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Women and Tools
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Detail about hacksaws
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Drilling Machines
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Women and Power Tools
by Melissa Martinez
There are a whole lot of myths about women and tools in general, but particularly power tools. They are still seen as men's tools, things that women know little to nothing about. And of course, since they know little to nothing about them, they certainly shouldn't own them! It was thought that a woman couldn’t tell a hammer from a screwdriver, much less know what a power drill is. A jigsaw was a puzzle, not a type of power saw, right? But that old, almost archaic perception is changing a little everyday, just as our world has been changing a little everyday.
Women have been running households for centuries- raising the kids, doing the cooking and cleaning. But the only repair work they did was to sew holes in socks or stockings, maybe using a vinyl patch on the slit in the sofa. The only time they used a hammer was to do something 'girlie' like hanging a picture on the wall. Through the ages, men did the heavy lifting and toolwork- fixing the car, chopping wood, assembling the kids' bikes and things like that.
That was then, this is now. Now, there are more and more women who are the sole head of the household. They must cook, clean AND do the heavy lifting. They must learn how to use things like tools and power tools. But the reaction in the home improvement market did not make it easy to do so. I clearly recall looking down the tool isle of a local Wal-Mart just a few years ago, and finding an assortment of tool kits. One (and only one) amongst the many lines of kits was marked "Women's Tool Kit". It claimed on the box to have over 100 pieces. I picked up the box, wondering what the difference would be between this and a regular tool kit. Would it have smaller handles to fit the smaller hands of a woman? Would it have beginner tools, since many women were just barely starting to really learn how to use tools?
No, those were not the differences. I almost wish they were, because if those were the differences, I would not have felt so insulted. The biggest difference was the color- pink. And not just any pink, the really girly pink that used to color the bows your mom likely made you wear as a kid. Pepto-Bismol pink. Now, I do have pink in my wardrobe, and like the color overall. But this was just ugly. Right next to it was a very similar kit- same tools and carrier, but in blue. I racked my brain to think of a single woman that I knew who would buy the pink over the blue. After drawing blanks for just a few minutes, I realized that there was no way over 100 tools could fit in that little case. It was because there was really only 9 tools, the rest of the 100 pieces was made up of nails and picture hangers. Yes, the old standard that women would use tools for in the past. Only this was the new millenium.
It could have been worse, the hammer and screwdriver could have had flowers on them. Yes, there have been everything from paisley patterns to daffodils imprinted on the handles and/or cases of tool kits that were aimed at women. These kits were an insult not only because of these colors and patterns, but also because they were often incomplete. Several claimed to have screwdrivers, but they had five flathead screwdrivers, and no Phillip’s head screwdrivers. Most women know that there is more than one type of screwdriver, and that you should have at least one of each in any ‘complete’ tool kit.
But help is on the horizon. Now, there is actually some advertising for tools that is aimed towards women. There are actual pictures of women using a drill. Gasp! Women using tools you actually have to plug in or charge! Oh, my! But it is true.
There is even a line of tools that is geared towards attracting women. And no, they are not pink. Tomboy Tools is a company based in Denver, Colorado. It is owned entirely by women who are homeowners and want tools made for women. Ergonomically correct tools that were not pink. In fact, one of their slogans is “NO PINK TOOLS!”. This, of course, is a big reason why myself and so many like me absolutely love them.
The CEO of Tomboy Tools, Sue Wilson was tired of all the really good tools being made for men. Some of them had handles way too big for a woman’s petite hands. Others were made so shoddily that one could not imagine how the manufacturers figured they could get away with selling such terrible products. “They thought that women just needed cheap plastic tools, and did not think that women were doing down and dirty stuff with their tools”, she said.
They started three years ago selling very basic tools through the internet. By April of 2003, they had launched their power tool line. They started with a 9.6v cordless power drill that was gathering dust at the back of a manufacturer’s warehouse. It was decided by Porter-Cable/Delta (the manufacturer in question) that the drill was much too small for a man’s hands, and therefore was never put into production and sold. Wilson made a deal, and now it is a successfully-selling product that many women have bought.
