Foot Pedal for a drill press?

[akdiesel]

Has anyone used a foot pedal on a drill press?
I am thinking of doing this to my drill press for two reasons.
1- for safety. its quicker to raise your foot off the pedal then to take your hand turn off the drill.
2- My drill press can not get slow enough for some projects I need and the rheostat switch may get it slow enough to full fill those needs.
Could this pose a problem with the motor and the belts?

 

[nehog]

1. I doubt it would be any safer, and probably more dangerous. Your hand should be on the lowering handle(s), the other hand should be away from the device, the work clamped. Takes one hand to use it.

2. No, you can't change the speed that way unless you have a motor designed for that service (and no, your drill press doesn't.) It is not a sewing machine. There is no practical way to slow down the motor, except to replace the motor with a DC motor with a speed controller--and that's going to be expensive (I have my lathe setup that way, it is not trivial, or cheap to do...)

 

[bullnerd]

Yes, I have a couple of foot switches that I grabbed out of the recycling can at work. Works fine on the DP,but like said it will not change the motor rpm. At least mine wont, just on and off. I use one on a shop vac to clean chips off the mill, it works great for that.

 

[larry_g]

I have used DP's with a floor switch and I don't like them. If they are a proper foot switch with a guard on them then they can be hard to get your foot in just so to operate it. If they are not fixed to the floor then you can end up chasing it across the floor. If you loose a bit of concentration then you can inadvertently turn the machine on. Like nehog said in #1, one hand operation with the part fixtured to the machine

lg
no neat sig line

 

[akdiesel]

Well not the answer I wanted but thanks for answering my question.

 

[A_Pmech]

I like dead man pedals on small drill presses where had-held work is often done. For holes 3/8" and under I hardly ever secure the work or vise to the table.

The dead man pedal on my high speed drill also operates as a foot switch if the start button is held in with a latch. It has proven very handy when drilling and tapping hundreds of holes in long pieces of bar stock.

 

[41ratrod]

There was a DP where I worked years ago .It had the foot pedal and a drum
switch to reverse the motor. Was very handy when drilling alot of hoses.

 

[mattdwelder]

harbor freight makes one and it works great

 

[BJR]

I have an old floor-standing Shopmaster and I use a foot switch from McMaster-Carr. I've probably been using it for 15 years and haven't had issues with inadvertently stepping on it or chasing it.

 

[akdiesel]

I like dead man pedals on small drill presses where had-held work is often done. For holes 3/8" and under I hardly ever secure the work or vise to the table.

The dead man pedal on my high speed drill also operates as a foot switch if the start button is held in with a latch. It has proven very handy when drilling and tapping hundreds of holes in long pieces of bar stock.

The tapping of holes was the reason for slowing down the drill and sudden stops when needed. Maybe the dead switch may work since the drill will be under load and may help to slow it down enough for this. I've only had one incident where the belt spun due to too much torque.

 

[A_Pmech]

The tapping of holes was the reason for slowing down the drill and sudden stops when needed. Maybe the dead switch may work since the drill will be under load and may help to slow it down enough for this. I've only had one incident where the belt spun due to too much torque.

My machine is set up for automatic reversing, but barring that feature you should try a tapping head. Set the depth stop to the tapping depth minus the activation depth of the tapping head. When it hits the depth stop and the clutch clicks, hold "UP" pressure on the quill handle.

 

[akdiesel]

My machine is set up for automatic reversing, but barring that feature you should try a tapping head. Set the depth stop to the tapping depth minus the activation depth of the tapping head. When it hits the depth stop and the clutch clicks, hold "UP" pressure on the quill handle.

A_Pmech

Thanks for the advice. I will give that a try.