What's new
What's new

Plain bearings in drill press?

marvin123

Plastic
Joined
Nov 16, 2020
Hey, does the use of phosphor bronze plain bearings in the spindle sleeve of a bench drill make sense? Currently, my drill has such bearings, unfortunately they are loose, which makes the spindle move sideways. If I made new ones, I could get the drilling precision as in watchmaking lathes?
 
Hey, does the use of phosphor bronze plain bearings in the spindle sleeve of a bench drill make sense? Currently, my drill has such bearings, unfortunately they are loose, which makes the spindle move sideways. If I made new ones, I could get the drilling precision as in watchmaking lathes?

Its a drill press, if the bearings are worn replace them. If you want to lay it on its side and make a lathe out of it, you are in the wrong forum.
 
Its a drill press, if the bearings are worn replace them. If you want to lay it on its side and make a lathe out of it, you are in the wrong forum.

My only concern was whether plain bearings were better than rolling bearings and whether such bearings would improve the precision of the drill.
 
My only concern was whether plain bearings were better than rolling bearings and whether such bearings would improve the precision of the drill.

I would just tighten up what you have which means using new plain bearings. Main thing is to make sure they can be/are lubed periodically or the new bearings will quickly wear.

The above is based on most of the wear being the bearings rather than the spindle.
 
I would just tighten up what you have which means using new plain bearings. Main thing is to make sure they can be/are lubed periodically or the new bearings will quickly wear.

The above is based on most of the wear being the bearings rather than the spindle.

my drill vibrates, I suspect it's the bearings.
 
It is possible for plain bearings to have very low run-out. This is in machines designed for the bearings to be adjusted to achieve this. It would be a very rare drill press to be built this way. Drills and drill chucks are not precise- so why build an expensive drill press that is?

If you want holes with precision and accuracy you drill, then bore, then ream or grind.
 








 
Back
Top