Anyone have any suggestions about bits, speed etc.? Obviously I'd love to have a Bridgeport but that ain't in the cards to whip out a few small things I need. What's the thickest plate that may be reasonably cut?
What are you trying to do. A drill press won't do a very accurate job.
Mike
just make a couple reel clamps for my own fishing use. so just a couple semicircles which i will then dill and hand chamfer. very basic.
Gary, Gstours, mentioned using a cutter in his drill press which has a 'lock down' abor' feature reducing wobble??. I wonder if some drill presses are more useable for simple milling than others. Not talking about precision fitment here. I have a few crank arms I'd like to mill thinner at the connection to the reel. I tried this with my die grinder hand held. Oops! Dremel would have been better.
Steve
Steve, handle blades were in my my mind too but I can do that on belt sander. i did recall Gary saying something about this and that's what got me thinking. I want an aluminum clamp for 16/0 to match the T-Bar handle and even the Strikemaster 3 for Int 130's isn't big enough. So I'll make one. Just was trying to avoid rat-tailing a groove big enough for a Varmac 6 if i can use Rule #3: mechanical advantage. But I will if need be.
If you want to thin the handle down only in the contact area, why not go simple and use a counterbore? This way you can use a drill press.
A 4 flute CB will do a nice job. It is important the pilot size be reasonably close to the hole your machining.
If not and only doing a few pcs, a shim can be glued to the pilot or even a thin wall bushing can be used. I've done this in a pinch and as long as you don't go whole hog and generate a lot of heat, it should get you by for 1 handle and at that point if you want to do more, just glue on another shim or re glue the bushing.
There are tables available that will cover longitudinal and even some that have cross slides. Most are crude but may work. The main problem is the spindle of the drill press. Its made for up and down and doesn't really fare well for side to side movement. A possibility is to remove the chuck to see what Morse taper it is and buy the appropriate adapter to hold the cutter.
That being said, with enough ambition, almost anything can be done. Aluminum is possible and will be a slow go but SS more than likely not to good.
.....................Lou
I made a clamp (similar to a reel clamp) many moons ago. I took a slab of aluminium - drilled a 1" hole in the middle with a drill stand - then hacksawed it in half, right across the hole. That provided 2 reel type clamps - they just needed the 2 mounting screw holes to be drilled. Finished off with filing and belt sander. I have done some very lightweight milling on a drill stand BUT the majority of drill stands are not really suited to the task. The side force applied to the spindle is not good, it wasn't designed for it. When I've done milling I've left the spindle in the up position (where it will be better supported). I then set the depth of cut, .5mm at a time, by raising/lowering the table. To be successful you also need a milling vice with x and y movement otherwise you will not have enough control.
The question still remains. Are some drill press tools better for milling than others?
There ya go! Chris's idea will work! If you want to avoid the hacksaw process, just start with 2 pcs of aluminum clamped together.
Steve, none of them are made for that kind of work but its like anything else, some are built better than others.
We had an old Clausing at work that was built like a tank and probably handled more than it was designed too.
Any of these thing are doable as long as you have some patience and do a little planning.
yep, i thought of the drill and cut method and did that with delrin before. issue is I'm gonna need about 1.5 inches for that Varmac 6 and I don't have anything that big to drill one hole. i could do a Chris / Mike and drill a bunch of holes to rough out most of the bulk then jig and file out the rest. I've jigged 7/18 plate but its not fun and certainly not exact.
we will see. those guys can fil out a semitruck transmission given time; i can do an aluminum clamp.
A hole saw does a fair job but unless you have a high $ one the hole will be oversize.
hmmm....great tip Lee. that could actually not be too be too bad. i can then cut around the part of the radius I want, and then contour and emory rest of the part.
I'll give my opinion in 3 areas starting with the press.
