Drill Press Stall

[glsmaverick]

What causes drill press stall?

I picked up a 12 speed press this past summer for a great deal at a yard sale. I don't recall the brand but it seems to be well built. I did my first larger project with it a couple weeks ago; drilling 1/2" holes in some 1/8" wall steel tube. I got through one tube and then only one hole on the second before it would just stall constantly. I was using oil to keep the bit lubricated.

Is this stall condition due to belt slip? I had it tensioned to the max point but perhaps the belts are worn? I do not have an in depth knowledge of drill presses so I need some help. Hopefully I can replace the belts and all will be well.

A couple pics of belt condition

 

[garfunkle24]

Well, was the belt slipping....?

 

[Ric in Richmond]

Looks like belt might be too big? Does it fit all the way down into the groove in the pulley?

 

[SilentUnicorn]

Hello glsmaverick

Is the drill press stalling when you are breaking thru with the bit? Are you pilot drilling first? What RPM are you using? Most drill presses do not go slow enough.

You should be spinning around 450 to 500 rpm with a .5 drill. if you pilot drill i would suggest about a .25 to .312 drill for a pilot.


mark

 

[glsmaverick]

Hello glsmaverick

Is the drill press stalling when you are breaking thru with the bit? Are you pilot drilling first? What RPM are you using? Most drill presses do not go slow enough.

You should be spinning around 450 to 500 rpm with a .5 drill. if you pilot drill i would suggest about a .25 to .312 drill for a pilot.


mark

I was not drilling a pilot hole; I will check on the RPM I was using and also check to make sure the belt is fully seated. It started to stall when I broke through the first hole trying to get to the second. After that I moved on to drilling a 3/8" hole in some angle and it would stall while simply drilling.

I am sorry to say I did not check to see if the belt was slipping; like I said this is my first drill press venture so I only used it for a minute with it stalling as I didn't want to damage anything.

 

[G_P]

can you hear the motor still running when it stalls or does it start to hum?

If the motor is still running then your stall is a slipping belt. If the motor starts humming loudly when it stalls then could be due to drilling at too high of an RPM or the motor is getting tired and may need to be replaced.

Make sure the drill press is lubricated in the proper places too. If its older it could have no lube or dried out lube in there.

 

[Kevin54]

It looks like the belt is running on the top and bottom of the pulley and not IN the pulley, by the looks of the wear on it. You may want to go to NAPA or some place similar and get a belt an inch to inch and a half shorter and a little narrower so that it fits IN the pulley

 

[Outlawmws]

If the bit stopped and the motor kept going, one or both belts are slipping.

The belt should NOT be fully seated in bottom of the pulley groove, the top of the belt should be close to the top of the pulley flush is OK. It's a "Vee" belt and seats on the angled sides, not the bottom.

Yes you want a pilot drill something a bit larger than the 1/2" bit's chisel tip.

Tension the belt for the quill first then the motor.

Is the belt glazed over? Is that white line from wear? (Pic not quite clear enough)

It's not uncommon for a larger bit to catch when breaking through, to minimize or avoid ease up on the pressure as you break through

 

[glsmaverick]

Thanks everyone for the tips; I will check out all of the suggestions and get back to you.

 

[trbomax]

If you do replace the belts,get belts that are notched. They grab better on the smaller dia pulleys and run cooler. I also suspect your bits are not properly sharpened. The piolt hole should always be very slightly larger than the space across the end of the bit where the flutes run out. If its bigger the bit will chatter,if its smaller the tip will overheat and wander. You should not need coolant or oil on that press , it doesnt go slow enough or have the power to run a bit much larger than 3/4".

 

[glsmaverick]

If you do replace the belts,get belts that are notched. They grab better on the smaller dia pulleys and run cooler. I also suspect your bits are not properly sharpened. QUOTE]

Thanks for the tip and bits are sharp; they are brand new!

 

[larry_g]

If you do replace the belts,get belts that are notched. They grab better on the smaller dia pulleys and run cooler. I also suspect your bits are not properly sharpened. QUOTE]

Thanks for the tip and bits are sharp; they are brand new!

I beg to differ on the brand new defense... I have ruined bits before they have completed their first hole. You did not say what material you were drilling or the quality of the bit. Do you have the experience to sharpen a bit and know how to check the edge and the relief?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[glsmaverick]

I do not know how to sharpen or check. I was drilling 1/8" mild steel with a bit set I bought from McMaster Carr.

Any info on the sharpening and checking???


Sent from a rotary encoder using my finger

 

[bimmer1980]

What horsepower is the motor? I'm assuming it is hooked up to a 120 VAC outlet?

It is not that hard to stall a happy-home-own drill press... I can do it with my 3/4 HP bridgewood drill press when drilling steel.

I will be happy to get my Delta 3-ph 17" drill press hooked up and running.....it should be a bit less likely to stall the motor........

As others have said, drill a pilot hole and work your way up.

I have found that I prefer to drill a pilot hole and then use a uni-bit for the remainder. It seems that I get a nice clean, round hole. (this depends on the size of the hole and the material thickness.)

Remember that a standard drill bit will not drill a truely round hole. A slightly undersized hole followed by a reamer will get the best results.

Your mileage may vary...

 

[glsmaverick]

Just an update:

I used the drill press a bit on Sunday. I ran it with the cover off so I could watch the belts and they do not slip. What I found was that the left hand thread spanner nut on the spindle was super loose. So it wasn't getting any power from the pulley to the bit. Which is why when I applied any pressure to the bit it simply stalled.
I grabbed a spanner wrench and tightened that sucker down. It now works great and I am able to drill holes no problem!


Sent from a rotary encoder using my finger

 

[RECox286]

See, I told you being a mechanic wasn't hard !

Good to know you be drilling holes in stuff now.

Uncle Bob (I just wish I could remember the question...)