Drilling alignment problem

[JuanPablo30]

Can you show me your drill press and vise set up?

[d.huber]

I don't own a drill press.

Like any other tool, if it's properly aligned and you've eliminated the human error factor then you should be in business.

[JuanPablo30]

I don't own a drill press.

Like any other tool, if it's properly aligned and you've eliminated the human error factor then you should be in business.

Do you use a lathe only to drill and make all your pipes?

[d.huber]

I don't own a drill press.

Like any other tool, if it's properly aligned and you've eliminated the human error factor then you should be in business.

Do you use a lathe only to drill and make all your pipes?

I shape first on a disk, drill freehand on the lathe, and then start my stems on the lathe.

[JuanPablo30]

I don't own a drill press.

Like any other tool, if it's properly aligned and you've eliminated the human error factor then you should be in business.

Do you use a lathe only to drill and make all your pipes?

I shape first on a disk, drill freehand on the lathe, and then start my stems on the lathe.

"Freehand" sounds more difficult. I'm just a beginner at this so I got a long way to make a pipe like the one from your avatar.

[The Smoking Yeti]

"Freehand" sounds more difficult. I'm just a beginner at this so I got a long way to make a pipe like the one from your avatar.

Yeah, freehand drilling is tough to learn without seeing it in person- trust me. I learned the hard way.

[JuanPablo30]

I put my new drill together and began drilling. I'm the one to blame, I'm still getting the same results I've tried using lasers and still get it wrong. I'm very frustrated with this S%#&. Can't figure it. Please help If you had the same problem and solved it.

[Jthompson1995]

You might try a different drill bit. If the flutes are slightly off, it may be causing the drill bit to go crooked.

[wdteipen]

Can you take a photo zoomed out so we can see your drill press and vise setup? A head on shot and a side shot would be helpful. Otherwise we will just be taking stabs in the dark at what the problem is.

[JuanPablo30]

Can you take a photo zoomed out so we can see your drill press and vise setup? A head on shot and a side shot would be helpful. Otherwise we will just be taking stabs in the dark at what the problem is.

Here is a picture:



Keep in mind that I've tried 3 different drill presses and I'm getting the same results. This is why I know I'm the one doing something wrong.

[JuanPablo30]

You might try a different drill bit. If the flutes are slightly off, it may be causing the drill bit to go crooked.

I did, I got a new set of drill bits to test.

[Tyler]

Are you using the same vise in all instances?

[JuanPablo30]

Are you using the same vise in all instances?

Same kind but different ones in different drills. I've used my dads and got the same result. He showme how he did one and worked for him, I tried to use his method and got it wrong with him supervising!. I'm telling you, this is a curse!

[JuanPablo30]

Is there a how to guide here in the forum for us mortals?

[LatakiaLover]

Check the table for being an exact 90 degrees from the quill travel by chucking a length of blank drill rod and putting it against a known-to-be-accurate, self-standing trisquare like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Level-E250 ... =trisquare

Then move the trisquare 90 degrees around the table and check again.

If everything is OK, the problem is the vise. Check it by clamping a known-to-be-square block in its jaws, and repeat the above procedure.

If the vise is the problem, it can probably be shimmed. Buy a fan-style gap gauge, disassemble, and use the leaves between the vise base and the table to align it.

None of the equipment in your photo is manufactured to precision tolerances, and doing such aftermarket checking and tuning is the only way to make it serviceable for pipe pipe making (which requires a lot more precision than most people would guess.)

[Vermont Freehand]

how far in are you drilling before backing out the bit to clear it?

how dry is the wood?

the jaws on my lathe chuck (similar to the plates you are gripping with on your vise) have a point that protrudes past the gripping surface into the block, it is aligned with center of where the drill bit goes. Having the point, I can pivot the block for each cut, yet have the ending point pretty close to exactly where they meet, and it's within the grip area (as opposed to the junction being higher than the vise). I'm not sure if you are getting the block twisted by pivoting it to do the next cut. If it's happening on multiple machines, I'd bet it's user error, not a problem with the bit. What sort of tip does your bit have?

[JuanPablo30]

how far in are you drilling before backing out the bit to clear it?

how dry is the wood?

the jaws on my lathe chuck (similar to the plates you are gripping with on your vise) have a point that protrudes past the gripping surface into the block, it is aligned with center of where the drill bit goes. Having the point, I can pivot the block for each cut, yet have the ending point pretty close to exactly where they meet, and it's within the grip area (as opposed to the junction being higher than the vise). I'm not sure if you are getting the block twisted by pivoting it to do the next cut. If it's happening on multiple machines, I'd bet it's user error, not a problem with the bit. What sort of tip does your bit have?

The wood is very dry and i used different kinds. I don't know exactly but I think I back it up every 1/4" and I'm using regular wood drill bits, nothing fancy. Hey are you the vendor from eBay? I got some blocks from you!

[Vermont Freehand]

huh, backing out every 1/4" should be sufficient, and a normal tipped bit should be good too (brad points can wander at the beginning of drilling if the bit isn't perfectly straight). Have someone else try it on the same machine, maybe that will rule out "user error"

Yes, I am vt_freehand on ebay. If you ever need anything in the future, pm me here or send me an email, I can do a little better price than on ebay.

[E.L.Cooley]

Pretty sure many of us have bought wood from him.


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[mightysmurf8201]

JuanPablo- If that is the same drill press as one that I have owned, which I'm 95% sure it is, your table is probably not sitting flush. You need to lift up on the table as you tighten the clamp, or else you will get a slight incline, especially with the weight of that cross slide vise on the table. Based on my many years of using that model, I'd like to save you a lot of headaches and suggest you return it, save up another $100, and get a halfway decent press, or another $200 and get a really good one. This model is not made for precision work.