Archimedes drill

[EmmaRose]

Should be the same thing. Just means hanging with a foot pedal....
E

[Di Sandland]

Boo a pillar drill is a free-standing machine with an integral baseplate. A picture is probably best: this is the one I used to use for drilling wood blanks.

[Boo]

Thanks Di - it was a 'pendant' drill I was confused over, not the 'pillar' drill - that's fairly self-explanatory. I just asked here as EmmaRose had mentioned one and I see that term used here more than flex shaft - I suspect it's a US/UK variant in terms.

Should be the same thing. Just means hanging with a foot pedal....

Good. Just wanted to ensure I didn't make too much of a fool of myself in future by using the wrong terminology.

Mine didn't come with a foot pedal, but my father made me a foot operated switch which I can use with anything powered and I'd be totally lost without it. I do largely use it with my flex shaft and hand rotary tool.

[Sheltie]

Have to admit to being a luddite. I only use a bow drill, I love the rhythm you get with them. I taught my 9yr old to use one and now he does the less tricky drilling for me. He will even attend shows with me and demonstrates the use of the bow drill. He will then give it to an unsuspecting member of the public, who then struggles with it.


Mind I also use a replica bow drill (Circa about 1-1500 AD) for drilling stone.

Once you get the hang of these drills then they are great. But as said it is all in the rhythm

[Coco]

Oh! Oh! Oh! I can do it! I just drilled two holes


Took a long time though, I'm really quite tired

[ben b]

the archemedes drills were invented a long long time ago, and there's still people using them, many still drilling the same hole...

they are very good for doing accurately placed centre 'bore' holes, to guide a bigger powered drill after.

They work best with top quality, sharp drill bits, under 1mm diamiter.

You need to use two hands, one to push down, the other to work it, which aint always possible, so you may need to practice using forfinger on top to push, and fingure and thunb of same hand to work it.
quite an aquired technique.

With a sharp (expensive) small drill, they are amazingly accurate for hole placement, but need patience.
They stem from a time when days were longer...oh so so much longer lol!

[Coco]

I like my drill it's so little and cute, but if I were to go for one that gets the job done quicker, which one should I go for? Bearing in mind I is poor!

[Emerald]

cooc is the bit - chuck, tight enough around the drill sometimes it can work itself loose x

[ben b]

Have you tried working up in drill bits?

I mean, dont start with one thats the right size you need for the finnished hole, as it may be too big initially?

use a really tiny one to get a hole, then a bit bigger one, and so on

once the initial hole is cut, slightly bigger drills bore it out really quickly

[geti-titanium]

the archemedes drills were invented a long long time ago, and there's still people using them, many still drilling the same hole...

Come on everybody - that was funny

Incidentally as well, pillar drills are generally more meatier floor standing models and although they are still technically pillar drills (if they have a central pillar of course) the smaller table top drills are known as bench drills. Not all bench drills have a central pillar however.