Progress 2g drill problem

Hi chaps. I have one more problem with my drill. I can’t rise the head. I have undone the screw fitting too the rear of the column. And a bolt on one side of the head that looks like it could be a lock for the head. However taking the weight of the head with a jack, I still cannot get the head to move on the column. My feeling is that there must be a further lock, but for the life of me I can’t see it. Can anyone please help. Thanks

Hello Michael,

It sounds very much as though this is a clamp bolt that grips the column. With the bolt undone by as little as half a turn and the weight of the head supported as you said, give the bolt head a sharp tap with a hammer to separate the clamp halves within the boring that contains them.

Now you should be able to raise and lower the head, before locking it  by tightening the bolt again in the new position. It does not need clamping hard as you have found

Regards Brian

Edited By Brian Wood on 24/10/2022 18:13:39

Edited By Brian Wood on 24/10/2022 18:14:38

Drills like these can also sometimes stick, rather delicately, on dried oil on the column - I have known this on both my Progress 2G and my Meddings, bench-drills.

Slacken the clamp, and while ensuring it cannot drop, twist the head each way a bit. That usually frees it.

Letting a few drops of a solvent like white spirit or paraffin soak in first might be helpful.

Clean and re-lubricate the column.

Hi Michael - sounds like you’re having a great time 😊

Again, in my 2G the head is clamped by that one screw.

Assuming you’ve not got the clamps free yet. It’s a cylindrical wedge type of clamp - so the bolt pulls together two floating cylindrical parts, one either side of the column. Both of these are chamfered where they touch and tighten against the column.

BUT, I’m sure does really need saying, the head is very heavy - when I’ve removed it in the past, I have used the small table that is meant to hold chuck keys etc, pushed and clamped up below the head so it can’t fall any further. If yours doesn’t have that, be careful !!

So there is one wedge tapped and another with a clearance hole - perhaps loosen the screw a few millimetres and the hit the screw to push the tapped wedge out of position. If the clearance one is also stuck, belt it with a drift with the tapped wedge out.

If it won’t move then, or you already got that far, I fully agree with Nigel.

Cheers - Will

Sorry Brian - I think I just repeated what you said 🙄

It happens, don't bother about it. Nice to have it confirmed though!

On my ancient No 1. I took the precaution of fitting a Jubilee hose clip round the column just below the head and marked the bolt clamping the head with an exclamation mark to draw attention to the potential hazard in a moment of extreme stupidity or especially senior behaviour

Regards Brian

Thanks again for your help. The problem was heavy rusting on the column inside the head. I poured wd40 and a bit of diesel onto the column from the top 4 times a day. It took 2 full days to free it off. The drill came from a workshop of a chap who had passed and had not been used for three years. I am getting on a bit, and wonder what will happen why I get to that stage. Anyway thanks again.