My drill press is junk

[44-henry]

This is another Mark V in the drill press mode. Jigsaw and bandsaw accessories on the back wall. The jigsaw can cut brass sheet easily and also can function as a die filer. The bandsaw is a 12" and I cut heavy maple stock blanks on it frequently.

 

[HighUintas]

Thanks for the tip! I've never heard of one of those.

 

[1BadDart]

I just picked up an older but like new Craftsman floor model and all cast iron. It came from an estate, the gentleman built and shot all kinds of rifles. I have an old Atlas that came out of the Louisville Slugger plant many, many years ago but it's too fast for anything over 1/4" or so in steel.

 

[doubleset]

I was actually considering trying to find one of those. Do you know of any place that sells them new? I don't believe I've ever seen one for sale in a store

My wife got me got me an eggbeater drill for Christmas a couple of years ago -- from the local Klingspor store. They had several in their used tools section, and mine was in fantastic shape. It cost her about $35. They don't advertise the used "vintage" hand tools, but they do have them in a case or two. You might call them and see what they have. I bet they'd ship it to you. Unfortunately, they don't have a lot of stores, but there are several in NC, and I thought there may be one in Seattle. Give one of them a call and see what they say. I've used that drill on my Crockett rifle innards a couple of times.

 

[Eutycus]

At least some of y'all have drill presses.

 

[HighUintas]

True. Now that I know a little more, I would have either found a quality old one for more money, or just bought a drilling jig like the one hatchet jack pictured.

 

[vintovka]

I have an early Taiwanese floor type drill press and a small mill-drill. Both are marked "Rong FU" to the delight of many who see them. Both are excellent. The runout in the Drill Press is negligible and has 12 speeds. The Mill Drill is great for high precision work.

 

[Dude]

There's a bunch of hand drills on ebay. Here's just one example:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/165478263052?hash=item268745e90c:g:rmoAAOSw0lRifA2s

 

[Tenring]

I guess you guys did not read his comment, He said a Drill Press is not going to happen any time soon that’s why he is going with a jig style.

 

[Rifleman1776]

My dp is a Grizzly and has given excellent service.

 

[bptactical]

A good tool makes your work easier. A poor tool let's your household hear words not formerly in their vocabulary.

You mean all these years I didn’t have Tourette’s Syndrome?

Well $h;t!

 

[SOLANCO]

Two good drill presses in my local Craigslist. Both under $300.

 

[springfield art]

I'd buy a new drill press at the home center. Better find an old quality one. I have never been interested in jigs for hand drills. I prefer multitaskers. I use a spike in the mill to make the holes meet in the middle. Most guys use a drill press. At any rate you really need a drill press to to quality work. I know some have work arounds, it is just not how I prefer to do things.

I go to a local general auction frequently, and they always seem to have tools. I'm looking for a chop saw, but always passed on drill presses because I need one so infrequently. (I'm not a gun builder.)

 

[springfield art]

You mean all these years I didn’t have Tourette’s Syndrome?

Well $h;t!

I went to a tech school way back when, I guess before they had drugs to control it. The "f's" and "s's" were so frequent from this one guy they started calling him 'buck-buck'. Weird.

 

[springfield art]

I would look around for a Shopsmith Mark V on your local adds, or Marketplace. I have one in my basement which converts in about a minute to a first class drill press. Gives you a precision spindle with a variable speed drive and a very large table that has a fence and miter track spots. The same machine with additional attatchments can operate as a jointer, bandsaw, wood lathe, table saw, spindle shaper, and a bunch of other functions. I use mine all the time and consider it to be an excellent machine when properly setup. Best thing is I see them all the time for $200-300 range around here, look for one with as many accessories as possible.The one in the photo below is typical and for sale currently in NJ for 300.

View attachment 142746

Looks like it would convert into a jet-ski! Interesting!

 

[vintovka]

One of the best presses for the $ is a Delta Rockwell DP-6. Mine was dated 1942 and still had precision accuracy. Sadly i had to sell it when we moved recently.

 

[HighUintas]

On my current press, I tightened up the spindle (or quill?) lock screw, or maybe it's an adjustment screw, that's right next to the press handles. It did tighten it up a bit, but the groove that's in the surface of the quill (or spindle) is not flat enough. So there would be some loose spots and tight spots when lowering the spindle. In the tight spots there would be no slop. In the loose spots, slop.

So... If I want to spend a bit of time on it, I might be able to flatten the groove surface in the spindle, polish it, and then I could tighten up that screw to reduce the slop and still have a smoothish spindle travel.

 

[HighUintas]

Even still, I think I'm going to get an egg beater hand drill or a jig for this build. Trying to balance and maneuver the rifle in my simple press vise to drill the lock internal bolt areas out was very clumsy and annoying.

 

[vintovka]

On good presses accuracy retention is built in the design to account for wear. A dial gage on the smooth part of a carefully chucked in drill shank will tell the tale. Any substantial runout is the killer. There is little point in trying to revive a cheap one other than parts replacement. The cost of latter (with horrible shipping costs) is usually cost IN effective and tends not to last too long. Best presses have precise depth controls. Cannot tell you about how many barrels seen have screws protruding into bore.

 

[vintovka]

Even still, I think I'm going to get an egg beater hand drill or a jig for this build. Trying to balance and maneuver the rifle in my simple press vise to drill the lock internal bolt areas out was very clumsy and annoying.

I have a custom made flat table that clamps into my X-Y vise. Simplifies everything.