Hot Rod Forum banner

Drill press accident and how to avoid.

9K views 37 replies 25 participants last post by  Irelands child 
#1 ·
I know some nosy moderator is going to want to move this to the tool forum but please think about it before you do. No one goes to the tool forum looking for safety tips. :)

Guys, I have an old (VERY old) Montgomery Wards drill press that I bought used. It had a foot switch to turn it on and off. Well, the motor died and when I switched the motor I left the foot switch off. The other day I was drilling a hole in a 3/16" plate and I figured it was a pretty small drill and pretty big plate that I wouldn't clamp it in, big mistake. The friggin thing was ripped from my hand and spinning around and I the friggin switch is BEHIND the drill press. I would have had to bend over with my head right next to the spinning metal to turn it off! So I got between the drill press and my ready to paint car and took one in the stomach for the old Gran Sport! Got a pretty good wound in the belly as well as a hand before the drill bit broke sending the plate to the floor behind the press.

I decided a little late to add that foot switch back on. :) But I went one better, a momentary "dead mans" switch so all I do is lift my foot and the thing stops. I used the original home made unit and just changed the switch it's self.

Do something like this guys before you end up injured. And I know, you are thinking right now, "I am not a dummy, I clamp the metal in". But one day you could be in a hurry or for that matter the clamp could let loose of it or something like that. I feel a lot better knowing I have that dead-mans switch.

Brian

 
See less See more
1
#2 ·
I agree completely. A drill press can be an extremely dangerous piece of equipment.

I had a customer once that owned a welding shop. He almost died from a broken drill that impaled his abdomen. I suggest wearing some sort chest and waist protection, as a broken drill bit can become a dagger in a heart beat. Wear eye protection and make sure it's quality stuff, not some cheezy 4 dollar goggles.
 
#4 ·
ALL equipment is dangerous! Anything can become deadly at anytime. Friend thought he'd save some time and not put chains around a 2 piece rim he changed on the ground. The ring blew upward, took off his right testicle, and the ring impaled his abdomen. 6 hours of surgery, a colostomy, and 6 months off work to recoup. USE YOUR SAFETY EQUIPMENT!!!!
 
#5 ·
Sure you can use it Jon. And just in case anyone wonders why I used that funky old wooden thing, as respect to the person who made in the first place. It was obviously made in the days when people made everything instead of pulling out the wallet like we have come so use to.

Brian
 
#6 ·
Not a normal tool used on a car project - but yesterday I was using my big contractor's 10" JET table saw to rip a piece of .25 luan 1.5 foot by 3 foot. Now, as you know, this is pretty flimsy stuff and a sharp blade cuts it like butter. I had the blade up about .75, which is normal for this thickness to clear the tooth gullets, was feeding it through, and since it is so thin, wasn't using my push block. BAD IDEA. The piece being thin twisted and rode up the blade and I had a great, standard everyday kick back where the piece was thrown 20-25 feet across the room, hitting the wall about the same height as it started - which means had the wall not been there it would have gone a fair bit farther. I wasn't hurt, didn't get hit by this piece but it sure did emphasize to me again how dangerous power tools are. This saw operates at 3450 rpm and has a 10" blade. That is over 9000 surface feet per minute at the tip. Not sure that I can figure out how fast a real 2.5 Hp motor will kick something off the table, but a <2# piece of wood really moves.

Was I careful? nope. Was I dum? Yep. Will I do it again? Nope!! Will I always use my push devices? Yep!!
Drill presses - not sure my 10 year old Harbor Freight POS would do what Brian's tried to do to him. But have always been careful with it - as I had been with my table saw until I got careless yesterday. My radial arm saw - that's the one that can really do a job on you - I'm really careful here.

Dead man's switches or at least something you can get to quick. a floor switch maybe - great idea - which I haven't done yet, but will consider today.

Dave W
 
#7 ·
Our local vocational high school has a very well equipped machine shop with surface grinders, lathes, EDM machine, heat treat ovens CNC lathes and mills, Bridgeports, etc., but not a single drill press.... considered to dangerous for the kids and adults.

At home, I try to think this out before drilling a hole and sure enough, when I don't do it properly, it bites me. I did build a new lower table for the drill press so the material wouldn't slice me in the neck. Now, it'll get me in the chest if I don't heed my own warnings.
 
#8 ·
I had an accident with a buffing wheel at my shop a few years back... something as innocent as polishing a stainless headlight ring turned into a trip to the emergency room for stitches and an overextended finger :( Well I will be sure to use more caution and gloves in the future with that thing! I guess the wheel caught some part of it and ripped it out of my hand leaving some deep cuts. An accident can happen in the blink of an eye.
 
#10 ·
Thanks for the heads up. A foot switch would be a great saftey feature on alot of power tools. Back in High school I saw a girl loose a fist size chunk of hair to a drill press, Scalp and all :pain: The teacher taped the hair to the drill press and had other classes come through the shop to see it lol

I also saw a guy try and pop a blood blister under his fingernail with a drill press.... yeah it caught and went all the way through his thumb. :nono:

Jordon
 
#12 ·
My ten year old saw this happen and afterward I told him how glad I was that he did. Hopefully he won't ever make the same mistake.

