Photo Index - Delta Specialty/Delta Mfg. Co./Delta-Rockwell/Rockwell Intl. - Model 70-400

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Delta Specialty/Delta Mfg. Co./Delta-Rockwell/Rockwell Intl.
Milwaukee, WI; Jackson, TN; Tupelo, MS

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Metal Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Drill Press
Machine Size:	20" adjustable table
Submitted By:	Randy Sauder

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Model 70-400
Date of Manufacturer:	1969
Serial Number:	1487820
Last Updated	3/23/2025 11:08:25 PM

Comments:

This Floor Mount hand fed 20” Drill Press was built and sold by the Rockwell Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Model is #70-400 with Serial Number 1487820. It has the extremely useful optional tilting table sold as a Rockwell accessory. The age is believed to be 1969? A similar if not exact model with a different table appears in the 1969, Part 1, catalog. The catalog says Rockwell offered 48 different models with this 20” model being the largest in their line. My machine is powered by a Model 83-510 1 horsepower motor made by Marathon Electric MFG Corp and can be wired as 115v or 230v single phase power. Whether that was the original motor installed by Rockwell is unknown? In February 2023 the Georgia Department of Transportation in Cartersville, Georgia offered this as a surplus item for sale by auction at which time I purchased. It had been sitting unused for many years and exhibited lots of rust. The motor ran but the bearing above the large pulley was locked and the machine was not in working condition. In addition, the belt and wires were severely dry rotted, cracked and broken. Over the next month the drill press was taken entirely apart. Each item was carefully cleaned, painted and restored. The locked bearing was finally unfrozen by application of Automatic Transmission Fluid baths. The other bearings had to be cleaned and repacked with grease but were otherwise still in good condition and left untouched. A new belt and all wires were replaced. When put back together a light was fabricated from some 1960’s lamp parts on hand. It, along with a switch (neither of which were original to this machine) were installed using existing screw holes already on the side of the main drill press housing. The light is very helpful to highlight work on the table, especially smaller parts being drilled. Once finished, the drill press functioned as expected in keeping with other high-quality machinery built in the United States at that time. The machine runs smooth, is very accurate, and I could not be more pleased with its function. From a quality standpoint it far surpasses machines built today employing plastics and pot metal. While the table unfortunately came with the usual pecker tracks often found on older production type drill presses, they in no way detract from its functionality.

[JAJ: Edited to correction Badged Manufacturer and to set the Date Manufactured based on serial number.]

Photo 1:

Comments: The 70-400 drill press after restoration.
Source: Personal photo taken by Randy Sauder

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Photo 2:

Comments: How the drill press looked when purchased
Source: Personal photo by Randy Sauder

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Photo 3:

Comments: The ID plate of the 70-400 & front view after restoration
Source: Personal photo by Randy Sauder

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Photo 4:

Comments: Views during restoration
Source: Personal photo by Randy Sauder

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Photo 5:

Comments: Restoration nearly complete
Source: Personal photo by Randy Sauder

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Photo 6:

Comments: Early stages of taking the machine apart for restoration
Source: Personal photo by Randy Sauder

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