Bad mishap with the drill press, could have been worse, more precautions needed?

+1 on pilot holes, step up in 1/8" increments. Works much smoother.

+1 on the drill press being the most dangerous tool in the shop. Those long springs coming off the metal can grab stuff and send it flying, as well as damage from helicoptering blades! When you get the springs coming off the metal, backing off on the pressure every now and then will break the spring into shorter pieces.
 
My favorite drill press memory to recall is watching an ex co-worker dancing around the press trying to shut it down while trying not to get sliced into ribbons by the whirling sheets (3) of sheet metal caught on the bit spinning out of control. Too bad it didn't catch the sh*thead....would've made for an even better memory. :D
 
I'd make a more permanent fence out of a piece of 2x3 angle iron and bolt it down rather than using spring clamps to hold on that piece of oak.
also, in case you're not using them already, a polycarbonate face mask and leather or kevlar apron are cheap insurance.
 
+1 for split point bits, and hand sharpening. I've had a couple close calls with drill presses lately, too. One where I was using a 1" auger drilling timbers 8" thick on my JET 20" variable press, the wood shifted, climbed up the bit RAPIDLY, the bit bound and bent severely, and the chuck fell out of the morse taper spindle.:eek: After that, I used a come-along to crank that wood down to the table to drill the rest.

I had a blade with a pretty sharp point helicopter on me as well, the other day. I couldn't believe I hadn't been sliced to ribbons.:eek:

I've had more scares with drilling for sure than with the buffer.

It looks as if you have been forced to re-evaluate your safety precautions. I know that's my reaction when it happens.

I've used those bits, too. At first, I really liked them for drilling mild steel. Then, I began to hate that they felt more grabby when breaking through. I've had them bind and snap.
 
One thing my grandad taught me to do when drilling hard steels was keeping it well lubricated with a light oil, it doesn't hinder the process, helps keep the mess down, and did seem to help. Though come to think on it, I doubt that would help prevent a breakthrough seize up.
 
I'm more paranoid. When I drill a blade, I use jigs that provide some lateral support to the blade if it wants to rotate. That in addition to clamping it down securely.

Also, this is much less of a pain in the ass in practice than it sounds the way I typed it out, :D.
 
I used to use 2 clamps on opposite sides so if one came loose the blade would be deflected, however that doesnt always help so I broke down and bought a drill vise and use that instead of clamps. I open it wide and slip wooden shims inside to protect the blade, no problems yet.
 
I had a similar experience where the blade broke free of the clamp and began to rotate like the main rotor of a helicopter. I now have a 1/2 inch bolt that protudes an inch above the drill press table that will stop the rotation if the blade breaks free of the clamp. Redundant systems work in airplanes and in the shop as well. All you really need is a 1/2" bolt, nut and washer - no assembly instructions required. Thank you for your safety post.

Like this:

jacobs_super_chuck.jpg
 
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you can also have a stud extending up through a slot on your table, have the side of the blade against it and if somehow the clamps let go the blade cannot spin.


I see there have been a couple other similar suggestions, I did not realize there were two pages on the thread.
 
Probably the most reliable way to prevent this is to use a throw-away drilling pad of scrap material that is comparable in hardness to the material being drilled-in this case, a piece of brass or mild steel under the blade for the point of the drill to continue cutting into while the shoulders finish the hole in the workpiece. This prevents the sudden loss of resistance at the center of the bit, which causes it to punch through and turn the flutes of the bit into screw threads. If you can maintain resistance at the center, the rest of the web will be cut out slowly as it is supposed to.
A pilot hole is the next best preventative measure that I know of.
 
Thanks everybody! Lots of good stuff to keep things safe. I like the idea of 1/2" bolts as stops.

Great looking Jet press there, BMK!
 
Justin King said:
Probably the most reliable way to prevent this is to use a throw-away drilling pad of scrap material that is comparable in hardness to the material being drilled...
Click to expand...

You know I do that with wood and micarta to prevent tear-out but never thought of it with steel? Now I feel dumb :eek:
 
Sorry about the hijack jonny but thanks for the response on the clamps. Definitely going to pick one up from amazon :thumbup:
 
Sounds logical but for a simpleton like me, its complicated. A stop of some kind is a mechanically redundant system that is almost foolproof.

Justin King said:
Probably the most reliable way to prevent this is to use a throw-away drilling pad of scrap material that is comparable in hardness to the material being drilled-in this case, a piece of brass or mild steel under the blade for the point of the drill to continue cutting into while the shoulders finish the hole in the workpiece. This prevents the sudden loss of resistance at the center of the bit, which causes it to punch through and turn the flutes of the bit into screw threads. If you can maintain resistance at the center, the rest of the web will be cut out slowly as it is supposed to.
A pilot hole is the next best preventative measure that I know of.
Click to expand...
 
I have an old Craftsman drill press that works fine for a monkey like me. I was too lazy to take a pic of mine with the 1/2" bolt and the Jet was the only pic I could find on Google with a stop.
 
I like the Kant Twist or whatever they are called. They look solid.

try "peck drilling" if you have grabbing problems. I have a fondness for the way copper looks with a patina, and copper tends to grab the bit really badly. So, drill for a second, let up to clear, repeat... and use very very little pressure when you are about to break through.

Also - something under the piece being drilled helps. Even wood helps, aluminum is better.

And yes, most of the time the blade just spirals up the bit like a helicopter.

In general, everyone has said what matters. I wanted to reiterate the "peck" idea and to say that the clamping job looks quite good.
kc
 
I don't know why so many recommend drilling holes by stepping up in increments. The proper way is a pilot and the proper sized pilot is one near the size of the web of the final drill. If you drill up in increments you are actually making a bit hang up more likely not less likely as drill bits can act like very coarse taps when the pilot hole is to large. The edges of the cutting area of the drill bites into the thin amount you are removing and actually pulls itself into the work. I don't believe you will find any machinist that would recommend going up in small increments. Absolutely not require when using the correct drill, proper speed and feed pressure for the material.
 
ib2v4u said:
I don't know why so many recommend drilling holes by stepping up in increments. The proper way is a pilot and the proper sized pilot is one near the size of the web of the final drill. If you drill up in increments you are actually making a bit hang up more likely not less likely as drill bits can act like very coarse taps when the pilot hole is to large. The edges of the cutting area of the drill bites into the thin amount you are removing and actually pulls itself into the work. I don't believe you will find any machinist that would recommend going up in small increments. Absolutely not require when using the correct drill, proper speed and feed pressure for the material.
Click to expand...

Yes. Thank you. :thumbup:
 
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