Drilling in the mill

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Drilling in the mill

This topic has 27 replies, 18 voices, and was last updated 9 November 2011 at 00:24 by Jon.

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24 October 2011 at 16:51 #5718
Wolfie
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@wolfie
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24 October 2011 at 16:51 #76784
Wolfie
Participant
@wolfie
I am going to invest in a milling machine in the near future. Now I am a bit strapped for room in my ‘workshop’ (a bench in my mam’s garage ) and I am wondering whether I could dispense with the pillar drill and drill with the milling machine. I have never used a milling machine so forgive me if this is a stupid question.
24 October 2011 at 16:58 #76785
mick
Participant
@mick65121
I use a mill/drill which cost under £500.0 new, with a set of digital scales fixed to all three axis its done every thing I’ve asked it to do for the past four years
24 October 2011 at 16:58 #76786
Weldsol
Participant
@weldsol
I use my mill for a lot of my drilling needs and with the digital read out it saves a lot of marking out.

The only time I use a pillar drill is for any high speed stuff with small drills as I don’t like running the Bridgeport up around its max speed (3000 rpm) But now I’m going to add a high speed attachment that mounts on the quill so I will be able to loose the pillar drill.

Paul
24 October 2011 at 17:00 #76787
Roger Woollett
Participant
@rogerwoollett53105
It works fine – I don’t have room for a pillar drill either. The only downside is that I have to swap the collet chuck and drill chuck over quite frequently. Do make sure you get a “mill drill”, pure milling machines have no quill and so are unsuitable for drilling.

Roger Woollett
24 October 2011 at 17:24 #76789
Gone Away
Participant
@goneaway
My pillar drill is floor mounted and gets used for tall stuff because my mill/drill is limited in that respect … particularly when used with a chuck, less so when using collets (but a nuisance to keep changing collets for drill sizes).

Other than that, I use the the mill/drill (with DRO) almost exclusively unless I have a setup on there and just need a couple of quick holes in something else. Then again, I have room for both, if I didn’t it would be the drill that goes.

If your drill is bench mounted, without the height range of a floor mounted drill you can easily lose it in favour of the mill drill I should think.
24 October 2011 at 17:47 #76792
David Littlewood
Participant
@davidlittlewood51847
I also do most of my drilling on a milling machine – as others say, the DRO makes it a far superior instrument. The only thing I now use my bench drill for is making holes in bits of wood. Avoids getting sawdust (some of which, especially oak, can be quite corrosive) all over the mill.

David
24 October 2011 at 18:28 #76796
NJH
Participant
@njh
Hi Wolfie

This has come up before and I advised then, if at all possible, to hang on to the drill. In time the original poster mailed me to say that he was very glad that he had followed this advice . Yes your mill will double as a drill but if there is any way that you can squeeze the two in, and you don’t need the cash, you will find many occasions when you will be glad to have the two together. There is a law which says that just when you have spent ages setting up a job accurately in the mill a sudden need to drill a hole in something else will occur! ( It could be a bit of your Mam’s stuff – and that WOULD need sorting quickly!)

Regards

Norman
24 October 2011 at 19:48 #76805
Hugh Gilhespie
Participant
@hughgilhespie56163
I agree with Rod on this. I did have a pillar drill but sold it to free up the space and now all drilling is done on the mill or in the lathe. Tapping as well, I normally drill and then tap without disturbing the set up. I do have a DRO on the mill and a separate quill readout – thanks to fleabay – and yes, the drilling to coordinates works just fine. Well, as long as you get the numbers right – don’t ask…..
I also always start with a spot drill and then drill in 2 or 3 size stages to try and get accurate holes. Can be a pain swapping drill bits all the time but time is something we usually have plenty of and it is soooo satisfying when two separately made bits fix together as intended just from drilling by numbers.
Regards, Hugh
24 October 2011 at 21:25 #76814
RJKflyer
Participant
@rjkflyer
I too dispensed with my (very cheap) pillar drill when i bought my mill, and have had nothing other than right sized holes in right places, so to speak, ever since…!

There have been times when drilling a block of wood in the mill seems a bit at odds with its purpose, but once again, it all lines up afterwards!
24 October 2011 at 21:26 #76815
NJH
Participant
@njh
Well Robin and Hugh

That sounds like you only do pukka metalwork type operations in your workshops – don’t you also get roped in with D-I -Y around the house, little projects for your local village hall / church / neighbour, repairs to household appliances, upgrades or modifications to club equipment etc,etc,etc? Holes that don’t require DRO type accuracy but are better carried out on a drill press rather than with a hand drill. If you can spend all your workshop time avoiding all the sundry other distractions I would be very pleased to know your secret!

Cheers

Norman

Edited By NJH on 24/10/2011 21:27:46
24 October 2011 at 22:37 #76822
_Paul_
Participant
@_paul_
I use my 1950’s Geo. Taylor Mill as a drill on the occasions I need a very accurate hole, it has no quill so it’s up and down with the knee to make your hole no great hardship though.

I also have an old Warco pillar drill which is used for the less accurate jobs which I wont part with it for the very reason Norman alludes to, there have been many times when having set up the mill for a run of something I have needed to drill holes in something else.

Keep both if you can.

Regards

Paul
25 October 2011 at 09:09 #76830
Doddy
Participant
@doddy
My two pence worth, as I don’t have room in my “wife’s garage” (well she thinks its hers!) for a pillar drill – everything is done on a small warco wm14

1. get a low height vice as head room with a drill chuck and large drill can get a bit tight, morse taper drills can be handy here.

