[TheForge] 2 things

[paul]

Bruce Freeman wrote:
> Mark,
> 
> I see lots of suggestions to use a lathe.  I suggest use your drill
> press AS a lathe.  For side pressure, a drill press is no good, but
> it's perfect for end drilling.  Of course, you need a chuck that will
> handle your 1/2" rod.  If you mean round rod, probably not a problem.
> Clamp a drill bit into your vise and have at it.
> 
> I'd be inclined to let the vise float free so the drill self-centers.
> Put a stop (e.g., a bolt) through the table so the bit can't grab and
> spin the vise.  Maybe using a centerpunch and/or a centerdrill first
> would help.
> 
> I should point out that I'm not a machinist.  I'm a hobbyist limping
> by with inadequate machinery, always inventing new ways to use them.
> 
> Bruce
> NJ

What size hole are we talking about here? I missed that.
1/4" iron pipe is .540" in diameter, schedule 80 pipe has about a .302" 
dia. bore and schedule 40 has a about .364" dia.  bore, based on OD and 
wall thickness data.
Another way to use the drill press would be to clamp a piece of 1/2" 
stock in the drill press chuck, and then tighten a 3 jaw lathe chuck to 
the piece of stock and then bolt the 3 jaw chuck to the drill press work 
table.
Many older chucks are designed to bolt to a backing plate that is bored 
and threaded to fit the lathe spindle, and the backing plate can be 
unbolted from the chuck.
If you find one like this the bolt up is relatively painless.
If your drill press table is sufficiently rigid, the alignment of the 3 
jaw chuck to the center line of the drill press should remain fixed. One 
then exchanges the 1/2" rod in the drill chuck for a drill bit for what 
ever size hole you want in the rod, and place the spacer blanks in the 3 
jaw chuck and drill away.
If this process has been described in some of the preceding posts that I 
accidentally deleted....never mind...jadap after all.

I still would try to buy them....

-- 
Paul Sperbeck
WB9HCO
jadap

  "The difference between genius and stupidity is that
genius has its limits." -Albert Einstein