Highlandman Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 I have been interested in getting some form of drill press for a little while now. I have looked on the web at several models from full size ones to mini modelling drills. Which one do I need? One of the tasks I would like to use it for is to produce signals from brass tube and etches and I would like to be able to drill accurate holes, down to 0.3mm, in brass tubing and etches. I have tried pin vices and have had various amounts of success, but I have to be extremely careful I do not twist the drill bit and break it. My exisiting mini drill and stand just has too much movement in it to be consistently accurate. So........................... i) Can I use a larger workshop drill press and buy a chuck adaptor for the smaller drill bits? ii) Should I purchase a smaller bench press such as those supplied by Proxxon or Axminster tools. A lot of the mini drill presses I have seen on the web are from China and have plastic gears in the drive chain rather than belt drive, they also seem to be hampered by speed control issues, with the cards not working at all or breaking down after a short while. In an ideal world I would love to go for a mini lathe and vertical mill set up but I simply do not have the funds for one of those. Any suggestions and experiences would be most helpful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Proxxon make a very good series, but how much do you want to spend? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalo Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 ...One of the tasks I would like to use it for is to produce signals from brass tube and etches and I would like to be able to drill accurate holes, down to 0.3mm, in brass tubing and etches. I have tried pin vices and have had various amounts of success, but I have to be extremely careful I do not twist the drill bit and break it. My exisiting mini drill and stand just has too much movement in it to be consistently accurate... Personally, I prefer to drill the smallest holes with a suitable pin chuck. There's still a danger of breaking small drills with any form of press as they will continue to turn when the drill snags. Just make sure you have the minimum length of drill exposed from the end of the chuck and use a very light touch, withdrawing the drill frequently to remove swarf. ...i) Can I use a larger workshop drill press and buy a chuck adaptor for the smaller drill bits?... Yes, use something like an eclipse 160. They also work very well as a hand chuck. ii) Should I purchase a smaller bench press such as those supplied by Proxxon or Axminster tools... You could, they are useful tools but might still need an adaptor for the smallest drills. The Axminster one is actually a Chinese made Sieg tool. Either way, machine tools are not the answer to breaking small bits. ...A lot of the mini drill presses I have seen on the web are from China and have plastic gears in the drive chain rather than belt drive, they also seem to be hampered by speed control issues, with the cards not working at all or breaking down after a short while... Do you really think plastic gears will be a problem with the size of drills you're talking about? Metal replacements and other spares are available for most Sieg tools from arceurotrade and others. Yes, you'll find people complaining about the plastic gears, but mostly they are just trying to too much with lightweight machines. As to the Sieg control cards, that used to be a problem but they now mostly fit improved versions or DC motors that have more reliable controllers. Some of the older models with less reliable cards are still on the market, though. Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted June 2, 2014 Author Share Posted June 2, 2014 JeffP, on 02 Jun 2014 - 17:07, said:Proxxon make a very good series, but how much do you want to spend? At the moment I am working with very limited funds. I was thinking in the region of £150 - £200 at the moment, but could be more if I leave it a little longer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 One thing to consider is the range of speeds that the drill can achieve. For very small drills (<1mm) you usually want speeds of >5k rpm for good, clean cutting. Sometimes the ideal speed is much higher (20k rpm or more). 'Normal size' drill presses can't achieve this sort of speed. Personally I have a £100 drill press that has the common 2-13mm chuck size for DIY and carpentry work and then I have a small vertical press stand for my proxxon multi-tool (dremel equivalent but better made), which I use for modelling and other small scale work. This has the advantage that I get two useful tools in one: can use the multi-tool freehand or as a mini drill press. I'd recommend this route over a dedicated mini-drill press. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenrithBeacon Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 I have one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHESTER-UK-D13-BENCH-MODEL-DRILL-PRESS-13MM-CAPACITY-HTO-81016H-/170861467720 Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 Also, the biggest killer of small drill bits is runout (where the bit is not concentric with the rotation) this means that one of the flutes is doing all the cutting and that there is a significant side load on the bit as it works. Normal 3-jaw key or keyless drill chucks are generally quite poor for this. They're fine for drills >1mm and in soft materials but if you want to do small holes in harder plastics or metals then you'll do better with a tool that uses good quality collets, such as the proxxon multi-tool here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Proxxon-Micromot-Professional-Dril-Grinder/dp/B000S6DISW This is what I use for drilling lots of <1mm holes in PCBs And I'd recommend this over a dremel, which has a flexible rubber front bearing mount. They do this to reduce noise and vibration but the upshot is that the whole spindle will flex about when there is any side load at all on it - this means broken bits. Higher quality makes keep the noise and vibration acceptable by using decent bearings and a metal housing. (I've no affiliation to proxxon, it's just what I happen to have! I do strongly recommend that particular tool, though. Can't comment on the rest of their range) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasp Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 If you want a drill press for model making only, I would heartily recommend the Proxxon TBM115 - get it with a Jacob's chuck as well. One reservation is that the speed is too high but a dimmer socket does the trick. The best price I found was Conrad with no carriage charge from Germany. I also have a large drill press for wood and general metal working. If you want that, then have a look at eg Screwfix (Code 13155) or Machine Mart. Most of the drill presses are now made in China, the final quality depending on the retailer and their respective quality standards Jim P Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfwit Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 In an ideal world I would love to go for a mini lathe and vertical mill set up but I simply do not have the funds for one of those. Any suggestions and experiences would be most helpful. At the moment I am working with very limited funds. I was thinking in the region of £150 - £200 at the moment, but could be more if I leave it a little longer. Unimat SL? These usually go for about £250 on Ebay, and easily convert from lathe to drill/mill by removing the headstock and mounting it on a column. On the downside you are buying secondhand machinery so you do need to be carefull, but they are very simple to maintain and spares are available. In drlll/mill mode you are limited to 20mm vertical travel (15mm if a return spring is fitted). The speed range is good, from 365 to 6000rpm, lower speeds are possible but require the use of a different motor bracket. There's a large range of accessories available as well, including dividing heads (usefull when making buffers!) and machine vices. Unimats tend to be addictive, I wouldn't be without mine! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 Many thanks to everyone who has replied. It's been most helpful. I've had my eye on the Proxxon range for some while but I must admit had not considered there mini-drill/grinders with a stand. At about £160 for the two it's within reach. My only concern is the single fixing point round the collar of the drill. Is this secure enough for the drill to remain accurate and not wander, is there any play in the ratchet system to lower the drill? I knew of the Unimat name especially the Unimat 1 but the other unit the SL and the Unimat 3 look like possibilities. I will keep looking and researching. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfwit Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 I knew of the Unimat name especially the Unimat 1 but the other unit the SL and the Unimat 3 look like possibilities. Ignore the Unimat 1, I've never had a play with one but from what I gather they're not much use, more toy than machine tool. The 3 is a good machine, but tend to go for £500 - £600. Some Unimat SL stuff on me blog, link in me sig. (Just got mine out to turn a couple of chimneys.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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