Drill press table chattering when lowering down column

[Geoff Stevens]

I'm assembling a new Jet JDP-15M. I haven't put the head on yet and I've found that the table raises smoothly enough but chatters quite severely when lowering—almost as though there were too much play between the column diameter and the inside diameter of the table bracket. I did try just barely loosening the column lock but it didn't seem to make any difference—as soon as there was enough slack to allow it to move freely, it chattered on lowering.

The assembly instructions say nothing about lubricating the column so I just put a little Slip-It on before I assembled it. That's pretty light stuff so I'm wondering if I should clean that off and try a really heavy grease of some kind.

I want to try and resolve this before I go to the trouble of finding an assistant to mount the head. On the other hand though, I guess there's a possibility that the mass of the head on the top of the column might actually remove the problem. Thus: <Rock>ME<Hard Place> :confused:

Any suggestions welcomed.

Cheers,
Geoff.

[Craig Day]

Geoff,

My floor standing version does not do this. My guess is the mass of the head will eliminate this problem as you surmise. I'm sure that open end with no counterbalance is ripe for chatter. Mine raises and lowers very smoothly with out any additional lube.

By the way, I was able to mount the head by myself. It wasn't too bad for me, but before buying the unit I read various reviews and feedback about having a helper.

cheers,
Craig

[Bill Orbine]

If there was cosmoline, did you clean it ALL off? Inside the bore of the table, too!. I find paste wax (Butcher's Wax is my preference) usually helps.

[John Lanciani]

My 15 year old JET 17" does the same thing. It's just a minor annoyance, a byproduct of "value engineering". No harm and certainly not worth putting any real effort into fixing, never mind exchanging it if thats what you're thinking of. If you lift up just a tiny bit on the outboard end of the table while you're lowering it I'd bet that the chatter will stop. Slipit or paste wax are fine on the column, anything like grease will just be a nightmare...

[Ethan Melad]

I agree with John - my 20" Grizzly does the same thing. A little annoying, but kind of expected.

[Bill Huber]

I have an older Craftsman (well make that old) and it will do it also when letting the table down.
If I just lift up on the front of the table it will just slide down with no chatters.

[HANK METZ]

Check the tables column bore, make sure there is a generous countersink for a lead- in, it sounds like it's camming; again, value engineering means that step is eliminated in manufacture.

[Lee Schierer]

My olde Homecraft does the same thing. The problem is poor fit between the teeth in the quill and the gear that pulls it down. I'm not sure there is a cure that is affordable.

[Geoff Stevens]

Craig: That's impressive—I don't think I'm going to be able to mount it myself. Maybe a few years ago :rolleyes:
I've set up a staging table next to the DP, I may be able to get it onto the table okay but I doubt I'll be able to get it to face-height and onto the column on my own.

Bill Orbine: I cleaned the column pretty well but didn't think about the inside of the collar. There seemed to be a fair amount of grease in there for the gearing but it wasn't Cosmoline, or any similar product, just regular heavy grease so I figured it was okay around the inside of the sleeve too. I may take the bracket off again and have a second look—good thought, thanks.

John/Ethan/Bill Huber: I did try relieving the fulcrum weight when I first found the issue and it does fix it although I do have to take up pretty much the entire weight to do so (maybe they should make these things with a big ole counter weight off the back of the table bracket ;))

John: When you say anything like grease would be a nightmare, do you mean that it would make operation a problem or just the mess/dirt-attraction aspect? I wondered if I could find something with a high enough viscosity that it might take the pressure from the off-center leverage being applied by the table bracket to the column collar. Would likely be a dirt problem though.

Hank: That's an un-thrilling thought :eek:. I'm worried that if I find a problem there (a) I'll be peeved and (b) I doubt I'll be able to do much about it without the aid of a machine shop. I don't have a giant 3" reamer kicking around. I guess if it's just a poorly finished edge I could attack it with a hollow file.

Lee: It's not the quill—I haven't assembled that part yet—this is just the table going up and down the column. However it does use a rack and gear plus a worm drive in the handle so there is that, although it's not being pulled down, it's more a case of being let down under its own substantial weight. I guess I could test this as a factor by assembling the column without the rack and see if it still chatters when lowered by hand while supporting it at the column (rather than at the end of the table where I know it's not a problem). Thanks for the suggestion.


I'm hoping that the mass of the head will help, although I'll investigate these other options/suggestion that are available to me prior to mounting it. When it comes down to it though, I'm not going through the hassle of complaining or returning this—I'll just live with it if necessary. I know that Jet does generate some varying opinions but I really thought I was going with something, while not high-end, at least mid-range here—I didn't consider a $520 DP the worst I could do :(. Plus there didn't seem to be a plethora of bench-mounted options other than at the (even) lower end. No worries—I'm sure I'll get used to it—it's funny how we get all fussy when something is new and then in a few months it's of no importance :rolleyes:

You've all been very helpful—thanks very much,
Geoff.

[Geoff Stevens]

Wow—I addressed Lee in my response and yet my post is before his. There's "spooky" for you ;)

[Rich Enders]

My 1990's Delta chatters on the way down. And, for those of us that long for the good old days of machinery....... I served a tool and die apprenticeship at a zinc die casting factory in the 50's where we had dozens of drill presses. We tried to rig all sorts of devices to raise and lower the tables, and never did solve the chatter problem.

[glenn bradley]

What Bill Huber said ;-) You can also try not loosening it as much so that it has less slop to start the chatter.

[Lee Schierer]

Wow—I addressed Lee in my response and yet my post is before his. There's "spooky" for you ;)

With regard to the chatter on the table, try waxing the column and putting some light oil around the top of the bracket that encircles the column.

[HANK METZ]

Hank: That's an un-thrilling thought :eek:. I'm worried that if I find a problem there (a) I'll be peeved and (b) I doubt I'll be able to do much about it without the aid of a machine shop. I don't have a giant 3" reamer kicking around. I guess if it's just a poorly finished edge I could attack it with a hollow file.

There's an app for that, it's called a Dremel. A bevel stone and a few minutes work, done deal. :D

[Myk Rian]

Is the bottom bore edge sharp like a knife? Maybe breaking the sharp edge with a half round file will help.
It won't hurt it.