Using a Drill Press as Metal Lathe

Using a Drill Press as Metal Lathe - Simple Life Hack

Рет қаралды 85,792

6 жыл бұрын

Using a drill press and my angle grinder, I turn down a decorative piece by hand. This is by no means accurate as far as machining is concerned, but it is handy if you need to make a piece fit or do something artsy, this is perfect.
This video is for entertainment purposes only and I do not endorse using your drill press as a lathe. In other words, the whole don't try this at home deal. I am not responsible for your actions.
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Пікірлер: 75

@bob505470 6 жыл бұрын

Just a word of warning to anyone who want to try this, most drill presses use a morse taper to hold in the chuck so with enough radial pressure it is very possible to loosen the taper and have the whole chuck fall out on you. Same reason you never want to use endmills in a drill press. Just somthing to keep in mind if anyone else wants to try somthing like this.

@MrAllan9 6 жыл бұрын

Morse tapers are designed for downward thrust only. My drill press was terrible for dropping out, thank god I had my South bend lathe.

@ChumX100 6 жыл бұрын

So, would a router table be more suited for the job? It's resistant to transverse force and one could use the table to support the cutter.

@AndrewReuter 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the heads up. Maybe a pseudo tailstock could help? Though I suppose lining it up dead center could be tough in a low-precision operation.

@thebeststooge 6 жыл бұрын

Spawny eyed wazzock Same here and luckily it has been when it was not on and spinning but after a stupid thing I did where I had too long of a rod (8mm) in it I was just trying to sand down a smidge it whipped my belly so hard and hit my wrist I am grateful it didn't wound me, break my bones, or kill me right there. Moral is I am now afraid that chuck will drop out while spinning and I have felt a taste of what that would be like but with a heavy chuck I would be hurt severely or killed if it happens. I only ever did the above once but the fear lasts a lifetime.

@evilcowboy 6 жыл бұрын

Yep Thats why if you are going to do this it is best to design or buy a lathe chuck and build the head stock and do away with the whole quill and chuck. One could use the spindle of the drill press if they refit it with radial load bearings. Honestly, the best way to use a drill press as a metal lathe would be to re-purpose something you either have or can get easily that spins true and was created on a lathe itself and use it for a head stock. Things that come to mind for me is transfer case parts, rear differential of a small car, some motorcycle parts etc etc. Then use the pulley system and motor of the drill press to power and transmit the energy. The pulley system allows you to control both RPM and torque of the head stock. Finally build a lathe bed from cheap angle iron (this simply contains the lathe's parts and gives you something to mount everything to). The tail stock and compound table can be made by using the head stock with the motor to turn anything you need for them that is round. Unfortunately due to metal being much harder to turn than wood or anything else a lot of rigidity and strength is needed so you have to make more parts than those who use a wood lathe. But you are 100% right trying to use the original spindle and quill can cause it to fall out upon repeated radial loads. This will lead to broken teeth or the loss of a body part. In short just don't do it without first re-configuring the drill press to be used as a lathe.

@tinytonymaloney7832 3 жыл бұрын

I did a similar thing to make a metal pin many years ago. Never had a pillar drill then, I had wedged my battery drill in the vice, used some velcro strip to hold the trigger in, it worked well. "Adaptive* was my middle name that day for sure. I didn't realise till afterwards when I was patting myself on the back for being so clever that the sparks had caught my big hank of wire wool alight below the vice on the lower bench shelf. All I could hear was a crackling sound. Luckily the wire wool was in a cut open plastic container and I was able to grab it quick and throw it out onto the drive. Never knew until then how flammable wire wool was. I keep it in a closed container now. Garage stunk of smoke for ages afterwards, missus kept asking about the smell, never ever confessed to almost burning the garage down that day 😵😵 The DIY shop was only 10 min drive up the road where I could have bought the correct bit as well 😂😂

@flytrapjohn 5 жыл бұрын

To get a more even grip on a Jacob's chuck. Tighten as usual, then use the key to tighten on the other holes in the chuck. It's surprising how much force can be added. It also centres better.

@Australia-ky7kx 6 жыл бұрын

Impressive new use of a drill press. Thanks for posting

@aros007z 5 жыл бұрын

Great video, keep em coming!

@AndrewReuter 6 жыл бұрын

Very cool! Thanks for the video!

@theironkiwi2948 6 жыл бұрын

And thank you for checking it out :)

@confushiarch3421 3 жыл бұрын

also if you buy an additional chuck you could mount that to the drillpress table to hold a piece for center drilling... with the shape you made that could work as a nozzle bit for connecting to a hose if you centre drill it... then you could tap it to screw into something... so yeah kind usable if somewhat inexact... alternativly i think you may be able to use a cordinate table to hold a lathe tool bit and work in that way

@rosenrusev6522 2 жыл бұрын

I have been using this method several times.Of course it is not like the lathe but for some purpose is pretty well.But now I need to to make something bigger.The detail is 20 mm diameter and the chuck is only 16mm.Some idea how to do it?

