Mag drill, who has one, what brand, what do you do with oy and what brand of annular cutters do you use?

[chim]

........................Once I buy the cheap HF drill press and fab up the mag drill mount, I will use it a whole lot more and it's not my idea actually. One of the posters on the Welding Web fabbed up one and I'm going to copy his and sell my floor drill press, which I don't use much anyway. .............

I saw a setup with an old drill press that I was going to copy. Not long after I retired I asked if the company had any "parts" type drill presses that still had the column and table. They said to stop and pick up a castoff they found out back somewhere. "Take the whole thing. We didn't check anything". It turned out to be a Delta 17-900 with a 3/4" chuck. Runs fine. I chucked up a long piece of round stock and dropped the table to check for runout. Eyeball said it's true. At that point the idea of adapting the mag drill to the drill press was dropped.

I use Stick-Kut for lube. As with the mag drills at work, metal thickness determines the ultimate magnet holding power. Anything 1/4" thick or more works. I forget which brand it was but we had one at work that sensed metal thickness and refused to energize the magnet on thin stuff.

My love for annular cutters started when they were using a mag drill in the one shop to drill bolt holes in I beams in seconds, and making nice clean holes. Occasionally we'd run into needs on a project that exposed us to different tools. We did some wiring on trains for SEPTA and had to rent some larger Huck guns for example.

 

[2manyrocks]

If runout is going to break the cutters, maybe the quick attach ones with less run out may be less expensive in the long run? Are there any inexpensive SAE quick attach cutters or should I be prepared to pay for the Houge Fusion ones?

 

[5030]

... and I apologize for the mis spelling in the title. Found out that I can edit a post but not a title.

 

[sd455dan]

If runout is going to break the cutters, maybe the quick attach ones with less run out may be less expensive in the long run? Are there any inexpensive SAE quick attach cutters or should I be prepared to pay for the Houge Fusion ones?

If you are referring to my quote about breaking an annular cutter, I blame that on myself, not the run out or quality of the cutter.
I left the lock down screws loose and it is a cheap vice to begin with. I do agree with 5030 there is a bit of induced run out using the 90* set screws but it is a negligible amount as far as causing damage to the cutter imo. I think the looseness of the mounting caused a self reinforcing oscillation of the part and it was to much for the cutter.
I am sure dropping one of the Vevors on concrete would be like dropping a glass cup.

 

[2manyrocks]

Something 5030 posted about runout being less with the quick attach cutters is what caught my attention.

But I may not use this enough to justify the Fusion cutters.

Would be nice not having to wrestle a piece of metal onto the drill press not to mention avoiding the use of large drill bits.

 

[5030]

My issue with runout is more focused on the smaller diameter annular cutters with the brazed on carbide inserts more than the high speed no carbide cutters. There isn't a whole lot of 'meat' holding the insert to the parent metal so any induced shock could cause the insert to become loose and fall off and that would render the cutter to be not useable. Why, when using insert tooling on a machine tool, the insert is almost always mechanically clamped to the tool holder and fits in a pocket as well. The cemented in carbide inserts like on cheap boring bars, tend to fail when subjected to shock loads. Been there and did that more than one time. Not really cemented in but brazed on to the parent tool. Why I only use high speed parting tools. 'Cemented' in carbide on parting tools is a recipe for failure and that applies to the smaller diameter annular cutters as well and any runout can cause the cutter to experience a shock load scenario, especially when starting a bore. The quick change spindle head eliminates that because the 'pinch point' if you want to call it that is in 3 places, radially spaced equally, not two like the set screw spindle noses.

Been my experience that machining tolerances at least on Weldon 2 flat shanks varies quite a bit from manufacturer to manufacturer. I bought a set of Jestuous carbide tipped annular cutters before I realized they would not fit my spindle nose (and sent them back and Amazon refunded my money, nice of them actually as I never used them but I did measure the OD of the mounting shanks and they varied from -0.0003 to 0.000 and everywhere in between. I measured them with a very accurate Starrett micrometer in a controlled environment, my climate controlled shop. I double checked them with a set of Starrett dial calipers as well. No 2 were alike in dimension. Any runout can and will cause the cemented carbide insert(s) to fail, like I said, especially on smaller diameter cutters. Why I like the half turn quick change nose on the Vevor I have, what I don't like is the lack of compatible cutters available.

