every shop needs a decent drill press

grumpyvette · Dec 28, 2008

EVERY SHOP needs a drill press, hydraulic press and a decent welder, I can,t imagine how you can work without basic tools,
Try to find a variable speed/adjustable speed and 3/4hp minimum, too-2 hp DRILL PRESS model with a built in adjustable vise ,and at least a 1/2" chuck ,if you can, locate one is a huge help in fabrication or repair jobs most garages.
a good USED American made drill press can usually be located at a good price looking thru the classifieds or craigs list.
A DRILL PRESS, and a decent welding machine IN A persons SHOP who is into the car hobby IS ALMOST 100% MANDATORY,
ITS far more useful than a hand held drill,
but even a good drill press is inferior to a good MILLING MACHINE
\

EVERY SHOP needs a drill press, hydraulic press and a decent welder, I can,t imagine how you can work without basic tools, now you don,t need the best one ever made but a decent floor mount drill press is a huge asset to any shop

http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-Spee ... ress/G7944

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Cross-S ... Vise/G1064

https://drillsandcutters.com/

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-...VCr3ACh2fzgbHEAQYBCABEgL9yfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
WATCH THE DRILL BIT VIDEO,s

yeah if you can swing the cost a decent MILL is even better

http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-Speed ... ress/G7946

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=4231&p=33023&hilit=milling#p33023

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=8340&p=28997&hilit=milling#p28997

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=993&p=10056&hilit=milling#p10056

FLOOR stand models tend to be better quality than the desk top versions simply because most desk top versions are designed for the hobby use sector while many stand alone versions are designed for shop use.
most of the 1/2hp and some of the 3/4 hp versions Ive inspected or used over the years are extremely cheaply made, and basically trash.
while its getting much harder to do, an AMERICAN MADE brand tends to be better made than those imported from china or india , etc. so look for local machine shops that might sell older equipment and while your in the market you might find a MILLING MACHINE at a good price

some drill presses allow the drill angle or table to be re-indexed to allow holes to be drilled at precise angles, but all drill presses require a good drill press vise to drill accurate holes

http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-Speed ... ress/G7946

READ THE LINKS THERES A WIDE VERITY IN QUALITY IN BITS
reading thru the sub linked info will help a great deal

http://store.curiousinventor.com/guides/drill_speed

http://its.fvtc.edu/MachShop1/coolant/cutfluids.htm

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=4714&p=12809&hilit=drill+sharpen#p12809

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200320247

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=1170

theres a tool that puts a professional quality re-sharpened tip on bits and yes even the best bits need to be touched up regularly to maintain a decent edge, and Id point out that hard metal must be drilled at low speed with constant flow of cutting & cooling oil

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=1170

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_jo ... 74536.html

http://www.nextag.com/drill-press/shop-html

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/ ... allpartial

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/ ... _200365433

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/16 ... oduct.html

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/ ... px?id=5415

http://grizzley.com/products/5-Speed-Be ... ress/G7945

grumpyvette · Feb 2, 2009

and a decent drill press vise

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-3-ANGLE-VISE-tilting-drill-press-vises-wood-metal_W0QQitemZ370097885714QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBI_Tool_Work_Holding?hash=item370097885714&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50#ebayphotohosting
if you can afford to buy one a MILL is a great shop tool addition

and every drill press need an adjustable vise, vises like this are cheap junk

http://www.grizzly.com/products/8-Preci ... ise/SB1217

the problem in my case has always been that I know how to do the work, how to use the tools and get half insane when I see the pathetic quality of work and the absurdly high cost a few machine shops charge you.
yes I could have spent the money I spent on tools and had several nice cars completed and been far ahead cost wise, but ordering parts and bolting them together or paying 5 times what the works worth, to get shoddy work quality back after waiting for far longer that it should take,makes me insane.
I saved for years to get a MILL and got one 5 years ago.
Ive constantly upgraded welders and Ive had several good drill presses for decades

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=9191&p=43136#p43136

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=993
http://www.google.com/products/catalog? ... sa=title#p

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PM ... 9&PMT4NO=0

http://www.wiltontools.com/us/manufactu ... egory=7215

Id point out theres three basic types of vises, your basic shop/bench vise that USUALLY will allow some HAMMERING AND TWISTING

