Ouch

Hei Guys,
Thought I would share my latest horror story.

I have some 90x30 pine which I need to notch halfway through for cross joining, but I wasn't game to use the router because I have a trade spec makita one which is a big sucker and I thought it would get away from me.

Decided to use the drop saw to get close to the depth and then use a router bit in the drill press to clean it up.

Well, it was working a treat until the router bit caught the side of the timber and dragged the wood and my thumb in to the bit.
Fortunately just 3 very bad cuts along the top of my thumb but no permanent damage and no stitches needed - the most annoying thing is that I wanted to get wifey's table done before uni goes back.

Ahh well, off to bunnings tommorrow to buy some wood chisels so I can do this how I should have done it in the first place.
Cheers
Paul

Shoulda used the router bit in its intended spot...

The only way I've ever used a router bit in a drill press is with the workpiece clamped in a cross-slide vise. Works sorta like a milling machine. With my mitts at least 100mm away from the action. Still kinda scary.

Joe

Hmmmmmm, really pleased I have never thought to use a router bit in the drill press - will file your idea away in the "not to do" file.

Pleased that the cuts were only superficial but I keep thinking that it could have been a lot more serious.

Regards,
Bob

I only do that with a V bit as a counter sink works great .

Humm . . . . router bit in a drill press - this is only a safe idea when using vertical forces on the bit. The morse tapers on DPs are not really designed to take a large sideways force especially while hanging in the vertical. I tried this once and overdid the side force from the cross slider and the bit, chuck and MT came spinning out of the DP, broke the bit and put a serious dent in the MT.

The concept is not entirely unheard of. You can buy a thing called a Safe-T-Planer, which is a cutter head designed to chuck up in a drill press for planing small bits of timber in gradual passes. It would put a bit of stress on the bearings, which aren't really designed for horizontal forces but the key is gradual passes.

People have modified their drill presses to serve as milling machines (a milling machine is essentially just a beefed up drill press) to varying degrees of success, allowing them to chuck up end mills.

So while there's nothing technically wrong with what you have done, the main error you made is to not have the work piece under control. Because the drill press is fixed, you need to move the work under it, and doing this by hand is the issue. If you used a cross feed vice, it would be OK, as long as you did it with very light passes.

I forgot to add, when I make halving joints, I either nibble the whole lot with the SCMS using the depth stop, or I cut the shoulders on the drop saw and remove the waste either with the router hand-held or with a chisel.

Hei Guys,
I actually broke a bit like Bob said last week, maybe I should have learnt my lesson - not being able to use my thumb for about two weeks is sure teaching me now.
I think I will be investing in a cross vice for future work like Joe said. Inspite of my injury I think using a router bit in the drill press while not ideal can be done safely - where I stuffed up here was working free hand and putting my hands in a position of danger instead of taking the time to clamp the work.
Thanks for the input guys.
Paul

Hei Guys,
Thought I would share my latest horror story.

I have some 90x30 pine which I need to notch halfway through for cross joining, but I wasn't game to use the router because I have a trade spec makita one which is a big sucker and I thought it would get away from me.

Cheers
Paul

Paul,even with a big router like your Makita it should'nt have been a prolem if you had of set the full depth of cut on the lowest of the 3 step setting on the router,then progressed your cut using the highest thru to the lowest therefore only taking minimal cuts each time and with pine no issue.

I can understand folk having concerns with a powerful router cutting tool in hand but it's a far safer tool to use than a drill press in my view and with a
lot more safety features .
It is also designed with speeds to complement router bits whereas a drill press is not.


Cheers:)

I am often amused but no longer suprised at people being afriad of routers.

providing you understand how they work and operate them properly they are one of the safest and most controlled tools we have.

AND a big one is no more dangerous than a small one..... in fact in many situations a big one is safer.

having the right guide or jig is the secret a lot of the time
using the right bit is the secret for most of the rest.

cheers

Quote:

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Originally Posted by soundman

in fact in many situations a big one is safer.

having the right guide or jig is the secret a lot of the time

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No question. Some folk have gotten lucky with freehand routing, but it's also a good way to make firewood. The big ones are safer, because (a) larger baseplate for more stability, and (b) more mass so less influenced by the cutter's reaction. When all else fails, use lighter cuts (horizontal and/or vertical).

Joe