Wondering how to use drill machines to drill through metal for your jewellery creations? Like many jewellers, you may have used flex shafts previously. However, if you’re looking for an advanced piece of machinery that’s even more precise, you might consider using a Proxxon bench drill.
Take a look at our video, where Lydia Niziblian, jewellery maker and designer, explains how the Proxxon TBM 220 bench drill is designed, how to use it, and what makes it a good drill press for metal.
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What are the different parts of a bench drill?
You’ve got your Proxxon bench drill to drill through metal. But what’s each part for, and how do you go about using it?
The Belt
Lift the lid to find the belt, which has three positions it can be set to: lowest, middle and highest.
Drill Bits
You can adjust the setting of the belt depending on the size of the drill bit you are drilling. The smaller the drill bit, the higher the speed you’ll need.
Depth of Drill
On the side of the bench drill, you’ll see where you can adjust the depth of the drill – between 0 and 3cm.
Power
At the back of the Proxxon bench drill is your ‘ON/OFF’ switch and at the front, your lever for drilling through your metal.
Collets
A Proxxon bench drill machine comes with six collets, ranging from 1-3.2 mm.
You’ll need to use a machine vice too, which is the clamping device that allows you to keep your metal safe, still and steady whilst drilling.
How to use the Proxxon bench drill machine
So, you’re ready to start.
You’ll need to put your vice on the fence at the bottom of the bench drill. Make sure you do this with care, setting it in place securely as it isn’t a perfect fit. You might find that there’s a little bit of movement.
Then, when you’ve placed your metal in its place on the vice, use the lever to drill. Avoid pressing the lever with fast, sharp and abrupt movements. Do this gently and very slowly in smooth movements to help keep your creation nice and neat.
What makes it a good drill press for metal?
So that’s how to use your Proxxon drill to cut metal – it’s quiet, safe and can be quicker and more accurate to use than a flex shaft, taking only seconds to neatly cut metal with precision.
Want to get started, and test out this metal cutting kit for yourself? Order your own Proxxon bench drill machine online today, part of Cooksongold’s wider range of jewellery tools.
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