what is the difference between a milling machine and a drill press?
can i mill with a drill press?
speed? torque?

io see a milling machine has a "table" with wheels so that you can move the stock three dimensionaly does anyone make a jig that will do the same thing?

if i got to spend 300.00 on a mini-mill i will.

You can buy a 2-way cross slide vise and mount it to your drill press. I notice you live in Texas, try Rex Supply.
[url] http://www.rex-supply.com[/url]

Thanks for asking this question. And, thanks to MickeyMouse for the concise answer.

I'm in the possession of (belonging to a brother-in-law) a very old drill press (made by Rockwell). It is a huge, and very solid beast. I've used it to machine some aluminum contraptions using HSS drill bits with decent accuracy. I was wondering if it would be stable enough if I used quality milling bits. I guess that I may just have to try it and see.

Thanks, again.

Lager,
-sgt_seti

I have been trying to tell people this... Don't compromise, spend what it takes to get what you need instead of trying to use a makeshift system and find it can't do what you want. With the economy in the toilet deals are out there waiting to be exploited.

Table top lathes - don't waste money on anything that does not have threading capability. Also ask yourself if you will ever need to turn a taper...

PLEASE keep in mind that most drill presses have a taper fit chuck.  If you apply sideways pressure, it's likely to come off.

Glad you asked.  I hate to see people seriously injured out of ignorance.  See canuk's response - dead on.

You may get by with light cuts for a while, but sooner or later it will get you.

Edit for more info:

Drill chicks mount on a taper - they are a friction fit.  the harder you press DOWN when drilling, the tighter they grip.  Placing a high frequency side to side motion on them will loosen them.

Milling machines use colletts that are bolted on.  They also have a taper that closes the collet around the end mill.  The tighter you make the bolt, the tighter the tool is clamped.  It ain't going anywhere with side loading.

High frequency side loading (called chatter) is a function of the rigidity of the machine.  The heavier and more rigid a milling machine is, the bigger the cut you can take without chatter.  Modified drill presses are not even in the same rigidity league with real mills of equal size.

In a mill, if you are getting chatter, it will affect accuracy, finish,tool life, etc.  In a drill press it will affect the ability of the tool to stay attached.

Can you get away with using a drill press?  Well, if you take extremely light cuts in soft stuff, you may think all is well.  Part of the problem is that you just never know when the chuck is getting loose.  The other part is that , by definition, you can not forsee an accidental "crash".

That's when you feed a little too far and hit a much taller surface.  This increases the load tremendiously and causes the tool to take too big of a bite.

You can also have problems by getting greedy - taking too big of a cut or hitting a hard spot in the metal.

This is where TSHTF.  With a mill using a collett, you damage the part and ruin the endmill.  With a drill chuck, you may launch something the size of a 30mm round with a broadhead attached at about 500 fps.  This is where luck has a special meaning.

Be safe.

Could you post pics of what you mean?  Also, is it possible to replace the chuck with one that is more appropriate for milling?

-Gloftoe

I tried to find some pics, but they are all of individual components.

Basically a drill chuck has a tapered hole in the top of it, it is a very slight taper so it locks good unless you drive it off. This taper is usually called a "Jacobs Taper". An "Arbor" is inserted into that taper in the drill chuck. The other end of the arbor is usually a "Morse Taper" - If you do a search for Morse taper drills you will see the tapered shanks with a drive tang.

Normally if you were to want to drill holes over 1/2" you would use either a "Silver & Deming" type drill (they have 1/2" dia. straight shanks) and risk "spinning" the drill when it slips in the chuck... Or you would use a Morse taper drill.

To use a "MT" drill you would extend your "quill" on the drill press until a slot shows. You would then insert the proper "taper drift" and give it a few raps with a hammer. The drill chuck & shank will drop out of the spindle. You can now insert the proper size MT drill. Due to the drive tang this drill can not slip, also the Morse taper is made to be removable and when drilling you are pushing the drill (on center) into the taper. But applying side pressure tends to loosen the taper - Hence the stated warning that the chuck may come loose.

NEVER MILL with a Drill Chuck! - But there is something called a Morse taper endmill holder. If you want to use a drill press for milling get a few of these.

Here is a [url=http://www.mscdirect.com/PDF.process?pdf=1623&Keyword=Y]link[/url] to a PDF page in the MSC catalog. Item is in the top right box.

edit: Damn I wish I could find the cable for my Digital Camera, I would shoot several shots to show exactly what I'm talking about. Chinse say a picture is worth a thousand words... That would save me lots of typing... However as an ex-photographer I will give you the "new american version" - A photograph tells 1000 lies!

Well, I'm in the market for either a drill press or a mill (that I can do drilling with), is there anything I should look for in a drill press that would make it an acceptable "mill"?  I don't have lots of space (just a 6 foot workbench, and it already has a vise on one side of it), so I'd have to get either a tabletop drill press, or a mini or micro-mini mill.  This would just be for hobby-type stuff, and maybe some minor aluminum or steel milling.  Any suggestions (I'm not loaded either, so cost could be a factor [:D])?

-Gloftoe

I would recomend you go with a mini-mill or mill/drill. Better to get a machine that will be more versitile even if it is a few bucks more. Using a drill press as a mill would be a false economy, it isn't going to take much side loading to the bearings on a drill press to wear it out.

The drill presses is not designed for side loading.