Delta 14-070 Drill Press - how can I eliminate play in the quill?

[ShawnE Curry]

I picked up a used Delta 14-070 drill press on Craigslist over the weekend. I had planned to use this for my next project: mission-style bunk beds for my nephews. I picked out this drill press because I knew I could get a mortising attachment for it that I wouldn't need to "modify".

The drill seemed like it was in pretty good shape, until I got my hands on the mortising attachment and started to install the chisel holder to the quill. I discovered there was nearly 1/8" of rotational "play" in the quill, so it's pretty much useless for mortising as it currently sits.

It doesn't say if or how this can be adjusted in the manual. Did a Google search, and found a couple articles that made it sound like it can't be adjusted - its simply a "feature" on many of these "low-cost woodworking" drill presses.

My other smaller benchtop press doesn't have this problem. I may try setting up the mortising attachment on that one, though the chisel holder may eat up most of my clearance, and it may be more difficult to adjust the fence, because it has a round table with radial slots.

Anybody know if the quill can be adjusted?

[ShawnE Curry]

So I found the set screw and if I turn it I can eliminate the play. But the handle seems like it turns a little harder now, and it doesn't want to return on its own. The manual did include instructions for tightening the return spring, so I guess I'll see if that helps..

[Michael Mayo]

Just a thought but can you use your drill head from the bench top press on the column for you floor standing press? Might be worth seeing if the columns are the same diameter. Then you could swap the head with no play onto the column that you have no clearance issues with and a better table/ fence. Just thinking out loud.

[ShawnE Curry]

286975286976So I managed to get it properly adjusted. These were the two relevant adjustment points. The quill has a "way" slot machined into it, and the set screw located directly above it can be used to eliminate the rotational "play" of the quill.

The travel and return of the arm was mostly caused by the nuts on the spring housing being over-tightened. The manual said they shouldn't touch the spring housing, and indeed after I loosened them to try to adjust the spring, the travel became much smoother. I also tightened the spring about a 1/2 turn match the tension of my benchtop press.

Works very nice now.