This George Thomas Drilling Machine was built by Stuart Walker and displayed at a recent exhibition.

The drilling vice is based on a Hemingway design, with removable brass jaw protectors and a knurled screw handle for easy finger adjustment and a hexagonal end for spanner tightening. The table is made with radial slots, adjustable top screw clamps with T-slotted captive nuts.

Pulleys provide drilling speeds of between 1200 and 2000 rpm with a drill spindle, running on plain bearings. An adjustable jock pulley was controls the belt tension and minimize spindle bending stresses and side load on the bearings.

Electronics for the motor and lighting are housed in a specially made unit.

Photos by John Arrowsmith.