User/Service manual for Meddings M4 FS pillar drill please?

[Ivan HallParticipant @ivanhall58212]

Just upgraded to one of these, made 1969 in Meddings' Slough days, maybe UK made(?) It's the one with a 2 speed gearbox / 5 speed belt drive, rounded drill head style. Meddings sent me a parts list with 2 exploded diagrams, can anyone help with a scan of any relevant literature please?

Does anyone know the origininal colour, probably one of the BS381 range? Mine's in need of a deal of TLC and the odd bearing.

gratefully yours, Ivan

[Ivan HallParticipant @ivanhall58212]

[LambtonParticipant @lambton]

Please check your in box for a message I have sent.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I found a 5 speed manual online last year. After removing the tile page, index paragraphs and other padding what's left is below if it lets me post 2 pages of Word.

Writing a manual was always a bullshitting excercise. A drilling machine is so simple a workshop that can't work out what to do with it had no right buying one in the first place.

Meddings Machine Tools

Compact Drill

Issue 1 24.11.05

MAINTENANCE

a) ALWAYS ISOLATE THE MACHINE FROM THE MAINS ELECTRICITY

BEFORE CARRYING OUT ANY MAINTENANCE.

b) Weekly checks for free movement of starwheel handle and correct operation of all safety devices.

c) Monthly checks should be made on general condition of machine and that it is correctly set. Drive belt should be checked for condition and signs of excessive stretch, replacing if necessary. Grease quill and splines, oil activating gear shaft.

d) The majority of this drilling machine’s bearings are shielded and greased for life. Use Shell Alvaina R3 grease or similar. This grease should also be used on the rack teeth and spindle splines. To grease the quill rack teeth lower the quill using the starwheel and apply grease using a brush to the teeth at the rear of the quill. Work the quill up and down several times and wipe off excess grease.

e) The quill-activating shaft is fitted with an “oilite” type bush and will not require lubrication under normal conditions. However, the quill-return spring, like all springs, will fatigue over time and should be inspected, greased regularly and replaced periodically. If the quill return spring is broken the quill and spindle assembly will be fully extended and if raised will, by its own weight, fully extend when released.

CHECK THAT THERE IS FREE MOVEMENT

THROUGHOUT THE FULL TRAVEL OF THE QUILL.

i) The spring box assembly is located on opposite side of drilling machine head to starwheel feed handle. Prise off black plastic spring box cover using small screwdriver.

ii) Undo grub screw located on underside of head that locks and locates spring box. At least four full turns.

iii) Pull spring box out of side of machine. A slight twisting action whilst pulling may facilitate. Remove all parts of broken spring.

iv) Holding spring box in a soft jawed vice cover spring with a suitable cloth, in case of "C" retaining clip coming off unexpectedly. Manually push new spring out of its C retainer into box whilst locating outer end into the location slot (It may be necessary to lightly tap end of spring into location slot using a flat nosed punch and hammer). If spring has not fully ejected from C retaining clip, prise clip off with a suitable screwdriver. Spring

should coil clockwise from outside diameter towards centre.

v) Push assembled spring box back into side of machine making sure that spring does not come out of box and that centre tang locates into slot on end of rack pinion shaft. Make sure spring box is fully into position.

vi) Raise quill by rotating star wheel clockwise to highest position. Using quill locking screw knob, secure in this position.

vii) Tighten spring box locking and location grub screw until slight friction can be felt when spring box is rotated.

viii) Turn spring box anti-clockwise until quill assembly weight is balanced

when quill-locking knob is released, add a further half turn anti-clockwise and fully tighten spring box locking grub screw. To obtain a perfect balanced quill return further slight adjustment may be required, but DONOT OVER TENSION RETURN SPRING to the extent where it is nearly coil bound as this will result in premature spring failure.

ix) Using a brush apply grease (Shell ALVAINA R3 or similar) liberally to the spring coils. Push spring box cover back on.

[Ivan HallParticipant @ivanhall58212]

Thanks for this to you both.

I agree re manuals in general, but this drill may have a preload on the quill bearings, appears to have a gasket free gearbox (no part nos.) and the gear change oil seal takes me back to the 1950's, when packing (water) a leaking tap shaft with hemp and boss white – although meddings specify "13" of high pressure twist". Must find out about that later. There's also gib head taper keys, which I last came across in the '50's on a just-post-war US manufactured combine harvester – although these were a bit larger…..

I also gather from a web hunt that the gearbox of some later models(not mine, it has filler and drainplugs) may have been grease, not oilbath lubricated. I am also a woodworker and so oil drips are not appreciated!

regards, Ivan

[Brian WoodParticipant @brianwood45127]

Hello Ivan

These days silicone sealant works very well as a gearbox gasket material, also the old trick of brown paper cut to shape by gentle tapping with a light hammer around the sharp edges works equally well.

Either method should keep your bench clean

Regards

Brian

[Ivan HallParticipant @ivanhall58212]

Thanks to all for your replies!

Regarding the gearbox and potentail oil leaks, I was just surprised that Meddings did not fit gaskets, but relied on 1960's jointing compound (blue Hylomar maybe) or even none at all. No gasket is shown in the parts daigram / list.

regards, to all

Ivan

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