Operating Your Drill Press Drilling Speed
Different operations require different drilling speeds. The most general rule is to use slow speed for large holes and fast speeds for small holes. Additionally metals usually require slow speeds while the appropriate speed for woods will vary by type. Its ok to experiment to see what speed works best.Table Selection for Bench top Drill Press If you buy a bench top drill press you will need to devote workbench space to the machine. One advantage of the floor model if workbench space is limited is that they are free standing. . Round Tables feature oil grooves which clamps can be attached to. Good for wood and metal. . Rectangular tables lack oil grooves, and are best suited for woodworking. Features pierced slots for clamps. Drill Press Safety . Watch for loose clothing and hair that may be caught in the revolving parts of the drill press. . Always wear safety goggles while working with the press. . Turn off power before making adjustments. . Use only sharp drill bits. . Never secure a workpiece with your hand. . Keep workspace around the press clean. Drill Safety Dressing Safely: 1. Own and wear safety glasses. 2. Do not wear loose fitting clothing. 3. Wear clothing that will cover and protect your body, but not get caught up in the moving parts of the drill. 4. Use a dust mask if needed. 5. Hearing protection never hurt anyone. 6. Loose fitting gloves might get caught by moving devices. Wear safety boots so hot shavings do not end up between your toes. Proper Technique: 1. Maintain your drill and bits 2. Clamp and secure whatever your working on as a general rule. 3. Mark the center of the hole or use a center punch to mark it. Then place the drill in the center of the hole. 4. Predrill holes for woodscrews. 5. Start slowly and slowly increase speed. 6. Vary the pressure and don't let the drill bind. 7. Don't force the drill, let the machine do the work. 8. Slower speeds for thicker wood and high speed for metals. 9. Withdraw the bit often while drilling to remove chips. 10. Brush these away, blow on them and they could end up in your eyes. 11. Use a side handle and hold the drill firmly with both hands. 12. Take your time Tip: Avoid splintering: Wood tends to splinter as the bit breaks through the opposite side of the work piece. This can be avoided by clamping cardboard to the back of the work piece. Drill Press Terminology VARIATIONS: DRILL PRESS - a drill mounted so that the drill can only move in the direction of the bit. PORTABLE DRILL PRESS - These machines are lightweight, often in the range of 10lbs, and offer many of the advantages of a traditional full size model. The one draw back is the lack of capacity that portable models offer due to their small size. RADIAL DRILL PRESS - A radial drill press is the solution if you need a drill press with a large throat capacity. Radial Drill presses have throat capacities ranging from 22" to 36" inches, allowing a lot of room to work. Radial drill presses are great for working the center of large panels. The only downside to a the use of a radial drill press is they have slightly less accuracy than a normal drill press, but this can be managed with careful use. Radial drill presses can be found in both bench top and floor models. VOCABULARY The HEAD is the cast iron housing the holds the quill. The chuck is at the end of the quill. The COLUMN rises from the bases and the head moves up and down on the column, and can be locked in place anywhere along the column. The BASE is generally square and made of cast iron to provide stability to the rest of the machine. The TABLE, like the head, moves up and down on the column above the base and can be fixed at any point. The workpiece can be secured to the table through the use of clamps. Some tables can be angled to allow angled drilling. The DEPTH STOP allows for control of whole depth. Once set correctly multiple holes can be drilled at the same depth. VARIABLE SPEED settings range from 150 to 3000rpm. Speeds can be adjusted by moving belts between pulleys. Some drill presses offer an easy speed adjustment feature. QUILL TRAVEL is a measurement of how far a drill bit can penetrate. Quill Travel typical varies from 2 to 6" depending on the model selected. HORSEPOWER is the measure of power: typically ranges from ¼ to 1 ½ horsepower. THROAT CAPACITY is important as it measures the workable size area. Drill Press throat capacity is the distance between the bit and the rear of the workbench.
