Author Topic: Swan beam drill. (Read 594 times)

Pitchy · « **on:** June 15, 2019, 11:58:12 AM »

New here howdy.
I just bought a beam drill which i assumed was a Swan but after doing some research i found a picture on another board that looks identical to mine but had a stamp on the bottom where you sit that said Ladd co.
Mine has no name on it that i can find so wondering what i have.
Also how does the depth gauge on the left upright work there doesn`t seem to be anything to line up with the number lines.
thanks.
Lenn

Brian_Weekley · « **Reply #1 on:** June 15, 2019, 12:17:27 PM »

Welcome to the forum. There were many different boring machines made and many look very similar. I think I read that there were over a hundred patents for them. It would help if you can post a photo:

http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=100194.0

Pitchy · « **Reply #2 on:** June 15, 2019, 12:20:03 PM »

Thanks, i tried to post three pictures but haven`t quiet figured out how to get them here.
They showed up in the preview but not when i posted.
Lets try direct links.

Pitchy · « **Reply #3 on:** June 15, 2019, 12:36:35 PM »

Guess it won`t work i have my pictures on Imgur not on y computer.
I`m pretty sure its a Swan.
Thanks

Pitchy · « **Reply #4 on:** June 15, 2019, 12:56:04 PM »

Jim_Rogers · « **Reply #5 on:** June 15, 2019, 01:16:46 PM »

Yes, that is a James Swan and company adjustable boring machine.
Jim Rogers

Pitchy · « **Reply #6 on:** June 15, 2019, 01:55:58 PM »

Thanks, if ya seen the picture of the Ladd machine ya couldn`t tell it apart from the Swan.
Any ideas about the depth gauge?

Jim_Rogers · « **Reply #7 on:** June 15, 2019, 02:20:42 PM »

My Swan machine has lines on the track but I never use them. I set the depth gauge every time I use it, based on the actual position of the bit in the chuck. Sometimes the bit is higher or lower in the chuck and can't be certain that it aligns with the marks on the track.

After I chuck up a bit, which could be a different length than another bit, I set the bit down onto the timber with the lead screw hanging over the side of the timber. And with the "wing" of the bit on the top of the timber, this position is zero. Measuring down the track from the bottom of the carriage, I set my depth gauge, using a wooden folding ruler.
I never bore all the way through a timber when creating a mortise. Such as a tie beam through mortise. I bore half way from each side.
The only time I bore all the way down to the bottom of the timber is when I'm boring a peg hole. However, I don't bore through the bottom of the timber surface. I stop when the bit lead screw pokes through.
And I finish off the peg hole with a bit and brace of the same size.
Watch the end of this video to see this procedure:

Jim Rogers

Pitchy · « **Reply #8 on:** June 15, 2019, 02:29:11 PM »

Yepper i watched your vids on Youtube the other day, the reason i asked is you would of thought there would of been a pointer on the top that lined up with the marks but as you said it would be off with different length bits.
I found a patent drawing of a earlier Swan model that had a sliding indicator on the side but the numbers were on the lower right side so you could set it and it would stop the carriage.
I`m going to try and post a link to the picture of the Ladd.
LINKS TO OFFSITE IMAGES NOT ALLOWED.

Pitchy · « **Reply #9 on:** June 15, 2019, 06:47:49 PM »

LOGGED OUT.

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