Notching with a Drill Press?

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Greetings, I have a Rigid 15 inch drill press and would like to do some tubing notching. Now I have to believe the press should be capable of it because I can power the cheap HF notcher with my 18 volt makita hand drill but whenever I try to set it up on the drill press, it vibrates and my chuck falls off because they arent designed to take side pressure. Now before I go further, let me torpedo a couple of responses I have heard elsewhere. First of all I dont have the money to buy a milling machine, used or otherwise, so that is out. Nor do I have thousands to spend on a dedicated notcher. And if I did have that kind of money I would much rather buy half a dozen other things than a machine that does only one or two tasks. I simply dont do enough notching to make it worth it since I am just a hobbyist working on my own projects. I had considered attaching the hole saw directly to my drill press with the attachment that comes with the hole saw kit. The only problem to that was how to hold the pipe and hole saw absolutely fixed in position. I was thinking I could rig up something with a standard pipe vice and some sort of mechanism to either allow me to use my table bevel or another bevel for setting the angle. The trick of course is to not let either the hole saw or pipe vice move out of alignment. Any suggestions?Victor Journeyman OA TorchVictor Edge RegulatorsLincoln 180HD (240v) MIG/FCAWShark LT v7 CADMiller Digital Elite Helmet35 Milligrams of Insanity
Reply:try a free calculator program online..snip... saw notching in pipe..lets you cope tubing with striaght cuts..
Reply:Originally Posted by weldbeadtry a free calculator program online..snip... saw notching in pipe..lets you cope tubing with striaght cuts..
Reply:ssorry its "sawing notch in pipe"..calculator comes right up..
Reply:Are you saying you tried the HF notcher with the drill press?  I used basically the same setup for ages and never had any problems with it.
Reply:http://snip.awardspace.com/Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals...2999/42324.PDFYou mount the Notcher on the DP.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Here's a few picts of my buddy's notching setup on his mill. Instead of the fly cutter you could use a hole saw, but they often don't last long. You should be able to do something similar with your press, and have it rigid if the press is decent. If it's a POS like some tables and it won't lock solid, you're F'd.The chuck shouldn't fall out of your drill with a hole saw. Either there's grease on the taper, or you're not getting it in tight enough. The other way is to just learn to do it by hand with a grinder and saw. Thats the way my friend does all his work in the field for repairs. The mill in the shop is only for production runs with a lot of similar cuts redoing a whole boom. With practice you can get fit up like the one I posted. Attached Images.No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by SupeAre you saying you tried the HF notcher with the drill press?  I used basically the same setup for ages and never had any problems with it.
Reply:Well I got the notcher working and my chuck stuck in the arbor. I cleaned it and the arbor with acetone and got a bunch of stuff off of it so it was in fact dirty. Hopefully this will stick. I pushed it into the arbor hard and then pounded it a few times with a deadblow hammer (plastic sand filled hammer usually used for brick work).So I notched a tube but still I am not happy with the results. The notch is slightly off center, maybe only a millimeter but still off. I am still thinking about fabricating my own jig with a pipe vice and a threaded rod supported jig for setting the proper angle.Victor Journeyman OA TorchVictor Edge RegulatorsLincoln 180HD (240v) MIG/FCAWShark LT v7 CADMiller Digital Elite Helmet35 Milligrams of Insanity
Reply:If it's slightly off center, you can either shim out the spindle mount or knock some material off.
Reply:If it comes loose again, after cleaning both the taper on the chuck, and inside the quill, you'll want something that gives a sharper hit than a deadblow hammer.I've got a massive brass headed hammer that I would use, but otherwise, I would put a thin sheet of lead on the chuck, or a thin scrap of hardwood, and give one solid whack with a hand sledge (drilling/engineer's hammer).
Reply:Originally Posted by rlitmanIf it comes loose again, after cleaning both the taper on the chuck, and inside the quill, you'll want something that gives a sharper hit than a deadblow hammer.I've got a massive brass headed hammer that I would use, but otherwise, I would put a thin sheet of lead on the chuck, or a thin scrap of hardwood, and give one solid whack with a hand sledge (drilling/engineer's hammer).
Reply:My friend has the HF tubing notcher in his drill press and it works great,can't believe the drill chuck would be that loose on the taper,maybe where it has been loose on the taper something has wore.Maxus Pro-125 MigChicago Electric 90 amp DC flux-coreLincoln Electric AC 225 tombstoneO/A torchM/O mini-torch10 acres of flatland15 acres of holler
Reply:A quick question.  What advantage is there to the HF Tubing Notcher?  Couldn't you just put a metal-cutting hole-saw in the drill press chuck, and clamp the tube to the drill press table?  Maybe I don't have enough experiene with metal working, but I don't see why that wouldn't work for the hobby guy.....Nctox,  Stickmate LX  235AC/160DC  HH210
Reply:nctox the HF notcher works best for those without a drill press. You bolt it to a table and use a 1/2" drill. Usually it's easier than using that in the drill  press.As far as your thoughts, yes it will work to do 90's. when you start to do angles you need some sort of clamp system like I posted. Also usually it's not the best idea to just clamp to the table as you will cut the table as you go thru. You can mount the tube in a vise off the table and make this work, but V jaws in the vise work best to give you consistant positioning. I've done this in my mill to do one or two quick 90's rather than drag out the special angle vise. Hole saws don't last all that long with some of these designs. The teeth don't take well to a lot of play in the system..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWnctox the HF notcher works best for those without a drill press. You bolt it to a table and use a 1/2" drill. Usually it's easier than using that in the drill  press.As far as your thoughts, yes it will work to do 90's. when you start to do angles you need some sort of clamp system like I posted. Also usually it's not the best idea to just clamp to the table as you will cut the table as you go thru. You can mount the tube in a vise off the table and make this work, but V jaws in the vise work best to give you consistant positioning. I've done this in my mill to do one or two quick 90's rather than drag out the special angle vise. Hole saws don't last all that long with some of these designs. The teeth don't take well to a lot of play in the system.
Reply:for all the reasons stated.. bitch to jig, sloppy fit, eats up hole saws, off by a red  curly hair,,i rely on the snip calculator..havent  found a situation wherre its results arent acceptable for my use.. i aint building a watch..
Reply:Hole saws are not that expensive. If I was doing production work I would invest in a mill, but I am just a hobbyist and the hole saws are sufficient.Victor Journeyman OA TorchVictor Edge RegulatorsLincoln 180HD (240v) MIG/FCAWShark LT v7 CADMiller Digital Elite Helmet35 Milligrams of Insanity
Reply:-clamp your $29 tubing notcher in your vice-put on your $20  1/2" Air Drill-put on a Milwaukee or DeWalt Hole saw of your choice-simplest easy way.i have a freind with a $100,000 dollar tubing notcher , does both sides in like a second flat , automated clamping/cutting ....i've seen every way ther is ithink.......flycuttr' pics. up there are cool (had'nt seen that one)the Hole saw even jolts the Mill a little ,  the morse taper in a drill press..?  it'll just keep falling out......seen it over and over.        thermal arc 252i  -  millermatic 350P -   miller XMT, cp300ts, 30a 22a feeders, buttload of other millers, handfull of lincolns, couple of esabs  -   Hypertherm 1250 G3