Question about old Rockwell drill press...

I don't think it should matter if it taked square drive, round or tapered bits. You should be readily able to change the chuck.
And I believe the #2 Morse tapered spindle is reffering to the output shaft on the electric motor, going into where it drives the pulleys... Just my opinion but I think it's close... Like this:
#2 Morse Motor with a Tapered spindle that drives the pulleys.

My "Tue Scents"

FE

My dad has a machine shop he put together after he retired, and it consists of various old mills, lathes, and drill presses. We have a huge drill press in it that only will take a tapered bit. You can not change the chuck or nothing. It is a press fit type of thing, where you put the bit in, and then bare down on the advance handle. Then Start drilling. it has a long thin tapered piece of steel to remove the bits with. put the point thru the shaft where the top of the bit is, and hit it. Then the bit falls out. These machines are tough as nails, and if you can find bits for them, any machinist can re-sharpen them for you.

http://www.beautifuliron.com/mttaper.htm


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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: 64 TBOLT on 12/2/04 5:18am ]</font>

Chilly you should be able to get a chuck that has the taper on it so you can use a standard drill bit. Sounds to me like it already has one with it by the description you gave in the first post. Take care.

I was going to chime in, but a picture is worth a thousand words.

People stop and watch when I'm drilling those 3 and 4in. holes Chilly.

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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: 85mike on 12/2/04 5:55am ]</font>

A little bit late but...Like that picture shows (to use straight shaft bits) you can mount a Jacobs chuck on a tapered shaft and then the tapered shaft fits in the tapered spindle. Or you can use tapered shaft bits without the Jacobs chuck.

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Ed

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: 78F100 on 12/2/04 8:25am ]</font>

My drill press has a #3 Morse tapered spindle.

I have a double tapered shaft that fits in there. One side is #3 Morse to fit to the spindle, and the other tapered end has a regular chuck pressed onto it.

I've actually got two different chucks I can attach to the spindle. One is a high quality ball bearing 14N 1/2" Jacobs. (these cost around $100 new and go from zero to 1/2") The other is a Chinese special that goes from 1/8" up to 3/4".

The double tapered shafts are very common, as are the drill chucks.

And yes, the chucks use regular drill bits.

Good Luck!

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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: n2omike on 12/2/04 10:37am ]</font>

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On 2004-12-01 16:31, chilly460 wrote:
Maybe some of you machinist type guys may know, Coolfalcon perhaps.

Looking at an OLD Rockwell 17" drill press...fairly good shape but needs new high speed pulley.

It's described as having a #2 Morse taper spindle...what the heck does that mean. 1/2" Jacobs chuck...

So, I've heard that some larger drills took a different kind of drill bit then we're all accustomed to. Just trying to verify that this takes your standard type drill bit that we all use in our hand drills. I'd love to pick up this old bomb...$125 and it's located right near my old house in PA. Rather have this unit then paying $250 for taiwanese junk.
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I have an old rockwell drill press also. Very nice piece. The morse taper shank is for the type spindel it has. You can run morse type tapper tools in it or get an adapter for the spindle that will let you put a drill chuck in it for all your smaller drill needs. I have used mine so much i just wonder why i didnt get one a long time ago. I will have had mine now for all most 2 years.