PCB drill stand dilemma

[platinum95]

Right, here is the situation.
I need some sort of setup to drill PCBs. I've broken too many drill bits on my big wall drill :lol:

I have a drill stand for my wall drill and a small (kinda crappy) rotary tool, however the rotary tool is too small for the drill press.
This leaves me with two options.
1) Buy a new drill stand for the smaller rotary tool - cost of about 50 euro.
or
2) Buy a new rotary tool and hope it fits the drill stand - cost of about another 50 euro. (was looking at this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...e=as2&tag=hotg02f8-20&linkId=NXYOUPJBDIFM2RHV)

Any advice on this?
Thanks

 

[BradtheRad]

Every so often I drill with bits smaller than 1/16 inch. I only have my handyman-type power drill. It can just about grip the tiny bit.

I grip the drill in the vise (when I had a vise). It's easier to hold the light work steady, than to hold the heavy drill steady.

I cannot always keep the spinning bit on center. I can see it bending visibly. I'm surprised it doesn't break. There is some play in the gearing of the drill. Maybe that looseness permits the bit to wobble so that it survives.

Risk of breakage increases dramatically if the bit is not perpendicular to the work.

Bit drifting also leads to breakage. It can be prevented with one tap with a center punch (or nail), making an indent in the work.

Tiny bits are good candidates for sharpening since there isn't too much metal to remove. I look at the bit under a strong magnifier. I sharpen it on a knife-sharpening stone. I have to pay attention to how I press it down on the stone, in hopes I am grinding the right surfaces.

I once purchased an assortment of small bits mail order. Some sizes are duplicates but that's not so bad for the low price. I can't be sure if some shafts are hard-tempered (more breakable) or soft (more bendable), but bendable shafts seem like a good idea for the tiny sizes.

 

[ZASto]

Look for PROXXON TBM 220. I've drilled thousands of holes in FR4 with 0.7 mm carbide drill

 

[chuckey]

I have a Proxon (a better model then shown) and I really like it. Speed and a good drill holding system/lack of run out are worth it. Your problem really is in adapting the drill stand to hold the Proxon firmly and at right angles to the table. The P drill has a machined area of exact size where it is meant to be gripped in a stand. Let us suppose its 20mm. You will need to get manufactured a block of 1/2" thick aluminium with a 20mm hole through it, the block then has to be split with a saw (through the hole), one half needs tapped holes in its back so it can be screwed to the stand, two tapped holes, one each side of the 20mm hole with clearance holes in the front half of the block. Its OK to do as I have done this to hold an AEG drill (fixing hole 43mm) to an antiquated Wolf stand.
Frank