Lessons in stupidity, Why not to use a drill press as a mill Options

[TonyAKAVW]

So I have been stuck at home with the chicken pox the last week and a half getting stir crazy when I decide to work on a project. I have this large round piece of aluminum that I need to turn down a bit. Lacking a large enough lathe I decided to mimic a milling machine and turn it down with a half inch end-mill. I fixed up a suitable clamping arrangement and was about half way through the job when the chuck in the drill perss decided to come loose. The exceeedingly sharp half-ich end mill in the now falling (and spinning) chuck found its way to my hand. Many foul words and a decent amount of blood followed. As well as trip to urgent care. So, several stiches later I no longer have a gaping hole between my index and middle fingers, and the two other cuts on my index finger are under control as well.

So the morale of the story is, dont use a drill press as a milling machine. As tempting as it looks, there are some KEY differences. I did get lucky, this thing coulod have hit my hand much worse and caused much worse injury.

I have a renewed respect for sharp hardened steel spinning things.


-Tony (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)