What is acceptable runout and end play for a drill press?

strantor

strantor

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I have a 15" rockwell drill press. I just replaced the bearings in it, but did not measure end play or runout afterwards. Then I abused it rather badly by attempting to mill on it. I measured end play and runout afterwards, but I have nothing to compare it to. Here's what I measured: .0045" runout when I turn it, and if I pull the chuck side to side hard by hand I can move it .0150" (end play). These measurements were taken with the quill locked.

Do those numbers indicate a problem, or am I still OK?
 
I would think .002" run out and 0 to .0005" end play would be what it was when it was new or with new bearings. Sometimes people put the bearings in backwards...accidents do happen. I would take it back apart and check it 99% of the time the bearings are installed back to back on drill presses. The back is the wider end of the bearing. Some have a spacer or spacers between them too. If you can put some pictures of it when you take it apart it be easier to help. Did it have a a star retaining lock washer and star lock nut holding it in place?
 
As long as we have a thread with Texans asking about drill presses, I'll piggyback on here...


I have a Tiawanese drill press that has probably 25 thou of runout.. I have popped off the chuck cleaned and reinstalled a couple of times but still a drill installed in the chuck is wobbly. It workd well for utility drilling but nothing precision, obviously. My Atlas floor model Drill press is similar..

What happens to drill presses to make them so out of whack?:thinking: What can usually be done to make them run truer? (besides keeping Sledgehammer Sam away from it?):rofl:
 
First, a drill press is not designed to mill. The bearings are designed for the normal downward pressure. There are other things in the press that can wear. Such as the spindle and the chuck. You also need to make sure you get the correct bearings for the press. I think another issue is bearing quality, buy the best you can afford. In some cases cheap bearings are as bad as worn out ones. You need to inspect all of the moving parts of the press as well as the housing.
 
I knew milling on the drill press was a bad idea, but did it anyway. That makes me stupid, by definition. Well I'm smarter now and not going to do it again. Moving on...

I replaced the bearings with VBX bearings. Those are inexpensive, but I was of the impression that they were not poor quality; I have seen other users recommend them in the past. They were double sealed ball bearings and the two sides looked identical; is it possible to put that type in backwards? they were held in place with snap rings.
 
It sounds like it's a cheap import if it only uses snap rings. The spindle could be bent too. Mount a dial indicator off a mag base and check it at the bottom and then as close to the top housing and se if they are different. I use a center drill to drill the first one. Call the dealer you bought the bearings from or a bearing house and ask if you can use them as a thrust bearing for a drill press. If they are thrust bearings as they do make sealed trust bearings as him how to identify the thrust end. Also if they are maybe you can put a thin spacer under the snap ring to tighten them.
 
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