Guys that are drilling stuff with your drill press. What do you do when you have to drill something say 6" deep. The spindle only goes down 4 3/4". If I move my table down then it becomes uncentered. My thought is of right now I have about 1 - 1 1/4 inches I could loosen the bit in the chuck and then just drop it down further. How do you guys do it? What would you do?
Drill press spindle doesn't go down far enough!
- Thread starter skipnay
- Start date
vettex2
Banned
longer drill bits?
Won't work unless he wants to change bits each time.
Get a bigger drill press is the correct answer.
jakemac
Well-known member
If it's a through hole, you should drill from each side to reduce tearout.
If it's a blind hole, you may need to finish the hole by hand with a long bit with a hand drill.
If it's a blind hole, you may need to finish the hole by hand with a long bit with a hand drill.
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vettex2
Banned
Agreed but that is not always an option.
rlitman
Well-known member
I generally just move the table and then recenter it on the bit. Once the bit is in a round(ish) hole, centering it should not be difficult.
The bigger issue is swarf removal. By raising the table, and starting with the bit partly in the hole, you can no longer retract the bit fully out of the hole. Depending on what you're drilling, this can get clogged up pretty easily. I find this to especially be an issue with black oxide coated bits. TiN, and shiny cobalt bits have smoother grooves that don't clog as readily in a deep bore.
The bigger issue is swarf removal. By raising the table, and starting with the bit partly in the hole, you can no longer retract the bit fully out of the hole. Depending on what you're drilling, this can get clogged up pretty easily. I find this to especially be an issue with black oxide coated bits. TiN, and shiny cobalt bits have smoother grooves that don't clog as readily in a deep bore.
This is what I have.... http://www.jettools.com/us/en/p/jdp-20mf-20-floor-drill-press-115-230v-1ph/354170
I'm drilling square tubing. I have 5 1/4 inches but the spindle only travels 4 5/8. I bought a 6" and 9" drill bit, figured I would be good. Then I realized my spindle doesn't drop enough. I guess just loosen the drill bit and drop it down.
How does a longer drill bit work if the spindle doesn't. I guess just doing what I'm thinking about doing with the 6" drill bit!
I'm drilling square tubing. I have 5 1/4 inches but the spindle only travels 4 5/8. I bought a 6" and 9" drill bit, figured I would be good. Then I realized my spindle doesn't drop enough. I guess just loosen the drill bit and drop it down.
How does a longer drill bit work if the spindle doesn't. I guess just doing what I'm thinking about doing with the 6" drill bit!
rlitman
Well-known member
It seems to me that it would be easier to flip the tubing and drill each side from the exterior, and come up with a jig to make locating the first hole's antipode easier.
Drill as far as you can, shut off raise the table, using the hole to keep you aligned. Rotate by hand to make sure you are centered and not binding. Restart drill and finish hole. Shut off, lower table to free work. I have had to do it a few times. Another possibility is to finish with a hand drill. With a deep hole already started, the drill will keep going straight.
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Show us a picture of your setup...
When you explained in your drill bit thread what you were doing I wished you good luck. Your starting to realize why now. Now if you ask HOW to do your task with standard tools we might be able to help with that.
lg
no neat sig line
When you explained in your drill bit thread what you were doing I wished you good luck. Your starting to realize why now. Now if you ask HOW to do your task with standard tools we might be able to help with that.
lg
no neat sig line
454ragtop
Well-known member
Sounds like you're doing a bunch of these. If that's the case, better of making a fixture to locate the square tubing, and drilling 1 at a time. Probably be better off drilling thru 1 side, flip it over, drill the other side, with a fixture this will give better accuracy. Have to watch out for the weld when drilling square tubing as well.
akalian
Well-known member
You can make a jig out of some scrap lumber.
Basically it's an offset "T" that you line up flush with one end of the vice jaws. It just has to be wide enough to span the distance of the workpiece and the vice jaws.
Then position the workpiece against the end of the jig, and clamp it in the vice.
