Drill Press for modelers

[Roger Pellett]

I should add that over the years that people have loved nicely made things; cameras, watches, and yes tools. And for women, what about a beautifully made handbag? I believe that it’s a human trait. And it’s possible that it’s age related as IMHO the proliferation of electronic gizmos has made the joy of well made things take backseat to what’s cool. The Apple Watch?

Everyone has that something for which they’re willing to spend what to others is an unreasonable amount of money. I have a Stanley 65 year old model maker’s plane that meets my needs. Others spend the money for one from Lee Valley. Both make shavings.

Roger

 

[Krister_L]

I finished my first model ship build, on a desk in the TV area, with SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) patiently putting up with me crawling around on all fours looking for small dropped pieces, and small tools running while she was watching her favourite TV programs. One tool which she did not appreciate was the Dremel, with its high pitched whine.
While considering my next build, I spotted advertisements for a tiny watch repairers drill press. And I bought one. $AUD98 from AliExpress. Including postage. (see photos).
I must say that I am delighted with the Chinese made tool. It is beautifully finished, feels tight, and it is very quiet. It IS tiny. The power supply plugs in on the side of the drill which is a bit inconvenient but not a deal breaker. The power supply also houses the on-off switch and speed control.
I chose the model with a non adjustable 3.175mm (1/8") chuck, which accepts only drill bits with a 3.175mm shank. Fortunately they are available in tungsten carbide sets very inexpensively ($AUD5 per set), and they fit snugly in the chuck. My previous experience with small cheap 3 jaw chucks showed that they are not particularly accurate, and it is easy to misfit tiny drill bits into the gap between adjacent jaws rather than centrally. The ER collet model should be OK, but extra cost for that model, plus the cost of the collets, plus the fiddle of changing the collets when changing the drill bit size were factors in my choice.
So, at this time I have drilled a few experimental holes, and it seems very good. I plan to fit an X-Y axis movement table, and will probably fit a larger securing knob for height setting. Those tiny carbide drill bits a very easy to snap, but with the work securely held, and the drill press ensuring no lateral movements, breakages should be rare.
I think that this tool will be popular with model ship builders.

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I bought one aswell earlier this year but with the three jaw chuck, from Innocraftsman and I'm very pleased with it. They also have a little bit bigger one 24V drillpress together with some other neat machines and equipment. https://innocraftsman.com/

 

[Bob Cleek]

Interesting videos bcleek. What do you make with all of your high-quality drill presses other than broken drill bits??

I primarily make holes. Round ones and square ones, in different sizes. My drilling machines aren't all that "high-quality," either. Not junk though. The jury is still out on that one. They all were acquired second hand, most for nothing or a fraction of their original retail cost.

Below are the options I have for drilling very small holes in my shop. These drilling tools have been acquired over a lifetime of scrounging. I didn't pay a lot of money for them, all things considered. I certainly wouldn't encourage anybody to spend $1,600 for a new sensitive drill press like the Cameron (pictured earlier,) Dumore ($1,400 - https://www.dumoretools.com/sensitive-drill-press,) or Hamilton (no longer made - out of business) models for modeling purposes. As someone mentioned, they would be overkill. That isn't to say that if I came across one in any kind of shape for ten bucks at a garage sale, I wouldn't grab it just for the sake of having one, but that's just me. That said, the fact is a ship modeler can cover their tiny hole drilling requirements adequately with a ten-dollar pin vise and in the great majority of instances, that's exactly what I do. Some of us, however, see tools a lot like gun collectors see firearms: We don't necessarily acquire them because we immediately plan to use them, but, rather, because we enjoy the warm feeling of knowing that if we ever do need to use them, we got 'em, and he who dies with the most tools wins. (The photos of the tools listed below aren't mine, but rather googled photos of the same models as mine.)

