Tauco drill press

[AJWParticipant @ajw]

Some (many!) years ago I purchased a secondhand Tauco drill, this was acquired with no motor and pulley or switch gear and a damaged female spline in the pulley assembly. The quill bearings were fine but the rack teeth had been damaged and filled with new teeth cut in a different position also the table had an unwanted ‘smile’!
Cleaned/painted it up repairing the table with a 1/4 inch topping of gauge plate, repaired the drive spline. Acquired a 1/3hp motor and switch and a 4 step pulley and after clocking the table true I have found it to be a very solid and accurate machine with no ‘shake’ on the drill chuck.
This has had a lot of use over the years but the filled in and damaged quill has always niggled at me so recently I was traveling the web and found Wilkinson Machinery and Tools Ltd in Edinburgh, I contacted them and found that they still carry some spares – including new quills! (at £20!)
I was amazed, don’t know exactly how old my drill is but it is certainly pre world war 2, this company imported (from USA) 2 larger versions and spares for all models during WW2 and up to 1960, and they still have some stock.
Needless to say I have no connection with this place other than a very satisfied customer!
Some photos in my Album.

Alan

[AJWParticipant @ajw]

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Great result, Alan

… astonishing.

MichaelG.

[Swarf, Mostly!Participant @swarfmostly]

Hi there, Alan,

I wonder if Wilkinsons provided you with a copy of this:

My Tauco has a female spline in the upper spindle extension and a die-cast component with the male spline that sits within the pulley. This die-cast piece doesn't show very clearly in the diagram! When I acquired mine, the male spline had worn paper-thin but I was able to obtain a replacement from Wilkinsons.

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 07/02/2019 20:52:15:

Great result, Alan

… astonishing.

MichaelG.

For over 30 years a friend of mine drove and carefully maintained a 1952 Standard Vanguard that he bought in the late sixties. Only sold it because a collector made him an offer he couldn't refuse!

What was surprising to me was he had no trouble getting spares for it. Many parts were still used on current models (in the 1980s). Might be misremembering, but I think the indicator lens cap was identical to that on a Morris Marina and the otherwise obsolete tyres were still used by London Taxis.

Watching those telly programmes about restorations is even more surprising; if rebuilding a Sherman Tank, it seems possible to get new turret rings.

Alan gets a double gold-star. Not only did he find an unusual part but it was affordable. Miracles do happen!

Dave

[AJWParticipant @ajw]

Thanks for that Swarf, the guy I was speaking to had a copy of that he thought on his PC but hasn’t been able to find it! My spline arrangement is obviously different to yours as my pulley assembly contains the female spline to mate with the male extension of the spindle.
The photo of my new quill shows it to be black but washing it off in petrol yesterday revealed a well preserved ground exterior!
Why not use parts on new designs that have proved themselves as being reliable, all this new designed equipment using all new components can’t be the most cost effective way of going.
I’m all for recycling!

Alan

[Adrian 2Participant @adrian2]

I too have a Tauco, the exact model as shown in the drawing. Acquired from work many years ago , a few bits missing. It has been my woodworking drill.

Good solid well made machine.

Adrian.

[Swarf, Mostly!Participant @swarfmostly]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 08/02/2019 10:31:55:

SNIP!

Watching those telly programmes about restorations is even more surprising; if rebuilding a Sherman Tank, it seems possible to get new turret rings.

Dave

Off Topic but here goes:

Back in 1969 I needed a 28 Volt dynamo for a project. Watson's Eastern Motors (a long-time ME advertiser) was listing the 'Type O Engine-driven generator, 28 Volts DC 1500 Watts'. (I'm relying on memory there. ) So I drove out to Aldeburgh and stated my requirements. 'Oh, we don't keep them here. Let's go the the other store' was the reply. The 'other store' proved to be a bungalow some distance from the main shop. I was ushered into one of the rooms whose walls were lined, floor to ceiling, with cardboard boxes each containing a Type O and addressed to the CO of some RAF Station. The labels all said 'Rotax'. I purchased a few for my requirement.

Some time later I heard that the proprietor of Watson's Eastern Motors had died and the succeeding proprietors were more interested in house clearance. I still wonder what happened to all those Type Os. I later donated two of the ones I had bought but not used to a restoration group at Duxford.

The type O was one member of a family of aircraft dynamos that had a standardised interface to the aircraft engine gearbox via a splined shaft and a flexible coupling. I wonder whether that equipment practice is still used today?. Some (most? ) were 28 Volts but the family had 12 Volt members. Each type letter denoted a different power rating,

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

[AJWParticipant @ajw]

Interesting, a few years ago I inherited a couple of JAP stationary engines which I believe were Army surplus from the last war.
I think they were designed to power generators for use ‘in the field’ – might even have driven one of your dynamo’s!
Anyway they were brand new and totally unused, still had manufacturers tags tied to them!
Reckon they were about 200/250cc and side valve design with governors fitted and rope starting.
Gave them some fresh oil and over rode the governor to have them running, started very easily but were quite noisy as there wasn’t any form of silencing.
They got sold eventually on the bay.

Alan

[Anonymous]

Posted by AJW on 07/02/2019 20:39:05:

I was traveling the web and found Wilkinson Machinery and Tools Ltd in Edinburgh, I contacted them and found that they still carry some spares

That is interesting, thanks for the info.

My Tauco pillar drill is a slightly different design:

For a start it has no movable table. Instead the whole head has a rack and pinion on the side of the rear column, which can rotate around the column with the head. Given where I 'acquired' the drill I assume it was lend lease.

Andrew

[MeunierParticipant @meunier]

Posted by Andrew Johnston on 08/02/2019 21:38:35:

snip

Andrew, your pic prompts me to say "ah..where would we be without 'Old Holborn' tins".
Having moved house and sorting out an accumulation of bits and pieces, I bet they beat single use plastic for longevity, must date back to late 60's/early 70's and still going strong long after the contents went up in smoke.
DaveD

[AJWParticipant @ajw]

Andrew, that’s quite an adventure an unusual machine!
Is that a 1/2in chuck? looks smaller.
I guess Tauco must have produced quite a range, I know there were 2 models larger than mine.

Alan

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Meunier on 09/02/2019 19:36:30:

where would we be without 'Old Holborn' tins".

Back in the 80's you could spot an 'old lag' by the Golden Virginia (or similar) tin covered entirely with matchsticks

Neil

[Author]

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