[HN Gopher] Tools: Proxxon Mini Drill Press TBM115 / TBM220 (2009)
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Tools: Proxxon Mini Drill Press TBM115 / TBM220 (2009)
Author : walterbell
Score : 29 points
Date : 2022-06-25 15:25 UTC (1 days ago)
(HTM) web link (hackaday.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (hackaday.com)
| aappleby wrote:
| Proxxon's Dremel-style multitool combined with the drill press
| stand works great and is much less single-use. Their mini-mill is
| also great.
|
| Avoid the Proxxon tiny circular saw though, it is utter junk.
| walterbell wrote:
| Proxxon has a vocal customer base with high standards, they
| should hire some of their customers to address gaps in design,
| manufacturing and QA.
|
| Customer feedback on the mill stand,
| http://sigmatechnica.com/proxxon-milldrill-improvements/
|
| _> Initially I considered all sorts of screw tensioning and
| spring loading schemes, as well as worrying about the strength
| of the solder joints but I have been using these modified nuts
| for about 2 years now and they are showing little signs of wear
| or failure. With the above 2 improvements backlash on the X-Y
| table has been reduced from almost a full turn of the handles
| to less than a tenth of a turn. I think some fairly radical re-
| engineering may be needed to get much better than that, new
| lead screws would be a must as the ones that come with it are
| not that great._
|
| Customer feedback on the drill stand,
| https://www.amazon.com/Proxxon-28600-Micromot-Drill-Stand/dp...
|
| _> To adjust height, a clamp needs to be released on the rear
| shaft with one hand whilst still holding the drill in its
| assembly with the other...and it all wobbles a bit...there's
| nothing stopping the assembly dropping and potentially doing
| some damage if there's a bit in the chuck. So, a touch of
| genius....I happen to have a couple of springs that came from
| an old plunge router. Each spring is about 70 /80mm long and
| they're just the right diameter to fit loosely onto the shaft
| under the drill assembly. So now when the rear clamp is
| released, these springs take the total weight of the drill head
| which now has to be gently pressed down against the spring
| pressure rather than simply dropping under gravity. It makes an
| amazing difference and turns the drill stand into a much more
| professional tool and more like a full size pillar drill. It's
| a tweak well worth doing if you can get suitable springs._
|
| The hobbyist community could compile these tweaks/fixes into
| one OSS document per model, rather than leaving them scattered
| across product reviews and blogs.
| tejtm wrote:
| Of a similar ilk with lots of fun things around it from "Jarvis"
|
| https://www.sciplus.com/mini-compact-benchtop-drill-press-47...
| Lio wrote:
| I have one of the small Proxxon screw cutting lathes, PD250/e.
|
| It's great, I love it.
|
| If I was more serious I guess I'd move to CNC[1] but to be honest
| I really enjoy working by hand as an alternative to IT work.
|
| It does kind of lack power compared to a bigger lathe but with
| HSS cutting tools it works fine. I do have carbide insert tooling
| too but save that for softer materials like Al. It would probably
| struggle a bit with titanium but if I stick to brass, Al, silver-
| steel or 303 stainless all's good.
|
| I wondered about their little tabletop tool grinder/polisher but
| I do worry the motor is a bit too weak to be useful. Anyone tried
| it to know for sure?
|
| 1. Proxxon themselves actually sell CNC versions of their lathes
| and mills.
| collegeburner wrote:
| With the current court position I am optimistic the NFA will be
| overturned, so probably won't bother buying one. Still cool tech
| though!
| walterbell wrote:
| In addition to the mini drill press, Proxxon also has three
| precision drilling stands.
|
| 20mm collar for their proprietary hand tools: BV 2000 ($200,
| https://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/20002.php) and MB 200 ($120,
| https://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/28600.php)
|
| 43mm collar compatible with standard drills, BFB 2000 ($250):
| https://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/20000.php
|
| Their products are unique for EU manufacturing in Luxembourg.
| Some are available on Amazon US.
| walterbell wrote:
| Some Proxxon competitors:
|
| US Woodpeckers' drill guide ($270),
| https://www.woodpeck.com/auto-line-drill-guide.html
|
| Germany's Wabeco has a line of precision drill stands ($200+),
| but they won't ship to US/Canada, perhaps an EU retailer does?
| https://www.core77.com/posts/113802/Cool-Tools-Wabecos-Porta...
| & https://www.wabeco-remscheid.de/drilling-stands-
| accessories/...
|
| Germany's Wolfcraft sells a decade-old, relatively unique, $100
| drill guide/stand that only works with a handful of seemingly
| random commercial handheld (43mm) drills, including Bosch
| 1006VSR 3/8" and Ryobi D620H 5/8" drills.
| https://www.amazon.com/Wolfcraft-4522-Mobil-Drill-Stand/dp/B...
