Help with old Craftsman drill press

musigenesis

musigenesis

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I know this is skoolie.net and not drillpress.net, but you're my only hope, Obi-Wan. I'm trying to get my brother's Craftsman 15" 1 HP 12-speed drill press working again (model 113 213150). I found a universal key for its 5/8" chuck that works, but now I'm trying to find replacement spindle belts for it (there are three spindles so I need two belts) and Sears does not carry replacements for them any more. The two belts that are on there now are themselves off-brand replacements and I don't think they're exactly the right ones because they're too tight to get off and the engine is right up against the casing (so no way to reduce tension any further).

The drill does run with these two belts on, but the drill press is currently set to the lowest possible RPM (I need higher) and I can't even get the current belts on to different rungs at all.

I found the manual for this drill online, and it says the front belt is Belt-"V" 3/8 x 26 and the back belt is Belt-"V" 3/8 x 24. I assume this is an enormous clue but I can't seem to find any belts exactly like that.

Edit: would this work for a drill press? https://www.amazon.com/PowerDrive-3L260-Belt-3L-Rubber/dp/B00EIRBSMA
https://www.amazon.com/PowerDrive-3VX240-Belt-Rubber-24/dp/B00EIREFCA
 
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This is not the droid you are looking for.
Am I correct in guessing you need a belt that's trapezoidal in its cross-section? The narrow face fitting into the V pulleys..?
Auto parts or farm & garden stores would be where I'd start looking for a belt of the correct dimensions.
 
Interesting: I took another look at the replacement belts already on there. They are Gemini M-24 and Gemini M-26 except they're on the wrong spindles; the 24" belt is in front and the 26" belt is in back and they should be the other way around. Would it be bad for a drill press to have the belts on wrong that way? I wonder if somebody in the past had to move the center spindle in order to accommodate getting the belts on wrong.

I guess I'm going to have to remove one of the spindles in order to get these belts off and switch them. Anybody ever done that with a drill press?
 
The too-loose-lautrek belt ought be OK. The too-tight one may've damaged the bearings by trying to pull the shaft too severely.
Once you get the replacement belts, why not cut the old ones off- would that provide the necessary adjustment play to then install the new ones?
Does your manual instruct you as to how much deflection the belt should have?
 
haz.matt.1960 said:
The too-loose-lautrek belt ought be OK. The too-tight one may've damaged the bearings by trying to pull the shaft too severely.
Once you get the replacement belts, why not cut the old ones off- would that provide the necessary adjustment play to then install the new ones?
Does your manual instruct you as to how much deflection the belt should have?
Click to expand...

It says a half-inch deflection at the center. I think cutting the old ones off would free everything up, so I think I'm going to do that (assuming the belts I linked on Amazon are the correct ones which I'm not sure of). Even Gemini belts are considered "heritage" parts now, so I think it's time for these guys to go.
 
musigenesis said:
Interesting: I took another look at the replacement belts already on there. They are Gemini M-24 and Gemini M-26 except they're on the wrong spindles; the 24" belt is in front and the 26" belt is in back and they should be the other way around. Would it be bad for a drill press to have the belts on wrong that way? I wonder if somebody in the past had to move the center spindle in order to accommodate getting the belts on wrong.

I guess I'm going to have to remove one of the spindles in order to get these belts off and switch them. Anybody ever done that with a drill press?
Click to expand...

Belt/pulley orientation only adjusts speed.
 
1/2" sounds about right for that app and belt length.
Are those now legacy belts? I figured you could find them at any well provisioned store locally. Me, I'd want the new belts in hand, before performing surgery on the old ones, just to eyeball the fit.
The too-tight one: Sounds vaguely obscene, but check for lateral play in the shaft. A tiny bit is probably OK, given it's age, but if significant wobble after the tension is released might require it get new bearings.
Hope not- if the belts were a bear to find, the replacement bearings'll be like looking for the Ark of the Covenant!

musigenesis said:
It says a half-inch deflection at the center. I think cutting the old ones off would free everything up, so I think I'm going to do that (assuming the belts I linked on Amazon are the correct ones which I'm not sure of). Even Gemini belts are considered "heritage" parts now, so I think it's time for these guys to go.
Click to expand...
 
o1marc said:
Belt/pulley orientation only adjusts speed.
Click to expand...

