# Mini Drill Press



## xXPhasemanXx (Feb 15, 2014)

So I want to build a mini drill press with a motor I have. The main thing that I would be drilling is PCB boards so I don't need much power and it is going to be small. However, I don't exactly know what I need to complete a build like this. I'm not creative and can't just build something from my head. Do you guys know of any plans or another thread that showed how they did it on the forums? I just can't find anything :wall:

I have a 9-18VDC super-speed motor. 24,000 RPM, no load. Maximum 4.2 Amps. I would be using two 9V batteries in series for this project.

I was hoping for something like this but I have to pay to get them and I don't have money on my paypayl atm. Like $23 for a whole years worth of pro account but I won't be using that site very often... Not worth the money imo.


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## Wizard69 (Feb 19, 2014)

You know this is my third attempt at responding to your post.   Previous attempts ended in app crashes.&#128560;&#128560;



xXPhasemanXx said:


> So I want to build a mini drill press with a motor I have. The main thing that I would be drilling is PCB boards so I don't need much power and it is going to be small. However, I don't exactly know what I need to complete a build like this. I'm not creative and can't just build something from my head. Do you guys know of any plans or another thread that showed how they did it on the forums? I just can't find anything :wall:


There are all sorts of plans out there for mini drill presses.   On top of that "Model Engineers Workshop" just ran a nice series on a mini drill press.   Then you have the works of Geo. Thomas the titles of which escape me.  In any event Geo, Thomas is famous for his pilar tool and the drilling attachment for that.  

All that being said drill presses really aren't difficult, there are many approaches too for the small drills presses.  In fact for PCB drilling the big deal in my mind isn't the drill press so much as a good fence or XxY table.   After all those holes need to be precisely spaced in a straight line.  Further they often need to be parallel.  


> I have a 9-18VDC super-speed motor. 24,000 RPM, no load. Maximum 4.2 Amps. I would be using two 9V batteries in series for this project.


I kinda doubt that you will ever get 4.2 amps out of two 9 VDC transistor batteries for any length of time.  


> I was hoping for something like this but I have to pay to get them and I don't have money on my paypayl atm.


I've seen very little on instructables that is worth any bodies time or money.  


> Like $23 for a whole years worth of pro account but I won't be using that site very often... Not worth the money imo.




Well that is a decision we each have to make.  However if you go out and buy the works of Geo Thomas you will be paying a lot more.   However I can say that they are well worth the price.  


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## Nerdz (Feb 20, 2014)

xXPhasemanXx said:


> I was hoping for something like this but I have to pay to get them and I don't have money on my paypayl atm. Like $23 for a whole years worth of pro account but I won't be using that site very often... Not worth the money imo.



What cant you get that you have to pay for? Im a member there (not pro) and can see things just fine.


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## RonGinger (Feb 21, 2014)

Jerry Howell designed a very nice precision drill press. Plans are at http://www.model-engine-plans.com/engineplans/bookshelf/minidrill.htm?28,21 This one has enough motor power to do real work.


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## BaronJ (Feb 21, 2014)

xXPhasemanXx said:


> So I want to build a mini drill press with a motor I have. The main thing that I would be drilling is PCB boards so I don't need much power and it is going to be small. However, I don't exactly know what I need to complete a build like this. I'm not creative and can't just build something from my head. Do you guys know of any plans or another thread that showed how they did it on the forums? I just can't find anything :wall:
> 
> I have a 9-18VDC super-speed motor. 24,000 RPM, no load. Maximum 4.2 Amps. I would be using two 9V batteries in series for this project.
> 
> I was hoping for something like this but I have to pay to get them and I don't have money on my paypayl atm. Like $23 for a whole years worth of pro account but I won't be using that site very often... Not worth the money imo.



A few years ago I did something similar with a computer PSU and a motor out of a line printer.  Luckily I had a small collet chuck from an old drill, one of those that you can buy for a couple of pounds that runs from a wall wart.  That motor lasted for all of a few minutes.  But the chuck on that was held by a grub screw and the shaft size was a perfect fit on the line printer motor shaft.  I used a jubilee type clip to fasten the motor to a piece of wood.  I've still got the bits kicking around somewhere.  I'll try and dig them out and take some photos.


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## Tin Falcon (Feb 22, 2014)

> So I want to build a mini drill press with a motor I have....I have a 9-18VDC super-speed motor. 24,000 RPM, no load. Maximum 4.2 Amps.I would be using two 9V batteries in series for this project.


amps times volts is watts. a typical mini lathe or mill is 350 wattts.  
4 amps @ 18 v is only 72 watts not much power. 



