A very slow Fobco Star refurbishment

[Nic_the_Urchin]

How you getting on Skippy?

 

[OldWood]

It's a wee while since I have been here such that I had a need to go through some of the posts to see where I should make my query, which is not about my Fobco Star, but seeing the post I read it through to get a feeling of what I too might have to face.

Fortunately mine seems to be in adequate condition, and I'm not aware of any noticeable run-out problems. So for the moment I will echo the post above and hope that Skippy is getting on well.

And will now go off to post my own query on a single to 3 phase inverter.

 

[skippy75]

How you getting on Skippy?

The drill is now mostly in bits in a box. I still have to knock the bearings out of the housing and dismantle the quill.

Unfortunately a patch of bad Heath means I’m having a break for a little while.

 

[skippy75]

The main drill body is now free from parts. I will need some better circlip pliers before putting this back together again.

So now I just need to disassemble the quill and the other spindle bearing subassembly and the easy bit will be finished….

 

[bilspe]

The other big question is cream or turquoise? I love the turquoise but how much do I care about originality here? It’s into meaning of life now and 10 years of thinking about it hasn’t made me any clearer.

Just joined up here and picked up on this thread.
Have recently revived a very grubby Fobco Star. It was mainly a cosmetic restoration and I was in the same dilemma over colour. I went for a turquoise and thought it was a bit overpowering at first, but when the steel parts were brightened up I quite like the contrast

 

[skippy75]

Just joined up here and picked up on this thread.
Have recently revived a very grubby Fobco Star. It was mainly a cosmetic restoration and I was in the same dilemma over colour. I went for a turquoise and thought it was a bit overpowering at first, but when the steel parts were brightened up I quite like the contrastView attachment 165683

That looks great! I’m still flip flopping between originality and turquoise which i think looks nicer.

 

[skippy75]

So my drill is now in as many parts as is possible. I will try to get some photos of stuff laid out. Given my non existent knowledge and lack of press getting the bearings off was not easy and I’m pretty terrified at the thought of getting them back on correctly but it’s only hundreds of pounds and months of work on the line….

I’ve also degreased everything apart from the main cast iron body and I’ve contacted vintage bearings to get some replacements. I’m no bearing expert but they do not sound smooth. There’s an unpleasant metallic rattling tone when I spin the two upper bearings. Hopefully that means the bearing replacement will be worth it.

 

[flh801978]

Skippy
the bearings are just standard bearings from any bearing supplier...theres one in most citys/towns
very cheap..

 

[Phil Pascoe]

or Bearings, Belts, Transmission products
Bearing Boys - Leading Provider of Bearings from SKF & FAG, Bushes, V Belts, Loctite & Castors
etc.

 

[skippy75]

Rereading what I wrote it sounded like I was saying the replacement bearings were dodgy which wasn’t the case. What I meant was that the original bearings I took off the drill don’t sound good. I’ve just put the order in for four new ones.
Does anyone have any grease recommendations? I was just going to pick up a small tub of Comma bearing grease from Amazon.

 

[skippy75]

The new bearings sound much nicer than the old ones so hopefully changing those and a new chuck will sort my problems. Vintage bearings were excellent too. I’m sure I paid more than using a standard bearing supplier but they got me the exact right ones first time so I’m happy with a slight premium for the expertise.

I’m seriously considering putting it back together without touching the paint work. It’s going to either cost me hundreds to get someone else to strip and paint or months for me to get it done. I might clean it properly and see what it looks like under the grime first before deciding.

 

[skippy75]

Well I put the new bearings on only to wake up at 3am and realise I put the angular contact bearings on the wrong way round. So I need to disassemble and start again.