# Drilling Pen Blanks with a Radial Arm Saw (RAS)



## allbarknobite (Sep 15, 2011)

Hi all,
I have also drilled pen blanks using a drill chuck attached to a radial arm saw (RAS).

An advantage is being able to use a longer drill bit because of the long parallel travel of the motor.
A disadvantage is that the drill chuck would only take up to 8 mm pen drilling bits. 
I could not find a larger drill chuck that would fit on the threaded motor shaft on my RAS made in 1973.
The motor runs at 3450 rpm, so the safety minded workers should be happy.

Attached are a series of images that show the layout. 

In the pictures, nothing is shown attached to the saw. 
The drill vise holding the pen blank, must be aligned and securely anchored to the table.
=
Mark


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

drill chuck at a great price

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-pc-key-1-...2?pt=BI_Tool_Work_Holding&hash=item20c2725e58


1 pc SDS plus Adapter & 1/2" CAP Drill Keyless Chuck | eBay

==


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## allbarknobite (Sep 15, 2011)

Thanks for finding those drill chucks on eBay, but the *5/16-24 external post* on the chuck that I have is hard to pin down. 

The DeWalt ras motorshaft has a *5/16-24 female thread* on the accessory end.

Do you know of an "adapter" that I can use to upsize to the chucks you suggested?
It would have to go from *5/16-24 male* to 3/8" 24UNF male (or larger) to use the drill chucks on the market. So far I haven't found one.

Thanks again,
Mark


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Mark

Sorry I don't off the top of my head
But if you have a lathe or have mate that has one you can make your own easy just pickup a 1/2-20 Allen set and turn the end down to 5/16 and put the threads on it, the 1/2-20 drill chucks are easy to find 

Or just pickup the chuck below and turn the adapter down on one end to 5/16..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-pc-SDS-pl...Tool_Work_Holding&hash=item1e6d7331b5&afsrc=1


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allbarknobite said:


> Thanks for finding those drill chucks on eBay, but the *5/16-24 external post* on the chuck that I have is hard to pin down.
> 
> The DeWalt ras motorshaft has a *5/16-24 female thread* on the accessory end.
> 
> ...


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## allbarknobite (Sep 15, 2011)

*Thanks for your good advice.*

Thanks for the update. 
I took your advice, went to eBay and will machine the end.
I went for the standard chuck as shown in the picture.
Thanks again,
Mark


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

You're Welcome Mark 

Here's little tip chuck up a 1/2-20 nut in the lathe ,that way you will not screw up the threads on the adapter but I'm sure you know that 

==


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

bobj3 said:


> drill chuck at a great price
> 
> 1 pc key 1/16"-1/2" Cap 3/8"-24UNF Mount Drill Chuck | eBay
> 
> ==


I thought this would be a great upgrade for my drill. BIN on Saturday. Showed up in my mail TODAY (Monday).
Wow.


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## allbarknobite (Sep 15, 2011)

*lathe chucking using a 1/2-20 nut*



bobj3 said:


> You're Welcome Mark
> 
> Here's little tip chuck up a 1/2-20 nut in the lathe ,that way you will not screw up the threads on the adapter but I'm sure you know that.


Jigs
=
Thanks for the tip on chucking up a 1/2-20 nut to hold the part for threading.
Until you suggested it, it didn't cross my mind that I would have to use extra care.
Doing your way will probably produce Minimum Runout on the new threaded adapter.
=
Mark


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

RAS to drill! I would have never guessed! Got a couple of old motors- will check to see if they are threaded on the backside.


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