If the vise's vertical and horizontal V-grooves are the same dimensions (as they are in most vise jaw plates), then clamping same-diameter pieces in each groove will keep the center lines of both workpieces aligned.
Drill bushings such as those suggested by DoN will keep the drill centered on the horizontal piece's center line as long as the two stock diameters are the same.
BTW, if the cross hole needs to be near the end of a workpiece, drilling the hole with this method will likely work better if the hole is drilled before cutting the length of the workpiece. The longer length of stock held in the horizontal V-groove will be supported by the entire width of the horizontal groove, eliminating the possibility of the part shifting if it were only supported by about half of the V-groove (particularly in smaller vises). The increased gripping area should insure a smooth drilling action with no surprises.
Couple months back I picked up a Skill reciprocating saw for a buck. It was missing the blade holder but some creative modification to a
1/2" drive socket and its back in business. Haven't actually tried it out yet but have high hopes - been too busy straightening the output shaft on a 4HP B&S with a 4 lb. hammer, etc. etc.
Well ... with 1.5" diameter, you may get tired of that fairly quickly. And the H/V bandsaw makes a cut closer to square than a hacksaw typically does. You still have to face it to clean up the cut, but there is less to remove after the bandsaw has done its job.
Hmm ... if they have to order it in, yes, they want to sell it all at once to make it worth their while.
As for the 3' rods -- get *one* (if that branch does not also have a minimum order) and see what it is like to use it. I think that you'll find that your Taig can cut deeper than before. And also get some 360L brass as well. It is lovely to cut too.
[ ... ]
[ ... ]
I think that this says that the Chinese bit is "certified mild steel" as well. :-)
As for "lubricant" -- what are you using? You really don't want to lubricate -- you want to cool (remove heat from the tool and the workpiece), and to chemically aid the peeling of the metal away from the workpiece. Things like Rigid high-sulfur pipe threading oil will work sell for the purpose.
Hmm ... the fact that you keep calling it a "cylinder" instead of a "rod" is probably why others in this thread have assumed that what you are drilling is hollow and commented on how the bit behaves as it breaks through the inner walls. Try calling it "rod stock" and people won't make that assumption.
Well ... Both V ways were probably cut on the same machine, so the depth should be the same. A quick check is whether both the horizontal workpiece and the vertical guide (which for test purposes can simply be another cutoff of the same stock) are firmly gripped by the vise at the same time. It probably does not hurt to add paper between the moving jaw and the workpiece and guide to make up for the jaw tilting slightly as it is tightened.
Two identical vises, clamping on either side of the area where you intend to drill.
If you are supporting only at one end, consider that if the distance from the clamp (vise) to the place where you are drilling is over four times the diameter of the workpiece, then it will flex. (Same rule should be used for work held in the chuck of the lathe. If it extends beyond that length -- add support by a live center in the tailstock to make it more rigid.
A chunk of round stock, drilled and tapped down the center to accept a bolt. Turn a point on the head of the bolt, and make a piece with a center hole in one side, and a V going across the center of the center hole )look for it to break through there) can be used to support. The greater the diameter of the base of the jack, the more stable it will be.
Use the cardboard for crush space to increase the grip.
Well ... you are unlikely to be presented with the opportunity to buy a new 7" shaper. You have to luck into a well used one. Nobody seems to make them any more.
OP 21 Sept 2009, Michael Koblic originally described the problem via: "I tried to drill a 3/16" cross-hole in a small steel cylinder (0.3125" diameter, 0.400" length). I clamped the cylinder by the ends (faced-off and therefore parallel) in a fairly substantial drill press vise..."
The length of the part, .4", less the hole diameter, .1875", is .2125, so using two vises for this part would clamp only about .11" of material at each end. It would be better to make a jig to hold the part for cross drilling.
The jig would have a horizontal 5/16" hole to hold the part and an intersecting vertical 3/16" hole for cross drilling.
If the jig were split vertically and hinged at the bottom, it would clamp the part when clamped in a vise.
If the jig were split horizontally and clamped with vertical screws or with C-clamps, a hardened drill guide bushing could be pressed into the top half of the jig, or the jig itself could be hardened.
If making only a few parts, don't bother splitting the jig, just drill the intersecting holes and start drilling parts. Once the drill bit enters the side of the part, the part won't shift within the jig.
Others suggested exactly that. I was hoping to get away without having to spend time making a jig as this was a one off part of an experimental design. However, as the procedures are beginning to take shape I see that I shall have to make not just one but several of these if I cannot make Don's method work on my existing vise.
I had to make another of these parts in a hurry. No time to make a jig. I looked at all my drill presse vises and *none of them* had a horizontal V-grove matching the vertical one. In fact my favorite vise had *three* vertical grooves, all different, none-matching the horizontal groove. I tried wrapping some tape around the improvised guide but the result was way off center.
So back to end clamping. On this occasion however I made sure that the steel was "certified mild" and the drill was a stub drill. It worked like a charm!
I shall still look into a jig in the future when the current crop of problems is sorted.
Yes, very different to machine. (But it is not good to weld, because of the lead in the alloy, which makes it so nice to machine.) Both are probably about equally hard, but when you are cutting metal the difference is amazing -- and it will show up in the finish you get, too.
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.