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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Kalamunda, WA
    Age
    52
    Posts
    87

    Default GMF Betts 12 Speed Drill Press Tidy Up

    I picked up this unit around 3 or 4 years ago for $40 and it has been used in it's neglected state since. Probably one of the last made in Aust by GMF Betts, it is dated June 1988 and drills an accurate hole with no run out. On fitting a new belt last week I noticed the idler pulleys were sitting low and pulling them to realign, led to the decision to do a rebuild. It has always been missing one arm, someone has welded the MT into the spindle and the rack is missing it's top collar. The table angle adjust has also been welded, so these need sorting out. I am also thinking about fabricating up a belt tensioner like the waldowns have if I can make it fit.

    If anyone else has one of these could they please post up pictures of the rack collar and the belt tensioner?
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Kalamunda, WA
    Age
    52
    Posts
    87

    Default

    Funny how changing a belt leads to this........
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

    Default

    Ha that's the sort of thing I do!

    Hey your looks very similar to mine although mine is shorter bench version and it's made by Mcmillian in Taiwan. In fact I have two, one has a tilting square table and the other is round and can rotate like yours. How is the play in the quill? I have a bit of play in mine. Never been much of an issue but it would be nice to have it a bit tighter.

    Great price, the belts will nearly cost you as much, if ever you need to replace them.

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Athelstone, SA 5076
    Posts
    4,255

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Burnsy View Post
    I picked up this unit around 3 or 4 years ago for $40 and it has been used in it's neglected state since. Probably one of the last made in Aust by GMF Betts, it is dated June 1988 and drills an accurate hole with no run out. On fitting a new belt last week I noticed the idler pulleys were sitting low and pulling them to realign, led to the decision to do a rebuild. It has always been missing one arm, someone has welded the MT into the spindle and the rack is missing it's top collar. The table angle adjust has also been welded, so these need sorting out. I am also thinking about fabricating up a belt tensioner like the waldowns have if I can make it fit.

    If anyone else has one of these could they please post up pictures of the rack collar and the belt tensioner?
    I suspect the MT has been welded in as it (the chuck keeps falling out)...like my cheapie does...suggesting a crook taper bit somewhere...i have just lived with it...probably rusted in there now lol


    as for belt tensioner pics ..you want the one for the motor....or the intermediate pulley bit

    The motor one is same as what you have except it has a spring between motor base plate and lug.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Riddells Creek, Vic.
    Posts
    831

    Default

    Burnsy are you sure that the drill is Australian made, the motor maybe, but the actual machine looks Asian in origin.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Kalamunda, WA
    Age
    52
    Posts
    87

    Default

    Can not be sure it is Aussi made, just that it is Betts GMF which were making stuff locally. No markings as to where it was made anywhere, just the Australian Flag Logo, stamped serial number and manufacture date on the name plate.

    The intermediate/idler pulley is self tensioning through the motor belt tension. Originally it had a shaft and grub screw lock type tensioner on the motor but will look at making a Waldown style tensioner.

    No movement in the quill of this one and I put the spindle in the lathe today and turned the welds off. Morse taper came out and locks back in as it should so no idea why they welded it up unless they had some crap in the taper that was stopping it from seating properly. Taper and spindle both run true in the lathe.

    The motor has a clear gloss sprayed over the cylindrical section between the cast top and bottom. This is over the original paint and as far as I can tell is original as it is under the cap cover as well. Any idea why they would spray this section with a high gloss?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Norwood-ish, Adelaide
    Age
    59
    Posts
    6,540

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    The rack collars are nothing complicated. A round split collar (with a screw to tighten) and the rack side of the collar is angled to match the end of the rack. My version of one of those went years ago but I can probably do a sketch if my description is not adequate (or a photo of my current drill press - they all use pretty much the same method).

    Michael

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Maryborough, QLD
    Posts
    8

    Default

    I have what looks to be an identical machine that I bought new in 1986. I think it cost around $350.00 back then. It's still going today and all original. I always intended to make a better better tensioner but still haven't got around to it, one day maybe.

    My father did his electrical apprenticeship and worked at GMF from 1939 till 1971. He resigned as the service manager because he had concerns about the direction the company was taking when it began importing parts from Asia in the late 60's. Until then almost everything was made in-house at the Arncliffe factory in Sydney. He quit because of the stress of all the product problems he had to handle. When they manufactured/sourced in Australia there were very few service issues. I've got 8" and 6" GMF grinders and they are still going strong after 50+ years of constant use.

