Re: Help needed to wire in new switch for vintage Delta D/P

[Carlosinthesticks]

Rob, Carlos, Doug & Rusty thanks for the enlightenment on switches/switching. Always appreciate the magnitude of the knowledge in this forum. In my little mind, figured changing out the switch was going to be a no-brainer but as typically goes, wrong idea. With no past tool rewiring experience [hired electrician] thought it would be like extending wiring connections from one house outlet to another i.e. motor cable to switch then switch to power cord all on the four little screws. The D/P came with the switch as shown and my idea was to try to get to a type switch more in tune for D/P vintage.

So it appears my options would be [1] finding/buying what Carlos's pic 2 post #5 to use my start/stop switch or buy what he shows in pic 3 same post or [2] Rob's "You could ad the stop/start station you want to use to that switch if you wanted a second location to stop/ start". How could this be accomplished and with what extra pieces and/or wiring?

Thanks again for your replies and help.

Frank as far as wiring that switch for a magnetic starter, you would be spending more than a new Magnetic starter would cost from Busy Bee. The yellow magnetic starter in the picture below cost me under $100. The large paddle switch similar to yours runs $17.99 also at BB and the small toggle switch which would be large enough for a DP runs for $6.99 also at BB.If you like the metal boxes on the Square D switch, these are available at electrical supply stores like Westburne Ruddy Electric, GE makes a nice one two, they will be more expensive than the BB imports. The Klockner-Moeller are European I believe, expensive and hard to find, an industrial supplier might be able to source them.

[iamtooler]

The General drill press uses a switch like the one in Carlos' pic 2 on the left. It is actually a ''starter'' because it is a switch with an overload protection built in and probably over 100$.I once bought a few dozen of them but they came from a commercial sewing plant and the overloads were for very low amperages. You do not really need overload protection on a drill press as you should be able to sense if it is overheating, and many motors come with built in protection.
Rob

[Jacques Leclerc]

Rob, Carlos, Doug & Rusty thanks for the enlightenment on switches/switching. Always appreciate the magnitude of the knowledge in this forum. In my little mind, figured changing out the switch was going to be a no-brainer but as typically goes, wrong idea. With no past tool rewiring experience [hired electrician] thought it would be like extending wiring connections from one house outlet to another i.e. motor cable to switch then switch to power cord all on the four little screws. The D/P came with the switch as shown and my idea was to try to get to a type switch more in tune for D/P vintage.

So it appears my options would be [1] finding/buying what Carlos's pic 2 post #5 to use my start/stop switch or buy what he shows in pic 3 same post or [2] Rob's "You could ad the stop/start station you want to use to that switch if you wanted a second location to stop/ start". How could this be accomplished and with what extra pieces and/or wiring?

Thanks again for your replies and help.

Frank, wow very very sorry about the switch, did not know exactly what it was, like you I am no expert, but thought it would work with your tool.
I hope you find a way to get it going
Again, sorry
Jacques

[WCraig]

Frank, wow very very sorry about the switch, did not know exactly what it was, like you I am no expert, but thought it would work with your tool.
I hope you find a way to get it going
Again, sorry
Jacques

That General Electric control station is a very useful thing in the right circumstances. It just happens that the OP needs something else. BTW, I think it helps to refer to such devices as a "control station" rather than as a switch. To most non-electricians, a switch directly turns on or off the power to a device. Calling it a control station highlights that it controls the magnetic contactor (which is what makes or breaks the circuit to the motor).

Assuming the OP has a 1/3 or 1/2 horsepower motor on his drill press (single phase, 120 volts), a simple motor-rated toggle switch (ie $5 from Canadian Tire or similar) would be sufficient. As noted, you can 'get away' with using a household light switch but that is really not the purpose they are designed for. A magnetic starter system is a lot more money. For a drill press, the advantage would be that the machine would not automatically restart if the power blinks off and back on. Around here, that happens so rarely as to be a non-issue.

Since we're on the subject, another simple safety feature would be proper grounding. Use a good 3-prong plug and ensure the ground wire is electrically connected to the motor and drill press.

Craig
PS I have a magnetic starter where the built-in control station is broken. That GE control station would allow me to bypass the broken bits and make use of the starter. OTOH, I don't have a current requirement (groan) for a mag starter.

[Frank English [OP]]

Hi Jacques, no need to be sorry for the great gift you passed on to me. Has been a very interesting exercise and steep learning curve. Now know a lot more than did when posed my question.

Yes Craig, being a non-electrician but with some previous house wiring experience, did think any switch would directly turn on/off a power tool motor. Carlos, on checking Busy Bee website they did show a magnetic starter switch very similar to the one on my table saw on sale for $88 but with the old "out-of-stock issue". Thanks Rob for your suggestions and help. Will ponder my options, it is one of those issues of the options will cost more than what the D/P did. Course the D/P gets a lot of use and it is such a nice looking old fellow!

Thank you all again.

[John Bartley]

$95,free shipping, in stock ... Would this work?

https://www.amazon.ca/Big-Horn-18823...s%2C195&sr=8-3

[schor]

For a drill press I usually just go with a simple motor rated toggle switch. Around $6 at princess auto.

[iamtooler]

$95,free shipping, in stock ... Would this work?

https://www.amazon.ca/Big-Horn-18823...s%2C195&sr=8-3

ridiculous over kill for a home DP.
Personally I use a 3 position toggle switch as reverse is a must for me on a DP. Never checked if it is motor rated because usually installed on the peckerhead after the on/off switch.

[Rusty]

ridiculous over kill for a home DP.
Personally I use a 3 position toggle switch as reverse is a must for me on a DP. Never checked if it is motor rated because usually installed on the peckerhead after the on/off switch.

Why is reverse so important to you Rob.

[iamtooler]

Why is reverse so important to you Rob.

On belt drive dps there is little torque available so I am forever having to back drills out of holes. It is great for sanding drums too, I do mostly metal work rather than wood but did not always have gear head DPs.

[Carlosinthesticks]

On belt drive dps there is little torque available so I am forever having to back drills out of holes. It is great for sanding drums too, I do mostly metal work rather than wood but did not always have gear head DPs.

Most people have that problem with their DP's, problem is usually badly aligned belts or belts that are not tight enough causing slippage. If belts don't slip the problem is one common with many import DP's, the motor is smaller than they claim (it doesn't really put out 3/4 hp, closer to 1/2 hp). The solution is MORE POWER YES.

[Rusty]

Understood Rob and I do like more power on some machines Carlos.

[John Bartley]

For a drill press I usually just go with a simple motor rated toggle switch. Around $6 at princess auto.

Yup, that's what I put onto my General drill press, but it seemed like this thread was about getting a magnetic switch to work .... and that one I linked seemed cheap and available.

[Frank English [OP]]

Using a link belt so no slippage issues so far. Today found out Midland Tools in Nanaimo sell King magnetic switches so local source available similar in pricing to Busy Bee or Amazon. Will look for a motor rated toggle switch for now and hope to come across either a proper vintage Delta D/P switch or a magnetic closer like pic #2 in Carlos post #5.

Thanks all again for your input.

[stevem]

both of my old drill presses have simple motor rated toggle switches(plus reverse switches)
they are the old delta/rockwell ball tip switches

no need for a big ugly magnetic starter, Lowes used to carry a 20 amp rated switch, looked just like a regular household switch once in a box. i have 3 or 4 of those on machines as well, including my 2hp tablesaw(1160 tilty) iirc!