How to clamp onto a drill press?

[contrebasse]

I'm relatively new to drill presses.

I need to find a secure way to clamp wood pieces to the circular bed of my pedestal drill press. I've been using a variety of F and G clamps but the ridges under the cast iron bed always seem to get in the way.

What's the trick? Has anyone found a good jig or solution to this?

[Waldo]

G'day Contrebasse,

Where I want to clamp the stock to the d/press I put the stock in one of these and then clamp the vice to the bed of the d/press with a F-clamp - just a case of moving the clamp out of the way of the ribbing of the bed. :shrug:

Otherwise I just have a sacrifical piece of timber underneath what I'm drilling and hold it in position by hand.

[wheelinround]

I have the same problem at time especially when the work wont fit into a vice

I use a flat piece of scar timber (pine) which spreads across the under side and allows clamps to be reasonably even
or you can make one to suit which has the ribbing routered into it

[bitingmidge]

The vice is indespensable.

The best thing is to build a timber (MDF) base, with a couple of T tracks in it, then you can use hold downs and a fence and adjust them at will.

Mine's a bit over the top, because I built the dust extractor (for future connection :rolleyes: ) box under it, the vertical bit is for end drilling and pivots round to under the quill as required. (I've used it once.)

Pics here http://woodworkforums.com/showpost.php?p=156551&postcount=1

You'll also see what I used to use, a square of ply screwed through a couple of cleats. When I wanted to secure something, I'd just screw it down with a couple of gyprock screws. I used to secure the vice like that too!

Cheers,

P
:D

[silentC]

I got one of those woodworking tip emails a while ago and the bloke had cut out little bits of MDF to fill in the gaps between the ribs and glued them in with liquid nails. That could work.

I've just worked around the problem for years. Only a minor problem compared to some of the other things one has to deal with :)

[wheelinround]

The vice is indespensable.

The best thing is to build a timber (MDF) base, with a couple of T tracks in it, then you can use hold downs and a fence and adjust them at will.

Mine's a bit over the top, because I built the dust extractor (for future connection :rolleyes: ) box under it, the vertical bit is for end drilling and pivots round to under the quill as required. (I've used it once.)

Pics here http://woodworkforums.com/showpost.php?p=156551&postcount=1

You'll also see what I used to use, a square of ply screwed through a couple of cleats. When I wanted to secure something, I'd just screw it down with a couple of gyprock screws. I used to secure the vice like that too!

:o now thats elaberate nice bit of work though:2tsup:

Cheers,

P
:D

[silentC]

now thats elaberate nice bit of work though
Yes but is it finished?


So here's the nearly finished Drill Press Table, with built in chip/dust extraction.

[Groggy]

I read about this quite a while ago and have been meaning to get around to it.

Turn the drill press table upside down
Put some 'tenons' in the slots of the table extending into the void underneath to keep the slots clear.
Wrap tenons in glad wrap.
Fill the void with automotive bog, build it up in layers as it apparently shrinks.
Level off and allow to dry.
Remove tenons
Clamp awayDisclaimer: I haven't tried this myself yet but I do intend to.

[Barry_White]

Here is my version which is a Don Barton (DPB) knock off.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showpost.php?p=188537&postcount=78

[Andy Mac]

Hi contrebasse,


I put the stock in one of these and then clamp the vice to the bed of the d/press with a F-clamp

I very rarely drill directly onto the table. Instead I have a setup like this, in both my home and work workshops, a cheap drill vice which doubles for wood and metal. However, I do secure the vice to the circular table, with modified bolts and steel wingnuts (see diagram). Simply shape the head of the bolt to sit inside the slots of the vice, which means you don't need a spanner, and decent wing nuts will allow you to remove the vice easy as. Between sliding the vice along its slots, pivoting the circular table on its axis, and swinging the support arm around the pillar, you should be able to drill fairly well into the centre of the vice.
My other addition is a series of easily made sacrificial inserts that clamp in the vice, used when I can hold the work by hand, but allow room for F-clamps too. Of course you can make inserts to hold odd stock, or rest against a fence. These inserts or false tables have the problem of tipping slightly when drilling on their extremities, which is why I made the point earlier about centring the drill over the vice wherever possible. But despite that I rarely remove the vice.

