Shop Supply Guru
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- May 3, 2016
- Location
- Ohio USA
I have a customer looking for a mag drill for 1" drills? Most go with Milwaukee in my experience does anyone have a suggestion for a better option in terms of power & quality?
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Best Mag Drill 1" drills
- Thread starter Shop Supply Guru
- Start date
- Replies 30
- Views 11,835
Pete Deal
Titanium
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2007
- Location
- Morgantown, WV
I have a Hougen and it seems very good. I mostly just got it though because most of the contractors that I saw locally had them so I figured they must work ok. I did not really do real comparison.
I assume you mean for drilling 1" holes? Mine will go up to about 1.5" but I think the cutters have 5/8" shank.
I assume you mean for drilling 1" holes? Mine will go up to about 1.5" but I think the cutters have 5/8" shank.
Shop Supply Guru
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- May 3, 2016
- Location
- Ohio USA
Correct on the size. Ok thanks. I bet Hougen doesn't make their own though. They do make the best annular cutters though or so I've heard.
snowman
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2004
- Location
- Southeast Michigan
Milwaukee is junk IMO. I have a Milwaukee & Hougen. I've used Fein as well.
Hougen 2 speed is the one you want. Cost is about 900 I think, but it's worth every penny. You need the lower speed.
Do not buy Fein. It's junk as well.
The cutters have a 3/4" shank. Buy HSS...buy a few of them. Also make sure you have an extra pilot pin on hand.
Hougen 2 speed is the one you want. Cost is about 900 I think, but it's worth every penny. You need the lower speed.
Do not buy Fein. It's junk as well.
The cutters have a 3/4" shank. Buy HSS...buy a few of them. Also make sure you have an extra pilot pin on hand.
hobbyman
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2011
- Location
- Canada, BC
All good brands are mentioned however you have to look at the size of the motor and weight. Milwaukee makes a really heavy duty mag base drill. I swear the thing weighs 75 pounds. I have even seen larger magnetic base drills that have to lifted with a crane... Just how portable does it have to be?? That is the decision that you have to make.
snowman
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2004
- Location
- Southeast Michigan
HMD905 is hougens part no.
Reason I say this one is IMO, 450 RPM is too fast for a 1" annular cutter...you'll wear them out prematurely. If you use 250 RPM, you can take a good bite.
The weak point on the mag drill is the coolant bottle. Take it off. I just used a squeeze bottle.
You don't have to buy Hougen cutters. In fact, I wouldn't...they are expensive. I use cobracut from American Punch almost exclusively.
Annular Cutters for Mag Cutters from CobraCut - Structural Steel Fabrication Applications
If you are a distributor, you should set up an acct with them. They also offer sharpening service, but just send it off to someone.
Reason I say this one is IMO, 450 RPM is too fast for a 1" annular cutter...you'll wear them out prematurely. If you use 250 RPM, you can take a good bite.
The weak point on the mag drill is the coolant bottle. Take it off. I just used a squeeze bottle.
You don't have to buy Hougen cutters. In fact, I wouldn't...they are expensive. I use cobracut from American Punch almost exclusively.
Annular Cutters for Mag Cutters from CobraCut - Structural Steel Fabrication Applications
If you are a distributor, you should set up an acct with them. They also offer sharpening service, but just send it off to someone.
1" dia. drills....you really need to narrow it down more than that.
Drilling a 1" dia. hole, how deep ?
Lot's-o access room ? or need the little pocket sized ones (with very limited
hole depth) to get in somewhere tight ?
Need to also attach a drill chuck for smaller holes ? Add a countersink ?
Need reverse to also tap ?
Drilling a 1" dia. hole, how deep ?
Lot's-o access room ? or need the little pocket sized ones (with very limited
hole depth) to get in somewhere tight ?
Need to also attach a drill chuck for smaller holes ? Add a countersink ?
Need reverse to also tap ?
moonlight machine
Diamond
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2007
- Location
- marysville ohio
I have a Milwaukee, I have drilled up to 1 3/8" with it and tapped 3/4" NC. Worked fine. It has had a lot of use with no trouble.
Shop Supply Guru
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- May 3, 2016
- Location
- Ohio USA
The customer wants to drill then tap 1"-8 & M24-3.00. The customer is large Stamping facility that has to do repairs quick
Shop Supply Guru
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- May 3, 2016
- Location
- Ohio USA
Thanks Snowman. That is a solid advice especially on the speed affecting the drill bit life. Do you think that unit could tap the sizes I mentioned above?
Yes, I have an old B&D, The one with a quick change adapters up to mt-3, but it's a bear to pick up, and when I drilled a header
beam for a crane, I rigged up something else, no way was I going to pick that
up a ladder and stick on the underside of that beam.
This changes things....todays mag drills have shrunk quite a bit by using annular cutters that don't require much torque.
Now tapping 1"-8 need some balls.
I have seen Lamina makes just such a mag drill made to go in a stamping die for
repairs, but they aint' cheap.
Hydraulics | Dayton Lamina Corporation
So you'll need to walk a fine line to find a big enough "common type" mag drill,
big enough to twist that tap, but small enough to fit in where they need it,
and keep the price down.
ManualEd
Stainless
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2014
- Location
- Kelowna, Canada
I have a Euroboor Eco 32T.
It uses a 1.5È" hole saw easy. Drilled and tapped 1" NF holes lots. NC you might have to finish them by hand.
Two speed gearbox, variable speed (I wouldn't buy one without it.), and its nice and compact compared to a lot of the others I've seen.
