Explanation of a Drill Press

Drill presses are best for larger jobs that require precision and power.

A drill press is a common fixture of many home workshops, tool and die shops, and industrial operations. Drill presses provide a fast and powerful tool for drilling holes in a variety of materials. Operating a drill press requires special safety precautions, but for a careful and experienced operator, it can be a useful tool.

Purpose

A drill press is the best tool for performing precise drill operations where orientation and accuracy are important. The ability to clamp down the work and create a hole that is perfectly straight is essential to many wood and machining projects. In addition, a drill press is more powerful than even a strong hand-held power drill, giving the user the ability to drill into hard materials with specialty drill bits.

Components

A free-standing drill press features a large metal base with a vertical column that supports an adjustable table and the drilling head. Tabletop drill presses use a similar layout with a shorter column. The table tilts and moves up and down along the column. The head contains the drill shaft and chuck, where the user can insert the appropriate drill bit. A hand crank controls the movement of the head up and down along the column.

Function

To perform basic drilling, a drill press operator first clamps a piece of material to be drilled to the table. Next, the operator turns the drill press on and, once the shaft and drill bit are spinning at full speed, turns the hand crank to lower the drill head. This brings the bit into contact with the material, cutting a hole in the surface. The operator turns the hand crank counter-clockwise to raise the head.

Safety

Safety is of the utmost importance when working with a drill press. No one should operate a drill press without first reading the user's manual carefully and wearing proper eye protection. While using a drill press, it is dangerous to reach toward the drill to remove the object being drilled or scrap material. Instead, use a brush or vacuum to remove sawdust and other debris. When drilling metal, always lubricate the drill bit to prevent sparks and minimize flying shards.

Alternatives

While a drill press is clearly the best tool for certain jobs, in other cases there are other options. A hand-held power drill, whether a plug-in or battery-powered model, can perform some of the same drilling while giving the user greater flexibility and mobility. Hand drills are useful for precision work or in situations where there is no access to an electrical outlet. Finally, band saws and coping saws can cut larger holes in materials such as wood, though it may still be necessary to use a drill press to cut a starter hole for the saw blade.

References

• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety: Drill Presses
• MIT: Drill Press

Resources

• Sawdust Making 101: Drill Press