Low RPM Drill Press?

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I'm looking for a drill press that can be set to 50-100 RPM does anyone know of any?  Or how to modify one?
Reply:Originally Posted by tony30324I'm looking for a drill press that can be set to 50-100 RPM does anyone know of any?  Or how to modify one?
Reply:So i need to look for one thats driven by multiple pulleys?
Reply:add a jackshaft.  add a shaft with pulleys.   havn't did it.  i've seen it on some forums looks pretty easy, and would be nice for holesaws.Pound to fit, paint to match
Reply:RPM is determined by the ratio of pulley diameters.  Something like this... drive pulley/driven pulley X input RPM = output RPM.I added a jackshaft with a 6" pulley to my drill press and reduced the RPM from 600 to 100.  Never looked back. Attached Images
Reply:My drill press came with a jackshaft in the center, but I understand that a 3 phase motor and a VFD would work pretty sweet too.My name's not Jim....
Reply:At an industrial plant, when we needed a small slow speed drill press, for a special job, I purchased the Harbor Freight small drill press ($49 on sale) and added the biggest open stock die cast pulley the local hardware store had in stock.  It looked strange with the belt cover removed and the belt running from the smallest diameter groove on the driving pulley to the oversized driven pulley but we got the job delivered, within spec, on time and under budget.I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:Consider an old camelback press with a back gear.  Mine goes down to about 30 rpm. Has #3 Morse taper, power feed and will drill just about anything. Punch a 1-1/2" hole in a 1" steel plate with no problem. Nice and slow. The power feed is a real plus.  This new stuff runs too fast for a large hole.  Camelbacks are fairly cheap also. Mine was turnkey with a vise for $275. Weighs about 700 lbs. (1911 catalog cut attached).I happen to own 2 of them. I picked up a smaller press with a #2 MT without a power feed or backgear for my basement.  It spins at 90 rpm on low speed. It was turnkey also for $75.  No vise though. I wouldn't use anything else. They are heavy duty, well engineered, rigid machines. Once you go camel - you never go back. Attached ImagesLast edited by WFM; 02-16-2011 at 01:44 PM.
Reply:Many people buy a drill press not realizing that the drill press is made for wood working purposes primarily an the speeds are oriented for wood working NOT metal working requiring slower speeds.A metal working drill press may have a low speed of 200 rpm, but when actually cutting a hole with a low rpm hole saw in metal, will get slowed down to about 100 rpm just from the friction of the cutting .AWS certified welding inspectorAWS certified welder
Reply:I recommend using a 3-phase motor with a VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) as the easiest, most versatile and convenient means of getting low spindle speeds.  True, power is reduced as speed is reduced by means of a VFD due to inherent electrical limitations of motors (i.e., magnetic saturation of the motor field poles at low frequencies) but this is not normally a limitation in use.  Power demand at the cutting edge also goes down proportional to speed, although torque demand may remain constant.  You are generally limited more by the ability of the cutting edge of a hole saw to dissipate the heat of cutting than by the power limitation of the drill press.  I've never felt power limited while using the VFD at low speed.I have been using a 3HP rated VFD for several decades in my home shop with complete satisfaction.  Paid about $100 for the VFD from a surplus servo equipment dealer.  I use it to drive a lathe, bench grinder, Hardinge horizontal mill, Bridgeport mill, and  Universal tool grinder.  (One at a time, obviously, although I have had no trouble when I forget to disconnect or turn off one machine and then use a second machine.)One advantage of equipping your shop with a VFD is that you can bid on tools with 3-phase motors that other bidders without 3-phases have to pass up.  All my power tools were purchased at auctions.awright
