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Headstock spindle spring

 

I saw a headstock spindle spring for sale on ebay. My old cast iron unimat did not have one when I got it and my manual does not show one either. Were they only on later models and are they a worthwhile addition?
I suppose they are good when using it as a drill press.
 

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Hello David:

My 1973 Unimat came with one, and it was the first thing I took off. It is nice to have the spring return, but with the spring there is only 19mm of stroke available. Take it off and you have 25mm of stroke.

Just use the quill lever to lift the spindle up and lock it there.

Carl.

On 9/16/2023 8:24 PM, David James via groups.io wrote:

I saw a headstock spindle spring for sale on ebay. My old cast iron unimat did not have one when I got it and my manual does not show one either. Were they only on later models and are they a worthwhile addition?
I suppose they are good when using it as a drill press.

 

Carl,

Thank you for the feedback, so I wont be wasting any money on that.

Dave


On Sun, 17 Sept 2023 at 9:55, Carl
<carl.blum@...> wrote:

Hello David:

My 1973 Unimat came with one, and it was the first thing I took off. It is nice to have the spring return, but with the spring there is only 19mm of stroke available. Take it off and you have 25mm of stroke.

Just use the quill lever to lift the spindle up and lock it there.

Carl.

On 9/16/2023 8:24 PM, David James via groups.io wrote:
I saw a headstock spindle spring for sale on ebay. My old cast iron unimat did not have one when I got it and my manual does not show one either. Were they only on later models and are they a worthwhile addition?
I suppose they are good when using it as a drill press.

 

If you intend using the machine as a drill press and aren't drilling deep holes, then yes it's a worthwhile addition. Other than that it has no use.

Paul B.
 

Well, I think Carl you are referring to lathe use. I don't use a quill spring on the Unimat I use as a lathe.

I have a separate one set up as a vertical drill press / mill. I think it would be a little awkward not having the quill spring on that machine.

Martin P.

P.S. David, to answer your other question, Emco added the quill spring probably very early 1960s. The 1963 Miniature Machining Techniques shows a quill spring in place on a cast-iron DB200. The first SL came out in 1965.

On Sunday, September 17, 2023 at 07:50:28 AM EDT, David James via groups.io <davebjames@...> wrote:


Carl,

Thank you for the feedback, so I wont be wasting any money on that.

Dave


On Sun, 17 Sept 2023 at 9:55, Carl
<carl.blum@...> wrote:

Hello David:

My 1973 Unimat came with one, and it was the first thing I took off. It is nice to have the spring return, but with the spring there is only 19mm of stroke available. Take it off and you have 25mm of stroke.

Just use the quill lever to lift the spindle up and lock it there.

Carl.

On 9/16/2023 8:24 PM, David James via groups.io wrote:
I saw a headstock spindle spring for sale on ebay. My old cast iron unimat did not have one when I got it and my manual does not show one either. Were they only on later models and are they a worthwhile addition?
I suppose they are good when using it as a drill press.

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Hello Martin:

I never use the spring even when using the Unimat as a drill press. 6mm is just too much stroke to give up.

I have looked at boring a hole in the head stock for an internal coil spring.

As an aside, I have the sensitive finger drill chuck for 3mm and smaller drills. ( I've drilled 0.2 mm holes in steel with it ) It has an internal spring, that I remove because I like the feel better without it.

Carl.

On 9/18/2023 3:46 PM, Martin P. via groups.io wrote:

Well, I think Carl you are referring to lathe use. I don't use a quill spring on the Unimat I use as a lathe.

I have a separate one set up as a vertical drill press / mill. I think it would be a little awkward not having the quill spring on that machine.

Martin P.

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