Why would I want a drill press table?

[Frederick Skelly]

Hi guys,
I didn't want to hijack Patrick's other DP thread, so I'm starting a new one......

I have a floor model DP. After I bought it I bolted a wide board to the table and it's been there ever since. I use this DP on the majority of my projects. I have two different vises and a couple wooden screw clamps to hold things. I don't make multiple copies of things and I've never felt a need for a fence or stops. But a lot of people build or buy these things.

So it made me wonder - am I missing something useful that I really should build/buy?

Thanks much!
Fred

[glenn bradley]

I'll start. Fence with stops, tracks for hold downs, insert for clean exit holes . . .

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[Sam Blasco]

Here's an extreme example. Sometimes I want very consistent spacing and/or repeatability between pieces, and a table with a fence can aid that tremendously. In this case I coupled a 60" extrusion to my normal 40" DP fence for longer pieces, with the use of a flip stop, too, and a temporary leg for support. I don't think you need a fancy table necessarily, mine is shop made, but a fence gets used quite a bit.

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[Doug Hepler]

Frederick,

I understand that you have a flat secondary DP table that you can screw clamps to. Proceeding on that assumption, I recommend that you need a sliding fence for safety if no other reason. I learned this after a few times that I "forgot" to clamp a piece and then had it slip out of my hand and start spinning at 800 RPM or whatever. Luckily that only happened with wood that rapped my knuckles but never happened with a piece of metal. I say luckily because sheet metal often jams just as the bit exits the workpiece and the workpiece can become a rotating knife. Now, I slide the fence against the workpiece so that it cannot rotate. Second reason is that a fence helps me set up the operation by positioning the work and makes drilling a series of holes much more precise.

You do not need anything fancy. I put two pieces of T-track front to back into a 3/4" piece of plywood. The moveable fence is basically just two pieces of plywood glued at a right angle. The fence and cam clamps then run in the T track with toilet bolts. Easy peasy.

Doug

[Stan Calow]

What Doug said. Its too tempting to try and drill something quickly just holding by hand. the fence helps. My beef with drill press designs is that they make it hard to clamp things securely to the existing table. A wood table with t-tracks is much more user friendly.

[Mike Henderson]

I put a simple wooden table on my drill press (attached permanently to the metal table) and when I need a reference fence for repeatable holes, I clamp a piece of wood in place to the wooden table. Could be fancier but it works. Also have an insert in the center so I can replace the part that gets messed up when you drill through your work.

Mike

[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks guys! Lots of good information here. I appreciate it!
Fred

[Frederick Skelly]

Well, you folks convinced me to try one. So, I stopped by a local tool store and they had a no-name table with T-track, a fence, a stop and all the hardware for $20. It's not fancy but it works fine. I figure just the hardware is worth what I paid. If I like it, I can upgrade later.

Thanks guys,
Fred

[Dick Thomas]

WOW! Where did you find that package for $20? They'll sell a bunch if this crowd can find them.

[Frederick Skelly]

It was just a local store Dick, not a chain.

But I just looked on Harbor Freight's site and they sell one that looks an awful lot like mine, for $23. Might be one of those deals where the same factory in Asia sells to multiple retailers.

[Jim Dwight]

I put a couple little drawers under the top of my drill press table to store sanding drums and drill bits. Nice to have them right there. I also put a piece of 1/4 Masonite on the top with a removable square where the bit comes down so I can replace it as I chew it up. It isn't fancy (although I did use machine dovetails on the drawers) but it is very handy. I use the fence when drilling for shelf pin holes and other situations where I want a parallel row of holes. Sometimes I just use the fence position instead of trying to drill to a mark on the wood, I think it's more accurate. I can lower the bit and use a steel rule against the fence to get the hole where I want it. Release the quill to raise the bit back up and drill the hole. It's kind of like using a stop on a fence with the compound miter saw.

[pat warner]

A DP fence is unnecessary but sweet.
A work piece has 12 ways of going where it wants.
Up/down, left/right, in/out and 3 rotational vectors, (CCW/CW through its 3 centerlines).
And with a drill press it's especially problematic, as the work can climb the drill, spin, and lacerate.
A fence (http://patwarner.com/images/dp_fence_pixpg1.jpg) can manage some of the slip/slide, stops and clamps, can isolate the work for all 12 escape routs. Moreover, a fence can facilitate accessories for stops left & right.

[Ole Anderson]

Pat, you say a fence is unnecessary, but then renumerate on how many ways you can get maimed if you don't have one.

IMO, a fence is necessary unless you have a vice clamped to the CI table for metal work. I don't remember where I got mine, it is just a table with slots and a simple fence.

[Al Launier]

WOW! Where did you find that package for $20? They'll sell a bunch if this crowd can find them.

Seems like a good deal, even if one were to modify for improvement(http://www.harborfreight.com/drill-press-extension-table-with-fence-96395.html)

I used a length of 1 1/2" x 2" x 24" wooden fence (approx. dim's - make to suit) which I pinned with a steel dowle at the right rear corner of the table. Then, after setting up a workpiece to drill I just swing this fence up against the workpiece & clamp it in position. Then successive pieces are placed against the bar to retain the same offset distance from the edge of the worpiece to the drilled hole.

[Al Launier]

I'll start. Fence with stops, tracks for hold downs, insert for clean exit holes . . .

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Glenn,your equipment & shop cleanliness are always so impressive.