After the first hole is drilled, flip the workpiece over and drill the other side.
As long as you make sure the jig is positioned flush with the end of the vice jaws each time, you should be able to drill the holes very accurately.
The second floating jaws is optional and not really needed.
It goes without saying you could also weld up some pieces of scrap flat bar stock if you have a welder.
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Basically it's an offset "T" that you line up flush with one end of the vice jaws. It just has to be wide enough to span the distance of the workpiece and the vice jaws.
Then position the workpiece against the end of the jig, and clamp it in the vice.
After the first hole is drilled, flip the workpiece over and drill the other side.
As long as you make sure the jig is positioned flush with the end of the vice jaws each time, you should be able to drill the holes very accurately.
The second floating jaws is optional and not really needed.
It goes without saying you could also weld up some pieces of scrap flat bar stock if you have a welder.
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Attachments
bob15
Well-known member
Why not just use a drill bit extension? Drill as deep as you can, stop and remove the drill bit, install the bit on the extension and then put the extension in the drill chuck.
Because most extensions are way thicker then the 3/8 diameter hole I'm drilling.
Murphy4570
Well-known member
Switch to a longer drill bit. You can get drill bits in aircraft length (12 inches long).
Drill part way with a jobber bit, then switch to a longer bit, then longer, etc. Cut down and regrind full length flute aircraft bits to custom lengths if you need to.
What tolerance are you trying to hold? +/- 0.005?
Drill part way with a jobber bit, then switch to a longer bit, then longer, etc. Cut down and regrind full length flute aircraft bits to custom lengths if you need to.
What tolerance are you trying to hold? +/- 0.005?
bob15
Well-known member
Go to McMaster Carr and buy a longer drill bit. I see lengths in: 5, 5.25, 8, 12, 18, 6.75". And that is only HSS in 3/8" size.....and there are probably more lengths if you look.
Start with your short bit and then switch to the longer one. Takes time, but it will work.
Drill as deep as you can.
Install longer bit if necessary, drop it in hole with spindle up and raise the table to chuck the drill bit.
Finish drilling hole. You won't be able to retract the drill bit all the way out of course.
Shut down, lower the table, and voila'.
sz0k30
Well-known member
You guys that keep saying "use a longer drill bit" keep forgetting one important fact. The limiting factor isn't the length of the bit, its the travel of the spindle. It doesn't matter if the drill bit is 6", 12" or 24" long, it still can only drill 4-3/4 deep without taking some other action.
Thank you. Then I have to figure out a way to get that longer bit in there without moving the what I'm drilling.
blazemaster83
Well-known member
I would drill as deep as you can and finish it by hand. I bought a giant drill press just for this kind of job, it has 10" of quill travel.
I think that you have a set of blinders on and are only seeing one limited way of doing the job you have at hand. If you have multiple holes to drill in a given pitch along the length of a tube then a jig is perty easy to make. If you have welded these tubes together and that is driving your drilling depth then there is a simple way to do that too, but I'm not going to take the time to detail it until I know WHY you have to drill to such a depth, is is it a mental block or a physical requirement. So a picture is in order or details of what your trying to and why.
lg
no neat sig line
Here is my what I'm trying to do. Notice I'm trying to keep them all in a line. I was thinking about welding them first. But every time I have ever welded something and then tried to drill it. It acts like it is hardened metal and is hard to drill or destroys drill bits.
Well as of now I have drilled 10 different holes but figured there would be an easier way to do it but after I get it all lined up it wasn't near as bad. After two holes were drilled I put 5/16 threaded rod to hold them to together. I couldn't get a 3/8 long drill bit until about 2 weeks from now or spend twice as much from another place. I just decided to grab the 5/16 drill bit at my local store. Seems to be drilling good. That's 10 holes in 8 pieces on square tubing...
Well as of now I have drilled 10 different holes but figured there would be an easier way to do it but after I get it all lined up it wasn't near as bad. After two holes were drilled I put 5/16 threaded rod to hold them to together. I couldn't get a 3/8 long drill bit until about 2 weeks from now or spend twice as much from another place. I just decided to grab the 5/16 drill bit at my local store. Seems to be drilling good. That's 10 holes in 8 pieces on square tubing...
