All about drilling machines of the USSR

Despite the widespread displacement of Soviet machine tools by modern American, European and East Asian models, you can still find such production machines in some factories. They perform their functions, assigned to them, regularly.

The disadvantages of machine tools from the USSR can be considered their massiveness and increased weight, the inaccessibility of some modern functions for the production of certain types and varieties of products, a slightly more reduced speed. Modern models have something that machines of previous generations could not boast of - relief, savings on the materials from which the parts are made. This is due only to the costs inherent in a modern market economy based on the receipt of superprofits, multiplied by the prerequisites for the rapid failure of, in general, any equipment, whatever devices.

This point requires clarification. So, the basis for the production of modern machine tools is rewriting, changing the Russian and international GOSTs that existed at that time, concerning not only machine tool building, but, in general, any industry of machine building. So, the frame of a Russian or Chinese machine tool is often made of under-hardened steel. This fact is concealed and hushed up by manufacturers, campaigning in colorful advertising the young generation of buyers to forget and not remember those standards and technologies that previously justified themselves in practice for two or three generations of workers. Parts - for example, gears of the gearbox, hydraulic vessels, rollers and sliders - are also made of not quite high-quality materials.

In the production of shock-absorbing springs, they save in every possible way in terms of elasticity, without adding enough carbon to the high-carbon steel according to the GOST standard - so that the spring does not “spring” regularly for many years, but shrinks, sags in length and is quickly replaced by a new one of the same low quality. The deliberate fragility of units and parts is aimed in the existing reality for only one thing - so that the equipment breaks down faster. Ideally, it would not be subject to restoration and was thrown out, and a new one would be bought to replace it.

Soviet machines used high-quality hardened (tool) steel, as well as high-carbon and high-alloy steel, which was melted according to strict and strict observance of GOSTs.... By the way, there was a concept of “calm” steel decades ago (the aging procedure during remelting was quite long) - its rusting was noticeably lower than that of the one produced in the 21st century.

Many of the GOSTs of the USSR era were developed after the Second World War. For an increased margin of safety and durability, Soviet machine tools are valued to this day as a completely workable rarity that performs its functions. And a more sensible master does not need - if only the machine functioned properly and carried out the current front and the amount of work.

The modern market for old machine tools of that era is represented by dozens of models, but some of them deserve close attention.

• Drilling machine NS-12A has good rigidity. Machine weight - within 100 kg. Drilling - up to 16 mm in diameter. In addition to conventional boring cutters, the machine easily works with core drills, feather drills, tapered drills, step drills.And 600 watts of power consumption gives 1400 shaft revolutions every minute. Drilling accuracy - 20 micrometers. Even an old machine, whose mechanics have loosened up over the decades, with proper maintenance, will give no more than 60 microns of error (drill runout), and this drawback can be neglected.

You can easily screw a 4 mm diameter self-tapping unit into a 3-3.2 mm hole in steel, while in a 3.03-3.23 mm hole, the self-tapping screw will still hold firmly, and during the test such “ defect "will not be noticeable, your self-tapping connection will not come off under heavy load. The machine is suitable as a school machine - in labor lessons, young future design engineers and company workers, thanks to this machine, easily learn the basics of their future profession.

• Model 2M-112 is one of the most popular. It was produced not only in factories, but also in small workshops, capturing the mass segment. High reliability and relatively good reliability are combined with a weight of 120 kg - normal for shop floor production. The model is highly valued by garage workers and home craftsmen, and is highly demanded in the secondary market. There is only one drawback: not every modern worker will adapt to raising and lowering the spindle.

• Machine 2SS1M copes with drilling holes in small workpieces made of steel or cast iron. Non-ferrous metals and non-metals are drilled extremely quickly and efficiently. In demand among garage and amateur craftsmen. The disadvantage is a reduced power engine with 180 watts output. The fact is that a similar motor was installed on activator machines, popular in the era of the absence of automatic washing units on the mass market. The square spindle mechanism did not provide increased accuracy, as, for example, in the NS-12A model. Thanks to the movable stage, the drilling of the workpiece was accelerated. The maximum drilling depth is 7 cm, with its competitors it was possible to drill all 10 cm to the end. The weight of the machine is no more than 50 kg, this was appreciated by craftsmen who prefer greater mobility, for example, when moving between workshop premises.

• VSN is a model reminiscent of the 2M-112 version. Helical column, half-empty frame to accommodate electrical communications. Part of the body is a ruler, along which the drilling depth and clamping of parts of the required thickness are set. Massive and rigid design, ease of use and cleaning, lubrication of rubbing parts. Suitable for a repair shop. The refinement of the device includes the installation of the backlight - in the void of the spindle component.

• 2A-106P does not apply to floor standing units. The reduced dimensions and weight of 85 kg are combined with a cast iron body. Designed for drills up to 6 mm. Some of the modifications of this model had a collet. The increased precision allows you to work with small parts. Drill immersion depth - 70 mm.

This list is not complete.

In order to master the accuracy and coherence of work processes on more "delicate" and "thin", more fragile devices of the XXI century, for novice craftsmen, buying old machines of any type will seem like a fascinating start to modern "continuous" production, without which you will have a good income (in the future). don't get it. This is similar to the way that beginning cutters and seamstresses practice on more primitive, albeit much more reliable, sewing machines, before changing them to much more high-tech ones.