Its a fair bit narrower than some of the Milwaukee units I've used. Makes it a lot easier to get into places.
It uses a 1.5È" hole saw easy. Drilled and tapped 1" NF holes lots. NC you might have to finish them by hand.
Two speed gearbox, variable speed (I wouldn't buy one without it.), and its nice and compact compared to a lot of the others I've seen.
Its a fair bit narrower than some of the Milwaukee units I've used. Makes it a lot easier to get into places.
Shop Supply Guru
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- May 3, 2016
- Location
- Ohio USA
The customer is using Milwaukee brand now but they are older maybe 10+ years. They aren't doing it anymore.
snowman
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2004
- Location
- Southeast Michigan
No, that would be for drilling only...running annular cutters.
It sounds more like you do want a Milwaukee, specifically the one with the 3MT socket. That would be the minimum machine that would work for 3/4" tapping I'd think. You'd have to talk to the actual machinists/millrights using it to find out what they want, because it may be moving more in to the world of hydraulic / portable machining equipment.
Shaybuilder
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2006
- Location
- Nevada
I had a Milwaukee along with a Hougan. The Milwaukee was OK but just too darn heavy to handle by myself for what I was doing. I sold the Milwaukee and kept the Hougan which I like very much. I have tapped 5/8-11 staybolt holes with the Hougan but I don't think it would do any thing much larger. The Milwaukee with the #3 MT may be the best choice.
Fabworks
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2013
- Location
- California, USA
I have a Milwaukee with the 3MT socket. Came with a 3/4" Jacobs chuck. I bought a 3MT arbor from Hougen that accomodates the "12,000 Series" annular cutters.
According to the operators manual, recommended tapping capacities are 7/8"-9 in 1 1/8" steel. I have not tried tapping anything that big.
Drill motor model 4292-1 with 375 and 750 rpm. They still make these.
Drill Press Base 4231. They don't make these anymore... too heavy.
This thing is a beast but sure gets the job done.
According to the operators manual, recommended tapping capacities are 7/8"-9 in 1 1/8" steel. I have not tried tapping anything that big.
Drill motor model 4292-1 with 375 and 750 rpm. They still make these.
Drill Press Base 4231. They don't make these anymore... too heavy.
This thing is a beast but sure gets the job done.
true temper
Stainless
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2006
- Location
- Kansas
I don't know anything about them, they claim they can run a 5 1/8" annular cutter and tap a 1 5/8" hole. Magnetic Drills | Portable Magnetic Drills | CS Unitec
I have an Alfra mag drill made in Germany, I have run 1 3/4" annular cutter in it. I am happy with it but it's the only one I have ever used.
I have an Alfra mag drill made in Germany, I have run 1 3/4" annular cutter in it. I am happy with it but it's the only one I have ever used.
Ries
Diamond
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2004
- Location
- Edison Washington USA
One thing to consider is the height of tooling.
The old milwaukees and Black and Deckers, going back to the early fifties, were designed for Silver and Deming drill bits- which means they have more quill travel, and a large open space for tooling- usually up to 4" or 5".
The newer style compact mag drills, like the Hougen and Jancy, are designed to run annular cutters, with a depth of cut at max 2".
Their quill travel and possible tool height are much less.
They are much lighter, and easier to maneuver- but if you need to tap a 3" deep hole with a standard tap, they usually wont work.
I have wrestled 60lb Milwaukees up into overhead position, on top of a 12' ladder- no fun.
So these days, I have a nice 25lb Jancy, for site work. But it will only run twist drills up to about 3" in length.
Fein now owns Jancy.
They have upgraded the line, and make very nice drills.
If I was buying a drill for long term, industrial use, I would be looking at Fein and Nitto, they are tough and well built industrial machines.
I would skip the $500 chinese cheapies they sell at the local welding supply.
The old milwaukees and Black and Deckers, going back to the early fifties, were designed for Silver and Deming drill bits- which means they have more quill travel, and a large open space for tooling- usually up to 4" or 5".
The newer style compact mag drills, like the Hougen and Jancy, are designed to run annular cutters, with a depth of cut at max 2".
Their quill travel and possible tool height are much less.
They are much lighter, and easier to maneuver- but if you need to tap a 3" deep hole with a standard tap, they usually wont work.
I have wrestled 60lb Milwaukees up into overhead position, on top of a 12' ladder- no fun.
So these days, I have a nice 25lb Jancy, for site work. But it will only run twist drills up to about 3" in length.
Fein now owns Jancy.
They have upgraded the line, and make very nice drills.
If I was buying a drill for long term, industrial use, I would be looking at Fein and Nitto, they are tough and well built industrial machines.
I would skip the $500 chinese cheapies they sell at the local welding supply.
snowman
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2004
- Location
- Southeast Michigan
That's what I was expecting with the Fein. It was really nice as a general purpose mag drill, but it didn't have the balls to do what it was advertised to do.
Same with my other Fein tools. In the last three years, they've redesigned the line, making their tools more affordable. I actually wore out one of their 4 1/2" angle grinders within the warranty period. The older ones that were around the shop were still kickin after 8 years...quality tools.
I think they tried to hit the consumer market, and everything went downhill.
CatMan
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2005
- Location
- Brandon, MS
We've had good luck out of our Jancy. Been dropped & repaired quite a few times. Still running.
I'd insist on at least two speeds if I was regularly drilling 1" holes though.
They want to tap it too? I dunno about that.
I'd insist on at least two speeds if I was regularly drilling 1" holes though.
They want to tap it too? I dunno about that.
