On Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:39:54 -0400, "Wild_Bill"
wrote:

If you are using a handheld drill and not getting any chips out, your next
best bet would be to (borrow one if you don't have one) use a benchtop drill
press set up on blocks, at the correct angle so the quill downfeed would be
constant and steady.

My box-store Ryobi ~10" benchtop could be set up in place, and definitely
has enough power to drill those screws out.

Those little 5-speed $50 drill presses probably aren't any better than (or
even as good as) a decent hand drill. A friend suggested I could use his
5-speed recently while doing some fabricating at his place, and it was
essentially powerless, with a sharp 3/16" drill in mild steel.

A quality cobalt drill or masonry carbide (and a good cutting lubricant)
should cut the screws with a steady, constant feed, which is often difficult
to do with a handheld drill
I have a big drill press but I don't see any way this is happening.
the "piece" I'm working on is 4' long, the axle is 3' wide. The whole
assembly weighs over 200#. The set screw is at about a 45 degree
angle.

I'm using a 1/2" drill at slow speed. I'm able to really lean into it
so I think the pressure is there, at least as much as should be put on
1/8 and 3/16 bits.