But the concept behind Tomboy Tools does not end at simply producing women-friendly tools. It is about learning how to use them, too. In the tradition of Tupperware parties, there are Tomboy Tool parties as well. A hostess who is specially trained by Tomboy Tools invites women over to their house for a party of sorts. Though there may be food and other usual party fare, the main objective is to together do a home improvement project. The project and all needed tools are already set up for the attendees. The hostess will instruct and start the project, but allow the guests to participate, as well. This way, they get a chance to handle all the tools and see how they work and look before they buy. Not only that, but they now know how to do another (or perhaps their first) home improvement project.
So the perception of women not being able to or not wanting to use manual or power tools is changing. And women are speaking up and letting it be known that they want their own tools. In recent polls, here are some of the findings about women and power tools:
88% of women surveyed by tool company Ryobi said that they would like to receive a power tool as a gift.
A recent survey by home improvement giant Lowe’s found that 81% of the women polled claim to own at least a basic tool kit at home, along with a few power tools. 20% claim to have an ‘extensive’ tool collection, and 33% said power was the biggest thing they looked out for when purchasing a tool.
80% of American women are doing basic home repairs or improvements in their households.
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, women who are working at least part-time in some sort of construction trade skyrocketed by 76% between 1980 and 2000 (the last year that stats are available).
With stats like these, it is easy to see why more and more companies are (finally!) jumping on the women’s tools bandwagon. As long as there is a demand, the manufacturers will find a way to get the supply out there. The market is still grossly underserved, but that is changing. Even Home Depot now offers classes for women and tools so even a novice can learn and become efficient at handling and using tools. I feel like this is just the tip of the iceberg and more is to come. Only time will tell if I am right.
by Melissa Martinez
There are a whole lot of myths about women and tools in general, but particularly power tools. They are still seen as men's tools, things that women know little to nothing about. And of course, since they know little to nothing about them, they certainly shouldn't own them! It was thought that a woman couldn’t tell a hammer from a screwdriver, much less know what a power drill is. A jigsaw was a puzzle, not a type of power saw, right? But that old, almost archaic perception is changing a little everyday, just as our world has been changing a little everyday.
Women have been running households for centuries- raising the kids, doing the cooking and cleaning. But the only repair work they did was to sew holes in socks or stockings, maybe using a vinyl patch on the slit in the sofa. The only time they used a hammer was to do something 'girlie' like hanging a picture on the wall. Through the ages, men did the heavy lifting and toolwork- fixing the car, chopping wood, assembling the kids' bikes and things like that.
That was then, this is now. Now, there are more and more women who are the sole head of the household. They must cook, clean AND do the heavy lifting. They must learn how to use things like tools and power tools. But the reaction in the home improvement market did not make it easy to do so. I clearly recall looking down the tool isle of a local Wal-Mart just a few years ago, and finding an assortment of tool kits. One (and only one) amongst the many lines of kits was marked "Women's Tool Kit". It claimed on the box to have over 100 pieces. I picked up the box, wondering what the difference would be between this and a regular tool kit. Would it have smaller handles to fit the smaller hands of a woman? Would it have beginner tools, since many women were just barely starting to really learn how to use tools?
No, those were not the differences. I almost wish they were, because if those were the differences, I would not have felt so insulted. The biggest difference was the color- pink. And not just any pink, the really girly pink that used to color the bows your mom likely made you wear as a kid. Pepto-Bismol pink. Now, I do have pink in my wardrobe, and like the color overall. But this was just ugly. Right next to it was a very similar kit- same tools and carrier, but in blue. I racked my brain to think of a single woman that I knew who would buy the pink over the blue. After drawing blanks for just a few minutes, I realized that there was no way over 100 tools could fit in that little case. It was because there was really only 9 tools, the rest of the 100 pieces was made up of nails and picture hangers. Yes, the old standard that women would use tools for in the past. Only this was the new millenium.
It could have been worse, the hammer and screwdriver could have had flowers on them. Yes, there have been everything from paisley patterns to daffodils imprinted on the handles and/or cases of tool kits that were aimed at women. These kits were an insult not only because of these colors and patterns, but also because they were often incomplete. Several claimed to have screwdrivers, but they had five flathead screwdrivers, and no Phillip’s head screwdrivers. Most women know that there is more than one type of screwdriver, and that you should have at least one of each in any ‘complete’ tool kit.