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=97100

and a decent drill press vise, which is NOT designed for ABUSE

grumpyvette · Aug 20, 2011

Re: every shop needs a decent drill press OR MILL

I can hardly imagine not having a drill press with a decent drill press vise in any garage simply because of how frequently most projects require having holes drilled or minor fabrication. and without the drill press vise , holding the part your working on securely, your absolutely guaranteed to have some part jerked out of your hands while your drilling a hole.
combining fairly slow rpms and constant flow of cutting oil over the bit, contact area and moderate pressure are pretty much required on most metal drill jobs, leaning on the drill and spinning it as fast as you can are a sure recipe for a burn,busted, bent or dull drill bit
I recently helped a guy replace a defective door actuator and all he had was a hand drill, making what could have been a 3-5 minute prep job on one of the brackets , in a drill press with a good vise,take at least 30 minutes without one using a hand drill and making it far more difficult to do.
most of the cheap import drill presses are really rather crappy and use cheap castings and less than durable motors so don,t expect to find a dirt cheap drill press thats a quality machine tool
reading thru the sub linked info will help a great deal
http://store.curiousinventor.com/guides/drill_speed

there are functional drill presses available but these are NOT generally really precise tools, but they usually will work for the light duty use in your average home garage.
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsea ... rill+press

http://www.americanmachinetools.com/drill_press.htm

http://www.grizzly.com/products/6-High- ... ise/T10064

A GOOD MILL VISE
while I totally agree ,that cheap tools are rarely a bargain, in the long term, and think about the true cost of cheap tools the 6" version of that vise is close to $760, I just wish I had a job I could depend on, that made me enough
to make expenses and allowed a bit of cash flow for tools

http://www.tools-plus.com/wilton-11707.html

http://www.tools-plus.com/wilton-11707.html

http://www.grizzly.com/products/categor ... key=380000

A DRILL PRESS IS VERY LIMITED, in what it can do, WHILE A MILL HAS MORE OPTIONS, so depending on your checking balance and needs a MILL might be a better but far more expensive option for a few guys.the problem in my case has always been that I know how to do the work, how to use the tools and get half insane when I see the pathetic quality of work and the absurdly high cost a few machine shops charge you.
yes I could have spent the money I spent on tools and had several nice cars completed and been far ahead cost wise, but ordering parts and bolting them together or paying 5 times what the works worth, to get shoddy work quality back after waiting for far longer that it should take,makes me insane.

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=993&p=3565&hilit=mill#p3565

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=2198&p=8385&hilit=mill#p8385

http://www.grizzly.com/products/category.aspx?key=480

having a vise to firmly and solidly hold the work exactly where you need it to be is mandatory

http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-Speed ... ress/G7946
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Combo-Lathe-Mill/G9729

PARTS MUST BE KEPT CLEAN

MILL RELATED

A mill will easily cost you 7-12 times what a drill press will, but its also easily capable of doing FAR FAR MORE than a dill press can do, in fact a skilled MILL operator with access to a LATHE and the correct tooling for both machines and a WELDER can make about 80% of the common parts and tools and accessories youll use on a car, its a huge investment but it also allows you to do custom fabrication, and repairs man parts modification that most guys only dream about doing
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=4231&p=11177#p11177

grumpyvette · Dec 19, 2011

I was over at bobs house today for a few minutes, watching / helping with very minor repairs, and during the process he needed to drill a small hole in a component, ... hes only got a hand drill , not a drill press and a vise, and after watching him basically screw up a part trying to drill it by hand I donated an old HF , yard sale, well used $40 ,bench drill press I had,purchased several years ago before I bought my mill,

to him because its just pathetic seeing the easily avoidable damage, done to parts that trying to free hand drill can do to precision parts

really I worked without a drill press or a mill for years, but once you get decent tools and see how they help and make things easy its almost painful to watch guys struggle with what could be very easy with the correct tools, and guys they don,t always cost an arm & a leg Ive seen cheap, ($40-$80 used ) drill presses at estate and yard sales for decades

theres zero doubt that theres far better drill presses out there to be had,and are well worth the expense to save up for, in most shops, but even the cheap crap has some advantages in most cases, and don,t forget a good drill press vise, because without a decent vise you loose a great deal of the drill press potential accuracy

every drill press needs a decent vise

viewtopic.php?f=72&t=470&p=580&hilit=vise#p580

grumpyvette · Dec 27, 2011

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200365432

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... allpartial

http://www.grizzly.com/products/categor ... key=380000

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=4231&p=11181#p11181

northern tool and GRIZZLY have a year end clearance sale , not the best quality but hardly the high prices either and a wide selection. and every shop needs a decent drill press

