Thoughts on drill press height?

[Pete Staehling]

Okay so I have my new Shop Fox W1668 bench top drill press and have assembled it. My previous tiny drill press was on a tall (36") work bench and this drill press seems super high on that same bench. It seems really high even on on a little lower (33") bench. Obviously the size of the drill press factors in pretty heavily, but this is a pretty big drill press. It seems that "bench top" in this case means it is either pretty high or it is on a pretty low bench.

If I look at the Shop Fox floor model of a similar size it is 63" tall. This bench top model is about 38" tall. So it would seem that putting it on a 25" base would make it the same height as the floor model. That seems like a reasonable approach since when they designed the floor mounted one they could make it any height they wanted, so matching that seems like it would be reasonable. Does that make sense or am I missing something here?

[Jim Becker]

My feeling about a DP's height is that it should position Things for most of what you typically use the machine for at a comfortable hight for your eyes and hands combined. Sometimes, that height will not be ideal for something you don't do often, but seek the best for the majority of the use.

[glenn bradley]

Bench top DP’s have limited table range so you want to find your sweet spot. As Jim says, position the midrange at the height where you will do your most work. This will be based on what you do and how you do it. My table is a bit high but my floor machine has a lot of range. My chuck is about even with my chin when at rest.

[Pete Staehling]

The drill press is heavy enough to be a bit of a pain to trail and error it by testing out different heights, so I did a bunch of measuring and mocking up and decided to build a splayed leg stand out of 2x4 studs. After some mocking up I decided that the base will be 30" off the floor at least to start with. I am putting it together with screws so it will be easy to take the legs off to change them if necessary. It will also be easy to cut them shorter by blocking the table up on some improvised support and removing, cutting, and reinstalling them. It would also be easy enough to either put on longer ones or scab on extensions to try a higher table.

After I get the height dialed in I can decide if I want to build something with storage drawers or just stick with the open stand and put a small shelf or drawer under the base. I will most likely stick with the open stand.

[Gary Ragatz]

I recently bought a bench top DP that is about the same size as your Shop Fox, with a similar spindle travel. I've been playing around with bench height, using a pair of adjustable-height saw horses and a 2'x4' particle board "bench top." I seem to be settling in on a bench height of around 33" which puts the chuck 4-5" below my chin.

[Bill Dufour]

End of bit should be below eye level so you can look down to mark on work. i agree chuck at chin level. If you make base ballast bottom with cans of metal like screws and nails in cans. Most companies make them too short since that column metal costs money to make and ship. Also if built to a good height they are more tippy and should be bolted down.
Bill D.

[Pete Staehling]

My initial reaction to the splayed leg stand is that the 30" height feels right and that the splayed legs provide a wide base that feel real solid. The legs tuck under existing stuff in the shop nicely so they don't take up space and the DP table is above the benches for just about all my work and also above the out feed area for my thickness sander unless cranked way down which I very seldom need to do, so I think it may be good as is. I'll live with it a while and see.

I'll keep the notion of ballast in mind, but suspect that with the wider base of the splayed legs it may not be required.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

[Bill Dufour]

My 20" WT drill press is on a riser about 12". the riser is filled with old motors and cans of nuts/bolts/nails as ballast. It really should be bolted down but I am lazy. Hope any quakes will not be too strong here. Would be easy enough to leash it to the ceiling like many euro bandsaws do.
Bill D.

[Ed Labadie]

My Delta radial ram drill has a fixed table.

When I made my table for it, it ended up at 41" tall. Going back to what Jim said, that's the height that works for me.

Ed

[lee cox]

I have a old restored USA Atlas floor drill press on the left of my workbench with the table set at the same height as my workbench so I can set long stuff on the workbench to drill. It seems to work well for me.

[Matthew Britten]

Okay so I have my new Shop Fox W1668 bench top drill press and have assembled it.

How do you like the drill press? I’ve been considering this Shop Fox model but can’t find a lot of real opinions about it.