Wixey drill press depth gauge?

[Jamie Buxton]

I have a Delta drill press with the usual feature of a combined depth gauge and depth stop. The depth gauge is pretty lame, and the Wixey looks better. But I'd have to retain the OEM part for the depth stop. It seems a little clunky, but I think it should work. Has anybody else installed a Wixey like this? Opinions, advice?

[Roger Feeley]

Jamie,
My old Craftsman drill press had that sort of standard threaded rod with a nut and jam nut. I swapped that out for a piece of 1/2-20 all thread and a Morton Quill stop.
424696
This is made for milling machines but is dandy for the drill press. The 20 pitched thread means that one rotation of the stop equals .050" just like a micrometer. That's way more accurate than you need for woodworking. You can press the button to disengage the threads and move the stop up and down.

I actually use two of the stops. One of the quill of the drill press and one for the stop on my cutoff saw. They are quick and easy to use. If you need just a little more or less, you can give it a partial twist. I don't ever think I have actually used the graduations on the stop.

These things are kind of spendy at $47.50 on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Morton-Standard-Quill-Stops-Thread/dp/B00GKZD358) but worth it. I would buy them both again.

[Tom Bain]

That's why I love this forum ... I've been looking for a better depth stop solution for my refurbed 1967 PM1150, which is missing the jam nut and it's got a weird pitch on the thread. This just might be the trick.

[Matt Schrum]

That's why I love this forum ... I've been looking for a better depth stop solution for my refurbed 1967 PM1150, which is missing the jam nut and it's got a weird pitch on the thread. This just might be the trick.

I did a DIY version of the link below. Quick and easy. The link shows a well done, very precise version-- but I was able to crank out mine using only basic hand tools. Mine is not as pretty, but works wonderfully.

https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/building-better-drill-press-depth-stop-138199/

Basically you have one nut on your threaded depth rod with vertical holes around the perimeter (think of the cylinder on a revolver pistol) and a shuttle with a pin above the nut. Adjust the nut/stop where you want it, then slide or drop the shuttle down. The pin on the shuttle engages with one of your holes on your nut and it can't rotate. You're locked in. Easy to make and your resolution is 1/8 (or however many holes) of a rotation of the stop nut. Plenty fine for a drill press.

[Randy Heinemann]

The depth stop on my Ridgid drill press is useless. It is a collar around the shaft with handles to raise and lower the bit. Anyone have a suggestion for something useful? I know this doesn’t answer the question but I’ve been looking for something for years.

[Ben Rivel]

Jamie,
My old Craftsman drill press had that sort of standard threaded rod with a nut and jam nut. I swapped that out for a piece of 1/2-20 all thread and a Morton Quill stop.
424696
This is made for milling machines but is dandy for the drill press. The 20 pitched thread means that one rotation of the stop equals .050" just like a micrometer. That's way more accurate than you need for woodworking. You can press the button to disengage the threads and move the stop up and down.

I actually use two of the stops. One of the quill of the drill press and one for the stop on my cutoff saw. They are quick and easy to use. If you need just a little more or less, you can give it a partial twist. I don't ever think I have actually used the graduations on the stop.

These things are kind of spendy at $47.50 on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Morton-Standard-Quill-Stops-Thread/dp/B00GKZD358) but worth it. I would buy them both again.
Ive got a Delta 18-900L and they come with a setup very similar to this that I have always appreciated! Use it all the time.

424702

[Frederick Skelly]

I have the Wixey on my Ridgid DP. I like it. I mounted the Wixey on the left and the OEM is on the right. In case it matters, the OEM is the dial type, not the rod type.

Hope it helps.
Fred

[Randy Heinemann]

I have the Wixey on my Ridgid DP. I like it. I mounted the Wixey on the left and the OEM is on the right. In case it matters, the OEM is the dial type, not the rod type.

Hope it helps.
Fred
it does help because it appears your Ridgid is the same as mine. Like the drill press hate the dial for setting denote. Very inaccurate and hard to set. Also had some play once set.

[Frederick Skelly]

Glad to hear it Randy!