Drill press hooray!

[Krumlink]

As a early birthday president I got a nice table top drill press from Harbor freight.

Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

It is similar to this one, but 5 speed and it's a 8 inch with a 1/3 horsepower motor, and it was only 85$. Are there any tips as to what to be careful with it? I already know some tips from our robotic's team's drill presses.

I also got a 4" vise for 20 bucks.

first pic: Drill press, vise and drill bit box
2nd pic: Electronic work station, the black containers on the left are film pictures (pfft) and the oaken table that has taken a beating (from me). Note the Ferric Chloride spill and black sharpie outline of something.
3rd pic: Entire setup. TV in the middle, even though I have not turned it on for a few months.

EDIT: This is my basement, not my living room, etc (hmm drill presses and soldering irons in the living room how stylish)

 

[dknguyen]

Don't use it is as a mill...I did and it's all noisy now. Oh well, only $40. And drill bits *flex* and can break so clamp them only as long as you need them.

 

[Torben]

Don't use it is as a mill...I did and it's all noisy now. Oh well, only $40. And drill bits *flex* and can break so clamp them only as long as you need them.

Yeah, plus putting sideways pressure on the bit will increase runout as the bearings are not built for that. I have a very similar model (JobMate, $80) and the runout is visible but not too bad. I have no trouble drilling PCBs with it, at any rate.

"Runout" is how much the bit wobbles at the chuck--the more runout you have, the less precise the drilling will be.

I also got a drill press clamp for mine, which can make things easier for some jobs. I don't really use it when I'm drilling PCBs though.


Torben

 

[Krumlink]

If I got a milling drill bit could I use it perhaps?

 

[Torben]

If I got a milling drill bit could I use it perhaps?

Yes, but you'd still wreck the drill press. The problem isn't the bit; it's the fact that the bearings aren't designed to handle the stresses of milling.

It's a drill press; use it for drilling. To mill you should use a mill.


Torben

 

[Krumlink]

I wasnt going to use my drill press as a mill anyways.

 

[rjvh]

make sure that your hair don't get stuck in the drill (if you have longer hair)

sounds maybe funny but i ve seen in my class somebody almost scalped because of that

the next day he shaved him self bold

Robert-Jan

 

[HiTech]

Milling plastic and soft wood is fine-- avoid metals. I have that same DP and it works quite nicely for the electronics shop and some minor gunsmithing. You prolly didn't realize this when you assembled it but you should remove the chuck arbor, spray it with Simple Green or 409, or similar stuff. Wipe it very clean and then use 0000 steel wool. Now wipe it again with a cloth ever so lightly coated with WD40. Do the same for the arbor's quill up inside it. When finished, place a small 2x4 on the table, insert the arbor into the quill and use the handles to bring down the chuck onto the wood. Force it fairly good so it stays put in the quill. Now it won't rust, won't fall out from vibes, and you can tap it out with a hammer if need be.
Next get yourself a LINK BELT from Rockler, similar woodworking supplers, or a local bearing/belt supply company. Throw away that awful stock drive belt and install the link belt. You will notice a serious improvement in performance from better torque, way less vibrations, quieter running, and less belt stretch. All that from a link belt that will last longer than the machine will. The factory Chinese belt is absolutely awful and way out of tolerance. The DP's bearings will last longer from less vibes. They are sold by the foot and aren't cheap to buy!! But for machines, nothing on earth beats them.


**broken link removed**

 

[picbits]

Never hold the workpiece by hand when you are drilling - always have it clamped. I nearly lost a finger when the piece I was drilling got snagged on the bit and it started spinning round .......

 

[3v0]

I have had the same drill press for about a year and like it. At times I use it with an incra-jig positioner for drilling holes exactly where they need to be. Not exactly a CNC machine but it works.

I agree with Hi-Tech on the link belt. I use them on my full size woodworking equipment. It never occured to me to put one on the little drill press.

 

[ericgibbs]

hi krumlink,
Just one observation, in the image, the drill dosnt appear to bolted to the bench, if not, I would bolt it firmly down.
Place it so the daylight on the drill table isnt obscured by the body of the drill.
Also get youself a pair of eye goggles.

If the main drill chuck will not hold a 1mm drill you can buy a small chuck that fits into the main chuck

As HiTech says, a spray with WD40 and wipe over.

 

[Pommie]

If the main drill chuck will not hold a 1mm drill you can buy a small chuck that fits into the main chuck

When I had this problem I stripped a piece of wire and slid the plastic tube over the drill, worked perfectly.

Mike.

 

[HiTech]

hi krumlink,
As HiTech says, a spray with WD40 and wipe over.

The key to using WD40 is to be extra stingey (spl?) when applying it. All that's needed is a very fine film of the stuff to displace moisture... not an amount that causes the arbor to fall out from torqing or vibrations. Same goes for table surfaces on powershop tools. On a table saw top you need it pretty dry so the furniture paste wax will adhere. Too much WD40 and the wax fails.

 

[Mikebits]

If you want a mill, Harbor Freight has the Micro Mill for about $300.

**broken link removed**

I know, I am a slob. Quite a mess eh. How do you make the images the clickable type?

 

[ericgibbs]

hi Mike,
Your pic has made me feel a lot better, I too use my benches as shelves, looks just like yours...

I use the 'manage attachments' button to add clickable pics.

 

[Krumlink]

I think that the files have to be under 500k or something.

 

[Mikebits]

hi Mike,
Your pic has made me feel a lot better, I too use my benches as shelves, looks just like yours...

I use the 'manage attachments' button to add clickable pics.

You know it bro, we have better things to do than be clean, like creating that device that will save the world...lol

Thanks for the tip.

Oh I forgot to mention. Krum, if you notice I have the same Drill press as you in the background. Has served me well, of course I have tweaked a few parts with my lathe and mill.

 

[JimB]

As mentioned earlier, fix the drill press to the bench.
A good idea would be an "emergency stop switch" which you can kick with a foot or knee, to kill the power to the drill when the bit jams in the workpiece and you have no spare hands to kill the power!

JimB

Note to self: why dont you do this on your own drill, you have been caught several times.

 

[3v0]

Bolting it to the bench is good. If you do not have a permanent home for the tool use a pair of large C clamps to hold it down. HF has them for about $2 each.

 

[Pommie]

If this drill is being used to drill PCBs then don't worry about your work piece being ripped out of your hand and taking your fingers with it. With a 1mm drill, the drill will snap before the workpiece will take flight. If you take the advice above and clamp your PCBs then each one will take roughly 3 weeks to drill. Also, unless you are going to REALLY abuse that drill, the drill will stall long before it will even wobble let alone fall of the bench. I assume it's something like a 300W motor and so less powerful than most hand held power drills. Either people are too over protective or I'll loose a finger soon.

Mike.