This list isn't intended to suggest that anybody needs to acquire this many tools to drill holes for ship models, but rather to illustrate that there are many ways to do it, some better than others and some cheaper than others, and these are the ways of drilling tiny holes I have to choose from in my shop. Others can do it any way they want. As someone noted, some have done highly detailed miniature carvings with nothing more than a pen knife. (I would, though, urge anyone who built a spectacular ship model with nothing but a pen knife to put that pen knife on a pedestal inside the model's case with a brass plaque labeled, "This model built with this knife alone."

Pin vises:

Pin vises aren't drill presses, but they are my primary choice for drilling small holes with numbered bits. They give excellent feedback. I only use HSS bits. (The 1/8" shafted carbide tiny bits are very brittle and designed for use only on very tight tolerance specialized equipment approaching zero runout.) I have a number of pin vises of different designs and collet sizes. I like the style of the one in the lower picture below. Four collets are stored in the shaft of the pin vise and the knob at the end permits applying pressure without hand fatigue. Pin vises can be had dirt cheap as well as rather expensively. A set of four Starrett vises with differing collet sizes are over a hundred bucks, while a "generic" one can be had for ten bucks. The very cheapest ones often have poorly machined collets that won't even grip the smallest number-size bits What you're paying for in the more expensive ones are precisely machined collets that will automatically center the bit in the collet and tightly hold the smallest bits in the collet's range. User's hint: a pin vise with a hollow collet chuck with room behind it in the handle to accommodate "choking up" on the bit is best. The less of the bit that is extended from the collet, the better. The rigidity gained by keeping the extension of the bit from the collet end to a minimum will prevent a lot of breakage, particularly when coupled with the use of HSS bits.




1950 Craftsman "80" drill press:

Bought new for $50 by my father in 1950 and handed down to me. I still have the price tag and receipt from Sears and Roebuck. Classic "old arn." This model has the heavy bearing package, and I have the 1/4" collect chuck accessory which permits its use as a light duty milling machine. I have a Vevor XY table for it and I use it primarily as a light duty milling machine these days. It has a high quality 1/2" Jacobs chuck and near zero runout. I can use it for HSS number-sized bits if I want to, using a drill bit adapter or a suitable pin vise in the chuck, although it would be my last choice for tiny bits, given my other alternatives. Such an application will permit me to drill tiny holes in larger workpieces. Pre-1960 "old 'arn," cast iron power tools are widely available on the used market and, if in good condition, are often far better quality than anything currently being produced in all but the highest price points. There is one fact to remember about stationary power tools: mass equals accuracy. The heavier the better.



Drill bit adapter for holding small bits in larger drill press chucks.

There are lots of different makes and styles of these. They are generally inexpensive. The expensive ones afford far better concentricity, by the level of precision they afford is probably not necessary for modeling purposes. Pin vises which have suitably shaped shaft handles can also be used as bit adapters by putting the bit in the pin vise and then chucking the pin vise itself into the larger chuck on the drill press.



Present day Ryobi BD-16:

Given to me for free by a friend who bought it on impulse, never used it, and wanted it out of his garage. I use this one for routine drilling and sanding with a set of sanding drums. I also use it with my set of Delta mortise cutters, so it doubles as a mortising machine. My favorite thing about it is its rack and pinion table height adjustment feature.



Unimat SL:

I was given this Unimat SL with some basic tooling and, like the drunken sailor that I am when it comes to neat tools, over a period of two or three years, I spent perhaps another six or seven hundred bucks on additional tooling to expand the capacity of this classic little combo lathe and mill. Alas, these legendary lightweight machines are no longer made and are only available on the second-hand market at exorbitant prices. (If you're not just upgrading one you got for a song, your money's probably better spent today on a Sherline, Taig, or Seig combo lathe and mill and their far more available and affordable generic tooling.) When I have a need to drill with small number-sized bits on a drill press, which is to say whenever I want to drill a series of holes in a perfectly straight line with perfectly equal spacing, e.g., a pin rail, I use my Unimat SL which has an XY table with which to space the holes. I can also do horizontal drilling on this machine, as with any lathe. This lathe is my choice for number-sized bits. It has very little runout and is small and light enough to feel some decent feedback when drilling.



