Harbor freight drill press chuck question

[TT_Vert]

This may just be the way this cheap drill press is but it's the only experience I have w/ one so I don't know. The chuck will move a bit as I start to drill into a surface. IF sometimes will not be inline vertically as it starts to drill. I'm not sure if there is anything else I can tighten to ensure the chuck is secure but this poses a bit of a problem when trying to drill. It's not a wobble as if the chuck was not true it's as I apply force to start drilling. An example is I'll have a hold already drilled and I want to drill a hole slightly above it. Instead of the bit drilling straight down to where I want it it will start there but have a tendency to angle into the existing hole. I created a quick drawing to try to illustrate what is going on. I'm having a hard time explaining it as well as I'd like.

 

[WILD-BILL]

Drill bits have a tendency to flex and wander if left to there own. That could be what (or part of what) you're seeing.

A good way to insure the bit goes where you want is to use a center drill or a spotting drill and that will give the drill but a true starting point to follow.

 

[TT_Vert]

It certainly isn't the bit walking. It's the chuck in it's fixture it appears. I can see it's not the drill bit itself. You generally center punch even w/a drill press?

Dave

 

[Trock03]

When you chuck a bit up and tighten it can you cause the wobble yourself by pulling the bottom of the bit sideways? I'm assuming this isn't a new press.

TC

 

[TT_Vert]

I'll go check. I was not able to move the chuck at the top where it presses in but there is little leverage at that height. It is a new press but it's a harbor freight press so there is that..

Dave

 

[EOC_Jason]

I'm assuming even a HF drill press uses a morse taper for the chuck? If you want to remove the chuck whack the side with a rubber mallet or deadblow and it will fall out. You can make sure the surfaces are clean before re-inserting.

When drilling you always want the drillbit to be just a hair longer than the depth you need to drill to minimize flex and wander...

Do you have anything you can measure the runout with on the chuck?

 

[TT_Vert]

yes i have a dial indicator, I'll check the runout later tonight or tomorrow as well. What is acceptable runout on one of these things?

Dave

 

[Augus7us]

I'm assuming even a HF drill press uses a morse taper for the chuck? If you want to remove the chuck whack the side with a rubber mallet or deadblow and it will fall out.

This is not the proper way to remove the chuck and shank from a drill press! This can mess up your bearings.

The correct way is to lower the chuck all the way and there will be a slot in the shank housing that you can fit a wedge in. This will allow you to hammer the wedge and drop the chuck. This will only work if you have a Jacobs or Morse taper on your shank. I have an old craftsman where the shank is bolted to the quillfeed, no taper.

Here is a video:

My guess is what you are seeing is the drill bit walking. This is due to the drill flexing. Drill a pilot hole or use a punch where you want the hole. You can also get short jobber length bits like this that can solve the problem:

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/71205678

The reality is drill presses, by their nature don't drill perfect round holes, you want perfect get a mill and drill undersize then ream the hole to what you want.

If none of that helps, then you probably got what you paid for. As you alluded to above these are cheap and are known to have issues with accuracy.

-Clint

 

[fasteddie]

If you're trying to drill half way or part way into an existing hole, that is nearly impossible even with everything clamped down. The flutes want to climb out of the solid material into the void. A small bit will simply flex and a larger stiffer bit will chatter and try to push the entire head and the table in opposite directions.

 

[TT_Vert]

this even occurs when drilling a new hole. As I apply pressure to start drilling it seems to want to angle. I'll check runout tomorrow and perhaps a different bit. It seems there is some collar clamp setup that may hold the chuck tight but I'm not sure yet.

Dave

 

[MushCreek]

Even in a milling machine, a regular drill bit will want to walk off. A center punch, or better, a center drill will help.

 

[Super Mech]

What brand of bits are you using? While all bits will have some flex to them I've seem some cheap bits flex like a Twizzler.

 

[Uhlee1]

While you have the indicator out to check runout, check the play of the quill (pushing side to side) while fully retracted and fully extended and let us know what you get. My guess is it’s a combination of slop in the quill and not using a center/spot drill. Out of curiosity what material are you drilling? If it’s steel or aluminum just use a center drill and some lube and you should be ok.

 

[doublearon98]

It certainly isn't the bit walking. It's the chuck in it's fixture it appears. I can see it's not the drill bit itself. You generally center punch even w/a drill press?

Dave

Always center punch

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[BuffettFan]

https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn...ination-Drill-Countersink-Sets?navid=12106135

As MushCreek and Uhlee said, A center drill is your friend.
And as Angus described, this is the correct way to remove the chuck from a Morse Taper.
The only mod I've made to my Jet DP is to replace the chinesium chuck with a Jacobs.
While you have the indicator out, check to see that the table is perpendicular to the spindle also.

EDIT: Stay away from MSC's Interstate line of tooling. Total garbage, IMO.

 

[niget2002]

Lot of good information here.

And yes... part of it is the HF drill press. I have the same one.

 

[matt_i]

It would be worthwhile to check the tram of the head relative to the table.

Ideally this involves taking a dial indicator on a short arm that revolves with the chuck, and, by hand, sweeping out the bare table to assess perpendicularity.

However, one could probably get a good idea with a piece of 1/8" rod that you sharpen one end like a framing nail, using a bench grinder. Bend the rod in a vise/hammer and chuck it in the press. Now you have a point with which you can sweep out the table and check for high and low spots as it gets close (again do this by hand twisting the chuck around). Likely the only adjustment is tilting the table right and left.

As others have mentioned a good center punch is a nice tool. I like a Starrett 117E, which is the largest one in the "round" series, and can be purchased individually. I dont mess around with the smaller ones as they don't stay pointed long enough and I'm not going to tap it with a 2oz hammer. There is also the Optical Center Punch which has grown a lot in price but will surprise you at how dead center it can bisect a set of pencil (or scribe) marks. I'm not sure who made the original these days, but there seems to be a range of price points. I regard a spring loaded center punch as a woodworker's tool, it doesn't hit hard enough to make a good impression even in the lowest carbon steels.

 

[Augus7us]

I have to disagree Matt, I use a cheap amazon center punch (spring loaded) to mark holes on high carbon tool and stainless steels all the time. It won't touch hardened steel though, needs to be annealed.

You can tram like Matt is saying with something as simple as a bent piece of coat hanger. Not as good as use a setup with a dial indicator but cheaper and easy to set up.

-Clint

 

[James-W]

Sounds to me like there is a problem with the drill press. Take it back, tell them it is defective and get a different one. Since it is a new one there is no sense wasting time screwing around with it.

 

[PT Doc]

Is the table square to the head? Are you trying to drill a hole partly over an existing hole? If so an endmill in a milling machine would do it. A drill in a chuck in a drill press will always try to sneak back into the original hole in my experience unless you are more than half the diameter wider than the original hole.

 

[burninghXcsoul]

what size drill press? some of the smaller ones have stamped tables instead of cast ones and they will easily flex 1/8th of an inch if your putting down pressure to drill steel.