Sold January 2016 Back to Archive

"Fobco" floor standing drilling machine - stock code 6847

I bought this Fobco "Universal MT" some years ago, one of the nicest condition ones I'd seen. It came from a government workshop and appears to have been set up to do a single drilling operation, occasionally, for its entire life - there was a fixture bolted to the table, the drill had been supplied from new with Fobcos optional fine feed gearbox for the quill, engaged by a dog clutch when required. The machine is three phase with Brook Crompton motor and safety cutout on a foot bar. Spindle is threaded 1 1/8 x 8 tpi like a Myford and is 2MT bore - there is a hinged flip-up chuck guard with the machine. Both top and bottom tables are unmarked - no odd drilled holes, dents or gashes.

It's been used on the odd occasion in the workshop here, usually when all the milling machines are tied up otherwise they get the job. With the arrival of a big radial arm drill for our boiler shop, the Fobco is really one drill too many to have about the place, time has come to pass it on.