Dale et al, 1200 to 1600 RPM! Whoa! I drill at the slowest speed on my radial drill press, which is 750rpm. That speed is about 200rpm faster than is recommended, but I compensate by cooling the bit with air. At 1200 to 1600rpm you'd need refrigerated air to keep the bit cool enough to have a consistant sized bit/hole. The smoke must really boil. <G> When drilling Hard Woods, such as Maple or Beech, and especially when it's Laminated, you need to drop the drill speed. This is gleaned from several Woodworking tomes and also other techs recommendations. Well, that's MO FWIW. Regards, Joe Garrett, RPT,. (Oregon)
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