# Planning a drill press conversion, any thoughts?



## Kaleb (Apr 17, 2010)

Looking at the price for a decent mill these days, I thought I could get some basic milling capabilites out of my drill press with a few modifications. The main one being the fitting of a vice table and machining vice to the work platform. It may also get a rotary table at some point. The other main modification would be to add a locking device to the manual feed. Any comments?


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## rake60 (Apr 17, 2010)

A drill press spindle is not made to work in a milling fashion.
Spindle run-out and rigidity are typically far short of the minimum
requirements for milling applications.

Rick


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## Kermit (Apr 17, 2010)

Don't let that stop you from adding an X-Y table to the drill.  ;D

I don't think I'll ever go back to a drill press that does not have one. Very handy when drilling lots of holes in a row... :big:


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## Twmaster (Apr 17, 2010)

An X-Y table on a drill press is heavenly. I can however tell you from experince that milling with the drill press -will- ruin the machine quickly.

If milling were that easy we would not have milling machines.


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## Dunc1 (Apr 17, 2010)

I am *not* recommending these practices and have not tried them personally!
You are on your own to decide whether to proceed.

Early issues of Popular Mechanics & Popular Science did have a few ideas to perform milling on a drill press.

Go to http://books.google.com/books?id=RdMDAAAAMBAJ for Pop Mechanics 
and navigate to articles in the July 1954 & Jan 1969 issues.

Go to http://books.google.com/books?id=iigDAAAAMBAJ&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0_0#all_issues_anchor for Popular Science and navigate to January 1952.

Tho I have not put these ideas into practice I see two major hurdles (there may be others). First, the drill press bearings may disagree with side loads. I have read suggestions that they don't make 'em like they used to: the shaft bearings are fewer in number and lesser capability. Surely begs - at the least - to perform all these pseudo-milling operations with minimum quill extension. 

Warning: Side-loading a drill chuck can cause the drill chuck & the installed cutting tool to work loose! You most certainly need to avoid this. Milling cutters have a drawbar to prevent this. 

The drill chuck, secondly, is a real no-no for holding a milling cutter. The Pop Mech July 1954 article shows a "milling cutter holder" in place of the drill chuck but no construction details are provided. I have purchased milling cutter holders that accept 3/8 or 1/2 inch milling cutter shanks on the "business end" with Morse Taper 2 or 3 to insert into the milling spindle. Success in finding a holder to work with a drill press that lacks a Morse Taper is unknown. 

Maybe for occasional work, using light cuts it may work. 
Take precautions if you decide to go ahead.


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## tel (Apr 18, 2010)

I have to agree with most or all of the above Kaleb. All the things you mention are worthy additions to the drill press, but it will still be just a drill press. Improvised milling is better carried out in the lathe.


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## Kaleb (Apr 18, 2010)

My drill press is an older one, and looks well built. It would take a lot of side load to ruin the bearings in it. In fact, my Dad was doing what you could call "milling", he had to repair part of the spare tyre lifter from his car, and this involved removing some material from one of the parts. He just used a normal drill bit as well!


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## kcmillin (Apr 18, 2010)

There is some solid advice here. However, Before I got my mill I used a drill press with an X Y table to do some milling. I could mill aluminum with very light cuts, but steel it would not do. 

So, it is possible to mill with a drill, you must take very light cuts

here are some pics










and a home made fly cutter on steel, this actually worked very poorly, it took a half hour to get accross this bar of steel once taking about .003 off.





but I did make this with it








 this is just to show that although its not recomended it is possible.
If you like what your doin, then save your pennies and get a real mill

Kel


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## Cedge (Apr 18, 2010)

Kaleb
There is a member who lurks on the board that does some amazing work using a drill press. I just attended a local show where he displayed a very well made traction engine and hay baler, plus about 10 other engines from both bar stock and castings. You'd never know he doesn't use a milling machine. I'd post photos, but I'll need to ask his permission first. 

It can be done, but it takes a bit more patience and planning.

Steve

Maybe Bill will read this and post some of his work.