But help is on the horizon. Now, there is actually some advertising for tools that is aimed towards women. There are actual pictures of women using a drill. Gasp! Women using tools you actually have to plug in or charge! Oh, my! But it is true.
There is even a line of tools that is geared towards attracting women. And no, they are not pink. Tomboy Tools is a company based in Denver, Colorado. It is owned entirely by women who are homeowners and want tools made for women. Ergonomically correct tools that were not pink. In fact, one of their slogans is “NO PINK TOOLS!”. This, of course, is a big reason why myself and so many like me absolutely love them.
The CEO of Tomboy Tools, Sue Wilson was tired of all the really good tools being made for men. Some of them had handles way too big for a woman’s petite hands. Others were made so shoddily that one could not imagine how the manufacturers figured they could get away with selling such terrible products. “They thought that women just needed cheap plastic tools, and did not think that women were doing down and dirty stuff with their tools”, she said.
They started three years ago selling very basic tools through the internet. By April of 2003, they had launched their power tool line. They started with a 9.6v cordless power drill that was gathering dust at the back of a manufacturer’s warehouse. It was decided by Porter-Cable/Delta (the manufacturer in question) that the drill was much too small for a man’s hands, and therefore was never put into production and sold. Wilson made a deal, and now it is a successfully-selling product that many women have bought.
But the concept behind Tomboy Tools does not end at simply producing women-friendly tools. It is about learning how to use them, too. In the tradition of Tupperware parties, there are Tomboy Tool parties as well. A hostess who is specially trained by Tomboy Tools invites women over to their house for a party of sorts. Though there may be food and other usual party fare, the main objective is to together do a home improvement project. The project and all needed tools are already set up for the attendees. The hostess will instruct and start the project, but allow the guests to participate, as well. This way, they get a chance to handle all the tools and see how they work and look before they buy. Not only that, but they now know how to do another (or perhaps their first) home improvement project.
So the perception of women not being able to or not wanting to use manual or power tools is changing. And women are speaking up and letting it be known that they want their own tools. In recent polls, here are some of the findings about women and power tools:
88% of women surveyed by tool company Ryobi said that they would like to receive a power tool as a gift.
A recent survey by home improvement giant Lowe’s found that 81% of the women polled claim to own at least a basic tool kit at home, along with a few power tools. 20% claim to have an ‘extensive’ tool collection, and 33% said power was the biggest thing they looked out for when purchasing a tool.
80% of American women are doing basic home repairs or improvements in their households.
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, women who are working at least part-time in some sort of construction trade skyrocketed by 76% between 1980 and 2000 (the last year that stats are available).
With stats like these, it is easy to see why more and more companies are (finally!) jumping on the women’s tools bandwagon. As long as there is a demand, the manufacturers will find a way to get the supply out there. The market is still grossly underserved, but that is changing. Even Home Depot now offers classes for women and tools so even a novice can learn and become efficient at handling and using tools. I feel like this is just the tip of the iceberg and more is to come. Only time will tell if I am right.
Detail about hacksaws
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Sawing has been and continues to be one of the most carried out operation in any workshop and big industry. You need the saw for almost every bit of mechanical work from cutting bar rod and getting the cuts for grooves in the metal pieces for providing way to the coolant or the oil. Before you employ any material like steel, Aluminum, and brass for some work, you need to cut them to some specified length so that these materials can fit in the job, and this is where you need the operation of sawing. Sawing operation was manually done before the demand of industry rose and gave rise to power sawing tools that are not employed everywhere without exception.
There are quite a few sawing machines that are there in the market and you need to a bit about them to determine which one of them you require for your use:
Band saw
Band saw has emerged from being a monotonous tool to the one that is used widely for making intricate cuts with the help of hand and power feeds and, therefore, has made itself quite useful for little workshops and also for bigger production units. If you need to cut very large pieces that are even bigger from the machine itself, band saw is quite efficient in doing the work for you!
Circular saw
This saw employs cutting teeth tool much like a milling machine and this machine can work without the use of coolant.
