Lathe Attachment for Drill Press

A drill press is a great power source for all kinds of things. Here we offer a lathe attachment for a drill press that can be used to turn wood, plastic and even metals.

Step 1 Collecting up parts

Here's where it starts. Take an old junk drill. This one died after only 6 months. Just out of warranty. I was glad to destroy it! It had Torx head screws, but came apart easily enough. All that was worth saving was the gearhead, the motor and the rheostat speed control. First, disassemble the transmission.
Next remove the chuck and the clutch. There's a left hand thread set screw inside the chuck, then the chuck unscrews off the spindle.
For this project, all we need is the bushing, spindle, thrust bearing, set screw and the chuck. Toss the rest.

Comments

[rhotaling1]

Good simple idea. I use my lathe frequently and some times need to turn something while a part is in the lathe. Putting the live center on the drill press table will work better than other methods I use. Dick Hotaling

[crapflinger]

sweet! i've always wanted (needed? probably not) a lathe...and my grandpa has this old drill press with a bum motor (flooded in the last hurricane)...so if i can find a motor to work with it...i can have a nice drill press/lathe!

[rimar2000]

Good work! I use the handheld grinder as roughing tool. It is a little dangerous, but it is fast.

[Blofish]

Live long and prosper my friend...

[ScienceWiz]

Thanks!

Great instructable!

Can't afford a lathe (not enough space sadly) but I do have a full-size vert. drill press!

Heading out to the garage to whip one up now!
Thankyou!

[stephenniall]

my dad told me to throw out that old drill pieces.. well im glad i didnt now I made one like this but horizontally using a cordless drill as the drill press Im now building a vertical one

[shocker187]

I second what Boise Tyler said

[big man]

hey man this is heap sicko

[kleinjahr]

Not bad at all. Such a set up is usually used for light work, by taking only light cuts there's less strain. A tool rest is simple enough, just be sure it's plumb to the work.I have seen similar set ups for wood working and ,I believe, there is even a kit out there for sale. By the way, for the person concerned about Morse tapers, pick up a copy of the "Mechanics Vest Pocket Reference". It has all the tables for tapers and anything else you might want to shape.

[BoiseTyler]

Pretty interesting idea. Don't let the others get you down. People have a way of asserting their "expertise" in a way that comes across as rude. They all had valid concerns, but I think the real point here is your ingenuity. If people would provide positive comments, instead of telling you all the negatives, maybe you'd be incentivized to further develop the concept (for example, develop a safe tool rest to go along with your nifty idea).

Lots of people come up with less-than-safe concepts before they perfect them. Kudos on an interesting idea, and thanks for sharing it with the community!

Tyler Youngblood
ProjectsInMetal.com

[buirv]

Nice idea but this is DANGEROUS as all Heck. Where's the tool rest? Tools should be used for the purpose they are intended for. In this case Drilling holes. Sorry.

[Marsh]

Plenty of room for debate on that issue. Filing directly on a spinning workpiece in a lathe is perectly acceptable.

[Scottanon]

FWIW a live center is available from harbor freight for under $20. That way you wouldn't have to trash a drill, or go looking for a dead one.

[Marsh]

The only problem with that idea is that live center is designed to be mounted in a #2 Morse Taper hole. How do you propose to cut one of those? This project cost me $9.00 for the two reamers. Everything else was scrap.

[Hands Without Shadows]

Drill press bearings are not built for any kind of side load. This will kill them and render your drill press useless. The taper in your spindle isnt built for any side load. It could loosed and release, sending parts flying. Thats why mills use a drawbar. Drill chucks are not built for any kind of side load. They can loosen up and throw themselves or whatever your spinning across the room. Thats what lathe chucks, collerts, actual live and dead centers, etc are for. Reamers aren't built for any side load and can snap, sending shards of metal flying. Thats why you use live and dead centers when turning between centres on a lathe. Vertical lathes in general are dangerous. if anything goes flying its pretty much guaranteed to hit the operator. I wouldnt recomend anyone using this setup for anything besides maybe light sanding.