end drilling:confused

[shaque]

Hi guys; back with another question.. How do you drill into the end of a piece of flat bar 3/4 x 6 x 36 Now I have a mill/drill and a 9 x 18 south bend lathe, so I figure that there is nothing in my shop tp accomplish this... Any ideas will be appreciated... If not able to do it here, I will take it to a machine shop...
Thanks
Jim

[Oso]

It sure would be easier on a floor-standing drill press.

I don't think you can swing the mill-drill far enough and have it not falling over. And I know that piece isn't going down the hole in a 1-1/2 x 8 nosed spindle.

So another idea is to use your tools to make a drill jig and then use a portable drill with the jig.

[Sprocket]

Maybe if you put the drill in your lathe, take the tailstock and compound off the lathe and clamp the piece to the cross slide at the correct height, then move the carriage toward the headstock to drill. It would take some jigging, but it might drill your hole.

[Herb W]

shaque
Sprocket's idea will work, or, if you have a Rong Fu or RF clone mill drill, I know that you can swing the head right around to the back and set it up to work as a floor type drill press (with a little work). For a one time job, you may be able to clamp the bar to the edge of the table or base.

[This message has been edited by Herb W (edited 07-17-2002).]

[Thrud]

Oso:
I like your jig idea best - simple, accurate.

[Peter S]

Jim,
I don't know about your mill, but you can usually hang long stuff over the back of the mill table, ie vertically. Clamp the top end to an angle plate, or something else that you can clamp flush with the edge of the table. Or if you have some big clamps, you may be able to clamp over the table width without an angle plate etc.
That assumes you can swing the mill head round a little.

[This message has been edited by Peter S (edited 07-17-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Peter S (edited 07-17-2002).]

[docsteve66]

I like oso's idea.
Any thing from a nice block of iron, (milled with a 3/4 inch slot and series of holes in the needed places to guide your drill, with clamping screws to prevent shifting) down to a piece of angle iron with a single hole to be slid along and used for a guide. All depends on accuracy needed. nice thing about OSO's jig idea is that you can drill test holes and be sure you have it right.
Steve

[Herb W]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by shaque:
I figure that there is nothing in my shop tp accomplish this...

Guys
I think we've missed the boat on this one!
The quote above is the hint. The answer he wants is:
Jim, you simply must go out & get yourself a good sturdy floor model drill press...

[docsteve66]

I got it now herb!!!
As expensive as material is, with all the time you put into a job before you are ready to drill, it is obvious that none of the suggestions are a real solution. You will be shamed by the work that even the most competant man would produce using a mere jig. Buy A GOOD drill press, with DRO and a long travel milling table.
And my wife agrees, saying any really god wife would be persuaded to lessen your pain, that only a good shop will keep a man out of bars and off girls.

[mike thomas]

I think I just thought of the reason for not offing the Palmgren milling attachment. Using one with the tailstock off would easily allow you to control 3 axes, and the excess could hang beyond the bed. Thanks, as I could not think of a reason to keep it. Mike