Reciprocating saw
Reciprocating saw is rather slow and expensive in its operation, but this type of saw is widely used in areas where a lot of cutting work is needed. You can opt to cut multiple bars at the same time and there is little need to attend to the machine very precisely. There is a great need of cooling fluid and this also helps the machine to cut smoothly and effectively. This type of machine is readily employed by small workshop owners, and you can see its use almost everywhere. We did a lot of sawing using this machine; however, the process is somewhat boring, for, there is an arm that moves to and fro and cuts the material and you have nothing to do once you fit the material and starts the machine. You even do not need to switch it off, for, the arm itself moves up after it has cut the material, but of course to save the power you should switch it off once you have completed the work!
Need of coolant or cutting fluid in sawing machines
The cutting fluid is essential in the process of hacksawing for the following reasons:
It is required to dissipate the heat generated over small areas of each saw tooth.
It is required to remove the heat that helps to soften the cutting edges of the saw teeth.
It is required to reduce friction between chips and saw teeth.
It is required to prevent the deposition of metal at or near the edges of teeth of the saw.
It is required to clear away the chips from the workpiece.
It is also helpful in increasing productivity and blade life.
It is clear from the abovementioned factors that coolant or cutting fluid is must for sawing action and must be provided with power hacksaw, for, there is a lot of heat generated. You can opt to provide the coolant or cutting fluid manually if you are not doing a bulk of work, and it can be provided automatically if there is a lot of work to be done. These cutting fluids can be straight oils, which are in fact mineral oils and have high lubricity. But their capacity to dissipate heat is less and, therefore, they are most suitable to cut very tough materials at a slow speed. You can opt to use soluble oils, which are mineral oils mixed with water. These soluble oils have both lubricity and efficiency to dissipate heat. In recent times, the use of synthetic oils has become more prominent and they are readily used for high cutting speeds and quite effective to remove large quantities of heat.
Selection of hacksaw blades
It is very important to choose a suitable blade for your machine; otherwise, the process would not be smooth, effective, and you may have more breakdowns than you could expect. Below are some points that are helpful in making a good selection of blade of hacksaw:
At least two teeth must be in contact with the work surface at all times, and this is a very important factor for effective cutting of your material.
The pitch, that is number of teeth per unit of length of blade, should be determined proportional to the cross-section of the area of cut.
If you have to cut easily machined materials and soft materials, you will need a coarse pitch blade.
And if you need to cut harder materials and small cross-section areas, you need finer pitch blades.
Safe practices in power hacksawing
There are quite precautions or suggestion in power hacksawing that are needed to be taken care for effective use of power hacksaw tools. Below are some of them:
The cutting teeth and blade should be positioned to cut on the draw stroke. This is very important for smooth working of the blade.
The blade should be so tightened to make the tension in the blade adequate for holding the blade taut during the cutting operation. There are perhaps no automatic or hard and fast rules for tightening the blades but the mastery is gained only by sheer practice of this process. We broke many blade while working on the reciprocating hacksaw in our college and was quite embarrassed, for, we had to ask for a new blade in almost every class that we had at that machine!
The blade pins should be checked regularly to ensure that they are not being sheared.
The workpiece should be tightened securely, for, it sometimes require a lot of force.
The ends that are projecting from power hacksaw must be supported properly and with the use of a roller stand.
The cut off section should be cooled properly before handling it manually, for, there is lot of heat generation and this section is greatly heated up, and if you handle them you may get some burns and cuts from burred pieces!
The cutting fluid or the coolant must be directed towards the cutting area and cutting saw teeth, as the maximum heat is generated at the point of their contact.
Make it sure that the blade is moved away from the work piece before you switch the hacksaw on.
The cutting fluid or coolant, and the reservoir must be kept clean, as impurities may distort the cooling efficiency and lubricity of the fluid. You also should check regularly the ratio of oil and water in the fluid.
These are some general guidelines to use the power hacksaw effectively and smoothly. Always remember that you are doing cutting operation and any lapse from your side can cause severe injuries to your body, so it is advisable to keep away from the blade when it is working and is in motion. Don't allow children to move freely when you are operating the hacksaw and also always wear tight clothes when you are operating on the machine.
