Pillar Drill Vice Question

I have followed the advice given to me here and bought a Meddings MB4

7/8 inch bench drill - and I am very pleased with its condition and capability (and price) given it dates back to 1964. But I am going to ask a really dumb question - you see they never did metalwork at my school !

How do I best hold the work ?

This drill has just the bench base-plate, no intermediate plate. The base-plate has two big parallel t-slots 175mm apart. I have a couple of drill vices but nothing that size. I have been using my lathe to do any half-precision drilling up to now, and that means the work is well clamped to the vertical slide, but what do I need for this drill ? Should I be looking for a big drill vice, or maybe a compound slide so that I have more options for nailing down tricky bits for drilling ? As I have to drill against the base-plate I can't use G-clamps.

I am sure there is loads of experience out there, so what do you guys use ?

Thanks Steve

Reply to
Steve
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Steve,it looks like you are missing the table.Hard to find,I had a brand new one and gave it away.An x,y table might be your best bet in the circumstances with a decent vice bolted to it.At 7/8" capacity I would just hold the vice by hand,but I`ve been drilling holes for forty years and you haven`t so I wouldn`t recommend it. Mark.

Reply to
mark

Where are you, & what dia. is the column?

I've got a very scruffy Progress drill stand & table sitting outside in the weather, you're welcome to the table if it's of any use.

Tim

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Reply to
Tim Leech

As Mark sayed, you very rarely have to clamp down the work. You have a vice and that's enough. Clamping the vice to the table is only usefull when you do serial work. But the thing that should go into one T-slot is a stop that prevents the vice from rotating if the drill bites. Especially when boring bigger holes.

Nick

Reply to
Nick Müller

Ebay Item number: 120029944187

Reply to
Nospam

I have a Pacera (predecessor to Meddings) drill press that you are welcome to the table from free for the taking if it fits. The column diameter is 2 3/4".

The drill itself is battered and has a slightly bent spindle top. but it will do me without the table for the last couple of holes I need to do with it before I take it to the tip.... The holes I have been using it for are 5" diameter holes in a concrete floor so the table is a bit irrelevant.

Mark Rand RTFM

Reply to
Mark Rand

Thanks for the ideas

Mark This one never had an intermediate table, I called Meddings who were very helpful and identified the model as MB4HRM. Its a 2 3/4inch by 3 foot solid column and has a clamp with a worm and rack which can be used to move the head up and down. That kind of blocks adding an intermediate table, unless I junk the head raising mechanism (HRM), as the rack is next to the column.

I thought about using the vice loose and then wondered about that moment when it bit in something thin and went around. An X-Y table sounds a good option, and they don't seem too expensive. I wondered about using magnetic blocks either to locate the drill vice, or one of those magnetic surface grinder plates to hold the vice down - though they seem rather pricey. I suppose the swarf sticks to everything and you end up in a right mess. Also it just occurred to me that I could drill and tap the base table - I could use the drill itself to do one either side - maybe thats all I need for now.

Tim, I'm in Chester - I'll have to come over and say hello sometime. Don't think you are very far away.

Steve

Reply to
Steve

You have to hold it with your hand at the spindle!

Nick

Reply to
Nick Müller

OK, if the head will move with a rack and worm then you don't need an additional table.

It only happens once, and usually most of the hand grows back .

Just use a drill vice and steady it by hand. There are very few occasions when things get exciting. If they ever do, learn to ease up on the pressure when breaking through the bottom of the hole.

regards Mark Rand RTFM

Reply to
Mark Rand

Does the Pacera have a high low gearchange?. I need a high/low lever and am about to make one as Meddings can't supply, but scrounging one would be quicker ! All I have at the moment is a slightly tortured shaft - I think someone has been using molegrips ! Fortunately the inside of the box is fine.

Steve

Reply to
Steve

No, it's just got a five step pulley!

Mark Rand RTFM

Reply to
Mark Rand

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