Dog
Established Member
What a wonderful piece of equipment this is from Ferm, or should I say 'Ferm-Omega' seeing as something called Omega Safes Limited has attached its name to Ferm. Purchased online from those great people at Screwfix, 'anti-law suit niceness', for the massive saving of £49.99 instead of the usual 'catalogue' price of £99.99. Be aware that ordering on the phone it'll cost you £99.99 but online at the Screwfix website it's £49.99 hmmm. Anyway as ever the machine was well packed, secured in its poly protection, the iron parts lightly greased and covered with grease-proof paper that had become greased soaked paper but nowhere near as coated as NuTool parts 
I take my hat off to the manual writers for this product. As long as somewhere in your workshop you have handy an electron microscope with 50,000 times magnification then you'll be able to read, if not exactly follow the tiny printed instructions, great stuff Ferm-Omega Now, the actual putting together of the various parts requires you the purchaser to switch off from any kind of rational thought. The instructions supplied were for a totally different version of Radial Arm Drill than the version I have purchased. Wonderful looking diagrams of adjustments which appeared nowhere on my purchase but still it is interesting to know what other versions have even if mine doesn't On the back of the manual it states that 'Specifications are likely to change without notice UK'. Since the drill had been made and packed they obviously have but that was only a very minor problem.
The first thing you come across that is not shown anywhere in the manual, my version of it anyway, is the rear stabilizing arm that slots into the base of the drill through two holes. Out of curiosity you turn the base over and wonder what holds this arm in place. A strip of black painted metal about 6"x1" catches your eye and then, by thinking just a little bit, you realize that you secure the arm by fitting two bolts through the holes in the drill base, the holes you thought were drilled for you to fix the drill base to the bench, and then securing the metal strip with washers, split ring washers and nuts. Overall everything else is easy to workout on how to put your drill together until that is you wonder, after giving yourself a new hernia lifting the very heavy top half of the drill up onto the shaft. Why does the top part swivel around even though you have tightened the retaining bolt that holds the upper part of the drill firmly onto the shaft. The reason why it is doing this is because there is something missing. Before lifting the upper part of the drill onto the shaft you need to fit a small square of metal into a square recess so that when you tighten the retaining bolt the square of metal is pushed up against the shaft. Off with the upper part of the drill, locate the square piece of metal, watch it drop out and then attempt to retrieve it with grease covered fingers, it is possible but slightly annoying :roll: Lift the upper part of the drill, locate it on the shaft and tighten the bolt!
After fitting the Jacobs 13mm keyed chuck by way of a plank of wood and a hammer and fitting the wonderfully engineered chuck guard that, in my case, did not line up with the pre-drilled holes in the chuck guard rim, probably due to atmospheric pressure, you are ready to switch on the machine. Plug it in, push the green button on the NVR switch and...Nothing. Sit back and ponder the thought of taking it all apart again to return it. That thought is replaced by determination. Check the plug is wired properly. It was. Check the fuse, fine. Check the wiring on the drill, motor housing etc. Fine. Open the cover on the top of the drill and find that the drive belt is loose and not connected. You have a choice of 5 speeds depending on where you locate the drive belt on the stepped five position pulleys. Sorted, close the lid, switch on and Nothing. Open the lid and check the safety switch is functioning, it won't allow you to switch on the machine if the pulley cover is open. Click goes the switch. Shut the cover, switch on, Nothing. At around this point you wonder if you are going to be able to re-wrap all that grease-proof-grease-soaked paper back onto various parts. Then the brain engages. Is the plastic tab, located inside the lid, that fits into the safety switch actually doing its job. Answer, NO. Adjust the plastic tab, close the lid slowly and listen for a 'click'. It clicked. Switch on, push green button, machine works, switch off. Strip naked and run around in the street celebrating your triumph....When I'm released I'm looking forward to using my Radial Arm Drill to help me produce many interesting projects
Being slightly serious for a few seconds, at the price it's a bargain and if you have the space to use it get it while you can....I do not work or have shares in Screwfix or Ferm....but I wish I did
I take my hat off to the manual writers for this product. As long as somewhere in your workshop you have handy an electron microscope with 50,000 times magnification then you'll be able to read, if not exactly follow the tiny printed instructions, great stuff Ferm-Omega Now, the actual putting together of the various parts requires you the purchaser to switch off from any kind of rational thought. The instructions supplied were for a totally different version of Radial Arm Drill than the version I have purchased. Wonderful looking diagrams of adjustments which appeared nowhere on my purchase but still it is interesting to know what other versions have even if mine doesn't On the back of the manual it states that 'Specifications are likely to change without notice UK'. Since the drill had been made and packed they obviously have but that was only a very minor problem. The first thing you come across that is not shown anywhere in the manual, my version of it anyway, is the rear stabilizing arm that slots into the base of the drill through two holes. Out of curiosity you turn the base over and wonder what holds this arm in place. A strip of black painted metal about 6"x1" catches your eye and then, by thinking just a little bit, you realize that you secure the arm by fitting two bolts through the holes in the drill base, the holes you thought were drilled for you to fix the drill base to the bench, and then securing the metal strip with washers, split ring washers and nuts. Overall everything else is easy to workout on how to put your drill together until that is you wonder, after giving yourself a new hernia lifting the very heavy top half of the drill up onto the shaft. Why does the top part swivel around even though you have tightened the retaining bolt that holds the upper part of the drill firmly onto the shaft. The reason why it is doing this is because there is something missing. Before lifting the upper part of the drill onto the shaft you need to fit a small square of metal into a square recess so that when you tighten the retaining bolt the square of metal is pushed up against the shaft. Off with the upper part of the drill, locate the square piece of metal, watch it drop out and then attempt to retrieve it with grease covered fingers, it is possible but slightly annoying :roll: Lift the upper part of the drill, locate it on the shaft and tighten the bolt!
After fitting the Jacobs 13mm keyed chuck by way of a plank of wood and a hammer and fitting the wonderfully engineered chuck guard that, in my case, did not line up with the pre-drilled holes in the chuck guard rim, probably due to atmospheric pressure, you are ready to switch on the machine. Plug it in, push the green button on the NVR switch and...Nothing. Sit back and ponder the thought of taking it all apart again to return it. That thought is replaced by determination. Check the plug is wired properly. It was. Check the fuse, fine. Check the wiring on the drill, motor housing etc. Fine. Open the cover on the top of the drill and find that the drive belt is loose and not connected. You have a choice of 5 speeds depending on where you locate the drive belt on the stepped five position pulleys. Sorted, close the lid, switch on and Nothing. Open the lid and check the safety switch is functioning, it won't allow you to switch on the machine if the pulley cover is open. Click goes the switch. Shut the cover, switch on, Nothing. At around this point you wonder if you are going to be able to re-wrap all that grease-proof-grease-soaked paper back onto various parts. Then the brain engages. Is the plastic tab, located inside the lid, that fits into the safety switch actually doing its job. Answer, NO. Adjust the plastic tab, close the lid slowly and listen for a 'click'. It clicked. Switch on, push green button, machine works, switch off. Strip naked and run around in the street celebrating your triumph....When I'm released I'm looking forward to using my Radial Arm Drill to help me produce many interesting projects
Being slightly serious for a few seconds, at the price it's a bargain and if you have the space to use it get it while you can....I do not work or have shares in Screwfix or Ferm....but I wish I did
