Drill Press: The Cats Meow for Woodworking.

[derekcohen]

[member=4358]derekcohen[/member] How did you like your table. Do you feel you have enough clamping capability?

I am at drawing mine and any input is welcome  [wink]

Hi Mario

I have not used the drill press much since building the table ... I am travelling in Europe presently. What use has been positive.

I'll post again once it has been in use for a while.

Regards from Berlin

Derek

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

That is for sure a nice table  [thumbs up]

I'm using the Lee Valley quad track. They will hold in place using 1/4-20 bolts. I'm always affraid of clamping too tight that the track would lift from the wood  [eek]

Hi Mario, I was always concerned about lifting the channels with the clamping pressure but, it never happened. I think because the pressure doesn’t need to be too much to hold the workpiece. I always tighten the clamps steadily until the workpiece cannot move, and with a couple of clamps, there isn’t a great deal of pressure.

As a belt and braces approach with the new table, I used epoxy resin and the longest coarse thread screws I could get away with, to fix the T channels.

 

[junk731]

If you use your Drillpress for a lot of varying woodworking operations you will find the high fences you're showing will interfere with the chuck. The fence Derek showed with the center opening is ideal and the lower profile fence found on the Woodpecker drill press addon table is most ideal. Being easy to remove is also a big bonus.

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

No, no problems with the fence and chuck, the workpiece can be moved away from the fence with spacers if the need arises. The table can be completely removed in seconds.

 

[Cheese]

Hi Mario, I was always concerned about lifting the channels with the clamping pressure but, it never happened.

As a belt and braces approach with the new table, I used epoxy resin and the longest coarse thread screws I could get away with, to fix the T channels.

I originally purchased a Rockler drill press table and I did raise the U-channels from using too much clamp force. The channels were held in using #6 wood screws.  [mad]  I removed the channels, added some PL400 and replaced the wood screws with #6 flat head screws threaded into T-nuts.

The main reason I switched over to the Woodpeckers table is because their U-channels are stronger and fastened to the table using 1/4" bolts and T-nuts.

[attachimg=1]

 

[rvieceli]

[attachimg=1]

All this drill press talk reminded me to do some maintenance on mine.

1963ish 16 inch ElectroMechano 601J benchtop model. Proudly made in Milwaukee Wisconsin

Continuously variable from 150 to 4000 lower range is gear driven. It got a new belt, lubed and gear box oil checked.

Ron

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

Hi Mario, I was always concerned about lifting the channels with the clamping pressure but, it never happened.

As a belt and braces approach with the new table, I used epoxy resin and the longest coarse thread screws I could get away with, to fix the T channels.

I originally purchased a Rockler drill press table and I did raise the U-channels from using too much clamp force. The channels were held in using #6 wood screws.  [mad]  I removed the channels, added some PL400 and replaced the wood screws with #6 flat head screws threaded into T-nuts.

The main reason I switched over to the Woodpeckers table is because their U-channels are stronger and fastened to the table using 1/4" bolts and T-nuts.

[attachimg=1]

That’s much more substantial  [thumbs up]

 

[Michael Kellough]

“ fastened to the table using 1/4" bolts and T-nuts. ”

If the head is inside the channel and the t-nut is buried in the bottom of the table, how is it tightened?

 

[jeffinsgf]

“ fastened to the table using 1/4" bolts and T-nuts. ”

If the head is inside the channel and the t-nut is buried in the bottom of the table, how is it tightened?

Bad photo...or at least inaccurate. What looks like a bolt head is actually a hex nut...which would work, but that's not what we package. Flat head machine screw (1/4-20) comes up from the bottom of the table and threads into sliding T-nut in the track.

 

[jeffinsgf]

[attachimg=1]

All this drill press talk reminded me to do some maintenance on mine.

1963ish 16 inch ElectroMechano 601J benchtop model. Proudly made in Milwaukee Wisconsin

Continuously variable from 150 to 4000 lower range is gear driven. It got a new belt, lubed and gear box oil checked.

Ron

If that ever needs a new home...let's talk.

 

[Cheese]

Bad photo...or at least inaccurate. What looks like a bolt head is actually a hex nut...which would work, but that's not what we package. Flat head machine screw (1/4-20) comes up from the bottom of the table and threads into sliding T-nut in the track.

