Topic: Tools

[Jeffy]

Thought I'd create another thread for talking about more random tools.

I've got a drill press and some milling bits but I don't have a cross slide table.  Is there such thing as an inexpensive metal grade table?  I've seen the cheap ones for wood working and a few for metal but they do seem to lack quality.  Would I be better off just spending the money on a small hobby mill then just buying a table?

[FourbangerYJ]

I would think it would depend on what your making. And how often you would use it a good table or a small mill.

[oldjeep]

Milling bits arn't going to do you much good in a drill press.  Drill press bearings are not designed to take the side load that a millingbit/cross slide would put on them.

[Jeffy]

Milling bits arn't going to do you much good in a drill press.  Drill press bearings are not designed to take the side load that a millingbit/cross slide would put on them.

Hmm, I don't know.  The drill press and bits were from my Grandfather, a retired GM tool & die man.  He had them in his machine shop in his basement and gave it to us when he moved.  Not sure what he did with the bits.

[sharpxmen]

you can use the end mills for holes mostly in a drill press. Your biggest issues with the drill press using as a mill are vibrations, deflection in the quill and deflection in the post. I have a milling machine that is 700 pounds heavy, 20''x10'' table with a geared head. but is column type - and even though the column is massive there is still deflection in it, about .005 - the dovetail type mills are the desired ones and the best are the knee type but they are damn heavy + most of them require 3 phase power not to mention the price.

for small jobs you could use a cross slide table but don't expect any precision out of it.

[oldjeep]

Hmm, I don't know.  The drill press and bits were from my Grandfather, a retired GM tool & die man.  He had them in his machine shop in his basement and gave it to us when he moved.  Not sure what he did with the bits.

Lets see a picture of the drill press.  I've got a 500lb 1940's super heavy duty drill press and it isn't capable of using a milling bit with any sort of precision.  Just not built for it.

[Jeffy]

The drill press is probably form the 60's.  It's not super heavy duty BUT I'm not really looking at high precision work.  Maybe build some 80% AR lowers.  Maybe some misc brackets for the Jeep...   How are the mini mills?  I've seen them anywhere from $400-1000+ for a hobby grade.  If a cross slide table is going to cost $300 then I might as well get a mini mill?

I don't think I'll be churning out billet stuff like sharpxmen.

[sharpxmen]

The drill press is probably form the 60's.  It's not super heavy duty BUT I'm not really looking at high precision work.  Maybe build some 80% AR lowers.  Maybe some misc brackets for the Jeep...   How are the mini mills?  I've seen them anywhere from $400-1000+ for a hobby grade.  If a cross slide table is going to cost $300 then I might as well get a mini mill?

I don't think I'll be churning out billet stuff like sharpxmen.

mine was $650 at Harbour Freight was on sale at $799 (regular $1099) and i got another 25% off on Jan 1st sale at the store in Everett WA but i had to pay the 8% WA state sales tax on top of that - still a good deal. I just looked on their site to post a link and is not available anymore but i found this link http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=42827

when they brought the crate out and saw me pulling my camaro over i got some weird looks - "how are you taking this home?"

took it apart and had the mill head on the passenger side, the column in and the base also taken apart, the column in the back seat and the base in the trunk



 

[Jeffy]

mine was $650 at Harbour Freight was on sale at $799 (regular $1099) and i got another 25% off on Jan 1st sale at the store in Everett WA but i had to pay the 8% WA state sales tax on top of that - still a good deal. I just looked on their site to post a link and is not available anymore but i found this link http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=42827

when they brought the crate out and saw me pulling my camaro over i got some weird looks - "how are you taking this home?"

took it apart and had the mill head on the passenger side, the column in and the base also taken apart, the column in the back seat and the base in the trunk

Yeah, I look at the mills while in HF as well.    They regularly have 25% off.  Problem is sales tax here is 9.25%.      

I'd love a 3 in 1 like this: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44142

This is the one I've looked at before: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44991

[aka-justin]

Here's some Harbor Freight coupons if you do decide to pick one up...

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/common/displayPage.do?pageFile=magurl6.html

[sharpxmen]

Yeah, I look at the mills while in HF as well.    They regularly have 25% off.  Problem is sales tax here is 9.25%.      

nice thing is that the store sale was on top of the website sale - not sure if the cupon above qualifies (can't read the small print) but if it does it's great

I'd love a 3 in 1 like this: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44142

I looked at those too - i ended up with individual machines and it cost me the same (less than that actually). Everybody I asked said to stay away from the 3 in 1, the lathe is ok but small, the mill is quite limited.

This is the one I've looked at before: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44991

too small, only good for miniature stuff, anything that is Jeep size won't be suited - you'll need a serious vise for milling 1/2'' thick stuff, that table is too small for it. I bought a 6'' palmgren vise off ebay with a swivel base and it weighs something like 150 lbs.

go for a bigger one, if you shop around you will get it for the same price

[95 Lowbuck]

They are right about not using an End mill in a drill chuck.
A drill press is just not rigid enough for it, not to mention the
danger of snapping the cutter.
I've got to believe with all of the local small machine shops
closing in our area, you could pick up a good used mill
with all the collets and a drill chuck for cheep.
Try checking C.L. or some of the local machine auction sites.

[firebrick43]

Grizzly has the table that you are looking for Jeffery. 

Look into Home Shop Machinist magazine.  They have run several article on how to convert a drill press into a light milling machine.  Basically involves better support for the spindle, spindle locks and an x/y table as you mentioned.  I caution however that the guys that are doing this are typically model makers milling brass and aluminum.  I don't think that it will work well for heavy steel or fabrication for your jeep.  Grizzly industrial is a step up from harbor freight tools and not that much of an increase of price.  If you cant find a decent used american machine in your local I would suggest setting grizzly as the low line of quality.  Harbor freight machines are not even good scrap metal. 

[Jeffy]

No plans on cutting steel, just aluminum.

[firebrick43]

If your looking to cut only aluminum, dont expect high feed rates, and your not expect .001 accuracy, then a properly modified drill press and an x-y table will work. 

Rudy Kouhoupt wrote a couple of article about it, one is in the projects book one put out by the home shop machinist magazine. 

Also he did alot of videos.  While I have never watched them(I was an apprenticed machinist) if you belong to smartflix you can rent them reasonably. 


http://smartflix.com/store/video/43/Drilling-Tapping-and-Milling-on-the-Drill-Press

Smartflix also has 43 welding videos that could help you learn at home.

Good luck,

remember to never wear gloves when using machine tools and always wear eye protection.  Metal chips in the eye suck big time.