"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message
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On 2009-09-24, Michael Koblic wrote:

"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message
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Hmm ... about 39 SFM. What was the material you are drilling?
And was it hardened steel or mild?

A mystery metal which I was probably wrongly lead to believe was mild
steel.

BTW -- if you want a really nice steel to machine (as long as
you don't need to harden it), look for some 12L14 (very free turning
leaded mild steel, and it produces a beautiful finish.

A quick look tells me the local supplier carries only 1.5" diameter rods in
12L14. evryone sells them in various diameters and lengths for peanuts.
Including Amazon! But nobody ships to Canada. Some more local research is
called for.

More doughnuts..

An identical drill from the same vendor has no difficulty drilling into

[ ... ]

And who made the drill bit? If Chinese, it is a pure guess as
to how good a steel is in the drill bit. If a US manufacturer like
Cleveland, you are going to be more certain of the quality of the steel,
and if you need it, you can go to a cobalt steel which is tougher (and
more expensive).

I cannot imagine that Canadian Tire sells anything but Chinese. They look
pretty though...

Pretty as in "gold colored". This means that they have been TiN
coated (Titanium Nitride, not the metal tin). If the surface appears to
be somewhat frosted under the coating, it is likely to be a very poor
metal. If the surface appears to have been polished before the TiN
coating, it is more likely to be a good steel -- which they took the
time to work with properly when fabricating the drill bit.

I kind of gathered they were TiN. however, to my untrained eye they look
shiny. I do not have anything high quality to compare - those are covered
with black oxide.

[ ... ]

Can you identify what was shaking relative to what? In a drill
press, there is flex in the column itself, the mounting of the table to
the column, the mounting of the vise to the table, and usually the fit
of the quill in the headstock casting.

In the end everything was shaking including myself.

Some things can be checked by touch. For example, with one
hand, touch one finger to the vise and another to the table. This makes
it fairly easy to tell if there is motion there. A similar test can
detect motion of the workpiece in the vise -- but be careful in case the
workpiece comes loose and starts spinning.

Also -- touch one finger to the headstock casting, and another
to the side of the quill to see if that is loose.

I will pay attention next time I run this test. I hope to eliminate this
kerfaffle with a clamping jig. Sounds like clamping by the ends and leaving
1/16" inch to support the hole is probably not a thing to do.

[ ... ]

A milling machine is typically more rigid.

And some floor standing drill presses may as well be made of
freshly cooked noodles. :-)

It is what it is. Bridgeport it ain't.

But something like a radial drill press is almost as rigid as a
Bridgeport -- but much larger and heavier.

Well, it ain't that either...:-)

[ ... ]

The experiment is to be repeated with some changes and bona fide mild
steel.

Try 12L14 if you can get some. You will find it a true pleasure
to machine.

There is a Zen-like quality to making steel wool on the Taig. When things go
badly elsewhere, I try and turn something on the Taig. Like a security
blanket. Funny, the mill does not have the same effect. I still experience a
child-like wonder when I center drill a rod and the hole is...in the center!

--
Michael Koblic
Campbell River, BC