School me on magnetic drills

[Shield Arc]

Yeah there might be a slight, mind you a very slight chance I may have a tool fetish.

I have heard before that Mag drills won't hold onto thin metal, but I never tried it myself. So today I did! Some 16-GA, 10-GA, and some 1/4-inch plate.
The 16-GA the Hougen wouldn't even attempt to hold on. The 10-GA, maybe if you were really, really careful you might get away with it. The 1/4-inch plate I couldn't get the magnet to break lose at all.
So now I know!:laughing:

 

[EMB5530]

Earlier someone had a good point: Strap that thing down! or clap it. But I would still take a mag over hand drilling any day and like I said if you need to get ingenious and clamp a piece of plate to something to get a good surface to hook to so be it. I would rather pull on a geared handle than push my bu## off on a drill, stop add cutting oil, push, push, push, stop add oil, push etc., etc. etc.
Although, if you have to get ingenious on everything that you drill w/ it then maybe its not warranted.
But, if you end up buying one and don't like it(especially if it has variable speed and reversing)I'll take it off your hands for ya. For pennies on the dollar of course:devil:
But in all actuality if you have thicker metal that you need to drill and in odd spots that a drill press will not get to you will wonder what you were doing not owning one but if all you are drilling is thin material that you have to build a jig/clamp you will hate trying to get everything lined up. Its all kinda what you have to do and how willing you are to put up w/ one shortfall to fix another.
Like I said though if you buy a nice one and don't want it don't worry about it. I'll pay the shipping to get it to my house!!!

Good luck, have fun and remember it is held on w/ magnetic force so if you or it is in a bad spot tie it off and be safe.

 

[Shield Arc]

Mag drills really do come in handy at times. When I built my gooseneck adapter, instead of drilling the holes first, then trying to get everything aligned up before welding. I just installed everything, welded it off, and drilled the holes in place with the Hougen.

 

[Ed L]

For years my only drill press was a Milwaukee magnetic. I kept a piece of 1" plate on my wood topped bench for it, when I built my current bench, made the top from 3/4" plate so the mag drill could get a good bite.

They are a very useful tool to have, longer stroke than a drill press ever thought of having. What you can do with one is only limited by your imagination. Mine worked out great for drilling the dog holes in my woodworking workbench.

Ed

 

[Reverser]

I guess I'm just terribly naïve, but until this thread, I hadn't even heard of one.

I can see where they would be handy to have, though.

 

[bdog]

Thanks for all the replies. Looking at a Hougen HMD904. Good model?

 

[Shield Arc]

I don't know if Hougen makes a bad product. You may want to get one of these too!
Hougen Chuck 1/2" - HMD904 & HMD914 - 10731 - Amazon.com

 

[Industrial Toys]

Mag drills are awesome and awesomly expensive. Even at auctions they fetch top dollar. I know people that have them and rarely use them. When they need them, they are sure nice to have. But most people use their drill presses MUCH more often, like almost daily.

A reasonable chinese drill press isn't that much money. Up here you can actually buy a nice used 3/4" commercial drill press for $500.00.

I would buy a drill press and keep my eyes open for a deal on a mag type. I think the Mag drill would be heavy and awkward to use for everything.

 

[camshawn]

I would agree with industrial toys, a bench top 5/8 chuck drill press for several hundred $ and a collection on annular cutters is the way to go. Work picked up a houghan hole saw set, 5/16 to 1 1/2(?) for a little over $200, fit in the hand drill, drill up to 1/2" thick. Only used them a little, way faster and easier than drill bits for 3/8 holes.
I bought a drill press adapter for my larger annular cutters. The drill press has a larger throat than the mag drill. This gives more flexibility to clamp smaller parts for drilling. Much safer and easier to clamp than using the mag drill.
I would rent/borrow a mag drill before I bought one.
Cam.
I'm a toolaholic and I need to retire so I will have more time to play with them.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Sheild, is that CNC table in your toy list for the powermax?