Can a Drill Press Be Used as a Mill?

The drill press is a heavy-pressure dealing drilling machine, and it is not like the handled drills. It is a handy machine that comes with a higher efficiency rate. This tool is mainly for drilling holes on different surfaces. On the other hand, the milling machine also does the same work and has side-cutting tools. As their roles are pretty identical, the question of “Can a drill press be used as a mill” is obvious to rise. Despite having differences among these tools, the common thing is the capability of dealing with heavy pressure.

What is a Drill Press?

A drill press is mainly for drilling holes in different materials, from metal to wood. With the needle, this machine bores holes in different material surfaces. Attaching various tools in there, you can dig holes with different shapes and sizes. What does the drill press do?

• Capable of high-speed boring and counterboring
• Performs tapping, slash drilling, and horizontal dusting
• Mortise cutting and adjustment along with spindle sanding
• Doweling, reaming, screwing, and unscrewing

What is a Milling Machine?

The main job of a milling machine is removing material from a workpiece by using rotary cutters. Comparatively, it contains more heavy-pressure-taking capability than the drill press. It can also perform cutting tasks along with drilling, which makes it a better choice for industries and heavy works.

What do milling machines do?

• Bevel and staggered tooth cutting
• Gear cutting
• Capable of creating narrow slits
• Smoothening the workpiece

Can a Drill Press Be Used as a Mill? – Detailed Discussion

A milling machine rather known as a mill comes with versatile working capability. There are many types of milling machines, like vertical mills, horizontal mills, CNC mills, and many more. 

Seeking the answer of “Can you use a drill press as a milling machine” is not an odd thing to happen. But the answer is pretty straightforward as it is a tough job using a drill press as a milling machine. Still, you can perform some small milling machine tasks by using a drill press.

How to use a drill press as a milling machine

Some tasks of a milling machine are accomplishable with a dill press. The conversion processes are:

Step-1: Detach the needle of your drill press machine. Then attach another needle that has side cutting ability with the chuck of the drill press.

Step-2: Find a workpiece to install below the chuck and the needle of the drill press. 

If you ask, “Can I use a drill press for milling,” I’ll say the conversion process is not that tough. But the window of working with it is much small. Along with that, the efficiency will not be there.

Is it possible to use a drill press in place of a milling machine?

You can convert a drill press to a milling machine by installing a suitable needle and a workpiece. It is possible to do some small side cutting of comparatively softer materials with this. But the drill press doesn’t generate torque like a milling machine. Because of that, while cutting any materials with it, the drill press may even break down.

The working efficiency will not be even average. You may seek suggestions about “Can a drill press be used as a mill.” I’ll suggest, if you are not in a desperate condition, try to avoid using a drill press in place of a milling machine.