drill press problem?

[DWFII]

I'm fairly new to woodturning. I bought a little Grizzly 8" bench top drill press in January. It's my first drill press.

Now, I knew it wasn't the top of the line when I bought it. But I do mostly small stuff--pens, candlesticks, tool handles--and don't have room for a larger drill press.

When I first got it, I noticed that the quill had some lateral play in it. I talked to a Technician at Grizzly and he told me to send it back. They replaced the chuck but didn't fix the lateral play. I've been told that the play is normal up to a point. OK. But when I put a brad point drill bit into the new chuck and center it (from two directions) on the center mark of a pen blank and then manually turn the chuck a half turn, the point of the bit is now off center by at least a sixteenth of an inch...again in two directions. The point is making a small circle as I turn the chuck.

I can't believe this is normal Am I wrong? Any advice or help would be appreciated.

And any recommendations for a more precise drill press at or preferably under $100 would be welcome. How about the Delta?

Thanks

DWFII

 

[arbud]

drill press

Have you made sure that your chuck and arbor are seated properly? I have an el cheapo Harbor Freight press that has this problem until and unless I seat the chuck/arbor with a good whack from a brass hammer. In lieu of a brass hammer, a chuck of wood and any old hammer should do the job.

If your arbor has a tab/tang/whatever make sure it's in it's proper slot in the drive shaft.

 

[DWFII]

Bud,

Hey are you in Oregon?! I'm up here in Redmond...I don't know of anyone or any organization in my area devoted to turning.

As for what you said, The drill press was returned to me fully assembled by the repair unit. I have never had a drill press before so I don't know exactly where the "arbor" is. It is very hard to tighten or loosen the chuck so it may be out of alignment or something. I guess I could stick the key into the "keyhole" and knock the chuck off --that's the way you do it, isn't it?--then what would I be looking for?

thanks

DWFII

 

[Steve Worcester]

First , to make sure it is indeed the machine, get a centering tool used for routers. It has a 1/4" shaft on one end a 1/2 on the other with a point on each end. Chuck that up, and see if it wanders. If it does, then you need to see where the issue lies. It could be the quill (the big shaft that the chuck and arbor ride vertically in) it could be the arbor (rides in the quill and attaches to the chuck and holds the chuck) or it could be the chuck itself.

It would be easiest if you had a dial indicator on a magnetic base. You could lock down the table and put the indicator against each and read the amount of guage movement. This rumber is called runout. There should not be more than (I am guessing) about .010" or so. Of course, Grizzly may think differently about that.
I have seen the outside barrel of the chuck have a great amount of runout, but the drill have considerably less. Chinese chucks are pretty well known for that.