Mario Turcot
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Jiggy Joiner said:
Wow, I was off a tid bit [embarassed] yeah that big of an insert should cover all my bits [wink]
Drill Press: The Cats Meow for Woodworking.
- Thread starter martin felder
- Start date
Wow, I was off a tid bit [embarassed] yeah that big of an insert should cover all my bits [wink]
Jiggy Joiner
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Yes, I use various large Forstners and hole saws, so wanted the inserts fairly large.
The size works well for me, and if I need to use larger diameter bits, that won’t go within the inserts diameter, I just use a piece of sacrificial ply or MDF.
Most of the time, the 170mm is fine.
It also allows holes to be drilled into the inserts, to take various sanding drum attachments if needed
The size works well for me, and if I need to use larger diameter bits, that won’t go within the inserts diameter, I just use a piece of sacrificial ply or MDF.
Most of the time, the 170mm is fine.
It also allows holes to be drilled into the inserts, to take various sanding drum attachments if needed
martin felder
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Some day....vintage restored radial drill press.... I hope.
With my current drill press or a future upgrade, there is still the issue of the table-fence. I currently have the Woodpecker as shown by others in this thread. I do not like their clamps that fit in the T track with 1/4 inch bolts. I tend to just try to hold the wood, and at times regret that decision.
I was at Woodcraft this past week and playing with the Automaxx clamps and though this would be nice. I bought one. The problem is that what secures it to a T track is a 5/16 and that does not fit on the Woodpecker T track which is only wide enough for 1/4 hex.
So.... I think I am going to dado a channel in the table to allow a wider T track.
It seems like the Kreg clamps are superior to the Woodpeckers..... but I have not had the opportunity to use my clamp yet to know for sure.
With my current drill press or a future upgrade, there is still the issue of the table-fence. I currently have the Woodpecker as shown by others in this thread. I do not like their clamps that fit in the T track with 1/4 inch bolts. I tend to just try to hold the wood, and at times regret that decision.
I was at Woodcraft this past week and playing with the Automaxx clamps and though this would be nice. I bought one. The problem is that what secures it to a T track is a 5/16 and that does not fit on the Woodpecker T track which is only wide enough for 1/4 hex.
So.... I think I am going to dado a channel in the table to allow a wider T track.
It seems like the Kreg clamps are superior to the Woodpeckers..... but I have not had the opportunity to use my clamp yet to know for sure.
Martin,
Which Woodpeckers clamp are you using, standard or knuckle clamp?
Standard
Knuckle Clamphttps://www.woodpeck.com/clamping/knuckle-clamps.html
Which Woodpeckers clamp are you using, standard or knuckle clamp?
Standard
Knuckle Clamphttps://www.woodpeck.com/clamping/knuckle-clamps.html
hdv
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Hi Martin,
I had the same problem with a Kregg Bench Clamp (which I do like a lot by the way). I solved it by buying their Bench Clamp Base. I removed the bolt and knob and replaced them with two washers and a wing nut. One washer and hex end of the bolt go into the T-track. The other washer prevents the wing nut from dropping into the clearing for the head of the original bolt in the base. The wing nut is used to fix the clamp in place from above. Any other type of nut that can be fastened by hand would work just as well. I am not near my shop at the moment. If you want I can make a photo when I am back home.
I had the same problem with a Kregg Bench Clamp (which I do like a lot by the way). I solved it by buying their Bench Clamp Base. I removed the bolt and knob and replaced them with two washers and a wing nut. One washer and hex end of the bolt go into the T-track. The other washer prevents the wing nut from dropping into the clearing for the head of the original bolt in the base. The wing nut is used to fix the clamp in place from above. Any other type of nut that can be fastened by hand would work just as well. I am not near my shop at the moment. If you want I can make a photo when I am back home.
Cheese
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martin felder said:
Here are some Besseys that are similar in function. I adapted these to be used with 80/20 extrusions. The Besseys have a 20 mm post on the bottom which can simply be unscrewed. This leaves a 1/2" x 20 tapped hole in the bottom. A new mounting stud can be machined from a 1/2" x 20 hex head bolt. This stud fits 5/16" tracks however, it could be machined to a smaller profile that would work with 1/4" Woodpecker track.
Better yet, machine 3-4 for 5/16" use and 3-4 for 1/4" use and then just swap out the studs when appropriate.
On another note, I regularly use the Woodpecker flat aluminum clamps on my table and have not had any issues.
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Lee Valley makes the plates Cheese references, but they also make a t track mounting plate for those clamps as well that uses 1/4 inch bolts.
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sho...gle-clamp-plate-and-bessey-auto-adjust-clamps
They also sell the whole deal.
