Drill Press for BIY projects

bigtiller · Jan 23, 2008

I like the floor models. It gives me room to use a 4 way cross sliding vise that I have bolted to the table The jaws open up 6 inches, which is enough room to clamp most of my work. If I need a larger table, I have a 4x4 bolted to the bottom of a piece of plywood that I clamp in the vise.

mopacman · Jan 23, 2008

maybe a 3 or 4 speed trans out of a riding lawn mower would work....Larry

RedDirt · Jan 24, 2008

mopacman said:
maybe a 3 or 4 speed trans out of a riding lawn mower would work....Larry

I'd never thought of a transmission. That would be neat. But isn't a riding lawn mower transmission a rather larger (too large) unit for a drill press? (mine is hydrostat so I'm not familiar with what might be on a gear drive)

Now you've got me thinking. Maybe a small motorcycle transmission.

schmism · Jan 24, 2008

geeeeesssssss you guys make everything so difficult.

3/4 hp variable speed DC motor. has as much torque at 2 rpm as it does at 1750 rpm. turn the dial to select your speed.... motor bolts on the back and your done!

mjncad · Jan 24, 2008

schmism said:
geeeeesssssss you guys make everything so difficult.

3/4 hp variable speed DC motor. has as much torque at 2 rpm as it does at 1750 rpm. turn the dial to select your speed.... motor bolts on the back and your done!

I like this idea Schmism...any suggestions on where to get such a motor, and any of the other doodads (e.g. transformers, etc) to make it work?

patrick_g · Jan 24, 2008

mjncad said:
any suggestions on where to get such a motor, and any of the other doodads (e.g. transformers, etc) to make it work?

If you get a 120 VDC motor a bridge rectifier will power it from 120VAC (at full speed.)

Although a variable transformer like a Variac upstream of the rectification will work, the transformer has to be able to handle the power and will be very large and expensive (and subject to being fried when asked to run the motor very slowly.)

A solid state control is a good solution. It varies the duty cycle of the applied power. An AC controller feeding a full wave bridge rectifier to supply DC to the motor is a good solution. These controllers work like a heavy duty solid state light dimmer to provide approximately 0-100% of available power. The Full Wave Bridge rectifier converts the AC to uni-directional (DC) pulses. The motor integrates the pulsating DC and may make "funny noises" at some settings but will work fine on DC pulses. You don't need smooth DC to run a motor.

You don't need a transformer.

Pat

bjr · Jan 24, 2008

I have the 16 speed 1 Hp Harbor Freight model and have to drill 3/4" thick steel 1-1/4" holes at times. I think there are 1150 RPM AC motors available I just don't know where to get them. I want slower speeds as well. would l like to do a 1 Hp VF drive. But probably have to have matching motor to go with the drive. I do a lot of Cat 1 implement rebuilding and make up my own designs. bjr

dfkrug · Jan 24, 2008

bjr said:
I have the 16 speed 1 Hp Harbor Freight model and have to drill 3/4" thick steel 1-1/4" holes at times. I think there are 1150 RPM AC motors available I just don't know where to get them. I want slower speeds as well. would l like to do a 1 Hp VF drive. But probably have to have matching motor to go with the drive. I do a lot of Cat 1 implement rebuilding and make up my own designs. bjr

I upgraded last year from my old 16.5" swing Delta press to HF's biggest,
their 20" swing 325# unit. It has the large square wet table and a lowest
speed of 180RPM. Since I do mostly metal work and some large holes, I
keep it at the lowest speed, but even lower would be nice. I also use taper
drill bits now (MT3) and what an improvement for the larger holes! I would
ideally like about 80-100 RPM for 1" holes in 1/2" plate.

You can get lower speed AC motors for free out of clothes washers. I
have one with 1750RPM and a lower RPM (1150?). I plan to replace the
HF motor, but have not gotten to it. I found my motor in a CraigsList
listing for a free DOA washer. You do not need much power for these lower
speed settings. Spring means many dead washers will be available.

mopacman · Jan 25, 2008

some of the older mowers have trans that is about 8" square and about 5" thick. They have a belt drive input and a chain drive out to the rear end. You can get a 3/4 horse dc motor off of a tred mill that is set out for a trash man thats never ben used.......Larry

mjncad · Jan 25, 2008

Patrick G:

Thanks for the motor info.

patrick_g · Jan 25, 2008

mjncad said:
Patrick G:

Thanks for the motor info.

