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Thread: Servian Drill Press Rebuild
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31st January 2017, 09:01 AM #1New Member
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Servian Drill Press Rebuild
Hello Everybody,
Saw a Servian drill press the other day at an auction, never heard of the brand before but the build quality looked good and $80 later its in my garage. Google hasn't found much on Servian and the only good information I came across was a couple rebuilding projects on here. There is a lot of good practical rebuilding information in those posts but any additional information about the company would be appreciate! I've taken a bit of it apart and think it definitely looks serviceable and worth the effort of a rebuild (really like the grease-able bearings, never had those before on a drill press!). I thought I'd post my progress here but its going to be slow going, busy time of year at work.
Here's what we have so far:
Condition at the auction location.
84300_6554733.jpg
At home with the cover removed.
IMG_20170130_122109.jpg
Casualty during transit, snapped the ear off where the switch is mounted, guess I'm be doing some brazing in the not too distant future...
IMG_20170130_122050.jpg
IMG_20170130_122152.jpg
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31st January 2017, 09:18 AM #2Senior Member
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- Dec 2009
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Hi bennyteee,
are you really in Northern California, with an Aussie made drill press??
Anyhow, welcome to the forum.
I scored a 'Premo' branded version of these Servian (made?) machines, last year.
Last I heard, the forum consensus seemed to be, it is unclear what Servian actually made and what was badge engineering...
Hopefully can take pictures soon, to post. On my home computer, there should be pics of a Servian with an intermediate pulley to increase number of speeds.
regards,
AndrewOC'Waratah' spring hammer by Hands & Scott c.1911- 20, 'Duffy, Todd & Williams' spring hammer c.1920, Premo lathe- 1953, Premo filing machine.
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31st January 2017, 11:26 AM #3New Member
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Thank you!
Indeed, I wish I knew the story behind it but somehow the machine ended up in a small town near Sacramento. I'm speculating but the prior owner must have been a widower, I cant imagine my wife letting me accumulate as many pieces of machinery as as he had!
Thanks for the information about Servian. I wonder if they have clones or similar machines under a different brand, if indeed they were re-badged? Through my image searches I had a hard time finding any with similar looking parts. And are there any manuals or parts lists floating around? No luck at Vintagemachinery.org...
Ben
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31st January 2017, 11:58 AM #4Senior Member
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- Dec 2009
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I doubt there was ever much in the way of manuals or parts lists, for these. Hopefully my eventual photos will confirm the similarity. Does yours have a depth stop rod on the opposite side to the capstan handle?
VM and OWWM do give the impression they are focused on USA made machines, though I definitely am a happy reader of those forums.
regs,
AndrewOC
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31st January 2017, 12:34 PM #5GOLD MEMBER
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Welcome to the forum.
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31st January 2017, 09:42 PM #6Senior Member
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- Dec 2009
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- Sydney
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Okie Doke,
pics, pics, pictures.. where did I leave them?
First two, a Premo branded d.p. Not mine, but basically the same. Tables are different, mine is a square unit, fixed/ one piece with the arm to the column.
Premo drill press2.JPG
Premo drill press1.JPG
The tag says something like Premo made for Goodall & Co by Servian Machinery- I'll have to double check.
Goodall were prominent machinery and tool merchants throughout the 20th C, based in Sydney, NSW.
These machines appear in the 1955 catalogue.
Premo appears to be a brand used by Goodall's for 'their' wide range of woodworking and metalworking machinery. I do know that the metal lathe was manufactured Brackenbury & Austin, engineers also in Sydney.
enjoy,
AndrewOC
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3rd February 2017, 03:23 AM #7New Member
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- Jan 2017
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Thanks for the welcome Old1955.
And thanks for the pics and info AndrewOC, looks pretty similar to mine too. So if that’s mid 50’s, mines probably about the same. Hopefully will give the 1949 Unisaw some company!
And yes Andrew the depth stop is on the opposite side of the capstan, in the first picture below you can see the nut that it screws into (I disassembled it before the pic). I thought somebody welded the nut to a bolt but after cleaning the grease off it looks machined that way and I’d say factory original.
Had some time the other night to tear into the spindle end. The prior owner was liberal with the grease which aided the removal of the spindle pulley. Just a little pressure with the puller and she popped right off. Quill tube and capstan came off just fine too. Going to take apart the quill assembly this weekend and order some bearings.
A couple questions with pictures down below: 1) All the newer drill presses return springs are in housings you can spin to de-tension the spring. This one doesn't and I'm not sure if I should just pull it out or if that would screw up getting it back in right. 2) What is are the two bolts on top of the main casting for? Center pulley?
