Drill press as a lathe

[Eshmiel]

NO, not a proper one and only for small items like tool handles and drawer knobs, honest!

But are they truly useable? I have a large floor standing drill press (Nova Voyager) that has plenty of power and a variable speed, electronically controlled, from 50 - 5,500 rpm. But is a gubbins to provide a vertical tool rest and a bearing steadying the chuck to prevent sideways forced on a workpiece undoing the morse taper a safe and effective thing?

At present I'm making quite a few tool handles; and I like to make my own knobs for boxes, drawers, cupboards and such. I have no room for a lathe so I've been carving handles & knobs, which takes time and never produces truly symmetrical items. I've use small rasps to make some very small knobs and that seems safe enough although I worry about the chuck falling out of the motor arbour.

Any advice, especially from those who've tried such a thing, is welcome.

 

[Amplidyne]

Before I had a lathe, I used to do this for knobs and so on in my inherited Walker Turner drill. It's 35 years ago or more, and so I've forgotten exactly how I set it up. I do remember it being awkward though.

 

[Katomi woodsmith]

I used one on my pillar drill… ruined the bearings as there is side ways pressure

 

[Stigmorgan]

The whole design of a drill press is for vertical pressure, the horizontal pressures you'll apply by using it as a lathe will quickly damage the bearings