Vanda-Lay drill press with Dremell Mototool:

This little unit was given to me by a modeler who no longer wanted it. If one is interested in "accurizing" their drilling, milling, sawing, and turning work without taking out a second mortgage, I don't think the Dremel Mototool-powered Vanda-Lay Industries model machining system can be beat. (See: https://vanda-layindustries.com/) The Vanda-Lay drill press is generally considered far more rigid and accurate than the Dremel drill press and other Dremel-powered drill presses. The Dremel Mototools are, in my experience, at least, not suitable for freehand fine hole drilling in miniatures work because the slightest lateral movement of the thinner number-size bits will cause the bit to break. The Mototools can only be used for drilling with tiny bits if the drill motor can be mechanically held rigidly. I haven't used this drill press much at all, but I've found it suitable for the use intended. I expect that if the Vanda-Lay XY table ("Acramill,") which I don't have, is used, it would provide accurate positioning of straight lines of holes for making parts like pin rails. Note that Vanda-Lay has advised me that upon request they can provide their machines with clamps which will hold the one-inch Foredom handpieces as an alternate power source. I think this would be a vast improvement over the Dremiel Mototools for power. The Foredom flex-shaft machines have far superior torque power than the Dremels and a very comfortable foot-control. (See: https://vanda-layindustries.com/ for products and pricing.)

(Below: Vanda-Lay drill press with Proxxon XY table mounted. Vanda-Lay offers a matching XY table for their drill press and mill.)


Craftsman/Atlas 12"x36" lathe:

This isn't a drill press, either, but it drills holes horizontally, just the same as a vertical drill press. The main reason I've included it is because it's the way I can do the same work that would require a dividing head on a drill press and it's how I've avoided buying a dividing head for the drill presses. I purchased it, together with almost all the tooling anyone could possibly want for it, from a retired master machinist's widow for $750 about fifteen years ago. I have the milling attachment for it, as well. I use it for horizontal drilling on occasion, particularly for anything requiring a dividing head which is incorporated into the headstock of this machine or if I want to drill an accurate hole in the end of something long. I have holders that will hold a Dremel Mototool or a Foredom handpiece in the tool post from which they can be controlled by the cross-slide to drill into the side of something mounted in the lathe headstock. By mounting the part in the headstock chuck, and using the headstock indexing, I can drill equally spaced holes around a round workpiece, such as might be desired when making a ship's wheel. This is an amazingly versatile machine. It is said that the machinist's lathe is the only machine that can replicate itself without the need of any other machine. Nobody needs one like this for making ship models, but that's a story for another night.





Now, it seems some took umbrage with my characterizing one of the current crop of aluminum CNC-machined "mini drill presses" from the Patriotic Revolutionary People's Drill Press Collective as a "toy." While, with 20-20 hindsight, I see where some may have considered the term too strong a pejorative, I stand by that characterization, and I will explain why. "Toys" are not all bad. I like toys. Doesn't everybody? I don't doubt that these ones will drill satisfactorily, within the limits of their capabilities. However, while I very much like the looks of them, and I expect one would be fun to play with, I don't consider them a "good buy." They are tiny. They do not have any table; only a baseplate. Without a table to tilt, they can only drill straight up and down and for only a relatively short distance, as well. They cannot drill an angled hole. While that could be overcome by using a ramped block to angle the workpiece, there is very little space within which to work between the highest possible point of the chuck and the baseplate. Subtracting from that distance (which I'm guessing is three inches or less) the length of the drill bit and any drill bit adapter necessary to hold a tiny bit (the chuck apparently does not close to "zero" ... only the very expensive chucks will do that,) leaves very little space within which to fit a workpiece. Basically, they are probably fine if you want to drill vertical holes through very thin material such as printed circuit boards. It appears impractical, if not impossible, to mount an XY table and machinist's vise on the baseplate and have room for a workpiece, bit, and adapter. Lacking, also, is any provision for a stop to regulate drilling depth. Finally, this is a low-voltage DC motor driven machine with all the inherent power characteristics that go with such motors.

