these for years; clamping up dovetail drawers is inordinately time consuming task to make tight, square, flat, out-of wrack boxes using bar clamps. Had gone so far as to make sketchs a few times to make one. But in recent years, box clamps have become common on the auction scene, and not so expensive (if not downright cheap) as they once were. To the extent that it would not be worthwhile even to buy the materials for a shop built version.

This is one machine that I was actually not very familiar with before bidding for it on an IRS auction, and it cost me. Although a few things worked out in my favor. On the good side of the ledger, it turned out to be much larger than the 215 model. Length capacity between towers is 60", equal to drawer box width. Max height setting between top and bottom platens is about 30" which corresponds to the rated box front-to-back dimension. It is noted in the brochure that various optional heights could be made to order. The width between the bed rails as well as the length of the top platens is a bit over 17", which is the rated box depth. (The 215-B would have rated capacities of either 32" or 60" long, x 24" tall x 13" between rails/box depth.) Almost all of the information I was able to glean after the fact is from a brochure that OWWM'er RJ Wagner very generously sent me, and some information due to his familiarity with the clamp machines. Thanks, Bob!

Where it "cost" me, is that I didn't know how to inspect the machine when picking it up, or what parts to look for that might be missing. As near as I can deduce, it appears someone started to rebuild it, took it all apart, sandblasted it, and hosed it down with tractor paint or similar. Not a bad job, but more to sell it, than for show. Initially, from re-worked parts, it looks like the intention was to put it together right. Then somewhere in there, parts had turned up missing, been cobbled together, and/or been broken. It looks like "they" suddenly said one day, "we have to get this machine out of here, have the cheap guys throw it together and put it on the market."

Whoever bought it at that point welded garbage on both lower jaws, bolted aluminum bars here and there, and had a bunch of screwed up MDF & formica fixturing cobbled together over top. It was essentially un-useable, certainly not with the flexibility JM Lancaster intended, at the point I brought it home. Not only that, the top jaws were totally wallered out from erosion by glue and use over the years. Over 1/16" deeper in the middle, and all sway backed. No way to accurately align or set them up to clamp flat or square. Whoever put it in the auction appears to have used it for one small item with permanent cobbled fixturing, and probably didn't use it long.

The most critical missing piece was a lower support rest. Again, I was not really aware of the intended configuration of one of these machines, or what the full complement of parts might be. It became clear from the brochure that RJ provided, that the machine was to have lower rests under the bottom jaws to support the face of the box. These rests could be adjusted in height to make the front level as the basic reference to square. The faces of the rests can be swiveled to locate and support serpentine, bow-front, or concave drawer fronts. By handscrew adjustment, the entire rest casting under each jaw swings on a pivot and can be moved to locate the faces from flush with the tops of the rails, to perhaps an inch or so beneath the bottom jaws. This allows drawers with lipped fronts to be squeezed while clearing the lip. It also allows some other set up conveniences.

On the clamp machine I bought, one rest unit was complete, but butchered. (this was, again, not obvious due to all the garbage, metal and wood, covering it up) The other had one minor bracket loosely stuck in the jaw casting, but all the main castings for the tailstock rest were missing. I made a fabricated assembly out of steel plate, aluminum trunnions, and some 5/8" and 9/16" shafts, and rebuilt the existing unit with a few new parts as well. Then all the face surfaces of these rests, and the top jaws were ground flat on a surface grinder. It took about .125 on the worst top jaw to get flat, and nearly the same on the other.

As designed, the bottom jaws were originally nothing but the faced off casting of the bottom of the clamp towers. These were so eroded from use, and the poorly welded on garbage and cracked welds, that the only thing to do was to cover it up. I made "cover" jaws out of 1/2" thick L and bolted them on, with a row of set screws along the front to support it against the irregular original jaw faces. These cover jaws were planed on the mounting surfaces, ground flat and square on the working faces, and sized to also abut structure on the towers to resist the clamping pressure.

Photo 1:

Comments: Overall view. Book weight ~1,400lbs
Source: my camera

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Photo 2:

Comments: the adjustable working parts. New fabricated rest (the part between the bed rails on tailstock end, rebuilt original casting on headstock end
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Photo 3:

Comments: support rests are height adjustable (note different position compared to bed rails). Also new jaw cover facings on bottom jaws
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