Fox Drill Press and Wood Boring Bits problem

[segovia]

Hi

I have a Fox Drill press model 911 and I just bought some Irwin Blue groove wood drill bits which I am using to bore a 25mm hole in 1 1/4 beech. The drill bit locks up very easily, I can only assume the belt drive is slipping when it locks . I have to apply pressure very very gently, too gently in my opinion. It takes quite a while to drill a 25mm hole.

Is this the right combination of drill and drill press, could the speed be a factor ?

Also when I hold the chuck there is a very slight lateral movement against what think must be the bearing, should there be any play like this in a drill press. ?

Thanks

John

 

[RogerS]

I wouldn't use a drill press for something like this for the very reasons that you've found. There is a tremendous amount of torque required because you are basically screwing the bit into the wood. For this I always go for a battery drill with a decent amount of torque and with variable speed so that i can drill nice and slowly.

Having said that, maybe a nice very large chunky 'green' drill press might be man enough?

A lot of cheap drills have play in the quill when it's pulled downwards to drill something. I only discovered that recently in my own 'cheapie' and a better drill is on my buyibg TUIT list.

 

[segovia]

Hi

Thanks, the FOX wasn't that expensive but the spec was higher than your entry level drill. Its a 500w motor with 3/4 HP which I was hoping would be more than enough for my needs. Maybe I was wrong ?

 

[OLD]

Check you are drilling at the correct speed.
http://www.raygirling.com/dpspeed.htm
Pillar drills speed is adjusted by moving the belts on the pulleys

 

[OPJ]

I think these bits are quite similar to the auger-style Wood Beavers I used on my workbench over the summer... If so then, I wouldn't recommend them for use in a pillar drill as they are ferocious! :twisted: Take Roger's advice and use a hand-held drill. A mains-powered one should work, as long as you keep both hands on the tool at all times!! :shock: :wink:

 

[segovia]

The drill speed chart is fantastic, many thanks

What category would you put the Irwin boring bits in ?

Or does that fact that they are not listed suggest they are not appropriate ?

John

 

[OPJ]

Just so we're clear, John, are these the bits you are using?

This is what I had in mind, anyway... I'd class them as 'augers' and, as I said before, I wouldn't try to use them in a pillar drill. :?

 

[segovia]

Hi Opj

Yes these are the drills, I did take the advice of the shop I bought them from who said they could be used in a pillar drill.

They are long established chandlers with traditional values so I trusted their opinion.

John

 

[segovia]

I'll try them out in my hand drill tomorrow, seems a pity I have £150.00 quids worth of hi tech machinery and I have to resort to a hand drill. However if it does the job I'll be happy.

I had the same problem with a forstner bit, do you think that is not the right tool for 1 3/4 material?


J

 

[Boz62]

I've got a smaller pillar drill than you, only 180W and also failed with a Forstner in beech. A sawtooth cutter will just about work, taken slowly. Flat bits will work as well, with the speed kept high, and fed gently. All these large bits need a bit of trail and error, some work better in some situations than in others.

Boz

 

[Keenedge]

Isaac Lord do the Famag 1622 range of wave toothed? Forstners, I'd add a picture but don't know how. Will definitely do 1 1/2" Beech

 

[ivan]

Any bit with a screw to draw it in is a no-no in a drill press. You could always grind it into a plain spur....

Most inexpensive drill presses have only one bearing supporting the chuck - the other (splined for drive) end wiggles a bit. It's often worth paying a few quid to get the parts machined to take a second bearing, if you can find a small local engineering firm.

 

[jimi43]

I would only use those type of bits in a brace or high torque battery drill.

They have to be really slowly fed.

A single Forstner bit is what I use for 25mm

They make perfect holes and if you put a piece of scrap underneath and clamp it down there is no tear-out below either.

Jim

 

[Chris Knight]

File the threads off the screw leaving just a point and just use the drill press to exert the necessary down force on the work - this will prevent the bit trying to go too fast into the wood.