It can be a challenge to see success in your shop if you don’t have the best tools of the trade. One such piece of equipment is a vertical drill press. Without it, metalworking tasks can be an uphill battle. Once you understand the benefits of adding a vertical drill press to your shop, you’ll want to get this equipment as soon as possible.
Change the Setup
Securing your drill press is crucial to receive the benefits of having one in your shop. Fortunately, the flexibility between the various setups allows the drill bit’s rotation to spin properly. A vise is a convenient tool for quickly handling materials through production. The most common vise is a V-notch attached sturdily to the drill press table.
You can also ditch the vise and use the table as a clamp for bigger jobs. Adjust the table’s height to accommodate a wider range of projects.
The T-slots on the table allow you to secure either the workpiece or a scrap metal plate to protect your surface. You can increase your drill press’s adaptability with any of these configurations.
Adapt According to the Holes
Besides the hole formed by a twist drill, the drill press may allow you to execute additional functions. For example, countersinking the hole for a flat-head screw after drilling may provide the necessary clearance. Similarly, counterboring the hole for a cap screw can lend the additional space you need. The control of drill press depth provides precision when using any of these techniques.
Reaming the hole after drilling with an undersized bit is the solution if you require an exact hole for minimal clearance. Depth is not a concern since most reamed holes are through holes.
You may use a tap to make threads for any holes because the drill press makes quick work of tapping. Reversing the spindle causes the tap to withdraw from the hole after the threading has reached the appropriate depth, leaving behind perfectly straight threads.
Accuracy Through Repetition
People who prefer to drill by hand can wrap the tape around the bit to uncover a hole’s depth. While this method is relatively accurate, it isn’t as foolproof as a vertical drill press. A drill bit’s locking hub guarantees precision thanks to the repeatability of the actions. Doing it by hand could lead to errors. Consistency through repeatable actions is extremely valuable for any shop.
Safe & Simple
After drilling several holes in a metal plate, you’ll want to smooth out the edges and remove any burrs. You can swiftly deburr holes with a uniform chamfer using a countersink and a depth preset on a sliding plate. Hole chamfering for tapping is another use of this technique.
Drilling holes in thin metal can be tricky, but you can make it easy by adding a vertical drill press to your shop. Kaka Industrial’s industrial drilling machine can be a game-changer for your workshop, leading to more efficient and accurate drilling.