VE6AB Technical
Drill Press Werks
One of the first tools most guys acquire for their workshop after a bench grinder, may be a drill press.
There are so many jobs that a drill press can be used for that the list is endless. The twist bits, spade bits and hole saws used for drilling and boring perform much better and more accurately in a drill press. And when it comes time to sand the edges of those curved wooden toy parts you sawed in your scroll saw, a sanding wheel spinning in a drill press does a superb job of sanding the edges.
Need to hide some screws underneath wooden plugs.....a drill press is the only tool capable of spinning a special bit that cuts tapered plugs from any kind of wood.
Got metal parts to clean with a wire wheel, or maybe boring big holes in wood for dowel joints....all of these tasks and more are made better with a drill press. It’s one of those tools you’ll use much more than you ever thought you would.
Most drill presses will have variable speeds for efficient drilling in different materials. Higher end models offer more speeds. Bench-top models typically offer five or six speeds. Many good floor models may have as many as 16. Why does rotation speed matter you ask....the harder the material you’re drilling, the slower the drill bit speed you need. Composites will require a different speed than drilling wood, or aluminum.
Unless you know what speeds are required for drilling or boring what materials, a machinist handbook, or a specialty book related to cutting speeds for various materials would be a good acquisition for your shop.
In this photo, I am drilling holes in a length of HO flex-track to accept small nails that hold the track in place while the glue used to fasten the track in place dries. Once the glue has dried, I will remove the nails allowing for a more scale appearance for the laid track.
The tiny drill-press seen here is one that I built in my workshop many years ago and is the perfect size for my model building projects. The only items I didn't build besides the electric motor, are the #0 Jacobs chuck, and the V-belt used to drive the chuck and change speeds when required.
Expand the photo for a closer look.....
