Drill Problem

[Gill]

I'm trying to drill a hole into 18mm timber approximately 5.5 inches from the edge using a 0.8mm bit. I would normally use a cheap Wickes bench press which will take a bit that size, but unfortunately it doesn't have the reach. Added to which, the Wickes press has a tendency to allow the bit to wander when drilling. My large Draper D16/16 drill press won't take a bit that size although it does have the reach to be able to make the cut.

Can anyone suggest how I might drill this very fine hole perpendicularly and accurately into the centre of the board?

Gill

 

[StevieB]

How about wrapping tape around the end of the drill bit that goes in the chuck until the Draper can grip it? You would need to take care to get the bit central to the tape though....

Failing that, drill the same size hole in a small piece of dowel, glue the bit into the hole in the dowel and then grip the dowel with the Draper chuck. If the hole is drilled central and perpendicular in the dowel it should work. Of course you lose the future use of the drill bit, but I guess it depends how badly you want to drill the hole :wink:

Steve.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Gill,
tricky one. I can think of three aproaches.

1. Do you have a lathe? If so, fix your faceplate to the tailstock, put the chuck from your little drillpress into the headstock and wind the tailstock in, with your workpiece attached.

2. Make a collet for your little drill so it can be used in your big drill. Using your little drill, fix a piece of scrap to the table. Drill a 6mm hole. Put a piece of dowel in the hole. Change the drill without moving anything and drill a 0.8mm hole. It should be central if nothing moves. Use a fine saw to cut down the dowel, say halfway. The dowel can now be held in the big drill press, and in turn, hold the bit.

3. On your little drill, drill a 0.8mm hole into a piece of MDF or ply. Hold that down over the workpiece and use it as a guide to drill by hand.

Would any of these methods be sufficiently accurate, Gill?

Cheers
Steve

 

[Chris Knight]

Gill,
I'd get hold of a pin chuck like the one pictured here http://tinyurl.com/cykkj and these folk seem to sell them in the UK

http://tinyurl.com/bwqel

 

[Bean]

Or swap the chucks over so that the smaller capacity chuck is on the larger reach drill

Bean

 

[Gill]

Thanks for all your helpful advice, guys. Yesterday I purchased an Eclipse pin chuck and everything's hunky dory now .

Gill