These hacksaws are used to cut metal pieces, however, there are also power hacksaws that are used by carpenters for cutting wood works. These hacksaws are quite effective and almost replaced the manual hacksaw used by carpenters to cut the wood. However, they are of small power and can be used to cut smaller works, as for bigger works they already have lumber-mills!
We were told about quite a few precautions before out instructor gave us the machine to work upon it, and though there was no human injury done to any of my classmate, we broke the blade of the machine quite a lot, but we really enjoyed working on it!
There are quite a few sawing machines that are there in the market and you need to a bit about them to determine which one of them you require for your use:
Band saw
Band saw has emerged from being a monotonous tool to the one that is used widely for making intricate cuts with the help of hand and power feeds and, therefore, has made itself quite useful for little workshops and also for bigger production units. If you need to cut very large pieces that are even bigger from the machine itself, band saw is quite efficient in doing the work for you!
Circular saw
This saw employs cutting teeth tool much like a milling machine and this machine can work without the use of coolant.
Reciprocating saw
Reciprocating saw is rather slow and expensive in its operation, but this type of saw is widely used in areas where a lot of cutting work is needed. You can opt to cut multiple bars at the same time and there is little need to attend to the machine very precisely. There is a great need of cooling fluid and this also helps the machine to cut smoothly and effectively. This type of machine is readily employed by small workshop owners, and you can see its use almost everywhere. We did a lot of sawing using this machine; however, the process is somewhat boring, for, there is an arm that moves to and fro and cuts the material and you have nothing to do once you fit the material and starts the machine. You even do not need to switch it off, for, the arm itself moves up after it has cut the material, but of course to save the power you should switch it off once you have completed the work!
Need of coolant or cutting fluid in sawing machines
The cutting fluid is essential in the process of hacksawing for the following reasons:
It is required to dissipate the heat generated over small areas of each saw tooth.
It is required to remove the heat that helps to soften the cutting edges of the saw teeth.
It is required to reduce friction between chips and saw teeth.
It is required to prevent the deposition of metal at or near the edges of teeth of the saw.
It is required to clear away the chips from the workpiece.
It is also helpful in increasing productivity and blade life.
It is clear from the abovementioned factors that coolant or cutting fluid is must for sawing action and must be provided with power hacksaw, for, there is a lot of heat generated. You can opt to provide the coolant or cutting fluid manually if you are not doing a bulk of work, and it can be provided automatically if there is a lot of work to be done. These cutting fluids can be straight oils, which are in fact mineral oils and have high lubricity. But their capacity to dissipate heat is less and, therefore, they are most suitable to cut very tough materials at a slow speed. You can opt to use soluble oils, which are mineral oils mixed with water. These soluble oils have both lubricity and efficiency to dissipate heat. In recent times, the use of synthetic oils has become more prominent and they are readily used for high cutting speeds and quite effective to remove large quantities of heat.
Selection of hacksaw blades
It is very important to choose a suitable blade for your machine; otherwise, the process would not be smooth, effective, and you may have more breakdowns than you could expect. Below are some points that are helpful in making a good selection of blade of hacksaw:
At least two teeth must be in contact with the work surface at all times, and this is a very important factor for effective cutting of your material.
The pitch, that is number of teeth per unit of length of blade, should be determined proportional to the cross-section of the area of cut.
If you have to cut easily machined materials and soft materials, you will need a coarse pitch blade.
And if you need to cut harder materials and small cross-section areas, you need finer pitch blades.
Safe practices in power hacksawing
There are quite precautions or suggestion in power hacksawing that are needed to be taken care for effective use of power hacksaw tools. Below are some of them:
The cutting teeth and blade should be positioned to cut on the draw stroke. This is very important for smooth working of the blade.
The blade should be so tightened to make the tension in the blade adequate for holding the blade taut during the cutting operation. There are perhaps no automatic or hard and fast rules for tightening the blades but the mastery is gained only by sheer practice of this process. We broke many blade while working on the reciprocating hacksaw in our college and was quite embarrassed, for, we had to ask for a new blade in almost every class that we had at that machine!
The blade pins should be checked regularly to ensure that they are not being sheared.
The workpiece should be tightened securely, for, it sometimes require a lot of force.
