The drill allows you to engrave, cut plastic and thin sheets of metal (aluminum, brass, bronze), make holes, drill and much more. This is a universal device that most of us are familiar with from the dentistry office. For those who like to make homemade products, the question of how to make a drill with their own hands will be interesting. This is what our article will be about.
What is the machine
A drill is a tool whose principle of operation is based on the rotation of the shaft. This shaft is called the spindle. It rotates at a very high frequency, but the torque remains at a small value. Thanks to this, the tool is able to work on a small scale. As a rule, the speed can be adjusted. Due to this, the range of work performed is increased. If we talk about factory options, then they come with a set of additional drills, knives and other nozzles. If you make a drill with your own hands, then a similar set can be purchased separately in city stores orplace an order through the online store.
Purpose and scope of the instrument
The scope of drills is wide. They are used in dentistry, industry (particularly instrument making), wood or bone carving, and jewelry making.
A hand-made wood drill will allow you to carve, make small holes, and grind details. Of course, you can do without it. But in this case, it will take much more time to complete the work. When replacing nozzles for decorative types of work with other types of them (knives, drills, and so on), you can get a good milling machine or, for example, a circular saw from the device.
Machine device
It's easy to make a drill with your own hands. First you need to understand how it works. So, among the main elements of the tool, the following can be distinguished:
Electric motor
Power supply
Tip
The power supply controls the entire process. Depending on the type of tip, it can be collector and brushless. If the design assumes the presence of a collector assembly through which rotational motion is applied to the rotor, then they speak of a brush type tip. Accordingly, if there is no such node in the tool design, then the tip is called brushless, and the power supply is called brushless.
Choosing between a collector and brushless type of power supply,one thing to keep in mind. The fact is that the collector motor has a limit on the number of revolutions. This limit is high, but it exists. At the same time, the collector version is easier to manufacture and use than the brushless one. And the price is lower.
The brushless motor, in turn, has a number of advantages. It has a more complex electrical circuit, but it allows you to perform additional functions. In this type, the speed is at a higher level. Speed control is easier. Regardless of its value, the torque is maintained at the desired level. Due to this, even at low speeds, the nozzle will not slow down during contact with the surface of the part. These characteristics must be taken into account when creating a drill with your own hands.
Drill from washing machine engine
The easiest option for making a drill with a flexible shaft with your own hands is to use the engine from a washing machine. Its features will be minimal, but they will be enough for many users. A feature of this option is that the engines of washing machines have low speeds. In most cases, this value does not exceed 10 thousand.
To begin with, the engine itself must be mounted on a table or other frame. It can even be on a piece of plywood so that the tool can be carried. The engine is electric, so you need to provide a connection to the network.
Attached to the motor shaftflexible shaft. To do this, you can use a rubber pulley, which, among other things, will protect the shaft from damage during operation. Part of it is also fixed on plywood so that it does not hang out during work. On the other side of the flexible shaft, a tip is fixed. The easiest way to buy a shaft with a tip is ready.
Use a drill
A do-it-yourself drill from a drill is another interesting option. Functionality in this case will be much higher. This is due to the fact that most often the electric drill has a rotational speed of around 3 thousand revolutions.
Drill is best secured in a vise. To do this, you need to make a simple device, on one side of which a drill will be installed. The other end will be fixed in a vise. In this case, it is necessary to provide a stop in which one end of the flexible shaft will be fixed.
As a flexible shaft, you can use a braided cable, for example, from a car speedometer. It will need a plain bearing and a collet clamp. But the easiest way is to order a ready-made hose in the store, the quality and durability of which will be much higher than that of a homemade one. In this case, there will be no need to adjust the shaft to the drill. In the event that the drill chuck cannot hold the end of the hose, the threaded cup at the end will need to be shortened.
If you buy a flexible shaft ready, then to make a drill with your own hands, you will only need to prepare a mount. Another advantage of this option is the colletthe clip that will be on the hose will fit standard burs (available from the store).
Drill from a blender
You can assemble a tool with your own hands using various electric motors. The immersion blender is no exception. The principle is the same as when using an electric drill.
To get started, you need to open the housing to get to the rotor shaft. To connect with a flexible shaft, it is necessary to make an adapter, which will be fixed with a bolt. An example of it can be seen in the photo above.
Using a flexible shaft is optional. You can do without it. In this case, it is necessary to prepare a cartridge that will be securely fixed to the blender shaft. A collet clamp is attached to the same cartridge.
Small models
To perform work on a miniature scale, it is convenient to use a mini drill. The self-assembled small tool is convenient to hold in your hands, it is light and does not “tear off” your hands during operation.
DPM-25 permanent magnet electric motor was taken as the basis of the considered option. They exist with different indicators and differ in the frequency of rotation. Therefore, you can choose the appropriate option. You can also use DPM-30 engines with other capacities.
Take a piece of pipe. In this case, a part was taken from the vacuum cleaner tube, which goes to a narrowing (so that the engine holds better). Its length is chosenso that it is comfortable to hold in your hands. Next, you need a heat shrink tube (in this case with a diameter of 32 mm). Its length must match the length of the engine. Heat shrink tubing must be put on top of the motor. To do this, it must be heated with a hairdryer (from the center to the edges). This is done so that the engine sits tightly in the pipe. You can use duct tape instead.
In a metal tube, you need to make a hole to stretch the electrical wire. The seat can be cut out of a plastic bottle or children's soap bubbles. The wires are connected to the button (it is best to solder). Then all the details are put together. A step-down transformer is used as a power source.
Conclusion
A do-it-yourself drill can be made using various improvised materials. The options discussed are just a general idea. A hand-made machine will allow you to perform various functions. Perhaps, in terms of its functionality, it will differ from the factory models, but it will certainly cost an order of magnitude cheaper.
