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I am trying to fabricate my spindle adapters and I need to drill a 5/8" hole in 1/8" steel. I tried to drill a pilot hole with my 3/8" varispeed drill but all it does is speed up an fry the drill bits. I am thinking about buying a drill press so i can get a lower speed and more accuracy and a new set of drills. What are you guys using to drill holes with? I seem to have seen a table of drill size vs rpm for cutting steel but can't find it now has anyone seen something like it?


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44836

I've got a small/cheap benchtop drill press & it does *OK* for most jobs. I set the speed for the slowest it will go & use oil when drilling steel. But the biggest one you can - it never fails that the part you need to drill is bigger than your drill press...

The larger the hole, the slower the speed needed (get your mind out of the gutter!), so make sure the drill press speed is adjustable and invest in some cutting oil. I've used the UniBit type of stepped drill bits before and really like using them on the drillpress.

My drillpress is at least 35 years old and built like a tank. Damn thing weighs at least 100 pounds! If it ever dies and I can't fix it, I'd certainly buy a replacement.

You may also want to invest in a drill bit sharpener. Sharp bits make a HUGE difference in cutting ability and speed.

Drill press is an indispensable tool - but do yourself a favour, and get a floor-mount (or convertible table mount) model. Doesn't really cost any more, and it never fails....if you can get 16" between the base and the chuck (less the length of the drill bit), you'll have to drill something 1" higher than you have room for. Get the floor model, you'll thank yourself down the road...

+1 for the Unibit. I have a set of three that I have used quite a bit and I get good results every time. I have that $30 HF drill press pictured above and it works OK. You can change the speed by moving the belt to different pully positions.

If you're drilling holes that large into steel - get something with power. 3/4 hp would be VERY good. 1/2 hp might do, but don't buy anything less.

G

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The Lethal Locost
The Lethal Locost 2 - Even More Lethalerer

If you can handle the $ there is a bench top all in one machining center that mills/drills and turns. Won't do big things but would sure be handy in the shop.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/C ... pricetype=

Yeah, I've been drooling over that for a while...I don't have the space, let alone the $ for it though.

I got the space just not the $, but SOME DAY.

If you get it, don't expect it to be ready to go right out of the box. Here's a link to what one guy did to get his ready for use:

http://bambam.gmu.edu/shop/page33.html

Looks like a lot of work, but now that he's got it upgraded it's better than new.

I used to be part owner of a Metal Fab shop. I found that, generaly, at the point your purchased tooling met or exceded the original cost of the machine you were about able to make parts. Murphy is always in the backgrouind.