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Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work. |
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#1
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
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Cole drill, mod
Finally put my eBay sourced Cole drill to use. I'm really running up
against the limited travel vs different drill lengths, finding it much easier to move the head back to change drills. But then, how to realign quickly? With a 1/8 ball end mill, I milled a shallow groove down the length of the column, to a width very close to the slot in the head. In aligning, I have the clamp slot centered over this groove on the head and use the base for positioning. Then, when I need to move the head, it's simple to realign. There's more than enough slop in the whole setup to accommodate any minor misalignment between the head and this groove. Jon |
#2
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Cole drill, mod
On Oct 30, 3:38*pm, Jon Anderson wrote:
Finally put my eBay sourced Cole drill to use. I'm really running up against the limited travel vs different drill lengths, finding it much easier to move the head back to change drills. But then, how to realign quickly? With a 1/8 ball end mill, I milled a shallow groove down the length of the column, to a width very close to the slot in the head. In aligning, I have the clamp slot centered over Thanks this groove on the head and use the base for positioning. Then, when I need to move the head, it's simple to realign. There's more than enough slop in the whole setup to accommodate any minor misalignment between the head and this groove. Jon Thanks for posting Jon. Do you think the mod weakens the drill at all? TMT |
#3
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Cole drill, mod
One step further.. add a thin key to a slot in a bar (silver solder etc)
which is just a little narrower than the head slot. The Cole drills are really handy tools, it would be kinda unnatural to add a laser spotter or other high? tech accessory to them. A set of rods with conical tips of different diameters and lengths would be worthwhile for relocating the hole center. It would add an extra step, but chucking a rod with a tapered/conical point will generally relocate a hole center fairly accurately. FWIW.. For pilot drills, a drill diameter which is close to the width of the chisel point (across the web thickness) of the final size drill works very well. I find using a range of sizes to get to a final hole size to be more trouble than it's worth (and sometimes problematic in causing missed hole locations). An exception is a uni-bit-type step drill. I generally spot a location with an 1/8", then use that to drill a pilot hole, followed by the final size drill.. and always an adequate amount of cutting lubricant with each. -- WB .......... "Jon Anderson" wrote in message ... Finally put my eBay sourced Cole drill to use. I'm really running up against the limited travel vs different drill lengths, finding it much easier to move the head back to change drills. But then, how to realign quickly? With a 1/8 ball end mill, I milled a shallow groove down the length of the column, to a width very close to the slot in the head. In aligning, I have the clamp slot centered over this groove on the head and use the base for positioning. Then, when I need to move the head, it's simple to realign. There's more than enough slop in the whole setup to accommodate any minor misalignment between the head and this groove. Jon |
#4
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Cole drill, mod
On 10/30/2011 4:48 PM, Wild_Bill wrote:
One step further.. add a thin key to a slot in a bar (silver solder etc) which is just a little narrower than the head slot. That was my first thought, but I'm neck deep in projects and just getting started on this one, which has been sitting at the front of my garage for 2 years now. About danged time I get moving with it, and not going to risk putting it off further by stacking yet another project in front of it! I'm using a rod I machined to the ID for alignment, it's the same length as the drill, which helps a lot. I'm finishing (finally) the conversion of my old Millport CNC knee mill back to manual. Sold the balls screws out of it, and bought a brand new set of lead screws off eBay out of some BP clone. The screws didn't line up on the same centers as the originals. I have the Y done, by shimming the knuckle. But that put the X screw up too high, and a bit too far back. So I'm drilling and tapping the 4 end holes on the table to 3/4NF. Then I'll clamp up the end bearing plates, get the X screw aligned, spot and drill/tap new holes. This will look way cleaner than obrounding the end plate holes, and make it easy for anyone down the road to add a power feed. In fact, nobody would ever know what I did if I didn't tell them. I'd borrowed a mag drill from a customer and tried mounting it to a large angle plate. But it's just too heavy for me to hold up, align over the hole, and activate the magnet. Cole drill to the rescue! It's a lot of work drilling that size hole that deep in cast iron. Drill and tap one a day, that's about what I can handle... G Jon |
#5
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Cole drill, mod
Yep, upgrades/improvements during a project can definitely impede progress.