@keyproductions100 5 жыл бұрын

you don't need the grinder, just the disc, it will take a bit longer but you will gain maximum control, you could even use pieces of wood in a stack to lay the grinding disc on which will allow you to adjust the height of the cutting disc and will keep your cuts true and consistant

@myayokota3437 5 жыл бұрын

gran video lo aplicare en mi taladro gracias

@asfcharters1 3 жыл бұрын

Try using a good file to make it even and the wet and dry paper to polish it up to a mirror finish

@Keith_the_knife_freak 6 жыл бұрын

Nice work !! 👍👍👍

@quellenathanar 3 жыл бұрын

I purchased a 1/2 Flange Block Mounted Bearing a few years ago to try something like a DIY jerry-rigged lathe for cheap. You may have inspired me to figure out where I stored the thing. Dividing the load in half by using a fixtured bearing should mitigate the need to replace the chuck/morse for light metal turning anyway. /shrug...will see how it goes.

@RustyInventions-wz6ir 5 ай бұрын

Just found your channel and Subscribed. Very nice work

@mxrider2strokebraaap54 6 жыл бұрын

Cool idea and nice video:)

@danielboom26 6 жыл бұрын

Good job friend, greetings from Colombia

@bilbo_gamers6417 Жыл бұрын

Could you potentially put a center on the table of your drill press, drill a center hole in your workpiece, and then turn it or file it by hand like you would on a lathe?

@theboss4376 4 жыл бұрын

Have you tried files

@louisdellanno5801 6 жыл бұрын

That came out awesome, I'm going to try this.

@greasyfingerprints 6 жыл бұрын

You need somewhere to rest your arm. That will help keep the grinder straight and still.

@Felix-wi7nb 6 жыл бұрын

A guy named PostApocalypticGarage made a similar video where he also fixed the grinder to the drillprestable

@duminicad 5 жыл бұрын

The chuck wobbles quite a bit, try to address that, you also need a tail stock, a hole in a piece of steel plate that’s aligned with the chuck and a few drops of oil would help

@mountainviews5025 5 жыл бұрын

So so very funny seeing a guy in his garage doing metal work with his wife's jacket on thumbs up man you made my day

@temhaulgore3303 5 жыл бұрын

Mountain Views bro that’s a freakin nice coat where can i get one

@rosivo3142 3 жыл бұрын

@@noidontthinksolol this is pretty messed up man. open up your worldview and make space for peoples of difference to exist. geez, ouch.

@rosivo3142 3 жыл бұрын

@@noidontthinksolol i know you're trying to take a jab but yeah, actually. why are you being so mean?

@NearlyNativeNursery 6 жыл бұрын

cool.

@FalconFastest123 4 жыл бұрын

Now use this technique to make a full set of chess pieces and that video would get a ton of views!

@fredh6693 6 жыл бұрын

Very nice

@theironkiwi2948 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks fred!

@chandan7040 4 жыл бұрын

instead of angle grinder if you had used a clamp with a lathe bit held in place on the bed of the drill press I think you would have got very good results.

@paulplatosh2738 2 жыл бұрын

You could probably use the drill press table to clamp a tool rest, maybe another piece of solid stock to steady your hand

@ronwhittaker6317 3 ай бұрын

it would make a nice hand wheel handle

@thereve 5 жыл бұрын

Not bad but a bit dangerous I think, but clearly you're aware of it and have accepted the risk. Might be safer to buy an old wore out wood lathe for doing this for an affordable cost. Still not rigid like a proper metal lathe but can at least take some side loading.

@darylgardiner9820 6 жыл бұрын

Why not try that and turn it in to a key chain that would look awesome

@rhiannemoll3386 3 жыл бұрын

Cool.

@rolandkulet7302 2 жыл бұрын

ASSASSIN !!

@raysmith5371 5 жыл бұрын

Extremely dangerous wearing those baggy gloves around turning tools.

@stevelamperta865 4 жыл бұрын

Well just make sure you don't do this ! You would get hurt !

@michaelsimpson9779 8 ай бұрын

A small rare earth magnet on the drill press head will hold the chuck key, never again will it be anywhere else but right to hand....

@tonywatson987 6 жыл бұрын

Like Jim Garner says, raise the table so you have a solid rest for your arm.

@peroduanippa 4 жыл бұрын

I see you've got quite a bit of snowflakery comments on what I consider a good idea which is in it's early stages and can be modified by use maybe by use of a work rest or even some kind of infeed system, I have a nice big drill press but this gives me the idea to mount a power drill horizontally in something and refine the idea.