Drill Press Runout - FRETS.NET2024-03-29T08:38:22Zhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/forum/topics/drill-press-runout?commentId=2177249%3AComment%3A107267&feed=yes&xn_auth=noGreat advice...thanks! I'll t…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-04-22:2177249:Comment:1075622013-04-22T01:43:29.656ZRobbie Collinshttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RobbieCollins
<p>Great advice...thanks! I'll try looking for the book and trying these suggestions.</p>
<p>Great advice...thanks! I'll try looking for the book and trying these suggestions.</p> One last thing which might he…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-04-21:2177249:Comment:1075522013-04-21T15:04:46.880ZSteve Bettesworthhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/SteveBettesworth
<p>One last thing which might help is something I was taught to do as an apprentice fitter/turner some 30 odd years ago.. When the chuck is placed in to the taper, place a stout piece of scrap timber on the bed and bring the chuck firmly down on to it 2 or 3 times. This will ensure that the male and female tapers are well in.</p>
<p>One or two people have suggested tightening all 3 holes in the chuck. IMO this will have no effect as the Jacobs type chuck is designed to be self-centring. </p>
<p>One last thing which might help is something I was taught to do as an apprentice fitter/turner some 30 odd years ago.. When the chuck is placed in to the taper, place a stout piece of scrap timber on the bed and bring the chuck firmly down on to it 2 or 3 times. This will ensure that the male and female tapers are well in.</p>
<p>One or two people have suggested tightening all 3 holes in the chuck. IMO this will have no effect as the Jacobs type chuck is designed to be self-centring. </p> Thanks for all the replies gu…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-04-20:2177249:Comment:1077422013-04-20T18:31:06.571ZLarry Schultzhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/LarrySchultz
Thanks for all the replies guys. Glad to see I'm not the only one with problems with drill presses.<br />
Robbie: you're not the only one who tries to save a buck wherever possible. While wandering through my local Goodwill thrift store I came across a book "Using the Drill Press" (by Nick Engler, 1995, Bookworks Inc.) that had an entire chapter on setup and "achieving zero run-out". Paid $1.50 for it. Using it, I started disassembling the press, starting with the chuck and the taper. I found some…
Thanks for all the replies guys. Glad to see I'm not the only one with problems with drill presses.<br />
Robbie: you're not the only one who tries to save a buck wherever possible. While wandering through my local Goodwill thrift store I came across a book "Using the Drill Press" (by Nick Engler, 1995, Bookworks Inc.) that had an entire chapter on setup and "achieving zero run-out". Paid $1.50 for it. Using it, I started disassembling the press, starting with the chuck and the taper. I found some shipping grease inside the quill and on the taper which I cleaned up, made sure the chuck was clean and installed properly, that the bearings inside the quill were in good shape (they were), and then put it all back together. At that point runout measured .002, or about half of what it had been, but following another tip in the book, I lightly tapped the high side of the chuck with a small hammer and got the runout down to less than .001, which is about as perfect as it's going to go. The book also had a nifty method of removing the taper from the quill using 2 hardwood wedges that fit over the taper and are squeezed together with a large C-clamp. Popped right out. Check your local library, I'll bet they got a similar book.<br />
If you're experiencing the drill bit wandering, make sure you spin the bit as you hand tighten the chuck, and make sure you're doing the final tightening using the key in all 3 holes. I've also found that using a starter hole, using an awl or small center punch, will help prevent the bit from wandering excessively. Thanks, Eric. I'll check that…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-04-20:2177249:Comment:1075462013-04-20T05:14:14.804ZRobbie Collinshttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RobbieCollins
<p>Thanks, Eric. I'll check that if I can figure out how to get the chuck off. Maybe heat it with my propane torch?</p>
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<p>Steve...good advice. I usually (but not always) check my guide for proper speed. Feed rate is suspect since I'm naturally impatient.</p>
<p>Thanks, Eric. I'll check that if I can figure out how to get the chuck off. Maybe heat it with my propane torch?</p>
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<p>Steve...good advice. I usually (but not always) check my guide for proper speed. Feed rate is suspect since I'm naturally impatient.</p> If the bit is wandering when…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-04-19:2177249:Comment:1076432013-04-19T21:32:24.143ZSteve Bettesworthhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/SteveBettesworth
<p>If the bit is wandering when pressure is applied I would look at the speed at which the drill is running and the speed of the feed. Errors with either will give the problems you describe. </p>
<p>If the bit is wandering when pressure is applied I would look at the speed at which the drill is running and the speed of the feed. Errors with either will give the problems you describe. </p> Robbie, you may also want to…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-04-19:2177249:Comment:1077362013-04-19T21:12:11.194ZEric Higginshttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/EricHiggins
<p>Robbie, you may also want to ensure there aren't any little burrs, chips, etc. up inside the shaft where you insert the chuck. As you apply force the inside surfaces may not have good contact, allowing the chuck to move as you pull on the handle to apply force. Just a thought.</p>
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<p>Robbie, you may also want to ensure there aren't any little burrs, chips, etc. up inside the shaft where you insert the chuck. As you apply force the inside surfaces may not have good contact, allowing the chuck to move as you pull on the handle to apply force. Just a thought.</p>
<p></p> I'm having the same problem w…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-04-19:2177249:Comment:1075362013-04-19T17:23:33.579ZRobbie Collinshttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RobbieCollins
I'm having the same problem with my inexpensive Tradesman drill press. Not only is the runout excessive but the bit deflects and wanders as pressure is brought to bear. I'm guessing I need not only a new chuck but new bearings.<br />
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I'm forever plagued by problems I create by excessive cost minimization (i.e., being a cheapskate). This on top of my Delta SM500 bench sander fiasco.
