What speed should I drill my wood blanks

[Band Saw Box]

I've look around and can't seam to find an answer to this question. What speed shoyld I set my drill press for drilling wood blanks. Thanks for the help

 

[edstreet]

http://images.meredith.com/wood/pdf/drill-press-speed-chart.pdf

 

[edstreet]

Try this.

 

[Band Saw Box]

Thanks Ed I'll print that out when I get home.

 

[Edgar]

I set mine to its lowest speed for drilling pen blanks regardless of material (wood, acrylic or corian) or drill size/type. I mostly use brad point or forstner bits - be sure to pay attention to the "shop notes" for those bit types in the chart.

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Ignore the second post by EdStreet and use the link he posted in his first message where you can see the important footnotes that are left off in the second message.

Specifically "reduce speed when drilling end grain". Most wood pen blanks (but not all) will be drilled end grain.

The recommended speeds (for acrylic) look way too high to me for resin pen blanks where you are drilling a deep hole. ~500 rpm should be plenty given the likely feed rate (which for pen makers (especially drilling on the lathe) is likely slower than what is assumed in the posted chart). Too high an rpm will just heat up the bit and the blank creating problems. That's my thinking anyway.

Another thing to consider is that if you are using carbon steel (common in cheap forstner bits), they will not tolerate much heat at all. HSS bits can take a lot more heat punishment, but that doesn't mean your material will.

Ed

 

[Whaler]

I drill all of my blanks regardless of material at 450 rpm.

 

[monark88]

Iusually just go according to the chart on my d. press.
Russ

 

[tomas]

I use the lowest speed possible drilling on the lathe. If I am drilling acrylic, I use water occassionally to cool/lubricate the bit.

Tomas

 

[Band Saw Box]

Thanks so much for all the replies. I'll get out in the shop and set my drill press to a lower speed.