We worked with epoxy and phenolic impregnated fiberglass for rigid ducting. Phenolic resin is some incredible stuff.

I needed some casting resin year before last and I couldn't find any, even online. Any tips, maybe an idea why not?

Frosty The Lucky.

You talk about Aircraft stuff being special, you ain't kidding. Of course those have to have the particulars blessed by the grand poohbahs of propriety at the FAA, and that seems to triple the cost.  We have to buy the special parts where I work.  I am always amazed that the same screws that come in your IKEA furniture with some extras can become so expensive when they go on an airplane.

Fantastic find on the press, I'm jealous

I’ve been meaning to post this for a day or two. The school I go to is going through a reconstruction including the shop. It’s been really nice as I’ve gotten quite a bit of metal for free but most importantly, I was helping my teacher clean out the shop when he asked me if I wanted a crappy drill press. I didn’t think I did but my parents did so long story short, I ended up with a free drill press with the only problem being that the chuck(?) will drop all the way down so you have to tie the handle up but that was the only reason they got rid of it. The only price was I had to have a pickup there at 3:30 to pick it up. Any information on it would be helpful. All I know is there is no name the tag is long gone and I was told it’s old as the hills. 

I would look at making a new coil return spring for the drill press. Years ago I fixed my brothers that had the same problem. A lot of times the curved end will break off, a little heat to shape just the end and quenching, tempering it's good to go for another 20 years.

Great score!  A floor drill press that only has that problem will be a joy for life for you.  As Irondragon says, replacing the return spring is a pretty minor repair with either the existing spring or a new one.  From the syle and shape of the housing I would guess that it was manufactured inthe 1970s or 80s, which to me, as a card carrying old guy, does not seem that long ago,  the hills have been there a LOT longer.

Get a drill press vise for it.  You can get a decent enough one at HF for probably a few tens of dollars.

Congratulations.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

As the proud owner of a free drill press, I congratulate you and second the recommendation that you get a vise. 

I just checked and you can get drill press vises cheaper at Amazon than HF.  A basic one is $20-30.  There are also some good deals on Ebay.

GNM

Good Morning Britt,

Probably, if you take the cover off of the feed shaft, you will find a circular coil spring with one end broken off. Bend the end to fit the appropriate notch and give it a turn or two of pre-wind. Reassemble and get to making holes!!

Neil

Nice score on the press!  I went 4 years without a vice and now that I have one, I don't know why I waited so long. 

The drill press looks like it may be a Dayton sold through Graingers, might even be a Delta.   Lacking a drill press vise, a C clamp or the C clamp type vise grips can be used.  When drilling holes, always keep pressure on the bit to keep it drilling and only release pressure when you are withdrawing the bit to clear the flutes of chips.  If you let the bit spin in the hole without cutting, it can harden your workpiece to the point you will destroy the cutting edges of the bit.  Never drill sheet stock without clamping or securing it to the table as the bit can break through the sheet before the hole is fully round and the bit will lock on to the sheet causing the whole thing to spin.  Lots of serious injuries happen that way.  I sometimes position the workpiece to rest against the column of the press to prevent spinning. Be mindful of where the bit and the hole in the table are.  I've seen many old drill presses with the "arc of shame" or a series of holes in the table from folks not providing a sacrificial piece of wood or other material for when the drill breaks through to the other side.  Using the depth stop is also helpful to prevent this.  Never leave the chuck key in the chuck.  Watch out for hoodie draw strings, loose sleeves and long hair.  Don't wear gloves when using the press.  Use the correct speed for the size drill bit/material you are drilling - larger bits = slow and small bits = faster.  You will get longer life from your bits and break less.

To be technical, it is not a coil spring but a clock spring or spiral wound spring. 

The four drill press essentials: a lamp, a vise, lubricant, and a chain to keep the chuck key from getting lost. 

(Not to mention properly sharpened drill bits, of course.)

  After the essentials:  If down the road you can teach yourself to re-sharpen them, you will have free drill bits for life.  Also, burrs, stones, sanding drums, wire wheels etc... can be found for next to nothing at the flea markets I go to.  Center punches, countersinks, on and on.  People get big ideas and then a lot of it winds up cast off at garage sales, flea markets and thrift stores.  You can do a lot with a drill press.  Nice aquirement.....   I quote my best friend:  "Free is for me!"

Drill press essentials reordered by use:

a chain to keep the chuck key from getting lost, lubricant, a lamp, and a vise.

  I would turn the light on first so I can see clearly all the other stuff.

Strictly speaking, if something is “essential”, then it’s of equal importance with everything else that’s essential.

That said, I was just going clockwise from the top.

 

SWEET score! Did your shop teacher teach you how to use a drill press properly? If not ask him and hope he actually knows. They were rare in my day but there were a couple I'd 86 from my shop for being clueless. 

If there's a spring shop close by you can probably buy "A" spring to do the job. Luckily we have two in Anchorage that carry almost every spring from watch size to gravel shaker table springs. (Coil with 2 1/2" wire, 11" coil dia. up to 3' long.) Those are just the measurements of the dumped one a friend and I levered into the back of the SUV a couple years ago.

Anyway, I've had good luck finding springs close enough to work for this type repair.

 Frosty The Lucky.

  Strictly speaking, none of that stuff is essential.  Essentialy speaking, it may be, depending on circumstances....

The one drill press essential not mentioned but very handy is a "chip brush" to clear the chips.

 

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sails. ~ Semper Paratus

I got myself a proper post vice.  It has 5-1/4-inch jaws.  Screw is in great condition.  

Nice!

Oooooh, NICE VISE!

Frosty The Lucky.

It will be a joy to your heart.  Good post vises are an undersung tool in a blacksmith's shop.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

I think I got lucky finding this vise, and the seller was nearby to me in NJ  There's another in the Chalfont, PA area up for sale by a different person that I bought mine from on Facebook..

 

Keeping a sharp eye on Facebook Marketplace is often quite worthwhile.

 

This is a couple of things I found today.  I was going through a box of stuff that I ended up with after dad passed away a few years ago.  Some stuff from his box of pins and sundry from when he was in the Army.  He retired from the Army in 1979 when I was just a kid.  Thought it would be neat to share with any other vets out there.  The tank pin is from when he was in Korea in around 1960 something I think.  long before I was born.  I also found one of his Military intelligence badges.  I always loved those becasue I remember dad laughing when we were watching Battlestar Galactica on TV.  Apparently, the characters all wore the Military Intelligence badges on their uniforms, but upside down.