Experiment No.

7: To perform Drilling Operation on Lathe

Theoretical Background
Drilling Operation:
Drilling operation involves producing a hole in the work piece.
There are special machines for performing this operation but it can be done on lathe
as well. In case of lathe work piece is rotated and drill bit is just forced into the work
piece while on other machines both motions are provided to drill bit.
To perform drilling on lathe machine we have to mount have to mount a drill in tail-
stock. For such purpose we have to remove dead center and mount drill in its place.
Sometimes drill bit has diameter more or less than the bored hole in tail-stock. In
such case we use two drill holding devices:
 Socket
 Sleeve

For proper drilling it is important that axis of work-piece and drill should be aligned.
So before starting drilling it is important to check center of drill. Slide the tail-stock
until the tip of center drill is about half an inch away from work piece. Turn on the
lathe and set the speed according to material using standard values and table. Now
start bringing drill to the free and of work piece and bring the chisel edge at center-
hole. Use tail-stock handle to bring drill close to work-piece. If material is not very
much hard then there is need of coolant but in case the material is very hard, friction
will be produced and drill will get heated. So to get rid of these sorts of issues we use
coolant while drilling.
When we have got required depth of the hole, stop the lathe and bring drill out of
work piece. Check depth of hole with the help of depth measuring gauge. Repeat the
same procedure to get required depth.

Tool used:
Tool used for drilling operation is drill bit. The drill bit is a rotary cutting tool,
often multipoint. The Shank may be straight or tapered depending upon diameter of
drill bit. Up to Half inch diameter, drill bits have straight shanks and tapered
onwards.
Procedure:
 Mount the work true in a chuck.
 Set the lathe to the proper speed for the type of material to be drilled.
 Check the tailstock and make sure it is in line.
 Spot the hole with a center drill or spotting tool.
 Mount the twist drill in the tailstock spindle, in a drill chuck, or in a drill
holder.
Note that
 When a tapered-shank drill is mounted directly in the tailstock spindle, a dog
should be used to stop the drill from turning and scoring the tailstock spindle
taper.
 The end of the drill may be supported with the end of a tool holder so that the
drill will start on center.
 Tapered-shank drills are often mounted in a drill holder. The point of the drill
is positioned in the hole, while the end of the holder is supported by the dead
center. The handle of the holder rests on the tool holder and against the tool
post to prevent the drill from turning and from pulling into the work.
 Start the lathe and drill to the desired depth, applying cutting fluid frequently.
 To gage the depth of the hole, use the graduations on the tailstock spindle, or
measure the depth with a steel rule.
 Withdraw the drill frequently to remove the chips and measure the depth of the
hole.
Calculations:
Material of Work piece = High Speed steel
Material of tool = HSS
Rpm’s = 375 rpm

Drawbacks and Improvements:

 Machining on the universal lathe machine is one of the old methods of
machining have a lots of errors because it has been done manually.
 Drilling is concerned with the tailstock. So, tailstock must be aligned with the
live center and oiling of this should be controlled perfectly.
 These errors could easily be reduced by using new model CNC (computerized
numeric controls) and NC (numeric controls) lathes in which measurements
and calculations is also automatically done.
These lathes could not be used in the production now-a-days. It requires other types
of lathes with multi spindle and which are automatically controlled
Precautions:
 Always wear approved safety glasses. When operating a lathe, chips fly and it
is important to protect your eyes.
 Never wear a ring or watch because it can cause serious injuries.
 Always remove the chips with a brush and never with your hand or a cloth.
Steel chips are sharp and can cause cuts if handled manually or with a cloth
that has chips embedded in it.
 Whenever polishing, filing, cleaning, or making adjustments to the work piece
or machine, always remove the sharp cutting tool from the tool holder to
prevent serious cuts on your arms and hands.
 Always wear approved safety glasses. When operating a lathe, chips fly and it
is important to protect your eyes.
 Roll up your sleeves, remove your tie, and tuck in loose clothing. Short sleeves
are preferable because loose clothing can get caught by revolving lathe dogs,
chucks, and rotating parts of the lathe. You can be drawn into the machine and
be seriously injured.
Conclusions:
Experiment is conducted with great care and drilling of work material is done by HSS
tool at required RPM’s and learn how to operate lathe machine for drilling operations
and how to deal with the quick gear box mechanism for the settings of RPM’s.