Drill press advice?

[Chris ParsonsParticipant @chrisparsons64193]

My planned workshop is in the spare (bed)room of my apartment, on the first floor of a building.

Floor is wood supported on joists and I _am_ concerned about disturbing my neighbours but I have no choice – other than nothing at all!

I have no garden so a shed is not an option

I will look for the thread about this, I have thought about sound/vibration deadening pads etc, the room is at the back of the building but I will see if this becomes a problem, and what I can do about it (although my upstairs neighbours don't seem to worry about noise…)

I am not sure how much noise and vibration a (new) mini lathe makes – I am planning to buy a model with a brushless motor which is supposed to be quieter (Sieg SC4) and I will not be running it for extended periods of time late in the evenings?

Chris

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

> am not sure how much noise and vibration a (new) mini lathe makes

That's easy to answer – very little after a short running in period, except if you take interripted cuts of try to force a blunt tool!

Neil

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

If you have some interrupted cutting jobs or very heavy machining, join a local model engineering club that has its own workshop and use their facilities.

John

[NJHParticipant @njh]

" a local model engineering club that has its own workshop"

If only that were an option!

N

Edited By NJH on 21/03/2012 10:07:28

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

I initially purchased an imported machine and learned about what makes a good drilling machine the hard way. The machine I had was satisfactory for wood but the table flexed under heavier drilling. I then bought a Meddings MF4 this has a wide range of speeds from 80 – 4000rpm and a table that does not move (apart from up and down) Meddings philosophy is if you want an angle then use a fixture, a table that can be relied on to be square is a godsend. Unfortunately when the table clamp was loosened gravity did its best to take the table to the bottom of the pillar luckily ebay came to the rescue with a machine that was basically a right off but the rise and fall table was in good nick so i now have my ideal drilling machine Total outlay £225.

Mike

Ps I could pick up and carry the import but the Meddings is very heavy and can only be walked across the workshop if it needs to be moved.

Edited By Michael Poole on 21/03/2012 19:03:04

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

NJH,

Depends upon where you live, e.g., I am in Brighton. Brighton club has a Super 7, small mill, bench drill and an industrial size power hacksaw and a toolgrinder. Worthing club has an ML7, toolgrinder, floor type drill, tablesaw used for making track sleepers. I believe Chichester has a very comprehensive workshop including metal-casting facilities. Inland a bit, Beechurst (Haywards Heath) has a workshop and so I believe, Crawley. There ia always the SMEE, if you live in a reasonable travelling distance from South London. No doubt most clubs have some machinery.

John

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Well John you seem to be well catered for in the Brighton area. Not so down here in Devon. Sadly the useful facility of courses and college workshops is now long gone. We are also a pretty long way from everywhere here ( I'm not complaining about that I hasten to add!)

Regards

Norman

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