1. Home
  2. ⏣ General Metalworking
  3. Machining a Pulley for a Drill Press
  4. Page 3

Machining a Pulley for a Drill Press

formatting link

I printed and laminated a spreadsheet showing the RPM and cutting speed in SFM of common tool diameters for the six belt positions on my Clausing. Its designer chose 180, 350, 600, 1000, 1900 and 3250 RPM.

It's usually at 600 RPM which is slow enough to cut mild steel with up to 1/2" tools and not too inconveniently low for shallow holes with small bits. 180 RPM allows flycutting cast iron and hole saws up to 2" (with the belt loosened), 3250 RPM is good for milling narrow slots in aluminum. S&D drills from 9/16" to 1" run at 350 RPM. It's a real 700 Lb milling machine but I use it mostly for drilling.

--jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins
Loading thread data ...

You probably want a second and third drill press, actually. Spindle speed is very important sometimes.

Winding springs, all five speeds are too fast. Putting an 0.040" hole in chrome-nickel superalloy, all five speeds are too slow.

Reply to
whit3rd

Does 4130 Prehard count?

--jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

I added an additional "idler" pulley to one drill press that multiplies the number of speeds. See

formatting link
which is quite useful.

Reply to
John B.

On my Clausing the intermediate pulley shaft slides and clamps in a tee slot, which might be easier to retrofit than a pivot shaft but is difficult to adjust because it tilts from free play when loosened and tightening the clamping knob on top pulls it upright and changes the belt tension.

formatting link

--jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

Ok, obviously the more steps the better.

But are there any foreseeable problems using a 1/2" chuck pulley and a 5/8" motor pulley in the drill press?

Thanks.

Darren Harris Staten Island, New York.

Reply to
jamesjaddah1755

I settled on a 5=step aluminum pulley for the motor.

Thanks.

Darren Harris Staten Island, New York.

Reply to
jamesjaddah1755

So, did you end up turning it yourself (more satisfying) on a lathe or did you buy one (less satisfying), Darren?

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Actually I won one on Ebay:

formatting link

Darren Harris Staten Island, New York.

Reply to
jamesjaddah1755

IOW, you bought one from an eBay vendor for $20.80. OK.

Reply to
Larry Jaques

It was actually the cheapest 5-step pulley on Ebay. :-)

Darren Harris Staten Island, New York.

Reply to
jamesjaddah1755

Yeah, that wasn't too bad a price. But "won" sounded like you got a freebie. How's it working?

Reply to
Larry Jaques

I did get another tool with it from the same seller.

formatting link

Darren Harris Staten Island, New York.

Reply to
jamesjaddah1755

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.