Your typical belt drive drill-press has too much slop in it for accurate work. The stand and table will vibrate, the spindle will flex side-to-side and the speed will not be consistent as the belts may slip and stretch/flex. It can be done but the results may not be great and it may not be safe. A geared head drill-press is the way to go if you plan on milling with it. It will not be the best mill but it certainly will be the last drill press you will ever need. These are built much stouter and have a gear box rather than a belt and pulley system. As a bonus you also get reverse. I'm partial to Wilton but they hold their value very well and most users don't want to part with them. Expect to pay between $600 and $2500 for a used one.
You will need an X/Y table. Quality and price are all over the place for these. Along with this you will need a quality vise. Harbor Freight sells one but it may not be suitable for milling. The HF version is a combo with the vice included which is good for locating when drilling but may not feed consistently smooth or straight when milling. Personally I would search for a used cross-feed table locally then clean and adjust it. Like the Wilton press this will last you a lifetime and you will likely be able to sell it for what you paid for it. You might get lucky and find a geared-head press that comes with an X/Y table.
The last thing is cutters, coolant and knowledge. There are a lot of machinist here (I'm not one of them) who can advise the correct cutter, speed, coolant and feed for the alloy you choose to work with. On one end of the spectrum aluminum can be soft and almost 'gummy' on the other end it can be very hard and almost brittle. Speed/feed/coolant type/number of flutes/type of flutes (straight or twist) will all affect your success.
One last word of caution. Be very careful with your eyes when milling aluminum. Some of the better coolants are very oily and the chips can be very fine and sharp (like micro-needles). I once had to have one removed from my iris and I didn't even feel it. It wasn't until I walked out of the shop into daylight and my iris couldn't adjust to the brightness that I realized there was a problem. I must have somehow transferred it from my hand. I was wearing safety glasses. My best advice it keep your hands away from your face while milling aluminum.
That's my two cents worth
Mike
I use to use an aluminum specific cutting fluid. It may have been called 'Aluma-tap' or something like that. Use this even with a holesaw as it will keep the heat down and will keep the aluminum from sticking to your tool.
-Mike
Regular rape seed oil - vegeatable oil - canola - has worked well for me. I use it for cutting most metals :-\
All I have is a crappy little Delta bench-top press with the belts and slop. I've chucked drum sanders into it before, but always feel like the lateral pressure from drum sanding is going to increase spindle/block wear and make the machine even more sloppy when drilling.
-steve
Steve - sounds like we have similar low cost taste ;D
John,
I know you are capable of making that clamp.
Especially from your Braces, I know you have some skills.
I would wait until Tom comes out with his Chairmen.
I am sure that clamp will be nothing less than ridiculous.
JMO
John - If you are going down the holesaw route get one (of the appropriate size ::)) of the cobalt hss bi-metallic ones. If bought individually you will need an arbor.
Something like this:
https://www.zoro.co.uk/shop/cutting-tools/bi-metal-hss/variable-pitch-bi-metal-hss-holesaws/f/929
Good advice Mike, it will heat up pretty bad.
Aluminum is pretty soft, but you will still need a good bit.
I did something here, I just wanted to try it and it worked nicely
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=23376.msg258074#msg258074
The bit wasn't of good quality, so if I had to do another, I would have a hard time.
Sal
Thanks for all who have contributed to answering the question. My experience is limited to small ( up to 3/8inch fluted carbide end cutters for milling on a drill press. I use a simple cross feed table or a rotary vice/table. Aluminum cuts quite easily with out cutting oil, go slow. Plastic and Hume and graphite's mill like butter as do penn side plates. Hole saws are aggressive but may help you rough out your project.
Sometimes you have to make what money can't buy. 👨🔧
Some really good feedback here, thank you Ohana. Mike, thanks for the tip about touching eyes. I'm diligent about wearing safety glasses when doing something like this and will wear disposable gloves now, and when I use belt sander on metal. I have access to an inexpensive DP and was wondering if that could be used. I have used dremel before to create molds but it loads up easily and I will have a fair amount of metal to mill for that. Daron is correct, whatever Tom creates will be the benchmark, and I could just order a stock Penn clamp for $40 and be done. But, I always want to see what the simple person at home can do with basic skill (mine are basic as it gets) and tools. Belt sander and grinder are the most sophisticated things I have. I have a concept, it works I'll have it anodized to match; if not it won't be the first metal scrap I've created. I'll just initial it with dremel engraving bit and call it art, LOL.
