Photo Index - Buffalo Forge Co. - #50 Manual Drill Press

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Buffalo Forge Co.
Buffalo, NY

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery & Metal Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Drill Press
Machine Size:
Submitted By:	Charles Hettrick

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	#50 Manual Drill Press
Date of Manufacturer:	Unknown
Serial Number:	NA
Last Updated	11/20/2017 12:55:57 AM

Comments:

My father & grandmother said this drill was mounted and heavily used in their home garage until the mid 30’s, when they had to push back the wall of the car area for the larger cars of the day. Not exactly sure of the purchase date, or if story dates are accurate. They set the drill in a leaky corner of the garage until 1973 when we took it to our home. I remember the red oak base had fancy writing on it, but was in so poor condition from rot and worms it was not readable. I always wanted to make a new red oak base, but am now too old to remember the original, plus the Douglas Fir base has aged to a great patina, so its now the base. The original factory color was black and easily rubbed off when touched. My dad said it started as gloss black but turned to flat black. He wanted to paint it black to hide the oil drips and dirt. I said no way! We need to see the dirt, so we can keep it clean. We agreed on battle ship grey (extra paint laying around). He added the cheap Jacobs chuck from Montgomery Wards. Feed advance is a file handle and is as close to the original as my dad remembered. (Feed is counter intuitive, because counter clock wise advances.) There are 2 drill point marks in the cast iron table. It really bothered my dad since he made one of them back in the 30’s. He added the sacrificial plywood in 1974. To date there is only 1 minor divot. The kids love to use the drill. I use it for one off, small fast jobs. Its mounted to support columns to the house. So in my parent’s house and now my house, everyone knows when the drill is in use. (Love to run it when neighbors I don’t like are over. Really scares them.) I moved the pencil sharpener from behind the shop door to under the drill press in 1975. Much more convenient. It dates from the 50s and still puts a dead sharp point on the old lead. The trick is the self-feeding mechanism providing torsional rigidity with just the right amount of feed pressure.

Photo 1:

Comments: Left side mounted to house support poles with Boston Self-Feeder pencil sharpener & each machine has its own cleaning brush.
Source: Basement

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Photo 2:

Comments: Front. Note carpenter square for size
Source: Basement

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Photo 3:

Comments: Right side. Note chuck key holder so it does not wander. Original table screw was square head dog point and rusted solid. This screw is from a 50's Briggs & Stratton cylinder head. Also, handle stored at 45 degrees so I do not snag on it while rounding
Source: Basement

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Photo 4:

Comments: Badge
Source: Basement

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Photo 5:

Comments: Bottom view of table. Milk carton shims here and elsewhere to bring components square.
Source: Basement

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