Drill Press Table

**Christos** · 18th November 2013, 11:56 AM

I finally got around to replacing the drill press table that I made a couple of years ago. The original was just a piece of chipboard with a melamine top bolted to the metal table.

I know by the last statement I may have given you the impression that I have come up with some fancy new material to use for the table.

Well let me tell you.

This is also a piece of chipboard

but I added a removable insert and some tracks so I could used some hold downs as you can see in the last photo. I kept it the same size as the original table as that was serving me well so I did not need anything bigger. I took note of how long it took me to make this as it came in around 5 hours of build time.

After making this what would I have done different?

I think the insert needs to be a bit wider to accommodate the larger forstner bits that I sometime used, but then again I am not drilling all the way through with the forstner bits. Now that I have said that I am sure I will have a need to do that in the next few weeks.

The screws that I used to fasten the t-track to the table needs to be a little flatter. They are counter sank in the track and do have about 0.5mm clearance from the t-track bolt I think they need to be totally flush to the t-track. I will either replace them or use a grinder to flatten them a little. I am thinking that I should epoxy the tracks in the grooves, what are people thoughts on this?

P1010322.JPG P1010323.JPG P1010324.JPG P1010325.JPG

**FenceFurniture** · 18th November 2013, 12:08 PM

Hi Christos

I have found that Polyurethane glue for the tracks is plenty sufficient, but nothing wrong with Epoxy o'course. I should think that they will need gluing in given chipboard's desire to "let srcews go".

The problem with the screws being proud by 0.5 mm may well be caused by a countersink that doesn't match the screw (i.e. 82° and 90°). If they are different then you will get a proud head (?), esp. if the countersink hole is 82 and the screw is 90.

The other thing is that I still struggle to see the worth of is a sacrificial insert - one drill hole later it's buggered. I prefer to use an MDF strip under the job for through holes so that I can move the strip along to get a fresh piece. Some of the strips I use have an unbelievable amount of holes in them, but are still usable. Quite remarkably, I have never drilled through to the Spotted Gum deck

**BobL** · 18th November 2013, 01:10 PM

I notice a lot of folks bolt their wooden DP table to the metal table underneath.
That means when you want to drill something messy, like a dirty piece of metal, removing the wooden table and reattaching a suitable vice becomes a bit of a nuisance.

I reckon a quicker and more useful alternative is to mount an X-Y vice on a DP and then make up a wooden DP table with a strip of 50 x 75 mm wood attached underneath that clamps onto that vice.
Removing the wooden table immediately gives you a metal holding vice underneath, and if you size the wooden table right you can still move the wooden table in the X and Y directions from underneath.

I only did this by accident because I needed a Q&D wooden DP table - that was 5 years ago and I haven't bothered to build a new table since

**wheelinround** · 18th November 2013, 02:45 PM

Christos seems your finally spending some much deserved time in the far away shed

It looks ok but as FF has said what is the go with that shape of the insert

I can't see the point of the cut out you have done.

Round holes Christos and you haven't drilled right through. A Fence would be good idea also.

I have a 2" dia insert which is easy to remove and big enough for almost any forstner bit or hole saw.

I see the reason behind the insert you have made just enough below the surface for the relief and your looking at the insert as sacrificial I guess

**Christos** · 18th November 2013, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

.......The other thing is that I still struggle to see the worth of is a sacrificial insert - one drill hole later it's buggered. I prefer to use an MDF strip under the job for through holes so that I can move the strip along to get a fresh piece. .....

I did give it some though on having an insert run the width of the table and move it along every time I make a hole. But for me I would have to cut the tracks in half and loose some clamping area. For what I use the drill press for I do not need an entry and exit hole to be precise. But I do need to have support for the item that I am drilling. So the insert can be spun around and flipped when needed.

Originally Posted by wheelinround

...It looks ok but as FF has said what is the go with that shape of the insert

I can't see the point of the cut out you have done. ......

Bit of an answer above and to further add the insert hole was done via a plunge router and it turned out this wide because of the simple fact I gave it too much width. I think 10 - 15 mm from either side would do exactly the same thing. To spin it and flip it when it becomes crappy.

**Bob38S** · 21st November 2013, 05:00 PM

Looks good and should serve you well.

I am also of the non insert mindset and always on any drill through use a sacrificial piece underneath.

I am also a big fan of a fence on the DP table - haven't figured out how to pull a couple of pix from a different thread to insert here so have include a link.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f20/no-knobs-fence-38731/

**Chris Parks** · 21st November 2013, 07:28 PM

The piece of round pineboard I use is at least twenty years old, I might think about replacing it soon.

Thread: Drill Press Table

Thread Tools

Search Thread