Can I use an end mill bit in my drill press? I'm thinking about trying this in order to drill out the plug welds in a Dana 44 housing. I don't want to start another "this is how I got my plug welds out" thread. I'm just wondering what if any problems there are with me using an end mill bit in my drill press. Is 5/8" a good size hole or should I do it to 3/4" just to be safe? Lastly, what RPM should I spin these end mill bits at?

If anybody is interested, there are 5/8" end mill bits in the Grizly catalog for as cheap as $5.95.



:)

unless you have a quil that has very little or no play it will chatter alot and the lower the speed the better. if you deside to try it i would use a good cutting oil and buy an extra 6 pack because it will take you a long time to get it finished. good luck



CLiff

I donno if your chuck will take it.

You can do it, but be very careful and dont side load the endmill. Keep the spindle fully retracted, and feed slowly, and use low RPMs.

100 times 4 divided by diameter = approx spindle speed for a HSS end mill ( if you're going to try this err on the slow side )

If you are comeing up torwards seattle any time soon I would go to boeing surpluse in kent and
buy a bunch of end mills thay are real cheep
I mean real cheep.

If you have a "serious" drill press, at least try it... mine is pretty
beefy, but the table/drill head wouldn't stay consistent enough
to drill the welds on my junk. lastly, I'm not too sure about the
end-mill approach, cause the reason is the welds you are drilling
aren't exactly flat to begin with, and that is why the end mill would try and "walk" when I put pressure on it.

oh and, this line:

If anybody is interested, there are 5/8" end mill bits in the Grizly catalog for as cheap as $5.95.

the welds will laugh at these...... FYI...

--Sherpa---in process of buying a bridgeport...............

Originally posted by SHERPA


oh and, this line:

If anybody is interested, there are 5/8" end mill bits in the Grizly catalog for as cheap as $5.95.

the welds will laugh at these...... FYI...




I wondered about that. What kind of end mill bit is the hardest or most durrable? I see descriprions in the catalog here for tin coated, solid carbide, and number of flutes ranging from 2 up to 4. This is probably one of those instances where you get what you pay for.

Thanks for the replys guys.

I'm not a machinist.... yet.

but if you look in tool catalogs like, Rutland Tool, and others,

the most expensive bits will be the ones you'll need... and they

ain't cheap!

--Sherpa

End mills are not made to be used in drill presses,they are used in vertical milling machines.Most drill presses are not capable of the low rpm that is needed to turn that size e/m for cutting steel also the drill press is going to chatter like hell.If a drill press is the only choice you have why dont you use a smaller drill bit for a pilot hole and work your way up to the size you need?

Originally posted by liveaxle



I wondered about that. What kind of end mill bit is the hardest or most durrable? I see descriprions in the catalog here for tin coated, solid carbide, and number of flutes ranging from 2 up to 4. This is probably one of those instances where you get what you pay for.

Thanks for the replys guys.

For your use... get the CHEAPEST one. :)

For the machinist (with a big ass milling machine):

Plain

TiN -- Plain with TiN coating -- like 'em on aluminum

Carbide... if you machine isn't rigid, they will SHATTER.
Cool for doing higher speed (CNC) work, but only buy them when they are on sale. Last longer if work piece is rigid

Flutes:
2 flute for cutting a groove into a work piece. (less likely to clog the bits, rougher finish when compared to a 4 flute)

4 flute for cutting around the edges. (Smoother cuts from the higher number of flutes)

Dry, Cold Air, Coolant all come into play with different milling bits and feed rates.

I come from the old school of "learning by doing", so most of my learning comes from how many bits I've broken! :)

For the machinist: I use O1 - oil hardeneng tool steel and make my own counter sinks on the lathe & milling machine. Took a while to learn, but for a four flute cutter rather than cutting each flute 90 degrees from each other, works better to cut at 87, 180, 273, 355... or some random number like that. Little did I realize that is the idea behind "chatterless" cutting bits! Nice thing about the home made counter sinks, I can use it in my (pretty rigid) drill press on aluminum parts. Helps speed things along when the mill is busy finishing up other work (power feeds).

Tom :usa:

I have tried this (mill bits in drill press) many times with little to no luck. If you do it, expect for your chuck to come bounding out of the quill and be ready to catch it, or it will shatter your mill bit when it hits the floor and almost certainly, it will then bugger up the morse taper shank of your chuck. Wear safety glasses and maybe gloves to catch the falling parts.

There is a reason all drill press manufacturers tell you not to do this. Without a drawbar holding the chuck in place, you're wasting your time.

Center punch, spot drill, then step drill your way to where you want to be.

Or, try it and learn what I have learned.

Peace,
Paul

I've used mill bits using a Shopsmith drill press. Worked great for the plastic I was working on. Tried it on some Al. and it worked ok, but I would not want to do too much.

Try the Hougon bits. I think that is how you spell it they are like end mills but have a center pin in them. They are made for Mag. drills.

Toddy

A harder endmill doesn't mean tougher. In a less rigid machine(like most manual mills, not drill presses) a harder end mill will break as soon as you touch the mat. If your going to try a drill press, use hss.

Drill presses weren't designed to use endmills. You'll probably screw up the chuck when it comes out of the Morse taper, and maybe the taper too. If you do this please wear safety glasses. I have thrown a couple of guys out of my shop for trying this.

Originally posted by ToyToddy
Try the Hougon bits. I think that is how you spell it they are like end mills but have a center pin in them. They are made for Mag. drills.

Toddy

yeah, I tried a $45 hougen hole cutter... yup.... the welds

laughed at it. it sits in my "junk-drill bit drawer" now.....

--Sherpa

well since you seem to want to stick something in you drill press to get the welds out of your axles at least stick something in there that will work.................like a cutting tourch.

Originally posted by camo
well since you seem to want to stick something in you drill press to get the welds out of your axles at least stick something in there that will work.................like a cutting tourch.


:D That's good.

I'm thinking that I'm not going to make any progress with these end mill bits. I actually have a torch and a plasma cutter but the plasma isn't very industrial and I'm not proficient enough with the torch.

Originally posted by roundrocktom


For your use... get the CHEAPEST one. :)

For the machinist (with a big ass milling machine):

Plain

TiN -- Plain with TiN coating -- like 'em on aluminum

Carbide... if you machine isn't rigid, they will SHATTER.
Cool for doing higher speed (CNC) work, but only buy them when they are on sale. Last longer if work piece is rigid

Flutes:
2 flute for cutting a groove into a work piece. (less likely to clog the bits, rougher finish when compared to a 4 flute)

4 flute for cutting around the edges. (Smoother cuts from the higher number of flutes)

Dry, Cold Air, Coolant all come into play with different milling bits and feed rates.

I come from the old school of "learning by doing", so most of my learning comes from how many bits I've broken! :)

For the machinist: I use O1 - oil hardeneng tool steel and make my own counter sinks on the lathe & milling machine. Took a while to learn, but for a four flute cutter rather than cutting each flute 90 degrees from each other, works better to cut at 87, 180, 273, 355... or some random number like that. Little did I realize that is the idea behind "chatterless" cutting bits! Nice thing about the home made counter sinks, I can use it in my (pretty rigid) drill press on aluminum parts. Helps speed things along when the mill is busy finishing up other work (power feeds).

Tom :usa:

I use alot of the hss bits. I got some 2,4,8, and 10 flute mills. Bought a jig so i can resharpen them on the surface grinder.....