Vertical Mill as Drill Press?

[RG1911]

How useful would a small vertical mill be when used as a drill press?

I sold my Harbor Freight drill press and need to replace it with a good one. I also would like a small vertical mill on which to learn. Would it be reasonable to use the mill as a drill press, and, if so, are there any suggestions for a small mill that won't occupy too much space?

Thank you,
Richard

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Of curse it would, in fact the mill would be more accurate. I always used my mill instead of the drill press even for jobs that didn't have to be that accurate.

[David2011]

Yep. A drill press starts feeling pretty crude after using a mill for a while. I use mine for wood projects almost as much as metal.

David

[country gent]

Some pluses to the mill over the drill press are 1) it rigidity its much more solid than the drill press is, 2) the depth stops are ussually much more accurate when drilling blind holes. If its a knee mill on interupted cuts or very precise depths the table can be raised reading the dial, 3) Hole patterns can be done with out laying them out by reading the dials or read outs, 4) the mill may have more appropriate speeds for drills than most drill presses do. The mill can be a very effective tool, and the more experience you have the more effective it becomes. A bridgeport style mill with a good vise, rotary table or dividing head, a couple vee blocks and angle plates can drill almost anything you need.

[bob208]

do it all the time. just have to be more care full of the set up drilling into a drill press table is bad. but drilling into a mill table is much worse.

[country gent]

I started in a little job shop in High School. The boss was an old german. I drilled a smalle divot in his drill presses vise once, I got dressed down pretty rough over it. LOL. He didnt look at it as an accident but being to lazy to pay attention. A hole in the table of his drill press or mill would have gotten me fired. a set of parrallels or expendable softjaws for a vise are real helpfull here also. A piece of wood or better aluminum plate to set up on saves alot also.

[W.R.Buchanan]

There are two primary uses for a Bridgeport Type Mill.

Drilling Holes and Milling.

All other operations you can do with those machines are essentially variations of those two operations.

A Milling Machine is better drill press than ANY Drill Press, simply because you can accurately hold and position your work under the spindle.

Randy

[nekshot]

I have a chuck with a R8 shank and is better than any drill press I ever saw.(I haven't seen that much!!)

[John Taylor]

Got a knee mill several years back and shortly after sold the drill press. With a mill you can get the holes exactly where you want them with an accurate way to measure to the next hole.