BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: mfd301 on February 19, 2016, 11:58:29 AM
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My pro shop guy recently gave up his store due to illness, and as he was a friend he let me do all my own work since I am a former driller. Since I had no connection to the new owner that option is no longer available. I'm looking to get a press for myself, already have a jig, bought one years ago for just this scenario, and am wondering what you folks use/think is the best one? What horsepower, speeds etc. Good presses with 120v or do I have to upgrade my electric? Any help is greatly appreciated thanks.
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Do you plan on using a plug cutter, or doing any inner changeable thumb systems?
If not, I use this portercable from lowes and it works great.
http://m.lowes.com/pd/PORTER-CABLE-8-Amp-12-Speed-Floor-Drill-Press/3162489
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no, wasn't planning on doing vice IT or the like. not sure about plug cutter or router yet. this is all in the preliminary planning stages. thanks for the reply.
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Kidlost, how do you have your setup?
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Do you plan on using a plug cutter, or doing any inner changeable thumb systems?
If not, I use this portercable from lowes and it works great.
http://m.lowes.com/pd/PORTER-CABLE-8-Amp-12-Speed-Floor-Drill-Press/3162489
I have the same press and it does ok. What jig are you using with it? Do you feel it does ok with bigger pitches, ie 3/4 " ? I feel mine will want to drift off my cut line. Could be my bits or jig though.
I use it to cut plugs and it does ok. There is some vibration and it doesn't leave the plug super smooth. I just stop a little sooner and trim down with a razor blade and finish on the spinner. Again, could just be my jig. I haven't figured out what is the cause.
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The key thing you need to look at is the spindle travel. Most drill presses you will see at Lowes or Home Depot will not go deep enough. I have a bench top craftsman, and no it does not go deep enough to install the thumb mold that I use from Buddies. So - how to get around this? I drill my thumb as deep as it will go, then loosen the chuck and drop the drill bit lower. It's certainly not text book, but it does work. Typically when I hit the weight block I will get a bit of drift which leads to using a bevel sander to get the bottom of the hole big enough for the mold to fit.
On a side note, I would not recommend using a plug cutter on a drill press from a hardware store and a bolt on jig. There is just too much vibration and you will damage the ball. I use to use thumb slugs before I went to the molds from Buddies. I would just drill the 1 1/4 hole, install the slug, and then use a router to cut the top off to about 1/8 above the surface. At that point I would drill my thumb. After that, use a box cutter to remove the remaining slug that was above the surface. Good luck!
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Most of the Palmgren presses have 5" of spindle travel. They also state a maximum spindle run out of 0.0005. If that is true then that is a pretty good tolerance.
http://www.palmgren.com/category/Drill-Presses
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check around at used industrial equipment outlets
they should have old vertical mills that will provide all the power you need and turn truer than any drill press out there
do some shopping and Im sure you will find something for a reasonable price