Yea,
But there is something special about making something with crude tools and your bare hands. ;)
Amen! Daron :) It feels good
A good vice/mill table held down firmly will help but you will still have deflection and chatter. I hated the mill drill I had access to, now I have a real mill to use.
Quote from: Shark Hunter on February 09, 2018, 06:52:18 PM
Yea,
But there is something special about making something with crude tools and your bare hands. ;)
My first 100 or so AR dogs were done on a band saw, drill press, bench sander and files, I occasionally do one or 2 special ones that way but it is far better to have them cut. I still burn and cut my fingers but not nearly as often as before. When a drill bit catches in a small AR dog I have to hold down with my finger it REALY HURTS, chamfering the hole is not so painful.
If you use canola oil for cutting oil make sure to clean it of the drill press, table and parts, it turns into a "varnish" that is almost as hard to remove as egg goo.
i usually use ballistol for about everything like that. works well enough.
Quote from: Keta on February 09, 2018, 07:26:16 PM
A good vice/mill table held down firmly will help but you will still have deflection and chatter. I hated the mill drill I had access to, now I have a real mill to use.
Quote from: Shark Hunter on February 09, 2018, 06:52:18 PM
Yea,
But there is something special about making something with crude tools and your bare hands. ;)
My first 100 or so AR dogs were done on a band saw, drill press, bench sander and files, I occasionally do one or 2 special ones that way but it is far better to have them cut. I still burn and cut my fingers but not nearly as often as before. When a drill bit catches in a small AR dog I have to hold down with my finger it REALY HURTS, chamfering the hole is not so painful.
If you use canola oil for cutting oil make sure to clean it of the drill press, table and parts, it turns into a "varnish" that is almost as hard to remove as egg goo.
Yeah,
I used to use canola (rape seed oil) for everything - including my chainsaw - just make sure to clean it afterwards - If left it can set like glue after a few months - otherwise it works ok :-\
I've just started using some specific chainsaw oil - there does seem to be some cutting improvement - early days - and I don't do a lot of bucking/limbing per year - not like Fred ;D
He's ya man for advice on that score ;)
I'm usually careful to not use a drill press for more than it was intended for after watching an instructor take off 3 fingers in a high school class demonstration. I use mine only for drilling and removing line from a reel with an attachment that I made that acts like a clutch if the line gets tangled.
Quote from: AEM on February 10, 2018, 02:20:00 AM
instructor take off 3 fingers in a high school class demonstration.
Dang. That would make an impression.
-steve
Wow, no doubt that would have and impact on anyone! I've been around machinery all my life and presses up to 350 tons.
I have a complete respect for all this equipment.
One of my friends has been in the business for years and has gotten his younger son in to it too.
Several months ago he was working on a press, got up and really bumped his head on something and this has resulted in some neurological damage.
Truly sad as it has affected his speech, cant walk properly or think. Unfortunately they're having trouble getting to the bottom of this and he's been at Gaylord Rehabilitation Center. There they are working on getting his speech and motor skills back but its going very slowly. I really feel for him and his son. This guy has been thru hell as he lost his wife who was sick for over 10 years. Whenever I would see him it looked as though he had never gotten any sleep.
Take nothing for granted, be careful and always look to the higher power to help protect you.
............Lou
AMEN! Lou that was a sad story.
Joe
Quote from: STRIPER LOU on February 10, 2018, 03:01:27 PM
Take nothing for granted, be careful and always look to the higher power to help protect you.
............Lou
Every one of the guys I apprenticed with have "parts missing" and either bad backs or knees/legs. Two were killed in industrial accidents. I am lucky that my back is still OK most of the time but both of my legs and hands are messed up.
