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| equipment:metalshop:titanpillardrill:usinglargebits [2026/06/29 18:06] – [7. Clean away chips with a brush. Never use your fingers.] ralawrence | equipment:metalshop:titanpillardrill:usinglargebits [2026/06/29 18:08] (current) – [5. Clean the Pillar Drill.] ralawrence | ||
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| While the bit is lifted and the machine is running, use a stiff-bristled chip brush to sweep the hot, sharp swarf away from the hole and off the table into a scrap bin. | While the bit is lifted and the machine is running, use a stiff-bristled chip brush to sweep the hot, sharp swarf away from the hole and off the table into a scrap bin. | ||
| Freshly cut metal chips are extremely sharp (like razor blades), often have microscopic burrs, and are hot enough to instantly burn your skin. Brushing keeps your hands safely away from the rotating spindle. Using your fingers almost guarantees deep lacerations or tiny metal splinters that infect easily. | Freshly cut metal chips are extremely sharp (like razor blades), often have microscopic burrs, and are hot enough to instantly burn your skin. Brushing keeps your hands safely away from the rotating spindle. Using your fingers almost guarantees deep lacerations or tiny metal splinters that infect easily. | ||
| - | ====== 8. Frequently lift the drill bit back up to allow chips to be cleared and add lubricant. | + | ==== 8. Frequently lift the drill bit back up to allow chips to be cleared and add lubricant. ==== |
| At least every 10mm of depth, or whenever you hear the motor labouring, pull the feed lever up to full extension to completely clear the flutes of swarf, then apply fresh cutting fluid to the hole. | At least every 10mm of depth, or whenever you hear the motor labouring, pull the feed lever up to full extension to completely clear the flutes of swarf, then apply fresh cutting fluid to the hole. | ||
| Chips must travel up the spiral flutes to escape the hole. If the flutes become packed, the chips have nowhere to go; they get crushed at the bottom of the hole, causing extreme friction. Frequent lifting prevents the bit from seizing inside the hole, which would snap the bit flush with the metal (a nightmare to extract). | Chips must travel up the spiral flutes to escape the hole. If the flutes become packed, the chips have nowhere to go; they get crushed at the bottom of the hole, causing extreme friction. Frequent lifting prevents the bit from seizing inside the hole, which would snap the bit flush with the metal (a nightmare to extract). | ||
| - | ====== 9. If drilling all the way through, go very slowly when breaking through. | + | ==== 9. If drilling all the way through, go very slowly when breaking through. ==== |
| When the tip of the bit is just starting to poke through the underside of the metal, ease off the downward pressure to a mere feather-touch. Let the bit gently nibble its way through the final 1mm of material. As the bit exits the bottom, the cutting edges are no longer surrounded by metal on all sides. If you maintain heavy pressure, the bit will " | When the tip of the bit is just starting to poke through the underside of the metal, ease off the downward pressure to a mere feather-touch. Let the bit gently nibble its way through the final 1mm of material. As the bit exits the bottom, the cutting edges are no longer surrounded by metal on all sides. If you maintain heavy pressure, the bit will " | ||
| ________________________________________ | ________________________________________ | ||
| - | ====== Finishing | + | ===== Finishing ===== |
| - | ====== 1. Turn off the drill and wait for it to stop spinning. | + | ==== 1. Turn off the drill and wait for it to stop spinning. ==== |
| Hit the large red STOP button. Step back slightly and watch the chuck as it coasts down. Do not touch the workpiece, the chuck, or the bit until the rotation has completely ceased. | Hit the large red STOP button. Step back slightly and watch the chuck as it coasts down. Do not touch the workpiece, the chuck, or the bit until the rotation has completely ceased. | ||
| A heavy drill chuck has significant rotational inertia and can coast for several seconds. Touching a still-spinning bit with a rag or your hand can snag and pull you in. Furthermore, | A heavy drill chuck has significant rotational inertia and can coast for several seconds. Touching a still-spinning bit with a rag or your hand can snag and pull you in. Furthermore, | ||
| - | ====== 2. Deburr the hole. ====== | + | ==== 2. Deburr the hole. ==== |
| Take a deburring tool (or a larger countersink bit) and gently twist it by hand (or at very low speed) around the top and bottom edges of the newly drilled hole to shave off the raised lip of metal. The drilling process extrudes a sharp, ragged " | Take a deburring tool (or a larger countersink bit) and gently twist it by hand (or at very low speed) around the top and bottom edges of the newly drilled hole to shave off the raised lip of metal. The drilling process extrudes a sharp, ragged " | ||
| - | ====== 3. Remove the drill bit and clean it. Be careful—it may be hot. ====== | + | ==== 3. Remove the drill bit and clean it. Be careful—it may be hot. ==== |
| Use a rag (wearing no gloves!) to grip the shank (the smooth top part) of the bit, not the cutting flutes and loosen the chuck. Wipe it down with a rag soaked in a little oil or solvent to remove all metal swarf and cutting fluid. The cutting edges of the drill bit can reach over 100°C; touching the flutes directly causes instant second-degree burns. Cleaning the bit immediately is crucial because dried cutting fluid turns into a sticky, acidic varnish that corrodes the high-speed steel and dulls the cutting edges over time. | Use a rag (wearing no gloves!) to grip the shank (the smooth top part) of the bit, not the cutting flutes and loosen the chuck. Wipe it down with a rag soaked in a little oil or solvent to remove all metal swarf and cutting fluid. The cutting edges of the drill bit can reach over 100°C; touching the flutes directly causes instant second-degree burns. Cleaning the bit immediately is crucial because dried cutting fluid turns into a sticky, acidic varnish that corrodes the high-speed steel and dulls the cutting edges over time. | ||
| - | ====== 4. Return it to its holder on the wall. ====== | + | ==== 4. Return it to its holder on the wall. ==== |
| Match the size (e.g., 10.0mm) engraved on the shank of the bit to the corresponding labelled hole of drill rack. Storing bits in their dedicated holder prevents them from rolling off the table and falling onto the concrete floor (which chips and dulls the cutting tip). It also ensures that the next user can instantly find the correct size, saving time and preventing people from using the wrong bit because they couldn' | Match the size (e.g., 10.0mm) engraved on the shank of the bit to the corresponding labelled hole of drill rack. Storing bits in their dedicated holder prevents them from rolling off the table and falling onto the concrete floor (which chips and dulls the cutting tip). It also ensures that the next user can instantly find the correct size, saving time and preventing people from using the wrong bit because they couldn' | ||
| - | ====== 5. Clean the Pillar Drill. | + | ==== 5. Clean the Pillar Drill. ==== |
| Using a stiff brush and a rag, sweep all metal chips off the drill table, out of the T-slots, and off the base plate. Wipe down the vertical column with an oily rag to prevent rust, and wipe any excess cutting fluid off the chuck. | Using a stiff brush and a rag, sweep all metal chips off the drill table, out of the T-slots, and off the base plate. Wipe down the vertical column with an oily rag to prevent rust, and wipe any excess cutting fluid off the chuck. | ||