Reply:Larger pulley combos  has been mentioned,  then possibly add  a Variac inline so you can have variable speeds by turning a dial.  As long as the motor stays cool (turning at a rate adequate for ventilation)  UR aok.Thanks WFM sheesh now I HAVE to go find a camel back and check it out, very keen indeed looks great.Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:WFM, nice lookin hardware.  Prolly still be good and tight when you pass it to the grands.    A VFD or phase converter will also work for slowing the motor speed if easier to change pulleys or jackshafts arent feasable.BobI'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:Speed reduction of an induction motor by simply reducing voltage with a Variac is not advisable because, while the voltage decreases, the frequency remains constant at 60 Hz.  The result is that slip (the difference between synchronous speed of 1800 or 3600 RPM) increases above that for which the motor is designed.  I'm not sure, but I believe this abnormally high slip frequency results in larger than normal circulating currents in the squirrel cage rotor and potential overheating of the rotor.  Whatever the cause, you risk overheating the motor by simply reducing the voltage.  By reducing the voltage at constant frequency, you are simply starving the motor so the torque demanded by the load drags the motor speed down from its normal speed on 60 Hz. power.  Motor speed is then highly dependent upon momentary load.A VFD reduces the voltage AND the frequency in a programmed manner to maintain constant available torque as speed is decreased.  As long as cooling is adequate, the motor is operating at normal slip and is happy.  Speed is strongly linked to the frequency of the power applied to the motor and is relatively independent of load.  I have never been aware of a motor heating problem using a VFD because power demanded by the tool decreases proportional to speed.I believe that with careful shopping you could pick up a used or surplus VFD for only a little more than a used Variac of equal power rating.awrightLast edited by awright; 02-16-2011 at 06:36 PM.
Reply:If you have the room, look for an old radial arm drill. They were made for drilling large holes in metal. Once you have one, you will use it every day.I picked up an American Tool Works one for $200. Approx 100 years old. MT4 in the spindle, 6 speed gearbox plus back gears in the head for a total of 12 speeds. It'll sink a 1 1/2" bit through metal no problem, but you have to go very slow. By drilling a 3/8 - 1/2" pilot hole, you can go 2"+ diameter pretty easy. You have to use the pilot drill to start the hole so that the web of the larger drill isn't doing any cutting, just the flutes. Has auto-feed from 0.007"/rev up to 0.020"/rev. If you are drilling multiple holes in the same workpiece, you just clamp the thing down and move the arm and head to bring the drill bit to where you want it. Awesome for large, awkward pieces. Works great even for single holes...clamp the piece down, then worry about lining it up. Nothing more awkward than trying to hold a couple of clamps, the workpiece and lower the spindle on the old 5-speed chinese job in the corner just to line up the punch mark!Also has a tapping function. I haven't tried it yet, but it's supposed to allow power tapping.The downside is that I  now cruise EBay looking for deals on large taper shank drill bits. Andrew
Reply:awright agreed tptally...my variac is used sparingly on small projects and your solution is superior fo permanent installs. .Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:Originally Posted by Andrew_DIf you have the room, look for an old radial arm drill. They were made for drilling large holes in metal. Once you have one, you will use it every day.The downside is that I  now cruise EBay looking for deals on large taper shank drill bits. Andrew
Reply:A second or third on the camelback drill press. The original poster was looking for a machine that could either do 50-100 rpm or be modified to do so. You can spend the money or time and do the modification, but if the price of a camelback is around the same as the cost of a VFD and you can get the added bonus of a power feed why not just go cheap, have a reliable drill press built to last and keep it simple. They are still rather common, cheap and have more features and better built than most modern drill presses costing far more...price a power feed drill press lately? Only downsides of the camelback drill press would be possible floor space limitation and not wanting to spend a few minutes oiling the drill press up prior to use. Attached ImagesLast edited by WyoRoy; 02-17-2011 at 04:46 PM.Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:Hay. WFM, you got two and i have "0"....So you can give me one. I would buy one in a second if i ever find one, but i have never ever seen one....
Reply:Another thing about VFD is that people have cough on to them, increased demand and driving the price up... I looked for a while and gave up, just to expensive......
Reply:Originally Posted by 1awert1Another thing about VFD is that people have cough on to them, increased demand and driving the price up... I looked for a while and gave up, just to expensive......