I'm having the same problem with my inexpensive Tradesman drill press. Not only is the runout excessive but the bit deflects and wanders as pressure is brought to bear. I'm guessing I need not only a new chuck but new bearings.<br />
<br />
I'm forever plagued by problems I create by excessive cost minimization (i.e., being a cheapskate). This on top of my Delta SM500 bench sander fiasco. A drill press is NOT a precis…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-04-13:2177249:Comment:1072672013-04-13T15:56:54.362ZSteve Bettesworthhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/SteveBettesworth
<p>A drill press is NOT a precision instrument, as mentioned previously 2 thou off centre is more than acceptable. While the spindle maybe very true, manufactures tend to stint on the bearings. Additionally there is the fit between the quill and the housing; the female taper; the taper of the chuck etc.. Then you have the chuck all of which can cause the drill to run out of true.</p>
<p>IMO a press with a bit in the chuck and running out .between 3 or 4 thou would be normal . Only if…</p>
<p>A drill press is NOT a precision instrument, as mentioned previously 2 thou off centre is more than acceptable. While the spindle maybe very true, manufactures tend to stint on the bearings. Additionally there is the fit between the quill and the housing; the female taper; the taper of the chuck etc.. Then you have the chuck all of which can cause the drill to run out of true.</p>
<p>IMO a press with a bit in the chuck and running out .between 3 or 4 thou would be normal . Only if you intend to spend serious money could you expect better tolerances.</p>
<p>Even if you had the world’s most perfect drill press with no play at all you have the bit itself. The cutting edges of which may cause the hole not to be where you’d want it to be. If you want precision use a boring machine. </p> Wow guys! Thanks for all the…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-04-13:2177249:Comment:1074792013-04-13T15:33:08.210ZLarry Schultzhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/LarrySchultz
<p>Wow guys! Thanks for all the input. Gave me several options I hadn't considered, although I'm starting to think it may be the chuck itself, which is easily replaced, but I'll look into the spindle also.</p>
<p>Rusty: Jet is a fairly well-regarded machine here in the US, looks identical to the Delta drill presses and since they're all made in China now, about the same quality (for better or worse). I've got several other Jet machine tools and have been satisfied with their performance. …</p>
<p>Wow guys! Thanks for all the input. Gave me several options I hadn't considered, although I'm starting to think it may be the chuck itself, which is easily replaced, but I'll look into the spindle also.</p>
<p>Rusty: Jet is a fairly well-regarded machine here in the US, looks identical to the Delta drill presses and since they're all made in China now, about the same quality (for better or worse). I've got several other Jet machine tools and have been satisfied with their performance. Probably not professional/industrial quality, but good enough for what I need.</p>
<p>Frank: yes it's a #2 Morris taper chuck. I'll use my dial indicator to see if that may be the problem, but I've also considered locating the high spot and trying to wack it back to center. Maybe I need a bigger hammer.</p>
<p>Eric: thanks for the story and photos. I hope I don't have to go to that length, but I got this machine at such a good price I can afford to buy some replacement parts if needed</p>
<p>I'll let you guys know how it turns out once I get it fixed. Unfortunately we've got Emerald Ash-Borer here so I'm going to be spending the next week or so taking down about a dozen big white ashes in my woods so I can replant this spring (if it ever gets here). Does anyone have any experience using white ash for guitar necks? It makes great baseball bats (and firewood)!</p>
<p>Larry</p> Larry,
I had the exact same p…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-04-13:2177249:Comment:1074682013-04-13T03:42:32.286ZEric Higginshttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/EricHiggins
<p>Larry,</p>
<p>I had the exact same problem with a floor standing Craftsman drill press. I had the service guy out and he replaced two chucks, and neither helped. Like Russell mentioned, you've got multiple parts to the head.of the machine that could be the culprit. The Sears guy also replaced the drive pulley with multiple sheaves....basically everything that was easily accessible. He didn't replace the cone-shaped pulley adapter, the splined arbor (driveshaft) or bearings inside the…</p>
<p>Larry,</p>
<p>I had the exact same problem with a floor standing Craftsman drill press. I had the service guy out and he replaced two chucks, and neither helped. Like Russell mentioned, you've got multiple parts to the head.of the machine that could be the culprit. The Sears guy also replaced the drive pulley with multiple sheaves....basically everything that was easily accessible. He didn't replace the cone-shaped pulley adapter, the splined arbor (driveshaft) or bearings inside the head. I ended up getting a replacement drill press, but Sears let me keep the old one for spare parts. I ordered the splined arbor and cone-shaped pulley adapter, tore the whole thing back apart and rebuilt it. I can't tell you which part was bad, but it had to be either the arbor/drive shaft, or the cone-shaped adapter. I did not replace the bearings, but they weren't very old. You probably have two or three sets of bearings. One up top where your belt/pulley is located. It will be visible once you remove the pulley. There will also be one or two more inside the head above the chuck. These are probably held in place by snap rings, and a little harder to access because you'll have to remove everything else to get to the darn things.. Most of these inexpensive drill presses are a variation of the same thing, but if you know the model number, you can probably find a user's or maintenance manual on-line. I've also heard that Jet provides fairly decent service, but if you don't mind getting your hands greasy, they just take a little time, patience, and back muscle. I kept my old parts, and snapped some pics for you. Hopefully they'll help.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Eric</p>