Round Column Drill Press, simple performance upgrades.

[Toolmaker51]

Modestly equipped factory ~ Satisfactory equipment?.........Yes, with good planning and minimal expense.
Bulk of my recent posts concern a working environment. Whether profit's involved or not, little improvements make a difference. When a machine occupies space, think how it can swing from second operation to primary and back.
This one's about a drill press.
While an import, I really can't identify any faults. The few shortcuts were easily remedied.
a] Moved it to where it's standing next to the turret mill. Now I drill, countersink or deburr, counterbore, tap, ream etc 3 steps away instead of 40. All those operations appreciate coolant; drill press is equipped for flood, where mill [as yet] only mist.
True flood coolant needs; decent drainage [inc. unrestricted hoses], swarf baffles, a sump, return pump & switch, readily aimable nozzle, shut-off valve, and coolant. Without kerosene or Stoddard solvents to clean parts, you'll want to run water based solutions, as we do. Every day, I run aluminum, stainless and carbon steel in fairly even quantities, so dilution ratio is based on stainless.
b] The drill press had the mechanical features, a few needed tuning.

1] Trough drain opening was vertical and wide open. Machined a simple un-threaded hollow plug with side holes. It's sealed with a bead of plumbing putty.
Sizing of holes and plug ID restrict already marginal flow. A tiny ball valve controls volume fed. Takes 1/2 an hour at full volume to reach point of over running the trough. Calculated [I thought] enough surface area of holes to drain equivalent to feed rate.
2] Both pressure and drain hoses curl uncontrollably. Alleviated with welding wire, formed to suit desired shape inside the clear vinyl hose.
A flattened loop in one end, barely larger than ID, secures it fine. Most important one is hose of table drain into sump of machine base! Unless you prefer mopping up...
3] Made a shield for motor fan.
In this part of the world, chips tend to gravitate earthward. Motor casing seems to be inviting target for chips, but now to bind up motor, they'll need some gymnastic prowess.
4] Calculated sump volume, that quantity is marked on the motor fan shield.

At the very first use, pleased to have everything functioning as planned. Can enjoy power feed, auto-depth stop, tapping functions easily, improved finishes of course, and shares production burden with mill more effectively.

[PJs]

Always amaze people with the simplicity of efficiency and design for Use. This is one of those posts, Thanks TM51, it's a trait sometimes lost in the bean counting, hurry up world we've grown into. That weld wire "Stay" is brilliant and I had not thought of or seen before...but logged in now! Thanks for a great post and share.

PJ

[Toolmaker51]

Always amaze people with the simplicity of efficiency and design for Use. This is one of those posts, Thanks TM51, it's a trait sometimes lost in the bean counting, hurry up world we've grown into. That weld wire "Stay" is brilliant and I had not thought of or seen before...but logged in now! Thanks for a great post and share. PJ

LOL, really ROFL is more accurate. I'm not sure "brilliant" fits my fix; curled hose gave me fits. More an act of desperation. Especially watching my area dampen with coolant....

But I'm glad you like it friend!

[thehomeengineer]

This is why this site/forum is so useful, simple ideas make big improvements with mostly little effort needed to complete. We might not use the ideas stright away or even for the same application, like PJs remark "but logged in now!"
I like the coolant plug idea myself

[Toolmaker51]

Thoughts [blinding flash] on coolant plug......
Nothing makes it so innovative, intent was to block small chips easy access to the drain line. Which it does. The holes in the side,being away from air or direct coolant part works fine.
As mentioned, minor restriction of flow cause coolant level to rise in trough of table some. What the heck? Just .100 smaller than original port, and the 3 'vents' are nearly equal...headscratcher big time. The more it fills, slower it seemed to run.
Did I say blinding flash?
Experience not withstanding, the obvious was staring me in the face. While flow restriction was minimal, level rose ever-so-slowly, once vents submerged, the liquid column [drain] became air bound! Doh! Duh!
Pulled out plug, chucked it up and drilled bore size through. Drilled .094 twice through one face of hex, blind in opposite, insert two short lengths of 3/32 weld wire. Everything goes right, now. Air fits, chips don't.

[DIYer]

Thanks Toolmaker51! We've added your Drill Press Coolant Drain Plug to our Drilling and Drill Presses category,
as well as to your builder page: Toolmaker51's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Drill Press Coolant Drain Plug by Toolmaker51

tags: plug, coolant

[DIYer]

Thanks Toolmaker51! We've added your Coolant Hose Forming Aid to our Drilling and Drill Presses category,
as well as to your builder page: Toolmaker51's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Coolant Hose Forming Aid by Toolmaker51

tags: holding, coolant, hose

[DIYer]

Thanks Toolmaker51! We've added your Pump Shield to our Miscellaneous category,
as well as to your builder page: Toolmaker51's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Pump Shield by Toolmaker51

tags: pump, dust cover

[Manitoba Man]

Great post, well written and well thought out. This downward gravity, is it a local problem?u

[Toolmaker51]

Great post, well written and well thought out. This downward gravity, is it a local problem?u

Well yes, but it's very selective.
Stuff you don't want, it will attract immediately. But say, take a mechanism apart and stuff you DO WANT is never seen again.
However, replacements usually turn up on the web. I think it's a conspiracy...