Can you ID this vintage sensitive drill press?

[AJAXParticipant @ajax]

Although I've not yet had the need to use it, I realise that small sensitive drill presses are popular with some model makers. With that in mind, is anyone able to identify the make / model shown in the photos below? Apart from giving it a good clean and fresh coat of paint, it looks to be unmodified.

Edited By AJAX on 29/11/2021 23:55:30

[AJAXParticipant @ajax]

Marked “RE” and “A87”

[DiogenesIIParticipant @diogenesii]

Could it be a Reeves Bench Drill?

AJReeves – Workshop Equipment Castings

..looks like a well-made tool..

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Doesn't look like one made from a Reeves casting set. Similar concept but not the same. Different pulley arrangements.

**LINK**

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/bench-drill-made-reeves-castings-168431048

Back in the day there were many makers of small, simple drill presses. That one looks to be one of the nicer versions.

Clive

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi here is a scan of the one that Clive has linked to and has the same drawing code to the one in DiogenesII's link.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 30/11/2021 09:47:48

[AJAXParticipant @ajax]

Posted by DiogenesII on 30/11/2021 07:05:42:

Could it be a Reeves Bench Drill?

AJReeves – Workshop Equipment Castings

..looks like a well-made tool..

After reading your suggestion I searched for Reeves bench drills and couldn't find anything that matched. Are they known to include "RE" in the castings?

Brian

[AJAXParticipant @ajax]

Posted by Clive Foster on 30/11/2021 08:50:22:

Doesn't look like one made from a Reeves casting set. Similar concept but not the same. Different pulley arrangements.

**LINK**

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/bench-drill-made-reeves-castings-168431048

Back in the day there were many makers of small, simple drill presses. That one looks to be one of the nicer versions.

Clive

Thanks, I agree that it does seem nice. Although I have no use for it at present maybe I'll find a use for it one day.

[AJAXParticipant @ajax]

Posted by Nicholas Farr on 30/11/2021 09:39:07:

Hi here is a scan of the one that Clive has linked to and has the same drawing code to the one in DiogenesII's link.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 30/11/2021 09:47:48

Thanks Nick. Some similarity, but mine features a rack and pinion quill feed. In some ways it's almost a larger bench drill in a miniaturized form.

[GreensandsParticipant @greensands]

Have attached some pics of my vintage sensitive drill press which was picked up at a carboot sale some years ago and has proved to be a very useful addition to the workshop. As in the OM, I have no idea of its origins and have never been able to decipher the makers name from the initials cast into the base. Any suggestions would be most welcomed.

[AJAXParticipant @ajax]

Posted by Greensands on 01/12/2021 12:02:05:

Have attached some pics of my vintage sensitive drill press which was picked up at a carboot sale some years ago and has proved to be a very useful addition to the workshop. As in the OM, I have no idea of its origins and have never been able to decipher the makers name from the initials cast into the base. Any suggestions would be most welcomed.

A quick Google search found HKS as makers of machine tools.

[GreensandsParticipant @greensands]

Thanks for that, very useful bit of info. I must confess however that I have never been able to read HKS into the cast panel. You live and learn on this forum.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

HKS… or SHK? I have just perused lathes.co, looking for names that might match the initials, not just on drilling-machines, without luck!

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