Photo Index - Duro Metal Products Co. - Floor Model No. R-3081

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Duro Metal Products Co.
Chicago, IL.

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Drill Press
Machine Size:	14"
Submitted By:	Rickey Jones

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Floor Model No. R-3081
Date of Manufacturer:	unknown
Serial Number:	R81-207RJ
Last Updated	11/26/2007 12:00:00 AM

Comments:

My son Ronnie obtained the drill press from his future father-in-law, Mike, who in turn bought it at an estate auction along with 3 other machines. It turns out that Mike had to buy all 4 machines together to get the one he really wanted - a planer. Mike paid $200 for all 4 and only wanted to sell those he did not want for $50 each.
My son called me to ask if I was interested in a drill press for $50. He said it was old and rusty but it looked like it was all there. I told him in no uncertain terms to bring it home with him!
When Ronnie got home with it, he refused to let me pay him back for the drill press - he said it was a gift for all the times that I had worked on his truck. I argued a little and gave in easily. He knows how much I love tools and he was happy to see how excited I was about this old rusty drill press.
It was covered in rust on all the cast iron parts and all the locking handle assemblies were rusted frozen in their bores. It appeared that it had been sitting on the ground at some point because the base was especially rusty and worse on the underside. It must have been idle for some time for the grease in the bearings was like wax.
It had some exposed wires going from the motor to the switch that the insulation was cracked exposing the wire. And, the switch was not original but it was a good heavy duty Allen-Bradley switch that was rigged up to a home-made bracket bolted to the motor mounting plate. The only paint on the whole thing was the black motor, so I had no clue as to what color it was supposed to be.
I took everything apart starting with the motor. The only thing I had to do to the motor was clean and paint it with Plasti-Coat Industrial Black. In the process I covered the frayed wires with heatshrink tubing for protection and mounted the Allen-Bradley switch directly to the motor where the original switch was.
After disassembling the rest of the drill press I took all the cast iron parts to my friend Jeff Hopper's machine shop (Carolina Engineering) for a good soak in the vat. The only piece that needed extra attention was the base - I glass beaded it and it turned out pretty good. Also I sanded and polished the steel column with WD-40, 600 grit sandpaper and Scotchbrite.
I taped off all the machined surfaces and applied several coats of Plasti-Coat Industrial Lt. Machine Grey. Everything that wasn't painted was polished. I removed the "DURO name & serial plate", polished and remounted it just slightly above the original studs with tapped holes and small machine screws (because I couldn't get the studs out). I noticed something strange about the Ser. No. - it has been restamped. The "R81" had been "A80" and the "0" in "207" was stamped over a "5". Other that that I can't tell if anything else was changed. But, with my initials being "RJ" my wife says that it was meant for me to have this drill press because the Ser. No. ends in"RJ" - figure that one out. I have not tampered with the numbers, that is how they were and I don't have any idea why they would be changed.
I wish I had taken before pictures, but I didn't think of it until it was too late. I was just too excited about restoring it as best as I could. Now it's as good as new. Actually I'd rather have it than a new one! It's not for sale at any price, it will be used and passed down to my son Ronnie someday.
The only information that I could find on my old drill press came from the Old Woodworking Machines website. I really would like to know when it was made.
I truly enjoy your website and I thank you for the info you provide. It's a real treat to see all the old rare machinery and hear their stories. I really like looking at your "Dirty Paper" documents, they are certainly treasures, I have found no other resource like it.

Photo 1:

Comments: DURO badge with Ser. No.
Source: My son Ronnie's SONY DSC-W50 digital camara

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Photo 2:

Comments: Left Side View showing Quill Feed Handle and Adjustable Stop Assembly
Source: My son Ronnie's SONY DSC-W50 digital camara

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Photo 3:

Comments: Right Side View showing use of Allen-Bradley Switch
Source: My son Ronnie's SONY DSC-W50 digital camara

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