2. a dremel or proxxon drill and stand will fit in a very small space and extra drill speed is useful for very small drills, also all the other usual dremel grind, polish, debur, etc.
25 October 2011 at 09:34 #76831
Ian S C
Participant
@iansc
When I bought my Rexon mill I was looking for a drill press, I was not into engineering at the time but wood turning. There was not really any drilling machines available at the time, the mill was within my budget. A few months later I gave up the wood turning, and started into engineering, making parts for vintage vehicles, and old machinery.

If the worst comes I can turn the head of the machine 90* to the left and suport long lengths on the floor (thats about the only advantage of the round pillar).

I do have another drill press, a blacksmiths wall mounted machine, converted to an electric motor, and a Jacobs Chuck. Ian S C
25 October 2011 at 09:39 #76832
Wolfie
Participant
@wolfie
Thanks for all the feedback. Would appear to be something you can do but some folk don’t do.

@David Dodwell. Funnily enough the Warco WM14 is probably going to be my choice of mill. Is it any good??
25 October 2011 at 18:43 #76856
Doddy
Participant
@doddy
great for a small workshop mill – made a few mods and checks

1. Imperial dial incriments where out but warco do have modified version which are accurate

2. After 2 years found one motor carbon brush worn right down, order some spares, also found motor runs much cooler with its cover removed

3. check wiring loom it can get trapped if you swing the head over

having used a Bridgeport miller at work I’m well pleased with the warco at home – its never going to be in the same league as a “proper” machine but for its size and price its been great

my best advice is get the best vice you can afford, it makes all the differance or clamp to the bed and use gib locks
25 October 2011 at 19:56 #76859
Wolfie
Participant
@wolfie
“1. Imperial dial incriments where out but warco do have modified version which are accurate”

Do you mean that their latest ones are ok?

And whats a gib lock
25 October 2011 at 20:49 #76863
Bogstandard
Participant
@bogstandard
Do make sure you get a “mill drill”, pure milling machines have no quill and so are unsuitable for drilling.

Wrong. Most vertical mills have a means of drilling, if it isn’t a quill feed, it will be some method of moving the head up/down easily. Hence the big handles on the side of most mills.

With regards to gib locks. You know you have gibs on most machine sliding axis, well a gib lock is usually a method of a handle or screw that locks or tightens up your gibs so that the axis is prevented from moving. So once you have found position for drilling your hole, tighten up the gib locks in both X & Y axis on the mill, and the part cannot move out of position as you drill.

Just a cautionary note.

About three years ago, I updated my workshop with a new lathe and mill, and got rid of my small bench drill as I thought I could do all my drilling on the mill.

After a couple of months, I got really fed up of using the mill for drilling, as sometimes you have work set up in the vice, or it is just too cumbersome to set everything up just to drill a hole square through something. A couple of months ago, I bought myself a new bench drill to replace the one I gave away when I had my great idea of using my mill to drill the odd hole.

If you have the space and can afford it, buy both.

John

Edited By Bogstandard on 25/10/2011 20:51:13
25 October 2011 at 23:02 #76876
Nobby
Participant
@nobby
Hi Wolfie & Guys
I dont know what drill you have . I was limited for space so I fitted a X&W table to my Kerry back geared drill and it great for drilling boring & milling . Regards Nobby
25 October 2011 at 23:04 #76877
Nobby
Participant
@nobby
PS

I still keep my Clarke drilling machine .Its still very useful
Nobby
27 October 2011 at 20:54 #76963
Peter G. Shaw
Participant
@peterg-shaw75338
If you can possibly do so, keep the drill – you will find it much easier than the milling machine, for one thing, it’s all ready set up whereas the milling machine may not be. Also, you may find that the drill is much quieter than the milling machine.

Regards,

Peter G. Shaw
27 October 2011 at 21:44 #76966
Steve Garnett
Participant
@stevegarnett62550
Norman, Nobby, Peter, Bogstandard et al have it the same way I do, and for the same reasons – keep the drill!
30 October 2011 at 16:23 #77066
Jon
Participant
@jon
Depends what stuff you want to do.

For me the only reason the drill would be used is inaccurately drilling large plates (visual marking and centre punching) that otherwise would require vice removal from the two mills. If the jobs to be drilled fit in the vices, great it gets used or room after the 8″ rotary table and 5″ vice whether clamped or not i will do that first.

Hence in 20 years i have never ever used the drill just taking up wanted room.

I very very rarely use the other mill but its there should the need arise and as a backup in production. Last time used was just over 4 years ago.

Also plan the work sequence no need to whip job out of mill then slap on table of drill, then back in mill and pick up on the holes- makes no sense.

Far quicker to use mill to drill even when whipping out collets in exchange for a drill chuck. Its far quieter as well on both mills (one is geared head) than the drill which is very noisy, no flex pin point accuracy and no need to mark/centre punch the job.
30 October 2011 at 17:33 #77069
Gone Away
Participant
@goneaway
Posted by Jon on 30/10/2011 16:23:14:

Far quicker to use mill to drill even when whipping out collets in exchange for a drill chuck.

Outfit a drill-chuck or two with parallel shanks and use them in the collet chuck. Even quicker.
3 November 2011 at 22:35 #77251
Jon
Participant
@jon
Slower Sid, one reason i hate them collet type chucks.

Gimmee a drawbar any day, undo 1/4 a turn, tap it, unscrew out it comes in less than 15 secs. Even quicker going R8.

By that time just about undone the collet chuck yet alone replaced the collet and nut.
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