Drill press table hold downs....

[Bill Huber]

When I made my drill press table I had no idea where to put the T-Tracks, I looked on-line at a bunch of different ones both home built and commercial and just spaced them out kind of like I saw.

Well this has worked for some stuff but I have found that my hold downs are always just to short or I can get them to the right place to hold down the work piece. I like to hold the work piece down when drilling so it will not get pulled up by the bit or when I am drilling with a large forstner bit bit.

I looked around the shop and found a left over Bench Dog Dual Track T-Track I had from another project. I didn't even have to cut it, it was just about the length I needed. I cut some Oak I had to just fit in the larger slot, this gives something for the hold down to press against. Then drilled holes to match my T-Track that was installed on the drill press table. I used T-Knobs so I can turn them and remove the hold downs when needed.

I can now hold down anything I need to, any place on the table. I can use the Rockler hold downs or the Incra one as well. The dual track can be moved around to any place I need it and the hold down will reach the work piece.

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[John Vernier]

That's a very smart piece of work. The track with hold downs would be easy to adapt for a lot of flexible jigs, like a TS tapering jig or adjustable miter sled (a couple of things on my to-do list). So thanks for the hint!

[Jim Rimmer]

What an ingenuous idea. A movable t-track held in place by a permanent t-track. Who'd a thunk it. :D

Great idea, Bill.

[Earl McLain]

Brilliant. Makes me think about maybe using it in place of a DP fence much of the time. Still enough space to position a stop block or two.

I'd expect that we'll see pictures/drawings in a magazine in a few months. Again!!

earl

[Harry Hagan]

This is one more example of why I always read Bill's posts. :)

[Mike Wilkins]

Thank you. I hope you don't mind if I borrow this idea. I have the same track lying around collecting dust, and have often wondered how to clamp an object to the table when the tracks are so far apart.
You must be a part time psychic to know I needed this.

[Mike Cutler]

Bill
Sweet. I'm copying this idea!!!!

Thank you.

[Kent A Bathurst]

My DP table looks very similar - larger, so there are 4 tracks, and I have the track in the fence slot as well. Also have the sacrificial ply disc under the quill.

But the cross-arm - clever. Me Likey!!

I can almost always reach the part from my closest-to-center slots, but not always. Perfect solution, Bill.

[Bill Huber]

To add to the jig I did use the pin in the T-bolts, make it much easier to put on and off.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?56589-T-bolt-mod-helps-a-lot&highlight=T+track+pin