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## waleeedijaz (Mar 10, 2016)

The drill chuck, secondly, is a real no-no for holding a milling cutter. The Pop Mech July 1954 article shows a "milling cutter holder" in place of the drill chuck but no construction details are provided. I have purchased milling cutter holders that accept 3/8 or 1/2 inch milling cutter shanks on the "business end" with Morse Taper 2 or 3 to insert into the milling spindle. Success in finding a holder to work with a drill press that lacks a Morse Taper is unknown.




== Solitaire ==


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## xpylonracer (Mar 10, 2016)

Like many others I have used a drill press for some light milling, I did experience some of the pitfalls regarding the cutter loosening in the drill chuck. If I were to have to mill again in the drill press I would buy a ER type collet chuck on a MT to suit the drill spindle and Loctite it into the spindle to be even safer, even then only taking light cuts in plastic and Al.

Emgee


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## hanermo3 (Mar 10, 2016)

The taper comes out of the drill press.
There is no draw bar.
Might work with epoxy- but then the taper is there to stay.

Bad idea.


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## Wizard69 (Mar 10, 2016)

xpylonracer said:


> Like many others I have used a drill press for some light milling, I did experience some of the pitfalls regarding the cutter loosening in the drill chuck. If I were to have to mill again in the drill press I would buy a ER type collet chuck on a MT to suit the drill spindle and Loctite it into the spindle to be even safer, even then only taking light cuts in plastic and Al.
> 
> Emgee




I'm embarrassed to say that I've done some milling in a drill press and have lived to tell about it.  I don't recommend doing so to anyone though.   If you want to convert a drill press for milling my best advise would be to make a new spindle with an integral ER chuck.   If you aren't willing to do that then maybe best to stay away from drill press milling.  

Let's face it a drill press can be fairly substantial compared to some hobby milling machines.   But you need to be willing to modify the machine for your safety and to address common drill press short comings.  One big problem with drill presses is quil wobble, if the casting doesn't permit a way to address quill wobble it isn't going to function as a drill press.


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## goldstar31 (Mar 10, 2016)

Agreed, kind sir!

There is such a thing as a lathe which is a drilling machine turned at 90 degrees. Oh, and lots better!

Almost as good as a proper milling machine which is a lathe turned at 90 degrees 

Oops

Norman


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## xpylonracer (Mar 10, 2016)

One example of a drill that doubles up as a light milling machine is the Emco 5 Milling and Drilling head, it does have a screw on collet chuck and the quill can be locked when in fine down feed mode. It was sold as a stand alone milling machine with a substantial cast iron base and XY table or as an attachment to fit to the back of the bed on the Compact 5 and 5 cnc lathes, this enabled 2.5D cnc milling on the lathe. Obviously won't remove huge amounts of metal at 1 pass but used within limits very exact work can be accomlished.

Wizard69, if any drill has a wobbling quill I would suggest it's not even fit to drill a hole, definitely not to be used as a mill !!!!!

Emgee


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## Wizard69 (Mar 11, 2016)

xpylonracer said:


> One example of a drill that doubles up as a light milling machine is the Emco 5 Milling and Drilling head, it does have a screw on collet chuck and the quill can be locked when in fine down feed mode. It was sold as a stand alone milling machine with a substantial cast iron base and XY table or as an attachment to fit to the back of the bed on the Compact 5 and 5 cnc lathes, this enabled 2.5D cnc milling on the lathe. Obviously won't remove huge amounts of metal at 1 pass but used within limits very exact work can be accomlished.
> 
> Wizard69, if any drill has a wobbling quill I would suggest it's not even fit to drill a hole, definitely not to be used as a mill !!!!!
> 
> Emgee




Oh I agree but I've looked at more than a few import drill presses that had a surprising amount of quil wobble.    You are right in that they aren't suitable for drilling especially at smaller scales.  The fact of the matter is good drill presses cost a lot of money these days unless you get lucky on the used market.


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## zoltan (Mar 30, 2016)

Dunc1 said:


> Warning: Side-loading a drill chuck can cause the drill chuck & the installed cutting tool to work loose! You most certainly need to avoid this. Milling cutters have a drawbar to prevent this.



