Drilling Machines

Do you think drilling machines can be used for other functions like spot facing, reaming and tapping?

[Pa]

Depends on the capabilities of the drilling machine, such as speeds and feeds and how they are controled. Also depends on the tooling and tool drivers used. Drilling machines are not rigid enough for accurate milling. They cannot handle the side force well. I've not seen a drilling machine truly capable of milling machine purposes. This is why there are specialty machinery such as drill presses, lathes, milling machines, planers, shapers, grinders, etc.. My advice is don't waste your money on one. Used machinery is quite afordable since so many machine shops have been put out to pasture by CNC robotic machinery.

Thanks for your views. At some point I also agree that used or second hand machines can offer good results.

A friend bought a Milling and Drilling machine from Harbor Freight. He amazed me with what he did with it.

[Pa]

A friend bought a Milling and Drilling machine from Harbor Freight. He amazed me with what he did with it.

After a few dozen uses he will toss it. Unless he is really good with c-clamps to hold everything in place while making tool moves.

A friend bought a Milling and Drilling machine from Harbor Freight. He amazed me with what he did with it.

After a few dozen uses he will toss it. Unless he is really good with c-clamps to hold everything in place while making tool moves.

He used it for years.

[Pa]

A friend bought a Milling and Drilling machine from Harbor Freight. He amazed me with what he did with it.

After a few dozen uses he will toss it. Unless he is really good with c-clamps to hold everything in place while making tool moves.

He used it for years.

Then he is either good with c-clamps or he is doing more hand work using files and emery paper than needed. Just stating my experiences with them.

PA, This is a very old "Milling and Drilling" machine. Obviously much higher quality than what is sold today.

[Pa]

PA, This is a very old "Milling and Drilling" machine. Obviously much higher quality than what is sold today.

OOPS ! My mind was on the Asian junk passed along as machinery.

As above,it needs to be a good machine to perform milling operations.
As far as spot facing,you can use a piloted spot facer in a drill,the best come with interchangable pilots.
Tapping can be done with a "Tap-o-matic" fitted.To use one,the drill has to have somewhere to locate a stop.When the tool hits the stop it reverses.
The tap is held in a rubber lined collet.