Vol.1 No.8 24 April 2002 Care and Feeding of the Cameron Drill Press This week's Q & A   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? 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.

Ask your question now! Email the forum at forum@igma.org Previous Issues 18 Feb 2002 Using Foam Core to Construct a Room Box, Part I 6 March 2002 Using Foam Core to Construct a Room Box, II; Staining 13 March 2002 Furniture Finishing 101 20 March 2002 Using Foam Core to Construct a Room Box, III; Jigs & Fixtures 3 April 2002 Choosing the Right Paint Brush 10 April 2002 Marquetry & Parquetry 17 April 2002 Using Foam Core to Construct a Room Box, IV

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.

 

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