The Innocraftsman Corporation (See: https://innocraftsman.com/,) which markets a complete line of apparently quite nice CNC-machined tools, including the mini-drill press discussed, does also offer what looks like a very nicely done XY table and a machinist's vise (essential for holding anything for drilling on an XY table or on the baseplate) that is compatible with their mini-drill press. Note, though, that the XY table and vise cost $198,00 USD, which together with the drill press itself, listed at $125.00 USD, puts the buyer in for over $300.00 USD to get a drill press and the tooling necessary to accomplish anything one would ever want or need a drill press for in the first place. There has been some "chatter" online that some purchasers have replaced the post on these mini-drill presses with longer shop-made replacements, which may be a work-around, although theoretically the longer the post gets, the less stable, and thus accurate, the machine becomes. (I have no idea at this point what effect it may have or not.)



I'm guessing that with the bit alone, there's only going to be less than a half an inch of "working space" left there. Now, $198.00 USD may be a fair price for the small XY table and vise but why put it on a hundred buck drill press that just goes "up and down" and has none of the usual additional features one would expect at that price point? Hence, it's a small version of a larger machine which looks very nice but doesn't come near doing what the larger prototype can do.

On the other hand, consider what one can get for the same price point, considering what's available: Here again, the Patriotic Revolutionary People's Drill Press Collective offering a broad product range, consider solely as a comparative example, The Vevor 8 benchtop drill press. (See: https://www.amazon.com/VEVOR-Bencht...ktable/dp/B0DGG2MD57/ref=ast_sto_dp_puis?th=1) It retails for $95.00 USD and Vevor also sells a compatible XY table for $113.00 USD (See: https://www.vevor.com/rotary-table-...-worktable-5-1-2-x-12-x-y-axis-p_010959423427) and a 4-inch machinist's vise for $65.00 USD (See: https://www.vevor.com/mill-vise-c_1...ng-vice-precision-without-base-p_010469698655) For a total of $273.00 USD, could be had a larger and far more versatile drill press with a full complement of features. This unit is larger, with a base of about 10 X 17 inches and a height of about 23 inches, but not by so much that I would expect people with space limitations would be unable to find a place for it. It weighs about 28 pounds, so a forklift isn't needed to move it around. It has a swinging table for angled drilling, a depth stop, higher speeds than its smaller cousin, likely a lot more torque out of its 120 VAC motor, event an integral high intensity LED work light. Its chuck will hold up to a 1/2" shaft diameter drill bit and it's got nearly two inches of spindle travel. It's larger than the mini drill press and it isn't as good looking (in my entirely subjective opinion,) but it offers a lot more bang for the buyer's bucks. From a ship modeler's perspective, there's room to spare to do a lot of relevant work the mini-press cannot. For example, with the table dropped as low as it can go, spars up to perhaps a foot long can be tapered with sandpaper and sanding drums can be held in the chuck to turn it into a sanding station. I don't think this larger machine would have any problem doing milling work on wood, either.



I hope the information I've shared here is found helpful by some. The "toy" mini-drill presses have their place. If it makes you feel good, go for it. It's your dime. However, in my humble opinion, "cute" as the "toy" may be, I think a modeler's money would be better spent on a small benchtop drill press that's a real tool.

 

[Loracs]

Nice and detailed summary. It nice to see a number of options all listed together. Personally, I went with the Vanda-Lay drill press option, modified to support the Foredom Flex shaft. The clamp is available from Vanda-lay (just email him). This combines the stability of the Vanda-lay stand, which I recommend highly, with the torque of the Foredom. For me, it was the best option since the stand can be used for other purposes too. Not cheap with all the options but both the Foredom and Vanda-lay truly live up to expectation. The setup is quite compact, which was a plus for me since space is a limiting factor.