grumpyvette · Aug 11, 2012

I just got a call from JACK, he was working on some part with his 1/2" drill and some how managed to get several stitches , trying to drill a component he was working on that he was holding with one hand and trying to drill with the other, from what he told me hes going to be ok, but hes really pissed off , at both not having the correct tool and his own stupidity trying to do something he knew was rather risky.
Its amazing how often I find it takes an accident or near accident, or a good deal of frustration using inferior tools, or trying to get things done without the correct tools, to get guys to cough up the cash for a decent tool
I talked with him a bit and convinced him he needs a decent full size drill press, and to start looking on CRAIGS LIST for a good brand ,used drill press in good condition or looking at varies manufacturers for something half way decent in a 1-2 hp full size drill press that he can bolt into his shop floor, with a 1/2" minimum chuck size and convinced him he will need a decent drill vise that will open to at least 6 "
I guess being a tool junky is not universal, when I see a tool, like a plazma cutter or a lathe I don,t currently own, I start looking for info and deals on used tools and bargains on newer tools, and researching as much as I can on what to look for and what to avoid , and read all I can, so I make a fairly informed choice if I get the chance to buy that type of tool, theres never a question about IF I want the tool, its just a question of when can I afford to acquire it! youll also find drilling bolt heads for safety wires useful at times
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=4306&p=11353&hilit=lock+wire#p11353

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/starter-tool-set.6032/#post-18696

http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-Spee ... ress/G7944

http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-Spee ... ress/G7948

grumpyvette · May 5, 2013

after youve owned and used a mill or drill press for a few years youll find the way you look at minor problems changes, I can,t believe any shop can function without a decent drill press, and or welder. , as an example, I recently had a installation issue where
I found that the alternator mount bracket holes, to mount that bracket no longer allowed the accessory to be mounted to the engine after the block and heads were milled, the change was minimal but the fact remained that the mount bolts would not thread into the holes because the spacing had changed.
a simple trip to the drill press and drilling out the mount holes to a larger diameter allowed the clearance required for the bracket to be mounted to the slightly changed bolt hole spacing.
I also had a rather complicated accessory bracket that was a real P.I.T.A. to mount because the bracket required you to loosely pre-assemble a bolt and nut assembly that held several related parts together that held a two piece bracket with a series of spacers, that required you to get access later,after you checked its proper bnelt alignment. to re- tighten the bolt in an almost totally non-accessible area once other parts were installed.the problem was that you could not get enough room to move a wrench or ratchet, and the spacers were loose and if they failed to stay lined up it became a bigger P.I.T.A. , I gave it some thought and drilled a few alignment holes and installed a few roll pins which maintained alignment but allowed some minimal movement greatly simplifying the assembly process.
both these problems were solved easily because of access to a drill press with a vise that allowed minor , but correctly placed machining to be done.
obviously having a drill press with a vise, the proper drill bits, assorted roll pins and an oil can for use when you cool the bits during the drill process helps
if you deal with safety wire and castle nuts and cotter pins youll find a drill press mandatory

http://www.grizzly.com/products/6-High-Precision-Milling-Vise/T10064

http://www.harborfreight.com/315-piece- ... 67682.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/115-piece- ... 47653.html

in some cases you might choose cotter pins
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=4733&p=12852&hilit=cotter#p12852
Its always a bit surprising, at least to me , that the cheap, and you might assume common tools, most of us take for granted can be hard to locate at times,and darn hard to find in a well made quality version, as it seems most guys opt for the least expensive option and don,t seem to want to pay for quality, in what many guys perceive as a throw away or disposable type, tool, I've owned one of those oil squirt cans you linked too(above) , and while it worked, and still works, its a bit too small, in capacity, to be all that useful ,in some cases in my opinion.
(I hate having to refill it more than once while using a mill or drill press)
I think the one below which cost me twice as much is the better bargain, but of course each of us must make his own call on that, but I use mine on the drill press and mill frequently.

the plews 50-347 I bought last year at that auto parts store, is still working fine so for the $15 I paid its been worth the price

https://www.tooltopia.com/plews_lubrimatic-50-347.aspx

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0MG-0023-00016
OH! in case your curious
I own TWO now , I bought a second one several month later, too use for cutting oil when I use the MILLING MACHINE or DRILL PRESS
as MMO, works buts its not ideal cutting oil for drill bits and end mills

http://www.amazon.com/CRC-SL2512-Solubl ... r+drilling

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/sources-for-auto-tools.217/

grumpyvette · Jul 9, 2014

I got asked how you calculate what gauge wire would be required to instal an outlet for a heavy duty drill press/ mill ,
http://www.grizzly.com/products/8-x-30- ... Mill/G0678
http://cdn0.grizzly.com/specsheets/g0678_ds.pdf
with built in coolant pump, that says it requires a 20 amp 220 volt circuit, the answer depends on the distance from the circuit breakers to some extent

well heres a link and some info that might help
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=5
http://www.csgnetwork.com/wiresizecalc.html

grumpyvette · Sep 7, 2014

Crusty66 said:
Got my 496 home and discovered the stamped steel covers hit the rocker mount nuts - I have roller tip, not full roller rockers.