One thing to always keep in mind and that is, when handling annular cutters, especially new ones, wear cotton gloves to protect your digits as they are extremely sharp and don't drop them on any hard surface or the concrete floor as you can blunt the points easily if HSS or knock an insert loose if they are insert cutters. Not like a conventional twist drill at all.

I need to inquire about resharpening them as well. Has to be some sort of jig available to where you can resharpen them and still hold the cutting edges uniform. I sharpen my own end mills on one of the surface grinders in a dedicated jig. Must be one out there for annular cutters as well. Of course a carbide insert cutter would have to be sharpened with a CBN wheel and I have them. I use them when I dress carbide insert chainsaw loops.

 

[2manyrocks]

Thank you for the additional information. It's very helpful and appreciated.

 

[5030]

I believe I'll get up early and drive up to Swartz Creek, Michigan to Hougen and be sure the Fusion cutters will fit my mag drill and if they do, I'll buy their SAE set. They are just a tad north and west of Flint, off I-75, or about 85 miles from here.

 

[5030]

If runout is going to break the cutters, maybe the quick attach ones with less run out may be less expensive in the long run? Are there any inexpensive SAE quick attach cutters or should I be prepared to pay for the Houge Fusion ones?

They also make Fusion annular cutters in plain HSS.

 

[laurencen]

have a milwaukee mag drill, takes 3/4 dia annular cutters but I also machined a arbor for a 3/4 drill chuck, gets used maybe a couple dozen times a year but the handiest tool, picked up some better quality cutters and c cheap set off amazon, also a couple pates 1/2 thick one 10 x 10 and one 22 x 12, the larger I use it as a drill press the smaller has a grid of holes that can be screwed to wooden beams, this was most helpfull when I used screw piles to support the cabin, used the mag drill to punch 3/4 holes for the clamp bolts

 

[5030]

They are all 3/4" shanks, there abouts that is. The Chinese ones are all over the place as I noted in a previous post. What sets mine apart is the 1/2 turn quick attach and detach nose piece. It will only accept 3/4" shank cutters but the cutters have to have 3 vertical milled slots and 3 radiused spherical indents at the bottom of each slot and none of the import cutters has that, only the Japanese ones and the Hougen Fusion cutters. If I had known that going in, I would have purchased it with the standard 2 fixing screw nose piece. Lesson learned I guess.

 

[sd455dan]

If anyone is looking for a discount on a 'basic' non reversible MAG drill Vevor has a 5 day sale on the model I spent just under $300 a bit over a year ago.

This one is variable speed 0-300RPM
It has the higher power magnet than some other models they sell, along with having the high power 1680 watt motor.

Rated for a 2" cutter and whether good or bad is heavy built at just under 50lb. So not great for placing it in out of position places..

47% off imo a bargain @ $151

VEVOR Mag Drill, 0-300 RPM Stepless Speed Electromagnetic Drill Press, 2\" Depth 2\" Dia Magnetic Core Drill, 2922lbf Boring Tool Drill Press, 1680 Watts Drill Press, Yellow and Black Drill Machine | VEVOR US

VEVOR Mag Drill with 1680W power, 0-300 RPM stepless speed, and 2922lbf magnetic force for precise drilling in demanding job sites.

www.vevor.com

 

[5030]

Over on the Welding Web site a poster made a drill stand for his mag drill using a HF drill. He took off the head and motor and fabbed up a steel plate he mounted to the top of the column and used the tilting table as it was but attached rails to it and mounted a drill press vise to the lower tilting table and now he has a somewhat portable drill press using the mag drill as the drill motor. Pretty neat and I'm gonna copy it. HF has their cheapo drill press on sale (ITC Club) for 100 bucks this month and for an additional 20 bucks, they have the drill press vice on sale as well.

