Using spade bits in a drill press?

[Jack Frederick]

If I was going to do this I would only use the short shafted spade bits and not the 4-5” version.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I have a chuck adapter for my Bosch Bulldog. I use it to hold driver bits for Tapcons in drill mode. It works quite well and saves wear and tear on my cordless drivers.

I don't use it for drilling big holes though, I have a HoleHawg for that, The nice thing about the HoleHawg is you can use a 3/4" pipe as a handle. I frequently use one braced against the ground if I am putting say a 2 9/16" bit through a rim joist.

Here is my post regarding the infamous Hole Hawg from this morning.

Another plug for using a drill with a clutch for hole saws and big bits. A co worker left the job on a stretcher bound for the hospital after getting whacked, tangled, and flipped to the ground by the pipe handle of a Milwaukee Hole Hawg. He was using a Schalage door boring rig with a 2 1/8 auger bit.

I see several of the old Schlage jigs on eBay. Interestingly there is a new version... the "Killer Jig" by Pro Loc

[John K Jordan]

…
If you are really on a budget, get a cheap forstner. There are plenty to be had. However, if you care enough to use a drill press, I'm supposing you care about the accuracy and precision. …

Good advise.

I do often use a cheap Forstner in the drill press: when drilling a recess on a wood blank for mounting on a lathe chuck. I use the drill press to get the position and hole depth right but in this case clean entry and smooth sides don’t matter much.

In fact for this use I bought cheap carbide Forstner bits since they last almost forever without sharpening. BTW, for 50mm jaws I use a 2-1/16” bit for most things and a 2-1/8” if I need to fit calipers between two of the jaws to measure thickness.

I read once that drill press use results in more hand injuries than any other tool, especially in the metal shop, almost always due to holding the work by hand or not clamping well. I usually use two clamps when drilling steel and one or two with wood, depending. (I keep a separate drill press for metal to keep shavings and oils away from the wood.)

JKJ

[Tom Henderson2]

Not positive, but I think with drill presses you want to avoid the bits with a screw point that pull the bit into the wood. In that case the bit is advanced by the screw thread and the operator cannot control the feed. A spade bit with a plain point does not feed itself into the wood and advances only when the operator feeds it by the handles.

This is exactly right.

Like many others, I have used flat spade bits in my drill press for eons.

Then one day I tried using a Bosch "Blue Devil" spade bit... as soon as I brought the bit down to the work the drill point in that bit took over and advanced the bit at an insane rate... jerking the handle out of my hands. The bit then dug into the work, grabbing it out of my hands. it was really quite frightening.

Fortunately I wasn't hurt and the workpiece was easily replaced.

Later I saw the disclaimer on the wrapping not to use in a drill press. Nowadays I read the labels BEFORE I use a new tool!

My $0.02

[David Buchhauser]

I have occasionally used an Irwin "speed-bore" bit in my drill press in the wood shop. I like to use a slower speed and clamp the work piece to the table and have not had any problems.
David

[Frederick Skelly]

I'm glad I asked the question. Thank you folks!
Fred

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I have enjoyed watching the Inventor and Engineer Dan Gelbart's YouTube offerings. The episode on safety is highly recommended. (as well as all of the others)

[Alan Schwabacher]

While a forstner bit will definitely cut more cleanly than a spade bit, a drill press carefully used with a spade bit that does not self feed can work. Any bit can catch and spin the work, but a spade bit is more likely to do that. Clamping the work can prevent injury from work spun into you, as well as increase accuracy, but that's more critical for metal work.

If you think about the direction it might spin, and place the work so it will hit the column before it hits you, you can avoid most injury without any extra prep time.

[Ole Anderson]

As long as your work is up against a fence, long side to the left, you should be ok, no need to clamp. No fence? Then clamp it or hold on tight if it is long enough.

[Frank Pratt]

It could be argued that a spade bit in a drill press is saver than in an hand held drill. There's so much better control with a DP.

[Dave Sabo]

Here’s the disclaimer on the Bosch package.

These are the regular , ground point bits , not the self feeding “devil” bits.


bosch spade.jpg

[Rick Potter]

I am with Ole on this one.

Like others, I have been using spade bits in the DP for a long time. After the first time a spade bit spun the work, I quickly clamped a simple fence to the table. Problem solved. Never tried a self feeding bit. Nowadays I have a nice adjustable fence, and rarely drill anything without it.

Oldie but goodie tip: For clean holes with spade bits, set the stop on the DP so the point of the bit just pokes through the bottom of the work. Drill the first side till the bit bottoms, turn it over and use the small hole from the point to drill the remainder from the backside. Presto...Clean hole from both sides. An added bonus for using fence..easy to align the bottom hole.