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Nice photos.
When I do a job like that I usually just carefully measure and mark each piece using a pair of dividers off a fence, ***** punch, centre punch then drill a small pilot hole and follow with the final drill, doing each one separately.
You could have also made a jig for the 2 sizes of tubing as has been suggested. There is some slop on the inside tubing where it can be moved around if not shimmed up so doing them separately off a measurement or in a jig is a good idea.
There's always more than one way to skin a cat so glad it's working out now.
When I do a job like that I usually just carefully measure and mark each piece using a pair of dividers off a fence, ***** punch, centre punch then drill a small pilot hole and follow with the final drill, doing each one separately.
You could have also made a jig for the 2 sizes of tubing as has been suggested. There is some slop on the inside tubing where it can be moved around if not shimmed up so doing them separately off a measurement or in a jig is a good idea.
There's always more than one way to skin a cat so glad it's working out now.
The first hole I did is the bottom. The 1 1/4" will be the support for the 1" square tubing. The 1" tubing will be put inside the 1 1/4". The first hole was just so I could put a bolt through it to hold the two tubes together so they can be welded. The 1" tubing will be the tubing that goes to the top. The shelves will be made with 1 1/4 go I can raise and lower them.
The setup was a pita. After putting the 1" into the 1 1/4" I couldn't figure out how to keep them all together. After a couple C clamps It seemed to want to turn or twist. I had them laying down and decided to put them in a vise. The table only tilts 45* degrees in each direction. 90 degrees but not like I need it to. LOL I couldn't figure out a good way to hold the vise down. So I used a regular vice on end. I didn't think it wasn't square but after drilling the hole I noticed the bit went to one side. So that left me with a huge problem. I tightened down the back and then only snugged the front.
So I didn't have 6 individual shelves and trying to weld each one up and keep it square. I have decided the bottom will be one shelve. Then the next two shelves will be welded together. Kinda like a top and bottom shelf. I did two of them like that. Then I will have one or two individual shelves I can put anywhere.
The setup was a pita. After putting the 1" into the 1 1/4" I couldn't figure out how to keep them all together. After a couple C clamps It seemed to want to turn or twist. I had them laying down and decided to put them in a vise. The table only tilts 45* degrees in each direction. 90 degrees but not like I need it to. LOL I couldn't figure out a good way to hold the vise down. So I used a regular vice on end. I didn't think it wasn't square but after drilling the hole I noticed the bit went to one side. So that left me with a huge problem. I tightened down the back and then only snugged the front.
So I didn't have 6 individual shelves and trying to weld each one up and keep it square. I have decided the bottom will be one shelve. Then the next two shelves will be welded together. Kinda like a top and bottom shelf. I did two of them like that. Then I will have one or two individual shelves I can put anywhere.
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Reality here is that your shelves don't have to have holes through, they can sit on top of your pins in the standards. To drill the standards (uprights) align the vise so the fixed jaw is .50" offset from the C/L of the spindle. Align the tube to drill the first hole through.
Make a fixture with a pin sticking up to set the new hold in the tube on.
Slide the tube over the distance between the holes.
Now clamp the pin fixture to the table in this position.
Drill the next hole.
Now move the tube and drop it on the pin, drill and repeat.
lg
no neat sig line
Make a fixture with a pin sticking up to set the new hold in the tube on.
Slide the tube over the distance between the holes.
Now clamp the pin fixture to the table in this position.
Drill the next hole.
Now move the tube and drop it on the pin, drill and repeat.
lg
no neat sig line
rlitman
Well-known member
This. The drill bit will wander more after drilling the first post as it enters the second than it would if you had a jig to position each tube and drilled them separately. Drilling them all together is NOT going to get them better aligned.
manwithtools
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Confirmation on this, you really have over complicated something that could have been solved with some careful layout and a few simple jigs.