Mine also uses t-nuts however this photo is from the Woodpecker site. The package 1, package 2 & package 3 all use the same photo.
https://www.woodpeck.com/drilling/d...d-flip-stops-2-hold-down-clamps-1-filler.html

 

[jeffinsgf]

Yeah...I see that. It's on my list now. I'll get it fixed sometime soon.

 

[derekcohen]

There are two features about the WP table I dislike that decided me on building my own (I posted more details of this in an earlier thread) ...

The first was the veneered edges. I have seen a number made this way, and they all chip or peel away.

The second feature was the square insert. This does not make sense as the drill is centred on it, which means that (if you use it that way), the insert is a one-shot user, and will need to be replaced frequently.

I made mine off set, and round. Making it round was harder but, together with the offset, it may be rotated many times before it needs to be replaced.

With the Wixey laser ...

Instead of a lamination, this table is solid UHMW. I don't think that the laminated MDF is as big an issue, but I could not turn up the opportunity when I came across UHMW sections at a scrapyard. It is very hard wearing and this one has good non-slip.

Regards from Berlin

Derek

 

[jeffinsgf]

Finding that piece of solid UHMW would have been enough to send me to the shop to make my own, too. But just to be sure things are clear, the edge banding is not veneer or laminate. It is a vinyl edging that is bonded on in a huge press and trimmed afterward to the point I can't catch my fingernail on it anywhere (I just tried after seeing your comment). I have never seen one returned because of chipped edge trim...or heard about the issue from Customer Service.

I like your round insert, but not everyone is equipped to make round inserts...everyone can cut 1/2" material relatively square.

Offset positioning is just a matter of moving the table a little forward or backward when mounting...it won't ever be as efficient as your circles, but it certainly can be better than "one and done".

 

[08G8V8]

I just recently installed my Woodpecker table. Yeah, I liked the idea of a round insert, but decided to do as suggested and offset the table forward by about an inch and adjusted the tracks for this position. I not get any way near as many positions to use prior to replacing, but can at least get 4 rotations, flip and get 4 more.  It has also been suggested to chamfer the corners for an octagon with 8 rotations and 8 more after flipping. I will give this a try too. At least it gives more flexibility than just keeping it centered.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

I learned from previous tables that circular inserts are a better option than square or rectangle, and the bigger the diameter (up to a certain point) the better.

 

[Bob D.]

Make a round insert that fits in the square recess in the WP table and offset front/back or left/right and you're good to go. You can spin it as often or as many times as you wish.

A circle template of the required diameter with a guide bushing like the set used for making butterfly inserts would let anyone quickly route the recess for the insert as well as make new inserts whenever they are needed.

 

[derekcohen]

... I like your round insert, but not everyone is equipped to make round inserts...everyone can cut 1/2" material relatively square...

As mentioned, the circular sacrificial disks are 1/2" thick MDF. I found it quicker to saw them fractionally oversize on the bandsaw, and then turn them on the lathe. This literally took moments. I made several. They will last a while since they are also reversible.

Others have suggested a using a bandsaw or router table circle jig, or hole saw cutters.

Regards from Berlin

Derek

 

[Mario Turcot]

[member=4907]kcufstoidi[/member]

If you use your Drillpress for a lot of varying woodworking operations you will find the high fences you're showing will interfere with the chuck. The fence Derek showed with the center opening is ideal and the lower profile fence found on the Woodpecker drill press addon table is most ideal. Being easy to remove is also a big bonus.

This is why I choose that type of fence, it can be used on the flat side as well.

[member=297]Michael Kellough[/member]

“ fastened to the table using 1/4" bolts and T-nuts. ”

If the head is inside the channel and the t-nut is buried in the bottom of the table, how is it tightened?

My bad, I didn't explain much. I'm not using t-nut sprung but standard nuts. a hole is drilled through the bottom layer and the nuts and washer are tighten from under the table. The tracks can be relocated or remove quickly.

[member=69479]Jiggy Joiner[/member] what is the size of your insert? Looks like 120mm. I have forstner bits up to 2 1/2" so the insert need to be at least 120mm to be somehow efficient  [big grin]

I plan to make a 12mm pocket on the top layer with the CNC, prior to glue up.

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

[member=66597]Mario Turcot[/member] Hi Mario, mine are 170mm diameter x 18mm