Do you guys know which covers I can use that will still clear the alternator on the '66 but give a little more room for the rockers?

https://www.drilldoctor.com/compare-drill-bit-sharpeners

Will thick gaskets work? (I can get some 1/4" gaskets cut)

I have a set of Chevy performance covers too, but they are WAY too tall

the ability to fabricate a custom accessory mounting bracket to get the required clearance to mount some performance parts, like tall valve covers various performance intake manifolds, or headers, is one of the skills most of us are forced to learn early in this hobby, you'll hardly be the first guy to mount an alternator in a non-stock location to clean up an engine bay or make adjusting valves far less time consuming, or difficult.
youll learn early that you either resign yourself to be VERY limited too whats available over the counter, that fits your particular application without modifying anything or open a huge new world by thinking thru your options and learning to modify and fabricate anything you need to custom fit your needs,
why not fabricate a new alternator bracket , to relocate the alternator to either a new location or swing it out of the way and add a longer fan belt to swing it further out and use the taller valve covers you already own?

maybe its just because I own several welders and a MILLING MACHINE, and a drill press and refuse to let minor interference issues on brackets dictate what and where I mount accessories but if I owned a set of cast tall valve covers I would sure just fabricate a new alternator mounting bracket
IF you don,t have the tools perhaps a friend does?
honestly I don,t see how anyone stays in this hobby without a decent welder and at least a drill press.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-Speed ... ress/G7946

Grumpy · Apr 27, 2015

I had a recent discussion with FRANK, as he needs a drill press in his garage , hes been using a cheap bench mount $50 yard sale drill press for several years but it just crapped out, and it never worked that well, so he started looking around and got severe sticker shock , when he checked prices at a local tool supply, vendor where all the decent drill presses cost north of $700-$800 when he tried to find a 3/4 hp 12 speed drill press, and a drill press vise. now the first question I ask him was why do you need 12 speeds , 5-6 speeds are generally all thats required and while I would also suggest a full floor model rather than a bench top and obviously a 3/4 hp has advantages over a 1/2 hp version, he won,t be using it for huge jobs, but generally to drill semi-precise holes for a good adjustable drill table vise would be a great accessory.
yes I went off the deep end and bought a MILL when I needed a drill press as I saw and still see the need in my shop, but as frank stated, its a tool you don,t use every day but its darn handy to have when you need it!
now Im not all that impressed with most of the imported machine tool stuff but theres a place for it

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Angle-Vise/D2933

http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-Speed-Floor-Radial-Drill-Press/G7946

YES YOU CAN GET A 3/4HP 12 speed version
http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-Speed-Heavy-Duty-14-Floor-Drill-Press/G7944

http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-Speed-17-Floor-Drill-Press/G7947

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/sources-for-auto-tools.217/#post-70642

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...me-repair-when-parts-are-not-available.11371/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/vintage-302-chevy.12071/page-5

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/wheel-studs-and-replacement.4414/#post-55060

if you can afford to buy one a MILL is a great shop tool addition

Grumpy · May 30, 2015

I went over to BOB's home and we needed to do some minor repair that would have taken about 5 minute with a decent drill press with a good adjustable angle drill press vise, he only owns a portable 3/8" chuck $29 DRILL so it required a quick trip back to my shop rather than chance screwing up the repair free handing the drilling procedure and that got me thinking...I wonder how many of you gentlemen own a drill press and vise of any type??

Indycars · May 30, 2015

After looking over the thread, it could easily appear as thou you look down on those the don't have the drill press and vise. All I have is a free bench top drill press and many times it's floor top three speed drill press. Now it obvious to me that it's NOT your thinking, but it can look that way sometimes!

Just want everyone to know it's OK if you don't have every tools !!!

grumpyvette · May 31, 2015

yeah ! good point if thats the way it seems, I never meant to give that impression,or considered that might be the way it was perceived, the idea of the thread, was only to point out the very clear advantages of owning a decent drill press and having an adjustable vise handy.
my larger machine tools and welders don,t get used daily but they get used rather frequently and looking back to the times before I owned them, I see I wasted so much time and screwed up plenty of projects or needed to pay to have work done or corrected, once I screwed it up.
as most of us are on very limited budgets I can see the reluctance to spend cash on tools when many guys are thinking that a new intake manifold, carb or headers that might cost a similar amount might be of more benefit, yet over the years Ive almost never found I regretted any quality tool purchases , and yes that tool addiction,is probably a strong contributing factor in my not accumulating speed parts for my cars at nearly the rate Id like too ,because like most of you gentlemen I'm on a very limited budget

Indycars · May 31, 2015

I know you didn't mean for to sound that way and I wanted to make sure others,
especially the new members know it also.

every shop needs a decent drill press

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