THE DRILL PRESS
The Drill Press is mainly used for drilling holes in a workpiece. Mounted on a stand or a workbench, it has a set of handles (feed levers) radiating from a central hub that moves the spindle and chuck vertically. The table can be adjusted vertically.
The Pedestal Drill has several advantages over a hand-held drill:
• Less effort is required to apply the drill to the work piece. The action of the lever handle gives the operator the advantage of having considerable force available.
• The table allows a vise or clamp to be used to position and restrain work, making the operation much more secure.
• The fixed setup of the machine allows holes to be drilled accurately and consistently.
• Drill Presses are always equipped with more powerful motors compared to hand-held drills. This enables larger drill pieces to be used and also speeds up drilling with smaller pieces. It also permits higher drilling speeds.
On most Pedestal Drills the speed of the drill piece is changed by re-positioning a belt across a pulley arrangement inside the container called the drill head on the top of the machine. This allows for a choice of a wide range of drilling speeds.
The Pedestal Drill has several advantages over a hand-held drill:
• Less effort is required to apply the drill to the work piece. The action of the lever handle gives the operator the advantage of having considerable force available.
• The table allows a vise or clamp to be used to position and restrain work, making the operation much more secure.
• The fixed setup of the machine allows holes to be drilled accurately and consistently.
• Drill Presses are always equipped with more powerful motors compared to hand-held drills. This enables larger drill pieces to be used and also speeds up drilling with smaller pieces. It also permits higher drilling speeds.
On most Pedestal Drills the speed of the drill piece is changed by re-positioning a belt across a pulley arrangement inside the container called the drill head on the top of the machine. This allows for a choice of a wide range of drilling speeds.
MAIN PARTS OF THE DRILL PRESS
SPEED CHART
DRILL SIZE CHART
SAFETY PROCEDURES
- Wear safety glasses or goggles, or a face shield (with safety glasses or goggles).
- Select only drills that are sharp, in good condition and suitable for the job.
- Remove the chuck key from the drill before starting the machine.
- Before starting the machine, clamp work securely to the machine table. Attempting to hold the work under the drill with one hand can result in serious and painful injuries.
- Do not force the drill bit into the wood. Pushing too hard or quickly, can cause drills to break or splinter with the chance of serious injuries.
- If wood slips, never attempt to grab it with your hands. Turn off the drill and wait for it to stop spinning.
- Never reach between the drill bit and the round drill press column.
- When drilling round stock (dowel), use a V-block to hold the stock.
- Never let go of your wood part way through a cut.
- Always ensure that the machine has been switched off and came to a complete stop before you attempt to change drill bit or the speed belt
- If the drill sticks in the work, stop the motor and rotate the drill by hand to free it from the work.
- Always clear away chips and curls with a brush, not your hands.
AT ALL TIMES – IF IN DOUBT, SEE YOUR INSTRUCTOR