Does anyone have a suggestion on how I can make an inexpensive foot
pedal or switch to activate the quill on a Delta bench top drill
press. I am drilling pilot holes into 1x and 2x softwood, it would go
much faster if I could hold the wood with both hands and pull the
drill bit down with my foot. I was thinking of replacing the handles
with a pulley and attaching a cable to it to a foot pedal. The pulley
would need to travel 270 degrees to make the complete pilot hole.
Any suggestions or other ideas?
Thanks,
JV
On 26 Apr 2004 19:09:04 -0700, [email protected] (Bob Davis)
wrote:
>[email protected] (JV) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>> I am drilling pilot holes into 1x and 2x softwood, it would go
>> much faster if I could hold the wood with both hands and pull the
>> drill bit down with my foot.
>
>JV,
>
>Could you give more information on exactly what you are doing? Are
>the holes repetively spaced? Using both hands implies that accuracy
>of the placement is not all that critical. I would tend to go after
>production drilling problems through the use of things like indexing
>jig, toggle clamps, etc - making setup for each hole fast and
>accurate. My foot is not nearly as controlled as my arm and hand for
>manipulating the plunge action of the quill.
>
>Bob
Hi JV,
Don't be discouraged by naysayers.
Many years ago, I worked in a cabinet shop where we had a boring
machine which drilled pairs of dowel holes for face frame assembly.
As you might expect, these holes had to be accurately located. The
operation was executed by a foot operated lever which pulled a link
chain. If I remember correctly, the chain pulled the table forward
into the stationary (horizontal) bits. The stock was securely locked
to the table with a cam clamp, so your hands weren't used to hold
anything, but it made the operation extremely efficient to have your
hands free to quickly reposition the stock (or grab the next piece)
without having to let go of a quill handle.
I have heard that highly trained operators can use their feet to make
precise speed adjustments in vehicles which exceed two tons in weight.
Astonishing!
Paul.
[email protected] (JV) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I am drilling pilot holes into 1x and 2x softwood, it would go
> much faster if I could hold the wood with both hands and pull the
> drill bit down with my foot.
JV,
Could you give more information on exactly what you are doing? Are
the holes repetively spaced? Using both hands implies that accuracy
of the placement is not all that critical. I would tend to go after
production drilling problems through the use of things like indexing
jig, toggle clamps, etc - making setup for each hole fast and
accurate. My foot is not nearly as controlled as my arm and hand for
manipulating the plunge action of the quill.
Bob
[email protected] (JV) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Does anyone have a suggestion on how I can make an inexpensive foot
> pedal or switch to activate the quill on a Delta bench top drill
> press. I am drilling pilot holes into 1x and 2x softwood, it would go
> much faster if I could hold the wood with both hands and pull the
> drill bit down with my foot. I was thinking of replacing the handles
> with a pulley and attaching a cable to it to a foot pedal. The pulley
> would need to travel 270 degrees to make the complete pilot hole.
>
> Any suggestions or other ideas?
I seem to recall an article from a couple (?) years ago, I think in
Shop Notes magazine, where they had done this. I believe the project
was to use your drill press as a spindle sander. The remote operation
of the quill was to provide the "up and down" action required. Sorry
I don't have access to my magazines now but would be happy to look
this evening when I get home, or perhaps someone else knows what I am
talking about....
Maybe you'll have more luck figuring out a way to "replace" the second hand
in the holding operation. Consider featherboards, and even foot-actuated
pneumatic hold downs. You could use a pulley, or even a bicycle-type chain,
to operate the quill on your drill press, but I'm not aware of a
consumer-grade kit for such a project. It would all have to be fabbed.
Kevin
--
=====
Where are those Iraqi WMDs, NOW?
"JV" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Does anyone have a suggestion on how I can make an inexpensive foot
> pedal or switch to activate the quill on a Delta bench top drill
> press. I am drilling pilot holes into 1x and 2x softwood, it would go
> much faster if I could hold the wood with both hands and pull the
> drill bit down with my foot. I was thinking of replacing the handles
> with a pulley and attaching a cable to it to a foot pedal. The pulley
> would need to travel 270 degrees to make the complete pilot hole.
>
> Any suggestions or other ideas?
>
> Thanks,
> JV