 

[laurencen]

I took a 1/2 plate and using the mag drill it works as a drill press on site if needed, mine had quite a long quill it will mount a drill chuck for shorter bits there is a spacer used, one could also weld a short length of 6x6 tube to the plate to space it for a drill vice

 

[chumly2071]

Replying to an old thread, but if you have one of the vevor mag drills with the Nitto quick change shank, this adapter should let you use regular Weldon style (read less expensive) cutters, if you have enough quill height available. Currently ~~$41 at Amazon (4-13-25).

 

[5030]

Good post / paste but I use the Hougen Nitto shanked carbide tipped annular cutters. I kind of prefer them simply because while they are expensive. Hougen is a local company for me plus I can buy them direct from them.

The advantage to the Nitto shanked cutters over the Weldon shank cutters is there is no runout with them at all. The setscrew attached Weldon shank cutters will always have some runout simply because of the way they attach to the spindle.

 

[DJ54]

My old work horse (Montgomery Wards/Mcgraw-Edison) ) and 7/8 inch "bridge reamer" learned to dislike tools with specialty chucks that were non standard when in work world I need something and "management" could not get it for me..... Jacobs chuck is winner every time....


View attachment 877128

I have one of those too, Dad bought at a hock shop back in the early 50's. Those babies have some real torque..!! A buddy of mine was looking at one at an auction we attended 20 years or so ago, only it had a pipe handle on it that had to be 16" long. I told him they are one heck of a drill. He ended up buying it because it went cheap. He said the first thing he was going to do, was remove that long pipe. I told him to leave it on there, it's one there for a reason, because if you don't hold onto it. it will hurt you. He laughed it off because he's a pretty muscular guy.

Fast forward 3 months, saw him at another auction, he said you were right about that drill. He was drilling an old barn beam to hang a gate, bit caught, and handle came up and hit him in the jaw and knocked him out cold. Told me he's never had a man hit him that hard before. He said he remembered me saying to hang onto it, but apparently not good enough, but I do now..!!. Lesson learned..!!

 

[sd455dan]

Have a similar old HD Thor, used it for most of the tough drilling before I bought the MAG and Arboga gear head drill press, last major job I did was pin holes for a hydraulic press. Then the boys used it to drill out a frame under an old truck to mount up a receiver hitch. They are great old quality drills.

 

[Smokeydog]

https://a.co/d/eMVHMB7

Traded some old broken guns for this Milwaukee mag drill years ago. Able to use regular drill bits. Adjustable base with the magnetic on. Large quill travel. Can change motor mount to distance from base to chuck. Used it drill and tap 5/8” holes in my welding table for clamps. Handy for one off fabrication and repair. Cut larger holes with hole saws. Found blowing compressed air while drilling large holesaw holes in thick metal greatly increases lifespan and speed. Stick lubricants work best.

They do make an adapter to use Weldon shank cutters but not high quality so haven’t had the need yet.

Drill then tap while still locked on. Fast and square. Has the precision and ability to chuck regular drills and taps a valuable feature I use just for that. Magnetic stuck to the welding bench, I can clamp or vise a part to drill and/or tap I can’t set up in the drill press. Con, it’s a heavy rascal and tall.

 

[Tinhack]

The setscrew attached Weldon shank cutters will always have some runout simply because of the way they attach to the spindle.

Mine don't. I use Weldon cutters a lot in my mill. They make a cleaner and more accurate hole than any drill bit of equal size. I use an R-8 shank adapter. The dry adapter is a handful getting the "prickly" cutters in and out. A whisp of WD-40 causes a heck of a pressure/vacuum. That's another benefit with the wet adapter with the coolant hole. If there's any slop at all, it's maybe a half thou. Coolant doesn't leak by.

I've been meaning to drill my dry adapter with a through/cross hole because of the mounting "problem". But I mostly use the wet adapter anyway.