Drill press ideas

[Quinn McCarthy]

I have a 16 1/2" delta drill press. I made a wood table that bolts through the slots in the exixting table. The tightening lever does not have enough torque to keep the wood table from turning. I was drilling some stool legs a couple weeks ago and the fence that I was using moved and managed to mess up all of the leg holes. 4 legs worth of firewood. It took me a while to figure out what moved in the process. I thought it was the clamps on the fence. I didn't find out until the next time I mounted the table the it was the clamp around the exusting table. I am looking for ideas to make that clamp hold better. The only thing I can think of is drilling the clamp bolt out and put a nut and bolt in there. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Quinn

[Lee Schierer]

Most drill press tables are cast iron and rely on a clamping arrangment that consists of a slot cut through the cast iron at the opposite side of the column from the table. A bolt through that area pinches the cast iron shut and in the porcess locks the table on the column.

I can think of two reasons why your table doesn't clamp tight that are easy to fix. First, the threads of the locking bolt may be bottoming out and preventing the slot from closing. You can check this by swinging the table around so you can see the slot and locking the clamp. If the handle is tight and the slot is still open, then the threads are bottoming out. You can either cut deeper threads or put a washer under the handle to put more pressure on the clamp.

If the slot closes completely, then you will need to enlarge the slot with a fine tooth hack saw blade or really thin file.

If the drill press is new, return it to the the dealer.

[harry strasil]

yeah what Lee said or you can cut the end of the bolt off a few threads, Lee forgot to tell you that you need to clamp the slot shut with a big C clamp and remove the bolt before widening the slot, and if that's the problem, tighten the C clamp again and saw thru it at least one more time for good measure, Another alternative is to drill and thread 2 holes in the side of the clamping casting in line up and down and find a short round piece of brass that will slide into the threaded holes for the set screws to push against so you don't damage the column with set screw marks, screw them in equally with the normal clamping handle unscrewed just a bit this will take up slack and let you use the normal clamping handle to secure the table from turning

[Scott Vantine]

First this is my first post here!

Second, if I understand correctly the table that you have mounted on top of the stock cast iron drill press table moves around no matter how you have it clamped down! If that is the case, I believe that the cause is that you have two smooth surfaces clamped together and they don't have enough friction between the surfaces to stay in one place. My fix would be to get some of that rubberized mat material that they sell for lining drawers/routing/sanding pads and cut a piece to fit between the stock table and your table and clamp them together. This should keep everything from moving!

[glenn bradley]

I would lower your table so that you have a couple of feet between table and quill. Put on some rubber gloves and use a syntho pad and mineral spirits to scrub the column clean. Wipe of residual MS off with some DNA or isopropyl and paper towels till they come off clean. Crank your table back up to a 'normal' position and tighten it to see if it grabs OK now.

On my 17-950, I took a 1" dowel about 8" long and drilled a hole that friction fit all the way over the existing pivot handle of the table tightening do-jobber. This gives me a lot more leverage (which I don't really need with a clean column and knuckle but it reduces my effort in getting a tight grip).

[Quinn McCarthy]

Thanks for all of the ideas. I will have to take a look tonight when I get out to the shop. I am sure it could be a couple causes.

Scott; Welcome SMC. After a while you will be saying I should have been here sooner.

[Scott Vantine]

Scott; Welcome SMC. After a while you will be saying I should have been here sooner.[/QUOTE]


I have been thinking that since I found this site and joined up a couple of weeks ago! It is a great place, with lots of great ppl with many helpful ideas, and constructive critisisism!

Sorry for the hyjacking of the thread!

[Quinn McCarthy]

I got it to stop turning. I cleaned it with actone and added a washer to the tightening bolt. It was bottomed out.

Thanks

Quinn