Brian
 
#13 ·
MARTINSR said:
Do something like this guys before you end up injured. And I know, you are thinking right now, "I am not a dummy, I clamp the metal in". But one day you could be in a hurry or for that matter the clamp could let loose of it or something like that. I feel a lot better knowing I have that dead-mans switch.

Brian
Thanks, Brian.

My drill press tried its best to get me once. I was cobbling up a tool to stir some viscous material and the container got loose, the stirrer bent and everything went into monster mode. The whole press started a drunken, slow-speed wobble and dance across the floor. I didn't know which was scarier -- the risk of the 5-gallon bucket getting completely loose or the gyrations of the press taking it beyond the tip point. (My drill press is attached to a square of 3/4" plywood but it was tilting in the direction of each side when the bucket happened to swing over one). The switch is on the side of the drill press head and the cord plugs in behind it. No way to get to either one. Fortunately my breaker box is about 12 ft from where my drill press plugs in, so I just slapped all of 'em when my brain unfroze.

I think a deadman's switch is well worth the trouble to make. It might protect me sometimes when "oh, this is clever" turns into "OMG what have I done!"

Hmm. Needs to be non-sparking and bistable. Maybe a light switch and a spring-loaded treadle so that when you lift your foot, the treadle flips the switch off. Cord needs to be both hefty and flexible so it can withstand dropping stuff on it and be easy to position.
 
#14 ·
re: drillpress accident

many a long moon ago,when this old man was a mere strippling I was an apprentice machinist,the master machinist in charge of my section showed me how to tap a casting. He didn't put it in a vice,needless to say the second casting spun in my hand.seventy-two stitches later,I learned to read the safety manual,you can be told,or shown anything,but if it's not the right way,they don't pay,YOU DO!
 
#15 ·
drill press

All tools are dangerouse.You have to take caution.I have 5 dollar goggles.there not flimsy.I got metal in my eye I was wearing goggles and a full face shield.It just found a way.##it happens when you fabricate.You could just pay someone else to do it.ive had no problems with my drill press.did have a spring compressor go though.Got 3 stiches on the top of my head.it broke and was made in USA.like I said ##it happens. :(
 
#16 ·
My drill press tried its best to get me once. I was cobbling up a tool to stir some viscous material and the container got loose, the stirrer bent and everything went into monster mode. The whole press started a drunken, slow-speed wobble and dance across the floor. I didn't know which was scarier -- the risk of the 5-gallon bucket getting completely loose or the gyrations of the press taking it beyond the tip point. (My drill press is attached to a square of 3/4" plywood but it was tilting in the direction of each side when the bucket happened to swing over one). The switch is on the side of the drill press head and the cord plugs in behind it. No way to get to either one. Fortunately my breaker box is about 12 ft from where my drill press plugs in, so I just slapped all of 'em when my brain unfroze.
OMG!

Grouch! I am laughing & wincing @ the same time .

Harbor Freight sells them for cheap
[Foot switches ]
I keep my drill press @ the slowest speed & always use cutting fluid to reduce the chance of binding & breakage.

Also be on the look out for loose clothing, jewelry & ! the chuck key on the older units {my ridged has a spring loaded one so it wont stay in.


Be careful!




R :thumbup:
 
#17 ·
Hippie said:
This made me take a look at my drill press, it is about 10 years old and it has a nice big toggle switch on the front but I think it's time to put a "kill" switch on it so all I have to do is slap it if something goes wrong.
I thought the same about my drill press, which is about 30 years old. the switch is on the side. I figured a kill switch in front would be good, but I like the idea of a dead man pedal even more.

Thanks for the idea Brian and the unintended guinea pigness. Glad you aren't too much worse for wear after the incident.

It also reminds me of an Orange County Choppers episode where one of the builders (Rick?) where the drill press' bit caught the gloves he was wearing and twisted his finger along with it.

So, no gloves when using the drill press and use the clamps instead.
 
#18 ·
Thanks for share Brian. I think I told a story of a mag drill almost getting my finger back when, very close call.

Jon, great idea to put it in the wiki safety section.

Most of us just get in a hurry and forget the POWER of power tools. Any incident like this always makes me think and also makes me slow down. Also good that your son could see that his dad sometimes makes mistakes and can admit them.


I have logged this drill press incident in my mind for future reference. :thumbup:
 
#19 ·
But one day you could be in a hurry or for that matter the clamp could let loose of it or something like that. I feel a lot better knowing I have that dead-mans switch
Never get in a hurry is the key. I've seen quite a few accidents from not using common sense. Wearing gloves is one. Not clamping the part is another, and the third is make sure what you are drilling has a brace behind it to stop the part from spinning. This can be as simple as a bolt dropped thru a hole. At work a guy got his thumb "RIPPED" ot by wearing gloves and counterboring a piece of sheetmetal with a 1" counterbore. The metal caught, grabbed his glove, then pulled his thumb off. This was in a geared drill press. With a belted press it may or may not have stopped it from ripping out but would have broke it all the same. We now no longer have geared presses and now have new safety rules in place. I have seen a guy drill the top of a 40 lb. die shoe and spin it in a press
 
#20 ·
pigjamelectric said:
It also reminds me of an Orange County Choppers episode where one of the builders (Rick?) where the drill press' bit caught the gloves he was wearing and twisted his finger along with it.

