drill bits & drilling

[SteadyRed]

So far I have managed with a selection of small diameter drills & either an Archimedes type drill or various pin vices.

The above are fine for putting new holes into etchings or drilling small holes in castings, but I am finding I need to drill holes in castings say buffer stocks, for example the above tools are are not up to the job as the holes are relatively large & need to be precise.

I don't have a permanent work bench so a small pillar drill is not an option, although I know it would be the best solution.

Anyone have any suggestions?

PS I am working in 7mm

Thanks


Dave

 

[Dog Star]

Heather (@Heather Kay) recommended a Proxxon bench drill, we took her advice and bought the TBM220.

* The footprint is about 6" x 9";
* The 3-jaw chuck takes a 4mm drill (part number 28122 I think);
* The base of the stand has T-slots for a machine vice.

OK the price looks rather strong when compared to Chinese imports... suffice to say that ours gets used whenever we want to drill sub 1mm.

 

[Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen]

Heather (@Heather Kay) recommended a Proxxon bench drill, we took her advice and bought the TBM220.

* The footprint is about 6" x 9";
* The 3-jaw chuck takes a 4mm drill (part number 28122 I think);
* The base of the stand has T-slots for a machine vice.

OK the price looks rather strong when compared to Chinese imports... suffice to say that ours gets used whenever we want to drill sub 1mm.

I completely agree with Graham on this recommendation.
Tim

 

[OzzyO]

Hello Dave,

depending on what you want to drill and have no workshop, you have to adapt. When I'm drilling buffer bodies I solder them on a length of 1/16" X 1/4" brass like this and drill them in the pillar drill.


OK I know that you don't have the room for a pillar drill, so why not mount them on a bit of 1/16" X 3/4" brass and come in from the front and mount them in the vice with the body facing you (not the top like you would with a pillar drill). You could use one of these, but you would have to use a stop on the drill bit to stop it from pulling into the buffer body.


The plus? side is it can be used for D.I.Y. as well.

OzzyO.

 

[mickoo]

Proxxon TBM220 here as well

 

[oldravendale]

Proxxon TBM220 - one of my very best buys, in use all the time (when I have an operating workshop) and takes up minimal space. It may seem expensive, but pays for itself very quickly in reduction of frustration.

Also, Ozzy - thanks for a very handy tip. Holding buffers straight and true in a machine vice can be a pain.

B

 

[Stirling O]

Its a Proxxon TBM220 for me too. I've had mine for about 5 years now and have no complaints about it at all. I'd recommend anyone to buy one - you won't be disappointed.

Dave

 

[Steph Dale]

Dave,
While I rate (and use) a Proxxon it might be that you're looking at hand-held devices. I use a Dremel, the trick to making it more accurate to use with small drills is to use the collet set in the dedicated flexible drive. The drill can then be suspended above your work bench. This takes the weight off the drill bit, reducing the chance of jamming and breakage.
But, if you can find space under/on the bench for that little Proxxon pillar drill you won't be disappointed.
Steph

 

[SteadyRed]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, I was thinking maybe a drill with a flexible shaft, such as the Dremel may take less space on my make shift work bench, but having read the comments about the Proxxon & it is not too large/heavy, I think that is the direction to go & I need to make space for it.

The suggestion from @OzzyO is fantastic, I would never have thought about soldering smaller items onto a solid base before working on them.

Having looked round Axminister Tools seem to offer the best value on the Proxxon TBM220, plus 3 jaw chuck & the little Proxxon machine vice.

Dave

 

[Dog Star]

... having read the comments about the Proxxon ... I think that is the direction to go....

I think that you shall not regret this decision.

Having looked round Axminister Tools seem to offer the best value on the Proxxon TBM220, plus 3 jaw chuck & the little Proxxon machine vice.

That is what we found when looking around last autumn. Make sure that you have the means to secure the vice to the drill base.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Dave

Like you I'm short of space and I ended up buying the Proxxon Drill FBS240E, Pillar drill stand MB140S and the little machine vice MS4 as part of an offer from a local independent hardware shop.

This satisfies my requirements for drilling small parts and has the advantage it can be taken apart and packed in it's box when not in use.