No, I meant the 26" belt is supposed to run between the idler (center) pulley and the spindle pulley (front, above the chuck), while the 24" belt is supposed to run between the motor (rear) pulley and the idler pulley. I know that moving the belts up and down the pulleys is what changes the speed, but that's not what I'm talking about.
 
musigenesis said:
No, I meant the 26" belt is supposed to run between the idler (center) pulley and the spindle pulley (front, above the chuck), while the 24" belt is supposed to run between the motor (rear) pulley and the idler pulley. I know that moving the belts up and down the pulleys is what changes the speed, but that's not what I'm talking about.
Click to expand...

Then what are you talking about? Could you post a pic? It should have 3 pulleys, all with multiple grooves for changing speeds. The drive pulley has 5, the idler 5 and the motor 3. Giving it 15 speeds.
The motor pullet broke on mine, can
t find a replacement and the repair the machine shop made ended up with my pulley in the trash. I replaced it recently with a 2 pulley bench top press for HF.
 

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o1marc said:
Then what are you talking about? Could you post a pic? It should have 3 pulleys, all with multiple grooves for changing speeds. The drive pulley has 5, the idler 5 and the motor 3. Giving it 15 speeds.
The motor pullet broke on mine, can
t find a replacement and the repair the machine shop made ended up with my pulley in the trash. I replaced it recently with a 2 pulley bench top press for HF.
Click to expand...

Mine looks the same as yours, only the pulleys have 4 grooves each instead of 5 (so only 12 speeds). Maybe your drill press uses belts of the same length, but mine is supposed to use a 24" belt between the motor pulley and the center pulley and a 26" belt between the center pulley and the drill pulley in front. The way it's currently set up, the 26" belt is running between the motor pulley and the center pulley, and the 24" belt is running between the center pulley and the drill pulley.

It probably won't be long until I realize I would save time and money by just buying a new drill press. :banghead:
 
musigenesis said:
Mine looks the same as yours, only the pulleys have 4 grooves each instead of 5 (so only 12 speeds). Maybe your drill press uses belts of the same length, but mine is supposed to use a 24" belt between the motor pulley and the center pulley and a 26" belt between the center pulley and the drill pulley in front. The way it's currently set up, the 26" belt is running between the motor pulley and the center pulley, and the 24" belt is running between the center pulley and the drill pulley.

It probably won't be long until I realize I would save time and money by just buying a new drill press. :banghead:
Click to expand...

The idler pulley is spring loaded. You need to remove either the motor or front pulley in order to install the belt. But the front belt on and then push the idler out and install the belt on it and the motor pulley, drop the pulley over the shaft and tighten it. My motor belt is shorter than the drive belt.
 
Your press looks identical to my Delta. I believe Delta made those for Sears. On the right side of the press there should be a lever near the top of the casting which tensions the belts. On each side of the casting (behind the lever) there should be a thumb screw that locks in the tension.


To untension the belts, loosen the two thumb screws then pull the lever toward you. My manual shows both belts having the same part number but the belts on my press are an A-27 on the front pulleys and an A-25.5 on the back.
 
roach711 said:
Your press looks identical to my Delta. I believe Delta made those for Sears. On the right side of the press there should be a lever near the top of the casting which tensions the belts. On each side of the casting (behind the lever) there should be a thumb screw that locks in the tension.


To untension the belts, loosen the two thumb screws then pull the lever toward you. My manual shows both belts having the same part number but the belts on my press are an A-27 on the front pulleys and an A-25.5 on the back.
Click to expand...

The lever and screws are there, but the problem is that it's already as de-tensioned as possible - the motor is flush with the case, so it can only move outward and increase the tension. I don't know how it could have been set up this way in the first place but that's where I am with it.

I'm going to attempt to follow marc01's suggestion and remove the front pulley. If I can figure out how to do that, I should then be able to swap the belts (which appear to be in good condition) and maybe then the tensioning apparatus will work correctly. If not I'm just going to cut them off and get new belts.
 
My manual shows an 8mm allen set screw holding the motor pulley to the shaft. Look in the "V" groove on the bottom (largest) pulley for the screw. The front pulley is attached by a big nut on top of the pulley cluster.



Edit: I just looked at mine and the set screw is in the second largest motor pulley. The front pulley nut takes an 1 1/4" socket.


If there's any slack in the belts at all try easing the belt to the next smaller pulley while rotating the pulley. I'd start with the one with the most slack. Once one belt is off the other will slip off easily. If the belts are in good shape (no cracks) I'd reinstall them.
 
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