| tecleandor wrote:
| 43mm seems to be quite standard in Europe. Lots of
| stands/columns for drills I can find around here (Spain) are
| that size. Also, that stand is priced at less than 50EUR here
| :o
|
| I like the Woodpecker, but's difficult to get in Europe, and
| at almost $300, is more expensive than my Makita drill. The
| plastic $20 ones in Aliexpress loock super finicky. Perhaps
| there's something in between :D
|
| edit: BTW, those Wabeco tools look great and not that
| expensive. My dad would love one of those stands (me too, but
| I don't have the space :D )
| derekp7 wrote:
| I've noticed that there is a lack of quality miniature
| wood/acrylic working tools that are equiv to full sized versions.
| Specifically, I'm looking for a mini table saw, router table, etc
| suitable for something like 1/4 inch wood or acrylic and pieces
| about the size for making miniature buildings (for model
| railroading) or other small items.
|
| Ideally I'd like to see a miniature Shop Smith multi tool.
| panzagl wrote:
| Are you aware of Micromark? (www.micromark.com) Not sure of the
| quality of what they carry, but they've been around forever.
| convolvatron wrote:
| the unimat was pretty cool. I had one for a while and gave it
| to a friend. like all the other mini-tools it took a long time
| to configure for a particular job. but it was more solid than
| the sherlines, and had a great lego-ish quality to it.
| mturmon wrote:
| Have you seen the Jointmaker from Bridge City? It's a very high
| quality sliding table that holds the workpiece, and is moved by
| hand over a fixed saw blade. It's used by musical instrument
| makers and others who do fine work with small parts.
|
| https://bridgecitytools.com/products/jmpv2-jointmaker-pro
| Blackthorn wrote:
| Miniature tools where you introduce the workpiece to the tool
| (like the ones you listed) seem pretty difficult in small size.
| Are tools where you introduce the tool to the workpiece (like a
| dremel instead of a router) no good?
| derekp7 wrote:
| The main reason I was thinking of a fixed tool is it seems
| that it would be possible to have more precision with it. One
| example that I've been wanting to do for a while is make my
| own slide rules. For that you need to cut 1/4 inch boards (or
| plexiglass) into 3/4 inch wide (or so) strips, then make a
| tongue and groove cut.
|
| What I came up with so far is an adjustable router table for
| a Dremel that you could use with a 1/16 inch engraving bit,
| designed for my 3D printer. Just finished making my most
| recent prototype, but need to rough cut the stock on a
| regular table saw to try it out.
|
| My initial prototype design is here:
| https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5395048 however I've made a
| number of tweaks to it (things like getting the screw thread
| sizing dialed in to account for tolerances on my 3d printer,
| etc -- eventually I'll post a fully parameterized version
| that can be tweaked individually).
|
| Right now it is designed to hold the Dremel in one hand, feed
| the work piece through the other. It has a primary pivot
| fence with 1/32 inch scale marks, and the second pivot fence
| can be attached to center a work piece (my current design
| eliminates this second fence and replaces it with a button
| that works just as good).
|
| My next Dremel related 3d design will be a mounting system
| that attaches where the plastic screws are that holds the
| motor brushes in place, then I'll see if I can do a lathe,
| table saw, hand held circular saw, etc).
| [deleted]
| walterbell wrote:
| Lee Valley has a line of miniature hand tools that they make in
| Canada, but not much in the mini-machine tool category,
| https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/tools/brand/veritas/miniatur...
| rje wrote:
| For model making table saws and sanders I highly recommend
| Byrnes Model Machines
|
| https://www.byrnesmodelmachines.com/
| dtgriscom wrote:
| A tool for making miniature rope! Awesome!
|
| https://www.byrnesmodelmachines.com/ropewalk5.html
| walterbell wrote:
| _> Rope-making is a skill which dates back to pre-historic
| times ... scale rope making is, in many ways, even more
| difficult than making lengths of full-size rope. But no
| more! Jim 's variable speed Ropewalk is a precision machine
| which will produce scale rope in any length you need ..._
|
| Wow, immortalizing one human's craftsmanship in a
| configurable robot.
| h2odragon wrote:
| Harbor Freight has a 4in blade "mini table saw" for about $40,
| iirc. not "quality" probably but may serve the need.
| blip54321 wrote:
| At this point in my life, I would never, ever, ever, ever,
| ever, ever, ever, ever buy a cheap table saw.
|
| Table saws are where fingers come off, where work pieces get
| chucked at you, and where blades sometimes explode. It's
| probably the second-most dangerous tool in any shop.
|
| A good circular saw and guide can do much the same thing as a
| cheap table saw, safely. Nice table saws can do some
| precision work a circular saw can't match (such as various
| kinds of notches), but not a $40 HF mini table saw. But 90%
| of what a table saw does, a circular saw properly used will
| do just as well, only with a bit more work setting up guides.
|
| Other tools can handle those rare precision notches a
| circular saw won't do.
|
| Things to be aware of:
|
| - You can adjust height and angle on a circular saw. It's
| more finicky than a table saw, and you might need a
| protractor, but once you set it, it's good.
|
| - You want a long guide you can clip to the piece.
|
| - You want something like a Kreg which attaches to the table
| saw and guides it for e.g. cross-cuts of the same length.
|
| If you do want a cheap saw on a table, I'd consider any other
| kind (e.g. a scroll saw).
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(page generated 2022-06-26 23:01 UTC)