Hope that helps!:)

[contrebasse]

OK so we have two basic strategies here -

1. fill in the base and use regular clamps
2. build onto the table and clamp from the top using tracks.

I have a vice, but never really happy with it for woodwork. OK for metalwork.

I like both the above strategies (I was tossing around #1 last night, how to do it.) so I think I'll do BOTH. But I can't see myself making anything as elaborate as the drilling tables posted here!

Thanks everyone. I have some ideas now.

(BTW I just installed a "piric" Easy-Riser counter-weight kit, and it works VERY nicely, although getting a hole in the centre of the drill column wasn't easy, or even possible.)

Matthew

[joe greiner]

If headroom isn't critical, I bolt a cross-slide (x-y) vise to the table; permits precise positioning of the workpiece. Otherwise, I hold the work in place with locking pliers with a scrap piece of wood to avoid marring the workpiece. There's usually someplace flat on the underside of the table where the lower leg can achieve purchase. I preset the gap so I can position the work with one hand and engage the clamp with the other.

Locking pliers: Like one of these, but larger: http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=800-1116&PMPXNO=945856&PARTPG=INLMK32

Joe

[Bob38S]

Not as fancy as Bazza's [nicely done by the way] but it works for me and may give you another idea along the same lines.

www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=31993

Regards.
Bob

[contrebasse]

Nice.

I haven't used tracks before. Looks like I need to buy me a length.

[bitingmidge]

Nice.

I haven't used tracks before. Looks like I need to buy me a length.

Handy gadgets they are. If you get into the habit of holding stuff down (which I try hard to do) you won't get a hole in the back of your knuckle when something grabs!! :rolleyes:

(It's nearly healed, thanks for asking!)

Cheers,

P
:D :D :D

[Bob38S]

Handy gadgets they are. If you get into the habit of holding stuff down (which I try hard to do) you won't get a hole in the back of your knuckle when something grabs!! :rolleyes:

(It's nearly healed, thanks for asking!)

Cheers,

P
:D :D :D

Been making propellors have we BM? :;

Isn't it amazing how quickly it can happen :o

[jmk89]

I use a somewhat quicker and dirtier version of Peter's system - I made an mdf table that slips onto the work plate and then drilled 3/4" holes in it to suit the Veritas hold down clamps (http://www.veritastools.com/Products/Page.aspx?p=176) (I also use these on my workbench).

[Bob38S]

OK ......

I have a vice, but never really happy with it for woodwork. OK for metalwork.

I like both the above strategies (I was tossing around #1 last night, how to do it.) so I think I'll do BOTH. But I can't see myself making anything as elaborate as the drilling tables posted here!

Thanks everyone. I have some ideas now.

......

Matthew

Re the vice, have you considered "defending" the timber by having leather, rubber jaw overlays? I sometimes use my X Y metal working vice on small bits.

My drilling table is only some laminated ply which is attached with 4 bolts and wingnuts through the existing metal table makes it very easy to use for larger bits and pieces and makes repeated drilling a breeze. The table, takes less than 2 minutes to remove when I need to use my X Y vice[ which is bolted to a piece of 10 mm aluminium plate] which likewise bolts into the existing metal table.

Hope it helps,
Bob

[contrebasse]

Yeah I could protect the jaws but generally I like to keep metal jaws for metal work and wood jaws for wood.

I think i'm going to use some sort of system like yours, maybe with a track in it forhjold-downs, or a veritas -type clamp. First, the table.

[andrewsd]

Bazza,

Love your DP table. How do you lock the back fence closed?

[Barry_White]

Bazza,

Love your DP table. How do you lock the back fence closed?

Andrew

If you have a look at the third pic showing the back of the fence you can see where I have some sail track embedded in the back of the timber fence. This allows it to slide backwards a forwards and the wing nuts on the back of the aluminium angle lock it in place. there are some 1" coach bolts that run in the track.

[andrewsd]

Here is my version which is a Don Barton (DPB) knock off.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showpost.php?p=188537&postcount=78

Thanks Bazza, I see now. Will have a go at building it. :U