Just think of it as a tax rebate and use it wisely.

Pat

RedDirt · Jan 25, 2008

I have found a 4:1 reduction gear that I may try. I'll post if I go that route.

DC motors and controllers (besides expensive) seem too complex for my limited electrical knowledge; I gravitate toward mechanical methods I understand. That said, the DC motor from a treadmill may be a slick fix.

gemini5362 · Jan 25, 2008

The last time I was in HF I noticed that they had a drill press that not only did the table move up and down the drill head moved in and out. That looked like a pretty handy option to me. My wife had just bought me a new ridgid drill press for my birthday so I did not have a chance to try out the HF unit. I might also add that although they are a bit higher priced Most Ridgid tools have a life time warranty to the original purchaser. On the 4 tools tool set I bought this included the battery charger and the batteries.

flusher · Jan 25, 2008

lhfarm said:
My $25 farm sale over-seas bench drill press died in the middle of my latest project. I don't do lots of projects, so I don't need an industrial model. Just need something to drill holes in thick metal now and then. I stopped by Sears and they have their 12" bench top and 15" floor models on sell. Are there advantages to having a big floor model? What would be a good setup for the types of projects found here?

Thanks,

I bought a $350 Rigid floor drill from Home Depot in 2006 because it has 3-3/4" vertical travel on the quill so I can drill 4x4s in one plunge. It's a good general purpose drill.

texbaylea · Jan 25, 2008

RedDirt said:
I have that old '50's vintage Craftsman floor model that everybody's father and grandfather had. They must have built millions of them; I still see them all over the place. It has primarily wood working speeds with 750RPM being the slowest. I've used it over 30 years (yikes! I'M that grandfather!). I have always wanted to rig a way to slow it down.

A friend took one and built an auxiliary jackshaft with another 4 step pulley on it but he had to cut away part of the casting to get the belts to fit. Too radical for me. Anybody have other ideas?

I'm doing more metalworking these days and lately I've thought of a 2:1 or 3:1 gear reduction and re-mount the motor lower. Ive also thought of trying to mount my big vari-speed Milwaukee drill motor on the drill press. Now that my house construction is done that hand drill does not see much work.

One of the features I'd look for in a new press (besides slow speeds for metalworking) is a good, easy-to-use depth adjuster. The old Craftsman has a superior one and I'm now spoiled.

I had one of the old Craftsman DPs, from my father and now passed on to my son (bought a new Delta). The Craftsman has a multi - speed kit with the intermediate pulley mounted excentricly on a plug in the top of the column. That made it easy to adjust for the necessary movement as you changed the belts.

Vernon

RedDirt · Jan 25, 2008

texbaylea said:
I had one of the old Craftsman DPs, from my father and now passed on to my son (bought a new Delta). The Craftsman has a multi - speed kit with the intermediate pulley mounted excentricly on a plug in the top of the column. That made it easy to adjust for the necessary movement as you changed the belts.

Vernon

WOW! Just what I need. Anyone have one of these attachments lying around unused or know where to get one?

I saw a non-Craftsman model on ebay like this but probably '30's or '40's vintage. I have a Delta mortise press of that vintage (1938) but no auxiliary shaft/pulley.

czechsonofagun · Jan 26, 2008

lhfarm said:
My $25 farm sale over-seas bench drill press died in the middle of my latest project. I don't do lots of projects, so I don't need an industrial model. Just need something to drill holes in thick metal now and then. I stopped by Sears and they have their 12" bench top and 15" floor models on sell. Are there advantages to having a big floor model? What would be a good setup for the types of projects found here?

Thanks,

I bought floor model at TSC few years ago and love it. If you have the space for it, the permanently floor mounted drill press is way to go.

patrick_g · Jan 26, 2008

czechsonofagun said:
I bought floor model at TSC few years ago and love it. If you have the space for it, the permanently floor mounted drill press is way to go.

There is often value in having the ability to move a drill press but sacrificing stability is potentially hazardous. A free large truck rim makes a portable but stable base. IF you want more ballast, fill it with concrete but you'll struggle more moving it.

Pat

john_bud · Jan 26, 2008

mjncad said:
I like this idea Schmism...any suggestions on where to get such a motor, and any of the other doodads (e.g. transformers, etc) to make it work?

I'm not Schmism, but in about 2 months there will be a fair amount of garage sales, yard sales and ads in the paper selling excersize equipment. The DC motors in treadmills are high hp and variable speed.

Hmmmmm

jb