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Hi everyone!
I have a small garage to spend my free time in afternoons. I have decided to use a common desk drill press and to transform it into milling maschine. I have read a lot of articles on internet about it.
If you have any ideas about this topic, please feel free and send them to me.
Thanks.
Marius
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIogUQB6SGo
also harbor freight puts these vises on sale every once in a while
Harbor Freight Tools Coupon Database - Free coupons, 25 percent off coupons, toolbox coupons - 5" RUGGED CAST IRON DRILL PRESS MILLING VISE
also for VERY small milling
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Multifuncti...19.m1438.l2649
If you have a lathe?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fezj8G70f7c
Let us know how it goes
-=Fred=-
Marius
The idea of using a drill press as a mill has been around since the beginning of time. The spindle and the bearings are set up to cut in one direction that is down. Any side ways movement will do nothing but wear a bearing that is not designed for that. Not just that but the chuck will more than likely shack itself off. If you go forward with the idea make sure you have a good supply of cutters because the sizes you will be able to use are rather fragile.
Agree with above. A cheap, desktop drill press uses the downward force while drilling to retain the collet/chuck in the quill. This "upward force" goes away when you try to side mill with an endmill cutter. Any chatter (and there will be chatter) will walk the standard taper drill chuck right out of the quill... A true mill uses a drawbar to hold the collet in the quill. It will not fall out at the first hint of chatter.
And, as ncollar also alluded too, the bearings in the drill press quill are not designed to operate under a sideways force.
Just so you know. :)
Mark
As with any machine tool the drillpress/milling machine will work ... if you keep its limitations in mind. All of the issues mentioned above; inadequate bearings, danger of the chuck coming loose, minimal cutter selection, etc., are very valid. With those things in mind I have used my old craftsman drill press to "mill" aluminum, wood and plastic for various projects.
The adapter I made for my lathe, similar to the one Fred showed in post #2 is much better, but the drill press was better than nothing before I had the lathe.
You got to use what you have access to.
I would love to have a nice mill, but I have to keep weighing the +'s and -'s of the mill vs the wife. So far, the wife is winning :)
Good Luck,
John
I did a write up on a drill press conversion that address all the negative feedback that is brought up about converting a few years ago. that thread is here
Homemade Drill Press Conversion - HomemadeTools.net
Yoda
I did not say it was impossible but as I said have a good supply of cutters because of rigidity they will break very easily and the larger ones will take the chuck off the spindle.
Nelson
ncollar if you will look at the thread i posted you will see that i addressed ALL the limitations, i have used a 3/4 endmill on steel with no problems, I also use a a 2 1/2 face mill on aluminium all the time.
Art b
And for what we call "my 2 cents"; Drilling and milling are entirely different operations. Even heavy units struggle with side load. Not only are the bearings wrong orientation of contact, the upper and lower are too close together for stability of any kind. Second but just as severe, the round post everything mounts to. Milling wants rigidity; won't happen when the spindle housing is far up that post.
Now, you won't find anyone here against X-Y table on a drill press for coordinate drilling. The problem will still be size of a X-Y table compatible with a bench drill.
The variance in results, before and after my post, is due [in order of significance IMHO]
1. wide range of presses in use to attempt milling,
2. the backlash and gib adjustments of coordinate table,
3. cutter types,
4. speed [rpm] selections,
5. ability to manipulate a proper and steady feed rate.
I tried it and gave up. It was just going to be for small slots in Ali. As mentioned I build "7" style racing cars, but even that turned out unsatisfactory even after drilling numerous holes in a line and just milling the small bits out. Also as mentioned the chuck falling out and breaking the little cutters :brickwall:
Watch E Bay it is a lot less frustrating.
Just my experience...
Art
I am sorry I even vented on this topic. A DRILL PRESS is made to drill holes NOT do MILLING.
I'M DONE
Having been inside and out machine tools my entire working life, master53yoda's methods are very sound, and applied logically. While converting doesn't interest me directly, solid application of mechanical physics always does.Quote:
Originally Posted by master53yoda
Thank you for advice!Quote:
Originally Posted by ncollar
A drill press requires conversion to successfully function as a mill, that conversion must address The differences between a mill-drill and a drill press.
I looked at the location of the request Romania, and thought that the ability for access to Bridgeport mills etc. was limited, I also am totally aware of all the naysayers responses to modifying tooling for other purposes then there original intent. I totally agree that a drill press as originally designed cannot successfully function as a milling machine, but with the inclusion of a functional xy table and minor rigidity modifications, MT insert modifications any large drill press, (not a toy drill press) can be made equal to a round-column mill drill. The mill conversion that i show on that referred thread has less than $550.00 invested including the variable speed power supply and motor, xy table, bearing change, er 25 collet set, set of 1/8 to 3/4 2 and 4 flute endmills, DRO, 2.5" diameter3 cutter face mill, and is equal in its milling function to any round column mill, to exceed its functions would require a mill costing well over 4 times what I have into it. this forum is about how to do DIY tools.
art b
I agree 100% with master53yoda; throwing a x-y table on a drill press will not make a milling machine.
Completing mechanical upgrades like he suggest, minimize stability and rigidity issues. His use of terms "equal" and "exceed" recognize the difference perfectly.
Buy a HarborFreight Mini Mill. You can find 20-25% coupons and shipping is under $25...yes, under $25.
ALL the replacements parts are available from www.LittleMachineShop.com and they are really cheap.
Just took delivery of mine the other day. Got it all set up and it works SWEET!
They, and all the mini mills and lathes are made by Sieg in China. I bought my LMS 5100 7x16" High Torque lathe a couple months ago and it has worked flawlessly. I use the lathe about 98% of the time, the mill 2%, so I paid a premium for the better lathe.
Hi
I do some crude milling with my chinese drill press and a grizzly X:Y table.
Tramming is the big problem. Not rigid enough for heavy cuts.
Tramming the table is tough. The round table is held to the column with one bolt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NATR...ature=youtu.be
Thanks to all of you!
According to yours advises, I will put some money away and in at least one year, I will buy a milling machine. How about this one: Warco WM 14 Milling Machine - Quality Small Metalworking Mill ?
I am a beginner, but I have two right hands.
Thanks for all, machinists!