> However, I don't exactly know what I need to complete a build like this. I'm not creative and can't just build something from my head.



First of all in my humble option insructables projects are cobbled together by folks with little skill and less knowledge of machine tools. And they are are often made of garbage board for a structure nothing more than sawdust and glue.  OK as long as it never gets moisture or oil on it. 

As far as plans you may want to check out http://opensourcemachinetools.org/ or browse the old Popular mechanics magazines archived on google books. 


Another option is the humble but cheap dremel drill press . It holds a dremel tool or rotary shaft toll and converts to a drill press new about $ 50 or a few dollars at a yard sale or flea market. 


These are not complicated devises. 
1) base round or rectangular slab of metal everything sits on. 
2) Column mounted perpendicular to base.
3) table  optional the base can be used as the table in some applications. 
4) drive system . Motor and a way to set several spindle speeds either with belts and pulleys or VS motor. IMHO it is better to have a separate spindle and motor to drive it. Or you can have direct drive.
5)  drill chuck attached to spindle or motor.  
6 Down feed  either lowers the chuck or raises the table to bring the work and drill bit together. 


If you google sensitive drill press I think you will get some good ideas and lots of pictures. There are pans an drill presses on e -bay as well.

And please post an introduction.

Tin


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## Dragons_fire (Feb 22, 2014)

It would also help us to know what kind of tools you have available. You would be able to make something better and easier if you have a lathe and mill, but nice work has been done in the past with just a hand drill and hack saw.


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## ausdier (Feb 23, 2014)

Just having a little play around but how does this look for a small simple drill press.
You can buy the motors with the pin chuck on them.
You can make the rod heights as long as you want or bigger OD if needed.
You use the bar that slides up and down at the back as your handle and also stops grabbing rotation.
You can set your repeatable depth with the locking collar at the top.
If you have slips just put them under and height is set or verniers will fit from the side.
The bottom one is just for clearance for the motor terminals.
Can be made with minimal gear and out of scrap.
No belts.
Hope someone like it.
Included a 3D pdf to look at.
Cheers.
Any comments to make it better welcome. 












View attachment SMALL DRILL PRESS.PDF


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## barnesrickw (Feb 24, 2014)

It looks good.  You might want the horizontal head a bit thicker to reduce runout on the motor.  I think I might work on one for over my small lathe bed.  Thanks. 


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## Omnimill (Feb 24, 2014)

Perhaps you could use elements of this design.


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## Tin Falcon (Feb 24, 2014)

Little Machine shop .com has their nano drill on sale for $279.
Another option maybe.  
Micro Mark also has a tiny drill press they sell. 
I know you want to build . but does not hurt to compare. 

This unit comes in a lathe version mill version and drill version and you can get kits so one head can can convert to all three.

Tin


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## barnesrickw (Feb 24, 2014)

I looked at that model a lot Tin and am considering it for an addition to my Taig set-up.  


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## Tin Falcon (Feb 24, 2014)

FYI the lathe kit , mill kit, drill kit and conversion kits all on sale.
Tin


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## barnesrickw (Feb 24, 2014)

Unfortunately my bank account has been assailed. 


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## goldstar31 (Feb 25, 2014)

Probably one of the cheapest ways of drilling holes is to use an Archimedian drill which was invented thousands of years ago and costs a couple of English pounds and I have no doubt much the same in other currencies. If you think that I'm barmy or something, every damned nut and bolt that was ever made is something similar. It's one step up from a bow drill that if you stop using it as a fire making  drill, it becomes a bodgers lathe and this is where 'we' should start. 

 As for the earlier George Thomas reference, I have his staking tool in my little workshop minus the drill head because I was either lazy, busy or just too plain mean not to buy a Chinese affair that came from Aldi Stores for £30 or less. However, my first GHT thing wasn't from official castings but it was made up from welded bits of scrap metal. 

 Someway in the past, I wrote up on yet another tool that was made with 'arms' ready made using little con( connecting) rods from small car engines.
 In this case, they came from the ubiquitous A series engines which included Morris Minors, Minis and even the 1935 Morris 8 that I learned to drive on.  I would guess that all the little Japanese cars of yesteryear had something similar. Apart from cleaning the dirty oil off, they were and are very ready tooling. 

 My GHT thing goes onto the lathe saddle - as Jim Batchelor of Leeds suggested. However, I digress.

 So you don't have to be a multi millionaire- or richer:hDe:

 Regards

 Norman


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