TIL my 20-year-old drill press gear finally snapped on Tuesday

I was drilling some 1/4 inch steel plate for a shed shelf bracket when the old Delta press just ground to a halt. The plastic gear that connects the handle to the quill basically disintegrated after two decades of use. I ended up ordering a replacement gear from a shop in Ohio for 12 bucks and had it running again by Friday. Has anyone else had to revive a vintage tool with a cheap part like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_karen1mo ago

Oh man! My buddy fixed a 70s bandsaw with a 5 dollar spring!

simonh741mo ago

The cheap fix always wins, right? It's funny how the simplest solutions are usually the best ones. A buddy of mine kept his old lawnmower running with nothing but a paperclip for years. @the_karen your story really drives home how we overcomplicate everything with fancy parts when a basic spring does the job. It's like people who buy a new car because the check engine light comes on, never stopping to check the gas cap first.

emma_clark16d ago

Yeah but I don't know about all that, @simonh74. A paperclip in a lawnmower for years sounds like a fire hazard waiting to happen. People act like one cheap fix is proof we're all idiots for buying proper parts. Sometimes it's just luck, not wisdom.