Power Feed For Compound Rest.

[catmechanic47]

Been working on building a chuck for ER 32 collets. After stewing about cutting taper and how to get a good finish while hand feeding the compound, came up with this idea. Most of us have old battery powered drills, that the batteries have gone bad and find it cheaper to buy newer units with bigger and better batteries. Here is a possible use for old obsolete units. Quick and dirty power feed for compound.

 

[Inflight]

I often run my 10" manual rotary table on the mill using a variable speed power drill (with a cord, not battery operated) when I am trying to achieve a really nice finish. I use a socket wrench adapter in the the drill chuck.

What's the point of the angle attachment in your photo?

 

[catmechanic47]

The angle attachment is the is a right angle Makita drill cut off at motor end. That gives me a 25:1 gear reduction between drill and feed screw. By feathering trigger can attain apx 10 rpm, giving an excellent finish.

 

[Inflight]

Ok, that makes perfect sense. Great idea.