    I am fairly certain that nothing on the machine would have been made in the GMF factory. It would have been a rebadged import from Taiwan or China.

    I can take a photo of mine if you need it but I wont be over in the shed for a few days.

    Steve

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Kalamunda, WA
    Age
    52
    Posts
    87

    Default

    Thanks for that info Steve, looks like it is Taiwanese then with a GMF badge, great to know a bit of the GMF history. Either way it is streaks ahead of the Hafco I used last week at the D&T facility at Edith Cowan University, it was noisy, clunky and had miles of run out. $350 was a lot of clams back in 1986.

    We have two 3 phase GMF grinders at work (8 inch) and they are bullet proof. Both sit next to Tough Drill presses, one a bench mount and the other a pedestal, one day I will find one for home as well.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Kalamunda, WA
    Age
    52
    Posts
    87

    Default

    I see another here exactly the same but branded Baker and with 16 speed instead of 12, other than that it looks identical in every way.

    http://www.woodworkforums.com/140880...ress-16-speed/

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Alexandra Vic
    Age
    69
    Posts
    654

    Default

    Two quick points for you.

    Generally the rack rings are the same top and bottom, so you should be able to copy the lower one. Failing that, measure the column diameter and the OD and height of the lower collar, and the bevel angle at the top of the rack, should be possible without removing anything. Turn up a new one matching these dimensions, but allow modest clearance over the column on the ID. Drill and tap two radial holes through the non bevelled part of the collar 120 degrees apart and install a couple of grub screws to these. Install on column, lower to rack, and adjust and tighten, remembering to make sure that the rack can rotate freely around the column if you anticipate rotating the table around the column for end grain drilling or similar.

    The eccentric idler wheel arm setup is normally allowed to have a enough freedom to drop slightly into the head casting with no belt tension. Once tension is applied, the tension should make it rise so that both belts horizontally align the idlers with the motor and spindle pulleys. If this doesn't work properly, it is generally because the head casting socket has crud or rust in it causing some friction, or the motor pulley is not horizontally aligned with the spindle one. If the untensioned drop is considered excessive, use a washer custom made circular shim to raise it for a suitable degree of drop.
    I used to be an engineer, I'm not an engineer any more, but on the really good days I can remember when I was.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Same here
    Mine, an 1989 bench model with no spindle bearing slop.Theres no marking on the motor save for a sticker in the cap box denoting Taiwanese manufacture.
    Same fault with the arms as in the threads into the up/down shaft end are sloppy and one arm keeps falling out.
    The Taiwanese made them cheap but not nasty.

    I got rid of the rack and fitted an counterweight which runs through the hollow column. The hardest bit was moving the middle belt pulley to allow clearance.Table height change takes about 10 seconds. The belts were replaced with Gates belts which were no dearer than than the similar automotive application belts.

    My Clisby compressor circa 1985 had a Betts motor which only gave up the ghost in the last few months.


    Grahame

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Southern Highlands NSW
    Posts
    1,894

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Grahame Collins View Post
    Same fault with the arms as in the threads into the up/down shaft end are sloppy and one arm keeps falling out.
    I had a similar Taiwanese drill press, that served me well for many years. The worst feature was the thin table, that got a crack in it.
    The lifting handle always used to loosen, until I added a locknut to its fixing bolt.

    I got rid of the rack and fitted an counterweight which runs through the hollow column. The hardest bit was moving the middle belt pulley to allow clearance.Table height change takes about 10 seconds.
    The counterweight sounds interesting. Got a snapshot?

    Jordan

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    I will try for a snapshot for you.It will be off my phone as my faithful old Canon Snapshot has gone leg up.It did great macros but the phone -well you know ?

    In my case the whole drill press body is very thin ,something I noticed when doing a drill & tap for the belt tensioner lever.
    yes! I will do a pic of that .

    What say you to a new separate thread on drill press mods ?Anyway the forum is a bit slow .Until I get my finger out this should help to get you started. I think I posted it before but have no hope of finding it in the search function.

    OnlineToolReviews.com - Easy Riser Drill Press Conversion Kit - Detailed Review

    Grahame

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

    Default

    Here's some pics of mine. Actually I have two but this is the nicest. They both have Betts motors.

    20140801_092600.jpg20140801_092614.jpg20140801_092419.jpg20140801_092355.jpg

    Cheers,

    Simon
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    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

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