This needs to be repeated. Milling on a drill press can loosen the chuck on the taper.


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## velocette (Mar 30, 2016)

Hi
The comments that milling with a drill chuck can loosen the cutting tool  are valid.
In my early days as a lad being mentored by an engineer of of advancing years his way to prevent this was that you tightened the chuck progressively using all FOUR key holes on a three jaw chuck.
Try this  then you will struggle to  get it loosened again.
Find a sturdy drill press with a screw on chuck and light cuts.

Eric


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## ROB 123 (Mar 30, 2016)

I too tried a drill press for milling - boy it sure keeps spinning as the Morse Taper gives and it falls out .

Rob


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## Nick Hulme (Mar 31, 2016)

I'd recommend shopping for a used, rough-ish condition, round-column mill-drill, it will be fantastic for drilling and acceptable for milling once you tidy it up and add a cross slide table, 

 - Nick


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## bazmak (Mar 31, 2016)

I thought about it purely as an exercise and that's all it would be
Very light milling ,if your lucky with limited use.By the time you have bought the cross slide table/vice etc its cheaper to buy a mill.You learn by experience
as I did when I bought the mill it is obviouse when you look backIf you want to make anything successfully then buy a lathe and a mill and never the twain shall meet.Even drilling was so superior with mill I sold the drill


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## Wizard69 (Apr 1, 2016)

bazmak said:


> I thought about it purely as an exercise and that's all it would be
> 
> Very light milling ,if your lucky with limited use.By the time you have bought the cross slide table/vice etc its cheaper to buy a mill.You learn by experience
> 
> as I did when I bought the mill it is obviouse when you look backIf you want to make anything successfully then buy a lathe and a mill and never the twain shall meet.Even drilling was so superior with mill I sold the drill




The problem with drill presses and milling is that the end mill pulls on the taper dislodging it.   Sadly this can happen with other tooling commonly used in a drill press.   A drum sander can dislodge the taper in a drill press.   This has had me wondering from time to time why drill presses aren't fitted with an ER collet spindle.   I've got a drill press with a bunged up taper that I've considered building a new spindle for and doing ER instead of a morse taper.   It would make me feel safer even using a drum sander.  While it wouldn't make a drill press any more suitable for milling you could at least do light stuff without the taper pull out risk.   

As for drilling I understand the value of a milling machine as I will go to the mill at work for a lot of drilling activities.  When I finally get a mill at home I doubt I will give up the drill press though.


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## goldstar31 (Apr 2, 2016)

I do recall converting a scrap engraving machine   into a sort of mill and later making a Westbury from aero chocolate type castings from the local technical school.  The feed screws, if I recall, were 1/2" BSW studding. The motive power was a scrap 1/4HP washing machine motor.  Real hands on experience is a wonderful thing- if you live that long.

Mind you, even a suggested drill chuck might separate from the taper. It did, it did. It missed me. A bit of excitement in old age.


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## Wizard69 (Apr 2, 2016)

goldstar31 said:


> I do recall converting a scrap engraving machine   into a sort of mill and later making a Westbury from aero chocolate type castings from the local technical school.  The feed screws, if I recall, were 1/2" BSW studding. The motive power was a scrap 1/4HP washing machine motor.  Real hands on experience is a wonderful thing- if you live that long.
> 
> Mind you, even a suggested drill chuck might separate from the taper. It did, it did. It missed me. A bit of excitement in old age.




Need to ask: what are aero chocolate type castings?   

In any event people need to be constantly reminded of the safety issues using end mills in drill presses without draw bars.   The helix on the mill can generate a lot of downward force literally providing a constant pull on the taper.   This is a real danger that people should NOT dismiss.  Oh yes I have personal experience here.   

On a side note on a Bridgeport I've had end mills pull parts up out of a vise or alternatively over come the quill clamp to mess up a part.  This just highlights that there is considerable vertical forces (pulls if you will) involved when using an end mill.   I often see comments about side loads as a big problem but I don't buy that, it is rather the pull that the mill is producing that is the problem.    

In a nut shell be safe people.    Flying metal can cause significant injuries and harping that metal spinning just makes the damage worst.


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