 

[adrian]

Hi,

I appreciate that your original posting stated that a pillar drill was not an option but a lot of responses have stated an Proxxon bench drill being the best option. So I thought I'd chuck in my 2 penn'orth. Just be aware that if the best route is actually a bench drill then the Proxxon is not the only option. Many years ago I bought a Jones and Shipman pillar drill, it's an absolute solid bit of kit, the main frame is solid cast iron, it runs fast and true and takes all sorts of abuse.

There is a secondhand item on ebay just like the one I have at the moment at £20 in Surrey (if that's local).
VINTAGE J & S (JONES & SHIPMAN) PILLAR DRILL - WORKING / BENCH MOUNTED

To me this is an absolute bargain that would last a lifetime, Although heads up there is only 18hrs left on the bidding as I post this. If it was local to me I would snap it up without question.

The other place to look is
http://www.homeworkshop.org.uk

 

[pakpaul]

My Proxxon drill is very much a predecessor of the current model, and is now about 20 years old, and has always been in regular use.



Its on its third drive belt, and is used for most holes under 3mm diameter. The good state of the base is due to trying, and succeeding most of the time, to keep the drill over the hole in the base and either using the vice, a finger plate or a piece of MDF or similar over the hole to place the component for drilling.

For its first four years it was kept and used in an un-airconditioned garage in Jakarta - high humidity and temperature between 25 and 35 centigrade, and since then in Perth Australia in a shed with a temperature range of 5 to 50+ centigrade, but usually without high humidity.

That it still works as new despite these storage and operating conditions says much for its quality. Other mains voltage proxxon equipment, a circular wood saw and a disc sander of the same vintage still work as new, but the 12 volt hand held drills did not manage to keep going for more than about 6 years.

Paul

 

[Hobbyhorse]

One purchase that I've never regretted is the servo drill press, yes it's expensive and for the work I've done on it's the best.
Standard Drill Press

Simon

 

[simond]

I know it's a while since the OP but I'd add another qualified vote for the Proxxon TBM220 - I've had one for years.

I also have the Proxxon hand drill, with flexi drive, which I consider to be better quality than the equivalent Dremel (although the Dremel I had was a good while back) - this seems to be the latest version - Proxxon FBS 240/E Multitool, 110/P Flexi-Shaft & UHZ Holder - PACKAGE DEAL

The only reason for the qualified vote is that I've had occasional regrets that I hadn't splashed a little more & bought the mini-miller MF70

and a vote of thanks to Adrian for the link to homeworkshop.org.uk - useful!

Best
Simon

 

[Dog Star]

The only reason for the qualified vote is that I've had occasional regrets that I hadn't splashed a little more & bought the mini-miller MF70.

Likewise.

We did not buy the MF70 because that machine has a smaller chuck capacity than the TBM220. So we added the X-Y table to our TBM, bought the machine vice to bolt on the table. Peter has been using the TBM for milling of shapes from sheet and got good results.

 

[Rob Pulham]

Another vote for the TBM120, I got one for Christmas and have recently invested in the X-Y table. I haven't tried milling anything yet in fact I was planning on seraching this morning for Jim G's pointers on where to get small milling cutters

That said I am impressed with it as a drill.

 

[simond]

The difficulty with milling on the TBM 220 is that there is no "slow" feed on the quill. It can be overcome, but it's less than ideal.

It's a damn good drill.

Milling cutters - ebay - lots available.

Best
Simon

 

[Ian G]

I have been looking at this
Mini Precision Milling Machine Worktable Multifunction Drill Vise Fixture Working Table

And small drill sets a 1/3 of most retailers

20pcs 0.3-1.6mm Micro HSS Twist Drill Bits Set Straight Shank

Ian G

 

[simond]

Ian

The Proxxon table is 210 x 70mm which is a bit smaller than the one in your link. If it's good quality (reasonably snug slides with no wobble, minimal backlash in the leadscrews) it looks like a good buy.

The drill set is similar to, but much cheaper than the usual retail item.

I bought something similar to this last autumn. They seem OK, but don't drop the box... 150Pcs 0.4mm-3.2mm Mini Micro Power Twist Drill Bit Set Mini Small Precision HSS | eBay

Best
Simon