Hi Compmedic. I've wanted to CNC my drill press, but not to use as a mill. I'd just like to use it when I have to drill lots of holes so my mill can continue milling. I'll probably get to do that conversion someday soon. Meanwhile, those other guys are bang on. Converting a drill press will involve jacking it up and driving a mill underneath. It only looks sorta like a mill, it isn't really one.
Why not look at building a router table? I would think a small one could be done fairly cheaply with some eBay scrounging. It will cut a little aluminum and a lot of plastic. It will be a good learning experience and you won't have to do any "hard" machining to build it probably. Stevie and the College Prof did those conversions with benefit of outside machine tools and a lot of knowledge. As the other old joke goes, "Don't try this at home, they are professionals."
Alternatively, you could buy a used mill drill, or a small Taig or some such off eBay if you shop carefully. It's also pretty cheap to CNC a small lathe and it would give you some great experience.
Best,
BW  |