The ends that are projecting from power hacksaw must be supported properly and with the use of a roller stand.
The cut off section should be cooled properly before handling it manually, for, there is lot of heat generation and this section is greatly heated up, and if you handle them you may get some burns and cuts from burred pieces!
The cutting fluid or the coolant must be directed towards the cutting area and cutting saw teeth, as the maximum heat is generated at the point of their contact.
Make it sure that the blade is moved away from the work piece before you switch the hacksaw on.
The cutting fluid or coolant, and the reservoir must be kept clean, as impurities may distort the cooling efficiency and lubricity of the fluid. You also should check regularly the ratio of oil and water in the fluid.
These are some general guidelines to use the power hacksaw effectively and smoothly. Always remember that you are doing cutting operation and any lapse from your side can cause severe injuries to your body, so it is advisable to keep away from the blade when it is working and is in motion. Don't allow children to move freely when you are operating the hacksaw and also always wear tight clothes when you are operating on the machine.
These hacksaws are used to cut metal pieces, however, there are also power hacksaws that are used by carpenters for cutting wood works. These hacksaws are quite effective and almost replaced the manual hacksaw used by carpenters to cut the wood. However, they are of small power and can be used to cut smaller works, as for bigger works they already have lumber-mills!
We were told about quite a few precautions before out instructor gave us the machine to work upon it, and though there was no human injury done to any of my classmate, we broke the blade of the machine quite a lot, but we really enjoyed working on it!
Drilling Machines
Drilling machine is one of the simplest and accurate machine tool that can help you to maintain your little workshop in your home in a good working condition, for, drilling work is required more often than any other mechanical work! Drilling machines generally consists of a spindle, which gives rotary motion to the drilling tool. There is also a simple mechanism to feed the tool into the work, a table on which the work rests and a frame that gives these drilling machines a definite and robust shape. It is obvious that the operations performed by these drilling machines are limited to making holes and, therefore, they are called single purpose machines.
The basic difference between a drilling machine and a lathe, though the lathe can also be used to make holes, is that in drilling machines the tool is rotated whereas in lathe machines the work is rotated and the tool is kept stationary. This is the major difference and quite a significant one, as to rotate the large work is quite difficult and, therefore, drilling machines justify their position in a workshop with proper function!
It seems that drilling and boring operations are same, but they are not in technical terms and aptly differentiated. Boring operation is said to be done on an already drilled hole, whereby enlarging it for further use. There are special holding devices that hold the boring tool and bore the holes already made by drilling tools.
General specifications of a drilling machine
To specify the drilling machine that you want to use in your workshop and, therefore, have to procure it, you need to know some technical data:
For a portable drilling machine, you need to know the diameter of the drill, which it will be holding in its jaws.
Sensitive and upright drilling machines are specified by the diameter of the largest work piece that it can drill.
The radial drilling machines are specified by the length of the arm ad column diameter. Radial drilling machine is a very useful machine for bigger workshops and is widely used, as it serves multiple purposes of the owner.
Multiple drilling machines are specified by the drilling area, the size and the number of holes a machine can get. It is clear from the name itself that multiple drilling machines can drill many holes at the same time and, therefore, you need to know the numbers of holes that you want to drill while buying a multiple drilling machine!
Of all the above listed drilling machines, the portable or the hand drilling machine is mostly used by householders, electricians and other mechanics that have to do little works of repair and maintenance. Hand drilling machine is really handy when it comes to drilling some holes in walls, wood and other softer materials. Suppose you are to hand a family photograph or a large portrait of your sports hero, you only need to plug your drilling machine in electricity and press the hand button on it, and off you go: smoothly drilling your way into the wall with minimum effort and in little or no time! This is as simple as it looks and there is little or almost no danger involved in handling this portable drilling machine--even new users can handle it quite effectively and straightaway without much practice. You just need to hold the drill in straight position to get a good hole, and that is it: you are done with hanging the photograph by inserting some nail in it and placing the frame of photograph on it!
