Photo Index - Boice-Crane Co. - No. 2600 Helmet Head Drill Press

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Boice-Crane Co.
Toledo, OH, then Gothenburg, NE, Chula Vista, CA

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Drill Press
Machine Size:	15-inch
Submitted By:	Karl J. Shields

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	No. 2600 Helmet Head Drill Press
Date of Manufacturer:	1939-1950s
Serial Number:
Last Updated	12/13/2006 12:00:00 AM

Comments:

This is a Boice-Crane "Helmet Head" drill press. I always thought that this was just a colloquial way to refer to these drills, but it appears that this is the official manufacturer's designation, named for its "built-in Helmet Guard for your complete operating safety."

The No. 2600 does not appear in the 1938 Boice-Crane catalog, but is present in the 1939,, 1944, and 1948 catalogs. It is gone by the 1962 Price List.

Note what appears to be a shop-made foot feed on this drill press. However, upon inspection of sales literature and manuals, it actually appears that this foot feed was an OEM accessory: a No. 2608 Foot-Feed Attachment.

This B-C drill press came out of the August Wulf pattern shop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While it appears to have been well-used, it actually runs very well. Needs a new quill return spring, and could probably use a good scrubbing and maybe new paint. However, this is a *stout* machine, much more heavily-built that other contemporary 15-inch drill presses, such as the Walker-Turner 900s and Deltas.

Photo 1:

Comments: Check out the"beefy" head casting and the cool push-pull switch!
Source: Canon PowerShot S3 IS

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Photo 2:

Comments: Note the agricultural-looking foot feed mechanism
Source: Canon PowerShot S3 IS

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Photo 3:

Comments: Helmet Head Badge
Source: Canon PowerShot S3 IS

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