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  1. #1
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    Jul 2011
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    Default Help identifying threads on Waldown NH drill press.

    I want to replace a few of the nuts and bolts on my NH drill press. They are 1/4" 20 threads per inch. I can't really tell with my eyesight if they are BSW or UNC using my thread gauges. Does anybody know what thread form Waldown where using at the time a NH Mk II was being built?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    Murray Bridge S Aust.
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    Hi Eric, What I usually do is get a light and magnifyer, have the light behind the gauge and bolt with the magnifyer in front and looking through it, you should be able to see light between the gauge and bolt if it's the wrong one.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    N.W.Tasmania
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    If I had to guess, I would say BSW, but that is just a guess. If you can find a 1/2"thread, 12 tpi will make it BSW, while 13 will be UNC, but you most likely already knew that. I should be able to check my Waldown DP tomorrow, but I have no idea of when it was made, but I doubt that it would matter all that much if you swapped BSW for UNC or visa versa for a few 1/4 20 nuts or bolts on your Waldown.
    Rob.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
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    Laidley, SE Qld
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    Most machinery made in Australia 60/70s or earlier usually used BSW or BSF threads. That said, commercial grade UNC and BSW readily fit one to the other, 1/2" being the exception. The slight downside of intermarrying the the threads is having a mixture of hex types.

  5. #5
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    Adelaide
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    The thing that makes me think they are BSW over UNC is simply that my 7/16 AF spanner is a very tight fit on the head. The tolerances for a BSW hex head allow it to be at most 0.445" across the flats whereas the tolerances for UNC allow the head to be 0.435" across the flats at most. My bolts measure 0.445".

    The assembly drawing for a MkIII NH found in a manual to suit actually shows a mixture of metric and imperial bolts but doesn't say what type of imperial bolt.

  6. #6
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    Nov 2008
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    Perth WA
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    Eric,

    I had a look at the Ajax 1/4" motor mounting plate fixings on my 1960's Waldown Workmax drill and found a 3/16" Whit /1/4" BS spanner to be a good fit. I imagine that they are the original fixings. I could not accurately measure the thread angle on the Mitutoyo optical comparator I have.

    Bob.

  7. #7
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    Bob

    That was my finding too. Strangely i had always thought the 3/16" Whit /1/4" BS spanner was the same size as the 7/16" AF spanner. If you can't pick the thread angle with an optical comparator then I have little hope with a set of thread gauges. The bolts I am replacing are from the motor mount too.

    Eric

  8. #8
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    Nov 2008
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    Eric,

    I will keep looking. The Workmax has very few fixings. The gutter bolts Waldown used to fasten the belt guard could possibly have a more observable thread and I might have an original table clamping lever that may provide some clues. When I cleaned up my 3M I replaced every fixing. Most of those fixings are cap screws and the replacements are undoubtedly UNC. I made new clamping handles from 316 and they all have BSW threads. I have come to terms with the mix match.

    On the other hand, I have ensured that every fixing on the No. 1 tool and cutter grinder is now BSW. A drill press seldom requires the use of a spanner in its normal operation where as with the grinder spanner usage is frequent. I lazily had a mixture of BSW and UNC nuts on my homemade BSW threaded tee bolts. The annoyance of often having the wrong spanner forced the exclusion of UNC from the machine.

    Bob.

    PS. The 3M and Workmax capstan handles are threaded 1/2" Whit. The fine depth adjustment screw on the 3M is 5/16" UNF - 24TPI and 60 degree thread angle. So it's a bit like eeny meeny....

    IMG_20180515_152758055 (Large).jpg IMG_20180515_152541786 (Large).jpg IMG_20180515_152959835 (Large).jpg IMG_20180515_154707962_LL (Large).jpg IMG_20180515_154314465_LL (Large).jpg

  9. #9
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    Jul 2006
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    Athelstone, SA 5076
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    I gotta get around to to painting my Waldown..theose pics makes mine look horrible

  10. #10
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    Bob,

    WHat paint did you use on your Waldown?

  11. #11
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    Eric,,

    The paint was some colour matched spraying enamel I purchased over here from a shop called the Automotive Paint Centre. Sadly the shop closed after the death of the owner several years ago.

    Piers sent me the photo below of a rattle can of Chrysler engine enamel that he had purchased in the hope that it matched the paint on his Waldown. I am yet to find out whether it does.

    A problem with most of the paint available is the gloss level. My 3M looks a bit like a blue toffee apple standing alongside the original paint finished Workmax!

    Bob.

    20180314_191502.jpg

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
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    Athelstone, SA 5076
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    I bought 2 diifernt shades. Nither of them matched. Mixing both together gives a good colour match against original. Will get the details in the morning

  13. #13
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    Bob,

    I would prefer a less pimped Waldown. I will try and get a can of the engine enamel and see what it looks like.

    Eric

  14. #14
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    Nov 2008
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    Eric,

    In reality my 3M is no more pimped or garish than the original finish on this, apart from the table, reasonably well kept benchtop Workmax that appeared on eBay some time back -

    1.jpg 3.jpg 7.jpg

    Had the finish on my Workmax not deteriorated from a previous life of neglect, I'd probably have a pair of shiny toffee apples!!

    MY 3M-

    Drill Press Dec 2010 009 (Large).jpg

    Bob.

  15. #15
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    Athelstone, SA 5076
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    these are the two I will be mixing as a test using equal amounts of each gave a really good match and agreed to by my sons mate who is spraypainter
    20180525_100519[1].jpg

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