McIntire Department of Art
safety procedures
14” DRILL PRESS
Topics
Use
Safey procedures
Appropriate PPE
Other things to remember
Drill bits
What this tool is primarily used for
The Drill Press is used for drilling holes in various materials. The main advantages of the Drill
Press over the hand-held counterpart, the Hand Drill, is that using the Drill Press will allow
you to drill with more accuracy, drill larger holes, and drill at specific angles more successfully. The Drill Press does have a limited distance a hole can be drilled from one edge of the
material- 14 inches. This is the distance from the base of the chuck to the column.
Safety for this machine
nDO
NOT operate while under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or medication
nSECURE
any loose fitting jewelry or clothing, tie back long hair - they can get caught
in moving parts
nALWAYS
nDO
NOT USE bits that are dull, bent or damaged
nMAKE
nDO
BE AWARE of where your fingers are in relation to the drill bit
SURE bit is centered in chuck and tightened before operating the drill
NOT leave chuck key in chuck while operating machine
nUSE A CLAMP
when drilling metal, this will help prevent the material from spinning
into your body or hand
nNEVER
hold metal in your bare hand while drilling
nNEVER
turn the drill press “on” before clearing the table of all objects (tools, scrap
pieces, etc.)
nDO
NOT USE DRILL BITS THAT HAVE A SCREW TIP(called wood boring bits). At
drill press speeds, they will bore into the wood so rapidly as to lift the work off the
table and spin it. This can be very dangerous!!!
nSEE
nDO
CHART BELOW for identification of drill bits
NOT start the drill press with the drill bit in contact with the work piece
nALWAYS
let the drill chuck come to a complete stop on its own. Never grasp the
chuck in an attempt to stop the drill bit
nAVOID
awkward hand positions where a sudden slip could cause a hand to move into
the drill bit or cutting tool
nDO
NOT ATTEMPT to drill material that does not have a flat surface, unless a suitable support is used
McIntire Department of Art, University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400130, Charlottesville, VA 22904
Last Modified: April 2014
1
McIntire Department of Art
safety procedures
nTO
PREVENT ROTATION OF THE WORKPIECE, ALWAYS clamp work securely to
the table if it is too short to contact the column or when using a hole saw or cutting
tools larger than 1/2” diameter
nNEVER
nDO
work on the drill press table while the drill is operating
NOT wear gloves, neckties, or loose clothing when operating the drill press
nREFER
to instruction manual for further information (see Studio Technician)
Always use appropriate PPE for this machine
Head/Face or Eye
REQUIRED: clear face shield, safety glasses or goggles
Clothing
REQUIRED: long sleeves rolled up
RECOMMENDED: long pants
Hands
No PPE needed.
Do not wear gloves as they can get caught in moving parts
Clear face shield
Feet
REQUIRED: shoes or boots.
NO open-toed shoes, slip-ons, or high heels allowed in the shops
Ears
RECOMMENDED: ear plugs or ear muffs (general shop noise
Respirator
None needed unless drilling generates large amounts of dust.
RECOMMENDED: N95
Safety glasses or goggles
Respirator
McIntire Department of Art, University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400130, Charlottesville, VA 22904
Last Modified: April 2014
2
McIntire Department of Art
safety procedures
McIntire Department of Art, University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400130, Charlottesville, VA 22904
Last Modified: April 2014
3
McIntire Department of Art
safety procedures
Other things to remember
nThe shop has two drill presses.
One in the wood shop and another in the metal shop.
Please do not drill metal on the wood shop drill press
nRemember to re-tighten the table lock lever before using the drill
nAlways check the drill press speed chart to determine correct combination of material, bit
size, and drilling speed
nInsert drill bits about 3/4” (and at least 1/4”) into the chuck and tighten securely with the
chuck key
nThe chart is located on the wall behind the drill press
nFactors which determine the best speed:
nKind of material being worked (metal, acrylic, aluminum, wood, etc.)
nSize of hole
nType of drill bit (see pictures below)
nQuality of cut desired
nTypically, the smaller the drill bit, the greater the required RPM
nIn soft materials, the speed should be higher than for hard materials
nTo drill a through hole without splintering the bottom face, place the material on a scrap
piece of wood. This also protects the point of the drill bit
n!!!IMPORTANT!!! Use a scrap piece of wood to also prevent drilling into the metal table
surface
nSetting the depth stop can also avoid this problem. Drilling into the table not only dam-
ages the table, but also the drill bits
nTo prevent rotation of the work piece, clamp the work secure to the table, either with a “C”
clamp or the drill press clamp
nWhen using paddle/spade drill bits, you should always use a hold down clamp
nPaddle bits are not to be used on metal
nWhen drilling into metal, a cutting lubricant should be used. Cast iron and brass/bronze
should be drilled dry
nReturn bits to drawer when you are done and clean the area around the press
McIntire Department of Art, University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400130, Charlottesville, VA 22904
Last Modified: April 2014
4
McIntire Department of Art
safety procedures
Various Drill Bits
Auger Bit
nUse with hand drill only
nDo not use on metal
Paddle/Spade Bit
nEasier to use larger diameter bits on drill press, but hand
drills can be used
nDo not use on metal
Wood-boring Bit
nUse with hand drill only
nDo not use on metal
Twist Bit with pilot tip
nUse with drill press or hand drill
nDo not use on metal
Twist Bit
nUse with drill press or hand drill
nGreat for metal (use carbide tipped)
nCarbide tipped bits are usually black
Masonry Bit
nUse with hammer drill only
nUse only on masonry or plaster
nNote the “hammerhead” tip
nDo not use on metal
McIntire Department of Art, University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400130, Charlottesville, VA 22904
Last Modified: April 2014
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