Vol.1
No.8
24
April 2002
Care
and Feeding of the Cameron Drill Press
George
Hoffman
Q: I
have a couple of questions about the Cameron Drill Press.
I am wondering how to know if it is time to oil? The papers,
which I do have, say oil after every 12 hours of use. I am
embarrassed to say that my tool is still pretty new – Mr.
Cameron has been under wraps for quite a few years– but
now I have been giving him a little bit of a workout and
really want to take good care of him and is mineral oil good?
The
next question has to do with the depth stops. Fortunately,
I have not needed to set an accurate depth stop on my current
project, but I cannot seem to get the two knurled nuts to
remain in place without vibrating down their threaded shaft.
Secrets? And, might have your permission to ditch the plastic
safety shield? With the shield in place how is one expected
to get in there? |
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 |
A: Lubrication
of the Cameron.
Sliding contact parts should be wiped clean and lubricated periodically.
Spindle bearing cups should be filled every 12 hours if used machine
is used continually.
The only negative of over oiling the ports that supply the spindle that
goes down to the chuck is that the oil will fly out around the chuck
for a minute or two. I suggest that you protect your eyes, then turn
on the motor and let it (the oil) fly. You should hold some sort of shield
in front of you or you too will be "well oiled". It is better
to have a good supply of oil in these areas to prolong the life of the
machine however do not oil the motor but once or twice a year and
do that sparingly unless you have used the press very heavily. When oiling
the motor add only a drop or two (check your instructions on that). Use
the oil recommended in your Cameron "Care of Cameron" instructions
that came with the drill press. Good quality non-gumming oil. The
recommendation from the Cameron manufacturer is to use Mineral oil available
at your Pharmacy or sewing machine oil, which should be readily available. Do
NOT use 3-in-one oil.
A:
Depth Stop
Yes, the two knurled nuts do tend to loosen. I have added a hex nut above
mine and this can be tightened with an open-end wrench. You still may
have to check it periodically when using it for a longer time. For an
alternative solution you can also try adding a disk made from a business
card between knurled nuts.
A:
The Safety Shield
NO, you may not have my permission to ditch the safety
shield. Cameron adds the plastic shield to the
machine as required by safety standards. It is there to
keep hair and other things from getting in and caught up
by the turning belt. Our son Mark got his hair caught in
our full sized drill press several years ago and lost a
nice sized chunk. Hair is definitely a problem here. Many
safety devices are installed on new power tools. Always
read the manufacturers safety rules carefully and follow
them. Remember, if you remove the shield you will loose
any liability from the manufacturer and of course endanger
yourself. When you need to make adjustments just stop,
remove the shield and make your adjustments, replace the
shield and continue on.
This
Week's Q & A
Question #1: This question is for Sally. Why do you use rectified
turpentine? Have you ever thinned with mineral spirits? I have some artist's
odorless mineral spirits I am thinking of trying, but wanted to know what
you like about the rectified turpentine? Thank you, Lee
A: Lee,
I began to use and suggest the artist's rectified turpentine because I
did not want anyone to use regular housepainters' turpentine or paint thinner
they might have on hand. The turpentine that is usually purchased in a
hardware store will cause artists' oils to "thread" or "clump" and
make a mess of whatever is being worked on. As long as whatever you choose
as the thinner is highly refined, I would certainly go ahead and use it.
The odorless turpentine substitute thinners are wonderful because of the
lack of the noxious smell however they are still as dangerous and breathing
the "non-fumes" can cause just as many problems. So always use
any paint thinner or rectified turpentine in a well ventilated room. Winsor & Newton
makes a product called Sansodor that is low odor and can be used with both
alkyd and oil colors.
- Sally Hoffman
Question
#2: I am looking for a source for thin glass to use in bookcase
doors. The glass should be a maximum of 1/32". My pieces are one-inch
scale.
A: A
source for thin glass and mirrors is:
George D.
Wrisley
17784 S.E. Paradise Dr.
Milwaukee, OR 97267
Tel. 503-635-2591
Question
#3: I live in Australia and the only shellac I can find is in
flakes. How can I make up a shellac solution? Thanks, Maureen.
A: Gee
Whiz! A question from Australia i.e. downunder. Ain't the Internet great
or what?
Your are lucky to have shellac flakes readily available. They have an advantage
over prepared shellac in that:
a) When kept
in air tight can and away from moisture the flakes last almost
Indefinitely and,
b) You can make up a fresh batch as needed. I have a one-pound can I
bought a dozen years ago, and it is still half full.
Now to answer
your question –Measurements may have to be converted to Australian.
Take a teaspoon of the shellac flake and place in a 2-ounce (60ml) bottle.
Add 1-ounce (30ml) denatured alcohol. Shake and stir until the flakes have
dissolved. That's it. Test on a piece of scrap. This is a trial-and-error
process. I have given a good first approximation for you to start with.
If the solution is too weak for your taste/task, add a bit more flake.
If too thick, add the denatured alcohol with a dropper until you have what
you want. After the experiment is successful, you can readily make up fresh
batches without much trouble.
Denatured alcohol
is available in the paint section of most hardware stores (do you call
them Ironmongers in Australia?). It is simply grain alcohol that has a
small amount of noxious chemical added such as benzene, to make it undrinkable.
Hope this helps,
and good luck. If you have a problem, just write again. Julian
Biggers
P.S. The shellac
flakes will dissolve a bit faster if they are crushed. Just put the flakes
in a mortar and grind them. (Every house has a mortar and pestle doesn't
it?) Without the mortar, put in the metal top
from a jar. Cover with paper (to keep chips from flying), and bang a few times
with a small hammer, or the bottom of a jar that fits inside the lid. Do not
use wax paper to cover. Part of the refining process is to
dewax the shellac resin.