Drill press question.

Yes, although I would one day love to get one of them big floor drill presses with the monster motor, the truth is that it's not my drill press thats been my problem , it's the drill bits.

Im always going to get some more of them Cobalt brill bits,
I also have had good luck with the Titanium drill bits.

There was a guy on this forum that suggested the use of drill countersinks instead of regular drill bits, because the countersinks will not bend under stress.
 
If your bending drill bits, your doing something very wrong and should learn to use the tools properly. 99% of the time, a small drill press will work fine for knifemaking. Just try to find a good one that has a decent chuck. Dave:)
 
the thing about steel is that slow spped is a good thing. Sharp bits are too :)
I have used all kinds of drills in work related shops and my 99 dollar delta has done what most of those will do. Now if your drilling alot of thick barstock building say a KMG grinder by all means get a floor high horspower drill. Plus, in knifemaking the steel being drilled need to be anealed so its as butter soft as possible.
 
With drill bits don't be fooled by the words "Titanium" and "Cobalt". If they are coating a low grade blade (which is usually clear by the price), they won't work any better.
One of the best investments in your drill press is a GOOD set of bits and a Fairly Good set of bits. Use the good bits for those jobs when you want a perfect hole,and will take the time to use the drill press properly,with proper lubrication. Use the cheaper bits for hogging out holes,bearing down on the metal because you are in a hurry, running at the wrong speed (The #1 killer of bits BTW) and all the dumb things we all do on the drill press.
As to size,you will soon find that the distance between the drill and the table is not enough,especially if you mount a two-axis vise.Once you add a jig to that vise,the distance gets shorter.Get the largest unit that will fit your space requirements.You also want one with a crank up/down table,not a swing and clamp type.You will spend more money ,but will get more machine.For versatility,it is hard to beat a $200-300 floor unit (except with one of those HUGE industrial units). The bigger and better the unit the more work you will find for it to do. Things like milling, light turning, sanding, surfacing, and large boring are all possible on a larger ,heavier unit.Generally they are safer because they are easier to adjust to work safely.
Stacy
 
DC KNIVES said:
Just try to find a good one that has a decent chuck. Dave:)
Click to expand...

This is a realization I've already come to on my $89 special. Can you explain how to recognize a good chuck? Will it be screw on instead of MT?

Rob!
 
You can get a new chuck and replace your old one. Thats an upgrade already :) :thumbup:
 
A good chuck on a relatively inexpensive drill press makes for some quality output.
I use Craftsman 1/3 or 1/2 or floor model presses but if you want to maximize quality, add a 1/32 to 1/2" capacity Albrecht manual chuck.....yeah the chuck will cost more than the drill press did....also most of them are MT mount.

Hav a couple of "precision" smaller drill presses and also replaced the chuck on those with Albrecht chucks.....Rohm also makes a nice chuck and Stanley does as well but I really like the balance and feel and operation of the Albrecht.
Kinda like you can use any accurate dial calipers but there is something about using a Starrett caliper that makes you feel that it is just a bit better...

Maybe like when our customers buy and use a handmade knife rather than a production knife....there are some fine 'using" production knives out there, but it feels good to use one you asked a craftsman to handmake for you or one a maker takes to a show or gives to a Dealer, that you really like enough to pay what a handmade costs.....
Sorry I tend to ramble on...
 
I first heard about Cobalt drill bits from Wally Hayes.
He talks about them in his KATANA video that I own.

I tried them and they do last a long time.
Another thing Wally talks about on that video is the files he suggests to use.
Nicholson "Magic Cut" files.

I tried them and Wally was right again, they are a lot better than normal files at cutting the steel. I own two of them and they have lasted a long time and are still cutting.
 
Have to agree with you Alan,
This is not an easy job/hobby and inferior equipment can frustrate you into losing interest.
You can go cheap with some things but not with cutting tools and files.

Mike
 
I don't know why nobody mentioned a big problem with spindle runout and play between casting and quill assembly for all cheap drill presses.
Mine didn't have too much runout but play between casting and quill assembly was pretty bad. I had to drill and tap casting and put bronze screws to remove play.

Good drills are expensive.
You don't have to buy a whole set of good once. Have a whole set of cheap stuff and get you good once in size you use.
Don' be lazy use the RIGHT speed for each size drill bit. I wish I followed this recommendation myself :)
Keyless chuck makes you life much easier.
 
exactly... if theres play in that quil... drilling accurate holes is hard to do...

i just went through this... went to home depot, busy bee, kent, sears, etc... lots of that chicom stuff was crap.. all i did was extend the quil and wiggle it abit for play... wow... was i surprised..

G
 
Greg Obach said:
exactly... if theres play in that quil... drilling accurate holes is hard to do...

i just went through this... went to home depot, busy bee, kent, sears, etc... lots of that chicom stuff was crap.. all i did was extend the quil and wiggle it abit for play... wow... was i surprised..

G
Click to expand...

All quills in a drillpress will have some play, as the design of a drillpress is to provide adequate down force to drill a straight hole. Your workpiece should always be clamoed in one spot, so sideways play is not as much of an issue.

Most of the makers I know use the Deltas, which incidentally is chinese crap too - just a higher quality of crap, or they use Grizzly or Harbor Fright. Get yourself any of these machines and put a better chuck on it and you are all set.

Keep your drill bits sharpened, and keep your drilling operations well-lit and safe. Use the approriate speeds and feeds, and coolants, and you will make quality holes in no time.

One really high-end maker I know makes wonderful knives which rarely sell for less than $1200 uses a bank of cheapo $29 Homier drills, and he even uses the crap chucks. His work is flawless.
 
Agree with other posters, if you do a lot of varied drilling, you need two drill presses---a large one for miscellaneous and a small precision one for just that, precision drilling and tapping. If only one press go for big.

BTW, an old gunsmith's trick: To drill a hole in a hardened blank or tang when you can't anneal and don't have carbide drills, use heat stop paste. You can get this at most any welder's supply. A can will last a knife maker or hobbiest for years. Put a silver dollar sized dab of the paste on the steel to be drilled, scoop out the center of the dab where the hole will go say to dime size or so. Polish that area with a bit of sand paper so you can see the color change. Then apply a small, sharp flame with a propate torch to that center area until you see a blue tint. Only that small area is now annealed enough to permit careful drilling. To enlarge or perhaps thread a hole already in a hardened blank or tang, rough grind or file a 1.5 inch long piece of aluminum wire or welding rod so you can tap it into the hole. Shine the area around the hole so you can see the color change. Tap the aluminum into the hole with an inch or so sticking out. Heat the aluminum with your propane torch. Be careful not to melt it and watch the shined area for color change to blue The aluminum rod will convey the heat into just the immediate hole area and anneal it so it can be drill enlarged, tapped, or whatever.

BTW, take a look at www.micromark.com. They have a lot of neat goodies useful for knife makers/hobbiests.
 
good points... i've also got a delta.. and a little mini mill...

also center punch everything helps alot

G
 
jhiggins said:
All quills in a drillpress will have some play, as the design of a drillpress is to provide adequate down force to drill a straight hole. Your workpiece should always be clamoed in one spot, so sideways play is not as much of an issue.

Most of the makers I know use the Deltas, which incidentally is chinese crap too - just a higher quality of crap.....
Click to expand...

I think delta's are just made by older kids than the HF units :foot: :D

An yes I do use one!
 
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