Drill press newbie question. 2 part, or 7... ;]

[sloth357]

Hi- first post in this section, and a very newbie one at that so be nice

I came across what looked like a nice older drill press, but from Taiwan. Price was right so I purchased the beast! It's an AMT 4592 power drill press and weights about 85-100lbs. The base is thick and heavy as crap, as is the table. The table also locks in place with no wobble. When the drill is running, the whole press will wobble a bit.

Could this wobble effect hole cutting? Should it be bolted down to make the whole press more firm?


Now the real issue is, the chuck seems to wobble just a bit, perhaps an 1/8in bit makes a 5/32in hole, so 1/32 off.

Is that too much for making holes in knife steel? I'd like to make 1/8, 1/4, and possibly 1/2 holes through no thicker than 1/4 steel... With the wobble is it possible?

Are cobalt bits the way to go or too brittle?

Does the knife have to be clamped down to help avoid bit breakage? (I'm aware I need to use a "fence" to keep knife from spinning.)

Should this AMT be a huge paper weight or can it be used still?


And last question, can I get a replacement chuck that would work with this drill to correct my problem?

Ok very last question, I can't find much on this drill press on the net or this forum so I had to post. Only thing I've found is the last year it was made, which is 1998. Any idea where to find parts???

Ok seriously the last question, does anyone know of anyone that has one?


Thanks for all for reading my slop, and if you have any help, I appreciate your comments! ciao ;]

 

[fast14riot]

Hey Sloth-

First off, I can't help you with the specific model or brand of press, but you might want to take some pics and go to a local machine shop to ask them about replacing the chuck or bearings in the spindle.

The wobble could be belt tenson, could be poor quality step pulleys. Bolt it down, it will make things nicer.

As far as hole size goes, what are the holes going to be for? If just for pins on simple fxed blades, you can make do just fine with that. Drill smal and ream to size.

Cobalt bits are nice. If drilling mild or soft steel, basic bits work fine. Good cutting fluid and proper RPM will do more to make bits last longer than anything.

So you planning on makin some knives now?! Can't wait to see what you come up with.


-Xander

 

[sloth357]

Nobody else with AMT info. to share? Its a burley press, but very little info. online.. hope a machinist in the nearby large city can help.. oh well, and thanks X.

 

[sunshadow]

The chuck may be on its taper adapter crooked, it may be a crap chuck, the taper adapter may be crap, or the taper adapter itself may be seated badly. Most drill presses have a morse taper in the quill that a taper adapter goes into, the taper adapter then has a Jacobs taper that engages the chuck. Most Chinese chucks are garbage. I fixed my Sears Craftsman drill press (Chinese made crap) by replacing the "Elephant Brand" chuck and taper with a Jacobs chuck and taper

-Page

 

[sloth357]

Hmmm, ok.. I removed and cleaned the tapered section and then re-seated it. It seems to be a bit better. I wonder if I can find a replacement chuck for this drill. Guess I begin the chuck hunt O_O

Thanks for some more useful info.

 

[Rapt_up]

The tapers should be standard so you should be able to find a replacement chuck pretty easy... Right cost may not be as easy.

Generally I've found its worth paying more for a better tool than trying make a cheapie better.