A drill press with a MT tap holder will tap holes like nobodys business.Ī 3 phase drill press can instantly reverse while tapping. However, a drill press with a morse taper (MT) can put more torque to the bit than any type of collet used in a knee mill. Re: drill presses in reply to johndeeregreg, 11-19-2023 20:44:28 Shop space is precious to all of us but I don't begrudge this thing's presence here. The envelope of the drill in the photo is 4.3 squ feet. My vintage knee mill is a bit smaller than Bridgeport but measuring the envelope - handle to handle on the table and rear of machine to front of the handle, it needs about 11.5 squ feet and more yet to fully function. That's why I think an MT drill can put more torque to the bit. The tang plus taper on a MT drill will keep it from slipping untill you twist the tang off or bust the gears in the head. That may be a good fail safe but that adapter can still spin in the collet, the collet spin in the spindle or both. You can also get R8 to MT adapters readily if you want to run some big MT drill bit in the mill and get solid drive to it.Īn R8 - or any other type of collet in a mill is still subject to the gripping power of the taper.

Milling machine t slot sizes