There is small electric motor involved with this hand drill, which imparts power to the drill and gives it the rotation for drilling operation. It is widely used and almost has totally replaced the techniques of manual drilling with drills and rotating it with your hands! There are other innovations in this hand drilling machines, as there are power screwdrivers, which can also be mounted on the same head according to the need and requirement. Some of my friends and seniors developed these kinds of instruments when they had to make a project in their final year of mechanical engineering.
Operations that can be done on a drill machine
Apart from drilling and boring operations, there are some other operations that can be done with the help of a drilling machine:
Reaming
This operation involves sizing and finishing a hole by means of a reamer having several cutting edges.
Counter boring
It is an important operation and is done to accommodate heads of the screws when inserted in the hole. Counter boring is done to enlarge the ends of a hole cylindrically.
Counter sinking
It is also an important operation to produce the cone-shaped end of a hole.
Spot facing
It is quite similar to making counter boring but in it the head is made square so as to accommodate a nut head rather than the screw head. We, in our workshop lectures, did these operations and they were quite interesting and engaging, for, they require precision and care.
Tapping
Tapping is done to make internal threads in the hole and is used widely.
Though some still prefer hand tapping tools, but these power drilling machines are gaining popularity and making their presence felt in producing threads inside the holes. When we made our final project, which was a shearing machine that had a nibbling movement of the cutting tools, we did the tapping operation. And I myself used the hand tapping tool, which we practiced in our first year of the degree course, and the mechanic did not seem to employ the drilling machines and seemed quite unaware about that functionality of drilling machines. However, we did not ask him for that and just went away with doing it with the hand tool, for, we had little time to discuss these sort of things, as we also had our final examinations round the corner and also had to submit that project quite fast!
Clearly, the most important part of the drilling machine is the drill itself, and there are quite a few drills that are available in the market for use. Some of them are:
Taper-shank drills
Straight-shank drills
Heavy duty drills
Cotter pin drills
Straight fluted drills
Flat drills
Half-round drills
Three-fluted drills
Multi-cut drills
Oil hole drills
Step drills
Core drills
Deep hole drills
Carbide drills
Drills with thin metal sheets
Speed drills for hard sheets
Spade drills
Ejector drills
There are quite a few and all of them different applications and can be chosen according to the requirement.
We will end this article with some precautions that are necessary for a smooth drilling operation and you need to take care of them:
The feeding arrangement for power drilling machines should be directionally stable; otherwise, you are not going to get the results that these power drills propose.
Axis of spindle, adapter and tool must coincide; otherwise, there will be errors and imperfections in the holes that you will produce.
Work piece must be help tightly; remember there is a lot of force that is exerted on it and it should not be allowed to move in any way.
Proper safety materials and goggles for the eyes should be worn, as there may be the production of very fine chips, which can very easily get into your eye and may cause problems. Though, flutes are provided in the drill for proper and smooth ejection of chips and cut material from inside the hole, but still there may be a chance some odd chip coming out speedily and entering your eye or hitting some part of your body!
If you take care of abovementioned simple steps, you can enjoy the drilling operation to the extent. Your work can be turned into an event of enjoyment and adventure if you know how to handle these power drills properly, and you can introduce children also to use it, for, these hand drills are not that big and can handled easily!
The basic difference between a drilling machine and a lathe, though the lathe can also be used to make holes, is that in drilling machines the tool is rotated whereas in lathe machines the work is rotated and the tool is kept stationary. This is the major difference and quite a significant one, as to rotate the large work is quite difficult and, therefore, drilling machines justify their position in a workshop with proper function!
It seems that drilling and boring operations are same, but they are not in technical terms and aptly differentiated. Boring operation is said to be done on an already drilled hole, whereby enlarging it for further use. There are special holding devices that hold the boring tool and bore the holes already made by drilling tools.
General specifications of a drilling machine
To specify the drilling machine that you want to use in your workshop and, therefore, have to procure it, you need to know some technical data:
For a portable drilling machine, you need to know the diameter of the drill, which it will be holding in its jaws.
Sensitive and upright drilling machines are specified by the diameter of the largest work piece that it can drill.
The radial drilling machines are specified by the length of the arm ad column diameter. Radial drilling machine is a very useful machine for bigger workshops and is widely used, as it serves multiple purposes of the owner.
