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Milling On A Drill Press
- Thread starter Hey!
- Start date
- Replies 7
- Views 1,338
Coldiron
Plastic
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
- Location
- Bisbee, ND
Hey! yes this is possible, but the drill press needs to be "heavy duty".a friend of mine has one and says it works nicely for what little he does w/it. Coldiron
howard d
Cast Iron
- Joined
- May 6, 2003
- Location
- Clinton, TN, USA
Typical drill presses do not have a rigid enough spindle and quill to mill anything but the lightest of cuts. Also, if there is much vibration or chatter, the chuck may drop out of the quill (assuming it is a Morse taper in the spindle).
idsubgun
Plastic
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2003
- Location
- Boise, Idaho
Milling with a drill press is flirting with disaster.
It's too light and could ruin your part or, worse yet, ruin your fingers.
If you buy a large (read rigid) enough drill press to do light cuts, you can afford a Mill/Drill. But I don't recommend those either. But they are better then a drill press when it comes to milling.
If you can afford the Mill/Drill, then a used Bridgeport style mill is within your reach. Keep an eye out for a used Sharp, or Lagun, or any of the other "regular" mills out there.
It's too light and could ruin your part or, worse yet, ruin your fingers.
If you buy a large (read rigid) enough drill press to do light cuts, you can afford a Mill/Drill. But I don't recommend those either. But they are better then a drill press when it comes to milling.
If you can afford the Mill/Drill, then a used Bridgeport style mill is within your reach. Keep an eye out for a used Sharp, or Lagun, or any of the other "regular" mills out there.
CERT. (A) MACHINIST
Aluminum
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2003
don't even think of it. use a mill, please.
vortech
Aluminum
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2003
- Location
- Oxnard, ca, USA
Hey!,
Yes you can if absolutly necessary. The main problem besids the fore mentioned, is the drill chuck. Most drill chuck's are designed for vertical force. When you apply horizontal force the chuck shank will bend. If you look at your chuck it has a step-down shank just before the chuck. I do believe that they design it that way as a breaking point should anything go arye when drilling.
Jeff.
Yes you can if absolutly necessary. The main problem besids the fore mentioned, is the drill chuck. Most drill chuck's are designed for vertical force. When you apply horizontal force the chuck shank will bend. If you look at your chuck it has a step-down shank just before the chuck. I do believe that they design it that way as a breaking point should anything go arye when drilling.
Jeff.
Bill Cook
Plastic
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2001
- Location
- South Central Pennsylvania
Rick
If you have the stuff, why not give it a try. It's not like you're flying a kite in a thunder storm.
If you need to buy the slide, you're going down a dead end street.
Just take it easy, The spindle and bearings aren't as rigid or tight as on a mill, and the chuck is probably on a short taper that can come loose. A small endmill held up close with quill up and locked would minimize the danger.
Could move a mill purchase to the top of the want list.
bc
If you have the stuff, why not give it a try. It's not like you're flying a kite in a thunder storm.
If you need to buy the slide, you're going down a dead end street.
Just take it easy, The spindle and bearings aren't as rigid or tight as on a mill, and the chuck is probably on a short taper that can come loose. A small endmill held up close with quill up and locked would minimize the danger.
Could move a mill purchase to the top of the want list.
bc