 

[Krister_L]

As I mentioned before, I bought the Innocraftsman mini drillpress earlier this year, it cost me $129.00. But later on I also bought the Micro Precision Vise with XY Axis Adjustable platform (cost me $143.00). So far I haven't used the XY-table very much, but the vise comes in very handy every now and then, after I made my own jaws for it. Now it's perfect for drilling holes in wooden strips with fairly good precision. I have other drillpresses too, but this one is always set up with a Ø1mm drill bit (which is what I use the most) and very easy to bring out because it's placed within arm's length on the table.

Micro Precision Vise with XY Axis Adjustable Platform 60x60mm

These precision mini vises, are perfect for jewelry work, watch repair, and securely holding small parts. Designed for delicate tasks, they provide excellent stability and accuracy when working with intricate pieces. Compact and durable, they're an essential tool for fine craftsmanship...

innocraftsman.com

​

 

[RussF]

So far I haven't used the XY-table very much, but the vise comes in very handy every now and then,

That's a nice looking vise. I see you have removed the xy base and it looks like if it were installed, the assembly would be too tall to fit on many of these micro drill presses.

 

[Krister_L]

That's a nice looking vise. I see you have removed the xy base and it looks like if it were installed, the assembly would be too tall to fit on many of these micro drill presses.

Yes, you're right, the xy base is too high for this mini drill press, but it fits on myProxxon MB200. On the other hand I already have a XY table from Proxxon, so at the moment this xy table is a bit superfluous, but it doesn't take much space, so maybe in the future I'll find some use for it

 

[Steef66]

I like this tool too, I have one similar, but from the stone age. But it's way better then the dremel with stand.

 

[Steef66]

Yes, you're right, the xy base is too high for this mini drill press, but it fits on myProxxon MB200. On the other hand I already have a XY table from Proxxon, so at the moment this xy table is a bit superfluous, but it doesn't take much space, so maybe in the future I'll find some use for it

You can raise the back with a block of brass or aluminium.

 

[Krister_L]

You can raise the back with a block of brass or aluminium.

Yes, but there is also an extended rod for sale, suitable for the drill press, or if I can find a Ø13mm steel bar in a nearby shop, that would solve the problem. I'm also looking more and more at the xyzr table from them. I was first looking at the Proxxon 24264 dividing attachment, but the Innocraftsman variant would give me more options and so far I'm really impressed with, and satisfyed by the finish and quality of the Innicrafstman equipment.

XYZR Axis Precision Fine Tuning Cross Slide 60x60mm

The XYZR Axis Precision Fine Tuning Cross Slide 60x60mm is a 4-axis positioning platform designed for ultra-precise micro-adjustments in the X, Y, Z, and rotational (R) axes. Unlike standard platforms, this model features a full 360-degree rotating base, allowing you to not only raise or align a...

innocraftsman.com

 

[Roger Pellett]

Given the interest that this subject has stirred up I would
like to make a couple of additional comments.

Like Bob, I like “Old Arn” tools where I can find them. I like belts and pulleys for speed control, replaceable 110v AC motors and plenty of mass. My “go to” drill press is very much like the grey colored one that he inherited from his dad and posted above. With an auxiliary chuck like he posted, it handles 90 percent of my off-the-model drilling needs with wire sized drills, and some larger holes on the model. If you find one of these and have space for it, Buy It!

I also have a massive Taiwanese made cast steel drill press vise and a collet chuck that when used will accept side forces. Both are useful accessories.

For specialized drilling, like Bob’s row of evenly spaced holes, I use the sensitive drilling attachment on my Sherline lathe/ mill combination.