The return spring. Also how the depth stop attaches to the right of the spring.
32243043840_45106beec9_z.jpg
Bolts on top of main casting
31778892504_2f551beaf3_z.jpg
Main casting with the bearing and pulley tube still attached, going to try and push it out this weekend.
32581902626_8022027a09_z.jpg
It was late and I was hasty with my pictures but here is the best looking one of the quill tube.
32581897746_1e67784db2_z.jpg
Motor plate.
32499638301_fd12a301ff_z.jpg
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12th July 2017, 06:40 PM #8New Member
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- Jul 2017
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- Sydney
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Hi All,
I'm new to woodworking (more correctly - restoring old woodworking machines), and new to this forum. I read this thread with much interest, as I recently bought this Servian pedestal drill press from the wife of the original owner, in Sydney. The model number is SA.11.
1.jpg
2.jpg
3.jpg
4.jpg
My apologies - I'm not sure why the images are so small. They were taken at good resolution.
It would seem that Servian DPs don’t have the cup-shaped spring cover (common in other DPs) which enable one to safely tension and de-tension the clock spring without any special tools. I’m stuck at the point of wanting to remove the feed lever. If I simply pull it out from the lever side (right hand side), I’ll lose the tension in the spring. I wonder if standard tools exist for working safely with clock springs.
Regards,
Dave
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29th March 2018, 11:40 PM #9New Member
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- Nov 2013
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- australia
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- 1
F&R Tough drill press
I have a F&R Tough drill press and the quill has a large nut holding the top bearing. Need to know if this nut is R-H or L-H thread. Your Servian looks similar. When you do your bearings, can you tell me if it is R-H or L-H thread.
And thanks for the pics and info AndrewOC, looks pretty similar to mine too. So if that’s mid 50’s, mines probably about the same. Hopefully will give the 1949 Unisaw some company!
And yes Andrew the depth stop is on the opposite side of the capstan, in the first picture below you can see the nut that it screws into (I disassembled it before the pic). I thought somebody welded the nut to a bolt but after cleaning the grease off it looks machined that way and I’d say factory original.
Had some time the other night to tear into the spindle end. The prior owner was liberal with the grease which aided the removal of the spindle pulley. Just a little pressure with the puller and she popped right off. Quill tube and capstan came off just fine too. Going to take apart the quill assembly this weekend and order some bearings.
A couple questions with pictures down below: 1) All the newer drill presses return springs are in housings you can spin to de-tension the spring. This one doesn't and I'm not sure if I should just pull it out or if that would screw up getting it back in right. 2) What is are the two bolts on top of the main casting for? Center pulley?
The return spring. Also how the depth stop attaches to the right of the spring.
32243043840_45106beec9_z.jpg
Bolts on top of main casting
31778892504_2f551beaf3_z.jpg
Main casting with the bearing and pulley tube still attached, going to try and push it out this weekend.
32581902626_8022027a09_z.jpg
It was late and I was hasty with my pictures but here is the best looking one of the quill tube.
32581897746_1e67784db2_z.jpg
Motor plate.
32499638301_fd12a301ff_z.jpg[/QUOTE]
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29th May 2019, 04:09 PM #10Senior Member
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I have one exactly like this (except not as clean!). Model SA.11. Serial number 847. Inherited from my father 15 years ago. It's built like a tank. The chuck has seen better days but at the rate I use it, about twice a year, I reckon I have about 10,000 years before I need to do any work on it.
Measure thrice, cut twice.
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29th May 2019, 05:25 PM #11GOLD MEMBER
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The metal working forum has more information on Servian DP's.
CHRIS
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29th May 2019, 06:47 PM #12GOLD MEMBER
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Some ads from Newspapers of the era with a few difference styles of Servian drills:
West Australian 23 Aug 1949
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...4|||l-title=30
Servian1.png
West Australian 18 Apr 1945
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...4|||l-title=30
Servian2.png
Weekly Times (Melbourne) 30 Jun 1954
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...|||l-title=621
Servian3.png
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29th May 2019, 10:11 PM #13GOLD MEMBER
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Servian even imported drills and re-badged them, mine is one such drill made in Sweden. I think they were the Hare & Forbes of their day to some extent.
CHRIS
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2nd September 2019, 02:42 PM #14New Member
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Servian
just completed a refurbish on this one
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18th August 2023, 02:24 PM #15Novice
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- Feb 2012
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- gippsland
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is that front pulley just a press fit?? i see the thread at the top and also the key? dont want to force the issue.
cheers.