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sho...gle-clamp-plate-and-bessey-auto-adjust-clamps
But frankly the plates are not hard to fabricate and they provide a good exercise in drilling and tapping etc.
Ron
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sho...gle-clamp-plate-and-bessey-auto-adjust-clamps
They also sell the whole deal.
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sho...gle-clamp-plate-and-bessey-auto-adjust-clamps
But frankly the plates are not hard to fabricate and they provide a good exercise in drilling and tapping etc.
Ron
Here’s mine. They are designed to fit into some 1/4-20 holes in my table. They could easily be adapted to a t track. The bases on the Besseys are about 2.5 inches square. So length of 2.5 inch 6061 aluminum 3/8 or 1/2 inch thick could make a few.
Ron
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Ron
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martin felder
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Very clever ideas. When I look at the Kreg Automaxx demo,
Towards the end of the demo, they show the clamp being used with the Kreg track (wider opening than the Woodpecker). What is nice is that unlike the DeStaco and other clamps, you do not have to screw adjust based on wood thickness. Also, what is nice about the round part that fits into the T-slot, you do not have to turn it to line up like a hex. Also nice is that you do not need to have a base attached to the clamp and no need to tighten it to the table - just slide and clamp the Automaxx.
If I was able to machine a 5/6 bolt to screw into the Automaxx on one end, and become a bit more narrow right as it protrudes before the rounded head to fit into the Woodpeckers T track like what is shown, then that would be great. I could just substitute bolts that come with the Kreg to ones that allow me to have it fit the Woodpecker slot.
However, I do not have anything to machine things and I do not believe these are commercially available for purchase. So.... I think I will be making dados in my table at some point and adding 2 Kreg tracks.
Towards the end of the demo, they show the clamp being used with the Kreg track (wider opening than the Woodpecker). What is nice is that unlike the DeStaco and other clamps, you do not have to screw adjust based on wood thickness. Also, what is nice about the round part that fits into the T-slot, you do not have to turn it to line up like a hex. Also nice is that you do not need to have a base attached to the clamp and no need to tighten it to the table - just slide and clamp the Automaxx.
If I was able to machine a 5/6 bolt to screw into the Automaxx on one end, and become a bit more narrow right as it protrudes before the rounded head to fit into the Woodpeckers T track like what is shown, then that would be great. I could just substitute bolts that come with the Kreg to ones that allow me to have it fit the Woodpecker slot.
However, I do not have anything to machine things and I do not believe these are commercially available for purchase. So.... I think I will be making dados in my table at some point and adding 2 Kreg tracks.
Cheese
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martin felder said:
The Bessey unlike the DeStaco and its clones, offers an automatic internal spring adjustment feature that varies from 3/4" to 1 3/8" depending upon the clamp you select.
So, if you typically use 5/8" thick drawer material it will also automatically adjust to clamp up to 1 3/8" thick material.
https://www.bessey.de/en-US/BESSEY-...-adjust-toggle-clamps/Horizontal-toggle-clamp,-flanged-base
martin felder
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Good to know. Thanks. I never really paid any attention to these Bessey clamps and did not know they had that ability to adjust. They would have been better than DeStaco for my dovetail jig as then I could go from 5/8 to 3/4 thickness without adjustment.
Still, they need a base which then goes into the slot. Also, the Automaxx with the 3 and 6 inch sizes would seem to be easier to use.
Unless someone knows where I can get a bolt like what was shown that will allow the Automaxx to be used with the Woodpecker table, I will just dado additional tracks for the Kreg, front to back, outside and parallel to the current red tracks. That keeps options open and should not be that hard to do.
Still, they need a base which then goes into the slot. Also, the Automaxx with the 3 and 6 inch sizes would seem to be easier to use.
Unless someone knows where I can get a bolt like what was shown that will allow the Automaxx to be used with the Woodpecker table, I will just dado additional tracks for the Kreg, front to back, outside and parallel to the current red tracks. That keeps options open and should not be that hard to do.
martin felder
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I am now selling what I think is the "cats meow" for drill presses.
https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/...ram-radial-arm/msg640913/?topicseen#msg640913
https://www.ebay.com/itm/254955172730?hash=item3b5c83337a:g:sJIAAOSwhnVghOPF
Actually, for it to really be the cat's meow, that would be to take this drill press, add a power lift and modify it so you can change the RPMs using a speed adjustment knob.
https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/...ram-radial-arm/msg640913/?topicseen#msg640913
https://www.ebay.com/itm/254955172730?hash=item3b5c83337a:g:sJIAAOSwhnVghOPF
Actually, for it to really be the cat's meow, that would be to take this drill press, add a power lift and modify it so you can change the RPMs using a speed adjustment knob.