Multiple drilling machines are specified by the drilling area, the size and the number of holes a machine can get. It is clear from the name itself that multiple drilling machines can drill many holes at the same time and, therefore, you need to know the numbers of holes that you want to drill while buying a multiple drilling machine!
Of all the above listed drilling machines, the portable or the hand drilling machine is mostly used by householders, electricians and other mechanics that have to do little works of repair and maintenance. Hand drilling machine is really handy when it comes to drilling some holes in walls, wood and other softer materials. Suppose you are to hand a family photograph or a large portrait of your sports hero, you only need to plug your drilling machine in electricity and press the hand button on it, and off you go: smoothly drilling your way into the wall with minimum effort and in little or no time! This is as simple as it looks and there is little or almost no danger involved in handling this portable drilling machine--even new users can handle it quite effectively and straightaway without much practice. You just need to hold the drill in straight position to get a good hole, and that is it: you are done with hanging the photograph by inserting some nail in it and placing the frame of photograph on it!
There is small electric motor involved with this hand drill, which imparts power to the drill and gives it the rotation for drilling operation. It is widely used and almost has totally replaced the techniques of manual drilling with drills and rotating it with your hands! There are other innovations in this hand drilling machines, as there are power screwdrivers, which can also be mounted on the same head according to the need and requirement. Some of my friends and seniors developed these kinds of instruments when they had to make a project in their final year of mechanical engineering.
Operations that can be done on a drill machine
Apart from drilling and boring operations, there are some other operations that can be done with the help of a drilling machine:
Reaming
This operation involves sizing and finishing a hole by means of a reamer having several cutting edges.
Counter boring
It is an important operation and is done to accommodate heads of the screws when inserted in the hole. Counter boring is done to enlarge the ends of a hole cylindrically.
Counter sinking
It is also an important operation to produce the cone-shaped end of a hole.
Spot facing
It is quite similar to making counter boring but in it the head is made square so as to accommodate a nut head rather than the screw head. We, in our workshop lectures, did these operations and they were quite interesting and engaging, for, they require precision and care.
Tapping
Tapping is done to make internal threads in the hole and is used widely.
Though some still prefer hand tapping tools, but these power drilling machines are gaining popularity and making their presence felt in producing threads inside the holes. When we made our final project, which was a shearing machine that had a nibbling movement of the cutting tools, we did the tapping operation. And I myself used the hand tapping tool, which we practiced in our first year of the degree course, and the mechanic did not seem to employ the drilling machines and seemed quite unaware about that functionality of drilling machines. However, we did not ask him for that and just went away with doing it with the hand tool, for, we had little time to discuss these sort of things, as we also had our final examinations round the corner and also had to submit that project quite fast!
Clearly, the most important part of the drilling machine is the drill itself, and there are quite a few drills that are available in the market for use. Some of them are:
Taper-shank drills
Straight-shank drills
Heavy duty drills
Cotter pin drills
Straight fluted drills
Flat drills
Half-round drills
Three-fluted drills
Multi-cut drills
Oil hole drills
Step drills
Core drills
Deep hole drills
Carbide drills
Drills with thin metal sheets
Speed drills for hard sheets
Spade drills
Ejector drills
There are quite a few and all of them different applications and can be chosen according to the requirement.
We will end this article with some precautions that are necessary for a smooth drilling operation and you need to take care of them:
The feeding arrangement for power drilling machines should be directionally stable; otherwise, you are not going to get the results that these power drills propose.
Axis of spindle, adapter and tool must coincide; otherwise, there will be errors and imperfections in the holes that you will produce.
Work piece must be help tightly; remember there is a lot of force that is exerted on it and it should not be allowed to move in any way.
Proper safety materials and goggles for the eyes should be worn, as there may be the production of very fine chips, which can very easily get into your eye and may cause problems. Though, flutes are provided in the drill for proper and smooth ejection of chips and cut material from inside the hole, but still there may be a chance some odd chip coming out speedily and entering your eye or hitting some part of your body!
If you take care of abovementioned simple steps, you can enjoy the drilling operation to the extent. Your work can be turned into an event of enjoyment and adventure if you know how to handle these power drills properly, and you can introduce children also to use it, for, these hand drills are not that big and can handled easily!
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