Additional drill press uses
Designed for remote drilling in metal, the 26.5-pound Milwaukee compact electromagnetic drill press can drill up to 1½-inch diameter holes through 2-inch thick steel with annular cutters or ½-inch diameter holes 4¼ inches deep with twist drill bits. It accepts standard ¾-inch Weldon shank cutters and an optional 3-jaw chuck is available for use with twist drill bits.
Basically an electric drill attached to a fixture, a drill press with adjustable speed drive handles far more and far larger applications than a hand-held drill.
A drill press can do much more than you’ve probably used it for – routing, for example. Find out additional drill press uses you might not have considered.
While you need a drill press for vertical loads because of its rigidity, it can sustain side loads as well. This makes it possible to do some light routing with the chuck in its vertical position with the tool running at maximum speed.
The table can be raised to position the job to be routed. With a suitable post attached to the table and a low-friction center point also mounted on the table, the press can make vertical wood carving lathe. The post is a tool rest, and the turning guide point locates the center of the job being carved at the bottom end. At the top, a suitable mandrel has to be driven into the wood. There are videos on YouTube that can help you set the job.
More drill press uses
A drill press can also stand in as a light milling machine. For this, an X-/Y- vice clamped to the table makes positioning and moving the millwork across the face of the mill to surface finish, or to cut a groove with light side force. Because the drill press is less robust than a milling machine, cut only 5/1000 to 10/1000 inch at a time, cutting a keyway in a shaft would be a good application.
Drum and belt sander
With a larger table surface clamped over the press table, a drum sander can be used on the spindle for profiling or finish sanding wood pieces. With a little ingenuity, a fixture can be made up to run a belt sander. Also, the drill press can make an excellent wire brush that is far more accessible than a brush on a bench grinder.
A flat piece of steel can be surface burnished by moving it around on the table as the surface brush scrubs away corrosion, for instance. An edge wire wheel can be a useful tool for awkward or larger pieces that simply can’t be held to the bench-mounted brush. Obviously heavy gloves are a must, as is eye protection.
Concentric bushings
You can use the vertical drilling ability of a drill press to make nicely concentric bushings by making a fixture for the drill table. Cut a suitable length of 3×3 hardwood and make a kerf cut in the middle, halfway along its length. Bolt it securely to the table and make a pinch bolt and nut that will close the kerf up.
Make a jack to support the outboard edge of the table so it’s absolutely rigid when using the press. Using a Forstner bit, cut a hole the same size as the outside diameter of the bushing. Drop in the blank bushing and clamp it with the pinch bolt.
Without moving the table, use a center drill to provide a start for the drill. This should ensure you drill absolutely down the center of the bushing. A center drill is important as it won’t skid on the bushing surface. Drill the first hole approximately the same size as the center drill, then step drill until you have just less than the required bushing inner diameter. Finish to the correct dimension with a reamer.
Drilling and tapping a hole
The vertical stiffness of a drill press can come in handy when drilling and tapping a hole in a metal job. With the hole drilled to the recommended size for the starter tap, remove the drill bit and lightly countersink the hole to make it easy to start the tap. Now substitute the starter tap into the chuck, clamping it lightly.
Advance the tap into the hole and it will start to tap the hole, then spin in the chuck. Stop, loosen the chuck leaving the tap exactly perpendicular in the hole. Now it can be tapped easily by hand.
Most unusual of drill press uses
The feed of the drill press can be used as a light press. With it, you can cap a bottle of home-brewed beer using the proper attachment. The tool fits over the standard 26mm new Crown cap and by pulling down the feed the press will pop that cap on and seal it tight. Perfect.
–By Steve Sturgess, stevesturgess.com