A past experience causes me to cringe a little any time I hear of some one asking about milling with a drill press. I dont wish for any one to take this wrong. But to take away from it & proceed in as safe a manner as possible. Always thinking ahead. Asking ones self what might go wrong. Is the work peice & all tooling secure enough for the task at hand. I've worn many hats in my life....
Through time, & a desire to always learn more I've a pretty good level of proficiency in a few trades. Along the way I've been hurt, had close calls, also witnessed death in these endeavours. Also others getting hurt in a life changing way. In some cases they were lucky to be alive & go on with a lesson learned.
Some times this went with the very natuire of the task at hand. I never accepted it as a rule. But looked at these situations for what ever I could take away & possibly pass on to others
I know we are talking of something that appears to be a simple, inexpensive way to reach a desired result. It's now come to something that is close to me.
Live life to your fullest. Work toward enjoying & cherishing every moment of it that you can with your talents while fullfilling your worth while desires. Along the way, with everything, dont forget to stop, slow down just for a moments time & give whats in front of you another look... Jeff
Quote from: Rivverrat on February 13, 2018, 08:32:46 PM
Live life to your fullest. Work toward enjoying & cherishing every moment of it that you can with your talents while fullfilling your worth while desires. Along the way, with everything, dont forget to stop, slow down just for a moments time & give whats in front of you another look.
good Call Jeff, everybody needs to stop to a moment and relax a bit
PS: its good to know that pic its only a close call, Im not a handy man so, I dont like to play with big power tools.
that's closer than close my friend...hope you mad it through that one in the long term
I say close based on my eye still being functional & just a few inches lower could have been my throat ... Jeff
:o :o :o That is toooo close my friend
From my very early days in a workshop environment a friend spun up a 8" Colchester lathe - Next thing I remember is blood - lotsa blood.
The chuck key had been left in the chuck - spun out and wacked him in the thigh
A femoral bleed, I think it was, is something to behold
A couple of us had St Johns first aid training - but this was a bit different to say the least
A toilet roll was applied and CLAMPED ( I really mean clamped) in place with a tensioner and pallet strapping tape - not standard practice but it stopped a bleed out until the ambulance arrived - phew - the hospital was very close fortunately
Mick if you are still with us, and still into fishing, drop in and say hello my friend - it's been a loooong time
Chuck keys are dangerous, potentially lethal. NEVER leave them in a chuck
I park my chuck key, for the drill stand, on a magnet next to the 'Green' button - no chuck key no press button.
Quote from: Tiddlerbasher on February 14, 2018, 01:34:32 AM
:o :o :o That is toooo close my friend
From my very early days in a workshop environment a friend spun up a 8" Colchester lathe - Next thing I remember is blood - lotsa blood.
The chuck key had been left in the chuck - spun out and wacked him in the thigh
A femoral bleed, I think it was, is something to behold
A couple of us had St Johns first aid training - but this was a bit different to say the least
A toilet roll was applied and CLAMPED ( I really mean clamped) in place with a tensioner and pallet strapping tape - not standard practice but it stopped a bleed out until the ambulance arrived - phew - the hospital was very close fortunately
Mick if you are still with us, and still into fishing, drop in and say hello my friend - it's been a loooong time
Chuck keys are dangerous, potentially lethal. NEVER leave them in a chuck
I park my chuck key, for the drill stand, on a magnet next to the 'Green' button - no chuck key no press button.
Thats a big issue for me. If I walk by a lathe and see a chuck in it, I lay into who ever ran it last. If its not in your hand, it doesnt need to be in the chuck, period. Especially on a lathe where the start/stop is a lever on the carriage. Someone could be walking by, bump the lever, and sling the chuck key into their face without even knowing the lathe was on.
Machine tools are dangerous. Dont play around, and dont do risky stuff. The power needed to cut metal is enough to cause serious harm to a person in an instant.
I must admit.
I do risky stuff, but the tools I deal with are not likely to maim.
Just hand drills, buffers, sanders and air tools.
I leave the professional part making to the professionals.
I'm just a Hillbilly good with a wrench. ;)