Use A Treadmill Motor To Seriously Upgrade Your Drill Press

How to upgrade an old drill press with a brushless 2.6Hp DC motor from a treadmill.This modification has many advantages, more horsepower, speed control and reverse of course, because every drill press needs a reverse!

I cover the process of building a new motor mount bracket out of an old office chair. Next I grind down the old motor shaft so I can reuse the pulleys. I cover the electrical schematic of how I rewire the drill press to include the speed control and add reveres with a double pull double throw switch. Additionally I replace the bearings with new ones, and modify the location of the light for better lighting.

Some parts are repainted and I add a tachometer for showing the RPM’s of the drill press while drilling.