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Bench Drill Press

The Sherline Lathe/ Mill headstock works exactly as you describe; threaded hole in the end of the tapered stock and a threaded spindle for mounting larger chucks.

Sandekus: I was criticized on another website by a knowledgeable machinist for imposing side loads on a Jacob’s Chuck; just what we are discussing. A reason for participating on this forum is to learn from others with more expertise and experience. This is particularly true of power tools where many modelers (myself included) tend to buy that next “must have tool” to solve all of our problems and then wind up abusing it. Perhaps it’s just us Yankees, but we never read the instructions!!

Roger
 
Not necessarily so! My models are solid hull, and I also make lots of jigs and fixtures. This work can involve larger fractional sized drills.

Case in point: Making deadeyes for a 1:32 scale model. At scale, these were 3/16” diameter. I cut 1-1/2” long x 3/8” diameter Pear blanks with a plug cutter. This properly oriented the grain across the diameter of the blank. The length of the blank allowed it to be chucked in the lathe grooved and parted off. This put significant torsional loads of the chuck.

Roger
 
For my micro drilling and milling, I’m very very happy with this arrangement on attached picture. It has a vertical stopper adjustment. This allows me when milling repetitive details to lower a milling bit very quickly at same height. I hate rotating a vertical wheel on a regular milling machine for repetitive tasks like this. My Sherline milling machine has huge vertical backlash and you never know where is your milling bit vertically. It neither has a vertical stop. I wonder why? I have a Sherline milling machine for more serious work.
I would love to try Proxxon drill press Jimsky showed at beginning of this topic. It seems to have most of what I need to mill or to drill.

IMG_0582.jpeg
 
It appears that there are two schools of thought here and as the poet said “Never the twain shall meet.”

There are those like me that have the need and space for a full sized drill press. These can range from industrial quality models bumping two thousand dollars to store brand bench ones costing about $200, as well as good used tools. As I have posted, I personally find one of these necessary for scratch building and with an auxiliary chuck it will work with tiny wire sized drill bits, making a “hobby sized tool unnecessary.

The other school has no need or space for a full sized tool and is considering purchase of a “hobby sized tool.” Here again, the range appears to be considerable. At one end there is purchase of a small mill like a Sherline. At the other is a rotary tool in a holding fixture.

It’s apples and oranges.

Roger
 
Roger Pellett said:
It appears that there are two schools of thought here and as the poet said “Never the twain shall meet.”

There are those like me that have the need and space for a full-sized drill press. These can range from industrial quality models bumping two thousand dollars to store brand bench ones costing about $200, as well as good used tools. As I have posted, I personally find one of these necessary for scratch building and with an auxiliary chuck it will work with tiny wire sized drill bits, making a “hobby sized tool unnecessary.

The other school has no need or space for a full-sized tool and is considering purchase of a “hobby sized tool.” Here again, the range appears to be considerable. At one end there is purchase of a small mill like a Sherline. At the other is a rotary tool in a holding fixture.

It’s apples and oranges.

Roger
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Quite true. This is why a lack of space is perhaps the most limiting factor of all. There's really no solution for it but finding more space. On the other hand, too much space can be a curse, too. Significant others all too frequently consider any horizontal shop surface as available for dumping anything they don't want in the house. In short order, a shop can start looking like an over-filled rental storage container. :confused:

As a hope-to-die tool junkie, there are a few maxims I've strived to live by with somewhat limited success:

"Never buy a tool until you need it and then buy the highest quality one you can possibly afford." There are lots of justifiable exceptions to this maxim, most of which end up being more costly than they're worth, but generally speaking, you won't go far wrong following it. A good tool doesn't make you a better craftsman, it just doesn't get in the way of your becoming one.

"The best bargains in high quality tools are almost always well-cared-for used tools." Look for tools made before 1970 or thereabouts, made in the days when quality was much easier to come by. The old tools are made without a lot of plastic and with higher quality iron and steel. They're made to last longer than a lifetime. Super expensive "aspirational" tools aren't necessary. Surely, for example, a Lie Nielsen plane is a thing of beauty and a very fine tool, but for less than half, and probably a quarter, the price one can acquire a pre-War Stanley or Record plane in decent shape that is every bit as good as, if not better, than the recently made cast bronze one.

Size matters. Within reason, buy the largest capacity stationary power tools you have space for and can afford. Be generous in your estimates of how large a machine you will ever need. In most cases, a larger capacity high-tolerance machine tool will do small work as well as a smaller capacity tool will, but the small tool can never do work larger than its maximum capacity. (This isn't always true, as in the case of table saws, for example, where the mini saws are capable of cutting with very narrowly kerfed blades is a very desirable feature.) A bench lathe with a 12" swing and a 48" bed can do a lot more than one with only a 7" swing and a 10" bed. Moreover, the heavier the machine, the more accurate it can be. Mass=accuracy. This should be fairly obvious when you think about it, but a lot of people don't think about it until they've purchased a smaller tool and need a bigger one. Often, the larger tool could have been had for very little more money.

Quality tools hold their value well and may even appreciate in value over time. When you are through with them, if you haven't abused them, they will be easily sold for good money. Tell your "CFO" that good tools are a much better investment than life insurance policies.
 
Rob444 said:
My "CFO" says she has paid enough premiums for my life insurance policy and now she wants to get the payout! :rolleyes:
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A few pieces of advice: Tell her that if there is any of her funny business is involved in your death, the insurance company won't pay off! Also let her know they won't pay off if you die by your own hand, you're just about at the end of your rope with her shenanigans, and she better lighten up on you. ROTF
 
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