IMHO, where these two (relatively) expensive tools earn their keep is drilling metal. I make my own fittings; mostly from brass. Brass work hardens. To drill it, the drill needs to take a “bite” from the material as soon as it touches it. If it just “massages” the material it just makes it harder. So, the brass needs to be on a surface that does not deflect, the bit needs to be sharp, and enough force needs to be applied concentrically to start the hole. With the bit chucked in a drill press brass is drilled like butter.

Roger

 

[Y.T.]

Nice selection of different variants of this drill press:

Innocraftsman™ Mini Drill Press

PERFECT FOR PRECISION WORK Ideal for tasks requiring fine detail and accuracy, such as watch repair, printed circuit board drilling, jewelry making and more. A must-have tool for both hobbyists and professionals! COMPLETELY STABLE DRILLING HIGH-PRECISION DRILLING WITH NO BIT RUNOUT HOW TO...

innocraftsman.com

I like PowerPro version

Innocraftsman™ Mini Drill Press

PERFECT FOR PRECISION WORK Ideal for tasks requiring fine detail and accuracy, such as watch repair, printed circuit board drilling, jewelry making and more. A must-have tool for both hobbyists and professionals! COMPLETELY STABLE DRILLING HIGH-PRECISION DRILLING WITH NO BIT RUNOUT HOW TO...

innocraftsman.com

 

[Steef66]

Brands like "Innocraftsman" for mini drill presses are often re-branded versions of generic models sold on platforms like AliExpress, meaning you're likely purchasing the same or a very similar tool under a different name. source Google.
A lot of these things come from the same factory with another name printed on it. The Micro Mark saw table is an example of that. That's a old model Proxxon saw table. (FSK). Why invent a tool when you can re-brand a tool to your business. But I like the tiny drill a lot. I put it on my wishlist.

 

[Y.T.]

Brands like "Innocraftsman" for mini drill presses are often re-branded versions of generic models sold on platforms like AliExpress

Note that we in North America are not able to buy power tools on AliExpress most of the time. Majority of them are powered at 220V.

 

[Steef66]

Note that we in North America are not able to buy power tools on AliExpress most of the time. Majority of them are powered at 220V.

The motor of that toy is 12 Volt. And most power tools on 220 run on 110 also, just a switch. My 3D printer can run on 110 or 220.

 

[Roger Pellett]

It’s just a switch if the motor’s wired that way. The large motor on my table saw is dual voltage. Other motors that I have are not.
Roger

 

[Dart]

The machine is excellent. Quiet (you can work at night), accurate, cheap (we have 36$), enough power for drills up to 3mm

 

[Namabiiru]

What I find interesting about these are the unnecessarily ornate spindle tops. It’s almost like they’re trying to make it look like a traditional drill press on which speed is adjusted by moving the belt to different pulley grooves.

 

[paul ron]

What I find interesting about these are the unnecessarily ornate spindle tops. It’s almost like they’re trying to make it look like a traditional drill press on which speed is adjusted by moving the belt to different pulley grooves.

i bet you could change the pullies so you can have that speed feature.

how is the chuck mounted to the quill?

 

[Bob Cleek]

The Innocraftsman chucks have a minimum closing distance of 0.3 - 4 mm for the universal chuck and 3.175 for the collet chuck.

This minimum closing distance of the collet chuck is equivalent to about 1/8" and will only hold the shank size of the commonly seen short carbide bits used for drilling printed circuit boards.

If my calculations are correct, the Innocraftsman universal chucks will not hold HSS bits smaller than about 1/8" (0.125") or above a number 34 numbered bit nor larger than about a 5/32". To use a HSS bit smaller than a number 34 in the Innocraftsman chucks, a bit holding adapter will be necessary. The usual numbered bit indexes modelers commonly use contain numbers 61 through 80.

Paying $129.00 for a drill press with such a narrow range of drill sizes would be a deal-breaker for me. Your mileage may differ, of course.