So, no gloves when using the drill press and use the clamps instead.
Very important point, do not wear gloves when using a drill press. Clamp the piece down so it can't get loose.

Vince
 
#21 ·
No gloves and another important point to remember. I replaced a young trendy guy in my early days at GE that used to have long flowing locks of hair.......amazing how fast you can become bald working around rotating equipment.

If you wear your hair long, pull it back in a pony tail at least while working. While you might not have the same very heavy duty commercial machines we had, even a simple belt drive home machine will do a number on you - fast :pain:


Dave W
 
#22 ·
I got another one for you, I've avoided this but have come close. How about cranking up the drill press with the chuck key sticking out of the chuck. Nice place to store the key, but a bad place to store the key and forget it is there ................... cha ....king as it hopefully flies by the operator and hits the wall or project... now use a magnet stuck to the head and holds the chuck key nicely.
 
#23 ·
Rob Keller said:
OMG!

Grouch! I am laughing & wincing @ the same time .
It was hilarious ~afterwards~. I can still see that thing acting like a cartoon Frankenstein's monster. Just glad it was only turning 195 and the belt wasn't too tight. Every time the bucket hit the post, the drill press lurched back upright, the belt slipped, the makeshift stirrer bent, then the bucket would make another lap and the drill press would lean and stagger with it. Moral: Don't try to stir 5 gallons of old, thickened fibered roof coating with a drill press.

Rob Keller said:
Harbor Freight sells them for cheap
[Foot switches ]
I've been all over their website and can't find one. Got a link?

I had in mind a plywood pedal hinged at the end where your heel goes and the other end with its edge coming under an ordinary light switch in a PVC box. Push it down and a loop over the switch pulls it down and allows power to an outlet box beside the switch box. Release and a spring (tension or compression) pulls the pedal up and the edge flips the switch. A positive stop would be needed for each direction so the pedal couldn't damage the switch. Drill press plugs into the outlet box built into the contraption. 'Bout 5 bucks and some scrap plywood. Plug in any tool.

Rob Keller said:
Be careful!

R :thumbup:
Now you tell me. :rolleyes:
 
#24 ·
pepi said:
I got another one for you, I've avoided this but have come close. How about cranking up the drill press with the chuck key sticking out of the chuck. Nice place to store the key, but a bad place to store the key and forget it is there ................... cha ....king as it hopefully flies by the operator and hits the wall or project... now use a magnet stuck to the head and holds the chuck key nicely.
I've had that happen as well - except we had the key attached to the drill press with a length of light-weight chain (that way we wouldn't lose the key). Anyway, I had tightened up a drill in the chuck, but forgot to remove the key (it was a long time ago, so I'm thinking I got distracted after the tightening but before removing the key). Well, proceeded to turn it on - this is an old Walker-Turner drill press that is probably older than my Dad, BTW - and *zzzzziiiiiiipppppp - *POW** as the chain gets wound up on the chuck and then finally breaks. Fortunately, though, the chain kept the key in the chuck so the danger level was somewhat reduced. We still have the remaining length of chain attached to the drill press, but the original key has subsequently been lost since then :D

One word of caution and advise - when drilling sheet metal on the drill press, do whatever you can to find a way to either clamp it in a vise/to the table, brace against the column, or - barring all other options - hold it using a *long* pair of pliers and keep your distance! That nice flat piece of 18 gauge sheet metal can be turned into a nice sharp razor blade in the blink of an eye! And anyone who has ever tried to drill sheet metal with a twist drill most likely knows what I'm talking about, too! Nope, I'm not talking from experience (or at least not the kind of experience that includes copious amounts of red-colored fluid), just some common sense.

- Mike
 
#25 ·
pigjamelectric said:
It also reminds me of an Orange County Choppers episode where one of the builders (Rick?) where the drill press' bit caught the gloves he was wearing and twisted his finger along with it.

So, no gloves when using the drill press and use the clamps instead.
I've seen that happen and hair as well. In fact a girl was killed in the building I work in when it was Farmall back in the 70's, she got her hair cuaght in a drill press and it half scalped her, she died from shock before the ambulance could get here.

I just saw a kid here at work not 5 minutes ago wearing gloves running a drill. I said something to him and he looked at me like " :eek: Oh yeah!" He knew better and thanked me for reminding him.
 
#26 ·
pepi said:
I got another one for you, I've avoided this but have come close. How about cranking up the drill press with the chuck key sticking out of the chuck. Nice place to store the key, but a bad place to store the key and forget it is there ................... cha ....king as it hopefully flies by the operator and hits the wall or project... now use a magnet stuck to the head and holds the chuck key nicely.
I never got hit by a flying key but I broke a window with one. My drill press came with a spring loaded key, the minute you let go it pops out of the chuck. I like that feature a lot.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top