use a drill press as a router? if it is ok to use it as one, then what speed?
Look ma, no jigs!!!
use a drill press as a router? if it is ok to use it as one, then what speed?
Look ma, no jigs!!!
Ford Motor Company slashes prices for some F-150 Lightning models to stimulate demand for electric vehicles (EVs).
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox
Fine Homebuilding
Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox
© 2024 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.
Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox
Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.
Start Your Free TrialStart your subscription today and save up to 81%
SubscribeGet complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.
Already a member? Log in
Replies
I've done it before but it's tends to be on the dangerous side. If you look up Overarm or Overhead Router (or also pin router) you'll see something similar. Speed would probably be on the fastest setting. I've done it using a 2-way vise to hold the piece. Move the piece slower unitl you figure out a good feed rate since the bit speed will still probably be slower than normal router speeds.
But before you start figuring the speeds and chucking up router bits figure a good way to keep your fingers & hands clear, even if the piece slips. This tends to be one of the more dangerous set-ups in a shop since it's hard to set up good guards.
Generally it won't work well..WAY too slow. And the bearings are not designed for sideways thrust you can prematurely ruin the quill.
The bits are also designed for "chip load" at feed rate x RPM..they don't design for that slow..so the hunks you make, will ruin your work by tearing/chipping.
Short answer..it is SAFE, but not a good idea.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Welcome to Poo-ville, can I have your socks?
Seriously Folks, I need a home for 3 lovers of your life.
IT IS NOT SAFE unless you have the proper chuck and chuck retention.
If your chuck is a simple jacobs or morse taper, it is NOT safe, as the chuck could easily come loose and fly off with disastrous effects.
There are chucks with a collet ring that screws to the quill where it is safe to use, or if you use a collet chuck that has a threaded ring retainer to the quill vs just the taper attachment. . Even on a 3 jaw chuck with a retainer ring, the router bit can loosen as the standard 3-jaw chuck is NOT meant for side loads, ESPECIALLY at 15,000 RPM.
Not too long ago, wounded from a long 1" diameter bit in a drill press. 25 years before, dad had the shank ground down to 3/8", to fit in the only drill we had.
Well, it broke there (finally), just at the chuck - made a half-revolution swinging out; ripped my shirt at my stomach and broke and sliced my left wrist.
Home alone; had to call my mommy to take me to the ER.
Never really thought drill presses were dangerous before!
Just sayin' . . .
Forrest - don't you just love when old guys tell you how they got injured back in "ought nine"?
Andy, just what are you trying to do?
Good to see that you are willing to ask the question!
So there maybe hope for the next generation.
;)
Save a SeAL, club a liberal.
The biggest danger on a small workpiece is that it's going to grab the workpiece and spin it around. Was using a drill bit to "route" something once and teh workpiece slipped loose, took my watch off, and tossed it across the room. My hand was numb for a couple of hours, but only scratches.
At the very least be sure if the piece spins your hands won't be in the way. Use the "spine" of the press as a backstop to stop spinning. On larger pieces make sure it can't get you in the gut. (Good advice any time you use a drill press, actually.)
Router prices start pretty cheap, and you can cheaply make a decent table for one. Better approach for more than a one-off job.
I'm thinking that putting a router bit into a drill chuck will tend to scratch/scar and ruin the shank.
I had to dado some curved pieces of oak about ten years ago, I couldn't get the elevation with my router so I chucked up the rabbiting bit in my drill press.
Highest speed possible 3500 rpm.
Moved the wood through as slow as possible.
It chunked spit vibrated.
But I got it done, it was a fight & NOT safe by any stretch of the imagination.
So I don't recomend it, but a drill press does work for a lathe.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.†—Albert Einstein
that was my next question, how 'bout for a lathe?
Look ma, no jigs!!!
Yup, but a vertical one & that can be awkward at times.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.†—Albert Einstein
I quit using a DP as a drum sander once I realized how the bearings aren't meant for axial loads, just not a good Idea to use a DP for anything but what it was meant to do..drill.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Welcome to Poo-ville, can I have your socks?Seriously Folks, I need a home for 3 lovers of your life.
True about the axial loads, but if you are running a piece between two fixed points how much axial load pressure is being applied.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.†—Albert Einstein
Yeah, I agree. A drum sander was worse.
The kid needs a shopsmith..hey..Fewsmith needs a shopsmith. I sense a thread title..LOLSpheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Welcome to Poo-ville, can I have your socks?Seriously Folks, I need a home for 3 lovers of your life.
You're an intrepid guy. Could you weld up a frame or something for your router? I would, and I don't even care for working with steel.