Mag-drills are exceptionally good for some jobs, but when the drilling job is in an engine compartment, remote locations/outside of a shop, up in the air, or has the operator working on a floor, under a truck chassis for example, a Cole drill often makes it much easier. BTW, a drill motor can be added to a Cole by taking the handle and ratchet wheel off, and using an adapter threaded onto the shaft (Cole used to supply such an adapter). One can be fabricated from a piece of round or hex stock (drilling and tapping a hole in the Cole end, and flats for a chuck to hold on to at the drill motor end). I like to sketch out these sorts of small upgrade/improvement ideas and stick the drawing up in the shop space where they can be seen, so when I need to make a similar part, it's more convenient to make a nifty do-dad. It sounds as though you're nearing completion, and being able to see the conclusion getting near (light at the end of the tunnel) is good motivation. It'd be great if you could post some pictures of the project when you're done. -- WB .......... "Jon Anderson" wrote in message ... On 10/30/2011 4:48 PM, Wild_Bill wrote: One step further.. add a thin key to a slot in a bar (silver solder etc) which is just a little narrower than the head slot. That was my first thought, but I'm neck deep in projects and just getting started on this one, which has been sitting at the front of my garage for 2 years now. About danged time I get moving with it, and not going to risk putting it off further by stacking yet another project in front of it! I'm using a rod I machined to the ID for alignment, it's the same length as the drill, which helps a lot. I'm finishing (finally) the conversion of my old Millport CNC knee mill back to manual. Sold the balls screws out of it, and bought a brand new set of lead screws off eBay out of some BP clone. The screws didn't line up on the same centers as the originals. I have the Y done, by shimming the knuckle. But that put the X screw up too high, and a bit too far back. So I'm drilling and tapping the 4 end holes on the table to 3/4NF. Then I'll clamp up the end bearing plates, get the X screw aligned, spot and drill/tap new holes. This will look way cleaner than obrounding the end plate holes, and make it easy for anyone down the road to add a power feed. In fact, nobody would ever know what I did if I didn't tell them. I'd borrowed a mag drill from a customer and tried mounting it to a large angle plate. But it's just too heavy for me to hold up, align over the hole, and activate the magnet. Cole drill to the rescue! It's a lot of work drilling that size hole that deep in cast iron. Drill and tap one a day, that's about what I can handle... G Jon |
#6
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Cole drill, mod
On 10/31/2011 6:32 PM, Wild_Bill wrote:
It'd be great if you could post some pictures of the project when you're done. Getting better about photo documenting projects. I've got plenty of pics and will post them when I'm done. Jon |
#7
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Cole drill, mod
On 10/31/2011 6:32 PM, Wild_Bill wrote:
BTW, a drill motor can be added to a Cole by taking the handle and ratchet wheel off, and using an adapter threaded onto the shaft (Cole used to supply such an adapter). How exactly does this ratchet come off? Can't see a setscrew nor pin on the ratchet. It appears to be pressed onto a reduced section of the spindle. Maybe a 2 jaw gear puller? Jon |
#8
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Cole drill, mod
For the 2 Cole Drills that I have, the ratchet gizzy is just threaded..
right-hand internal thread (for clockwise turning of a drill during cutting). There are threads above the ratchet and handle hole on these versions, which are the type that the drill adapter was available for. While holding the spindle stationary, using something similar to a channel-lock/slip-joint type plier to grip the ratchet (over a rag or something to prevent metal removal), it will screw off turned CCW. If your design is different, maybe someone else has experience with it. I've seen other designs, but they weren't marked with the Cole name. -- WB .......... "Jon Anderson" wrote in message news On 10/31/2011 6:32 PM, Wild_Bill wrote: BTW, a drill motor can be added to a Cole by taking the handle and ratchet wheel off, and using an adapter threaded onto the shaft (Cole used to supply such an adapter). How exactly does this ratchet come off? Can't see a setscrew nor pin on the ratchet. It appears to be pressed onto a reduced section of the spindle. Maybe a 2 jaw gear puller? Jon |
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