Sherwood/WoodRiver Drill Press Fence Kit

[Derek Cohen]

When I purchased the Nova Voyager drill press as a Black Friday discount in November 2019, one of the discounts was a complementary Nova fence (this usually sells as an accessory). I built a table and added the Nova fence. The table is built from a 18" x 25" UHMW slab 30mm (1-1/4") thick I found in my local salvage yard.

https://i.postimg.cc/Gmr6DLTf/DP6a.jpg

It is a rather simple and basic fence. I found it too short. I also wanted to add dust extraction, and this looked like more more item to add (along with the Wixey laser and a table light - more in a while).

Then I came across the Sherwood drill press fence kit at Timbecon (https://www.timbecon.com.au/drill-press-fence-kit). This is badged WoodRover drill press table in the USA. There is a video made by WoodCraft ...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7p_DrI5ERQ

It looked to be all that the Nova fence was not. Specifically, it has length ...

https://i.postimg.cc/PJq6Bcnn/1.jpg

It also has a sliding sub-fence, which opens up to a dust collection port ...

https://i.postimg.cc/mZdpQb7L/2.jpg

This will keep the dust and shavings down when drilling with all drill bits, especially forstner bits, and also should enable the drill to double as a spindle sander (I would not wish to use one without dust control.

Adjustment is at the rear ...

https://i.postimg.cc/hP1Yf9MY/631929-DPTF-100_1_web.jpg

This works well using the T-track I had installed.

Here is the Wixey laser I installed earlier this year ...

https://i.postimg.cc/J0dTmqRD/3.jpg

The down light is a rechargeable bicycle light, which I attached with a rare earth magnet. You can see how well it works. Cheap too ...

https://i.postimg.cc/Jnx6Y8gQ/4.jpg

The Nova Voyager is a really wonderful drill press, and the new fence looks like it will be a good match.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Brian Tymchak]

That's pretty weird Derek. I was just looking at that very fence on Woodcraft's site this morning because of the dust collection. I'm figuring it's a lot easier to spend $80 than to figure out how to build the fence myself. I would want a second stop, but I don't know if that is offered as an accessory. Hopefully my local Woodcraft is open this week so I can look at it.

Nice idea adding the light. I haven't used my Voyager much yet, but I did want to light up the table somehow.

Thanks!

[Jim Becker]

I like that setup...very practical. I've been thinking about doing a similar setup for my DP, especially since I seem to be using it more these days on certain kinds of projects.

[Derek Cohen]

Jim, Brian echoed my thoughts when I saw this fence: it would cost more and require a lot of effort to attempt to put it together from parts. it is cheap for what it offers. I have always built fences (built the fence for my router table from aluminium section), but buying this was a no-brainer (but I forgot to ask for commission for this review :)). It is well made and certainly does not feel cheap. The MDF sub-fence is not my idea of Heaven, but it makes sense - although a sliding aluminium sub-fence would definitely be sexier! :D

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Eric Arnsdorff]

This is terrific! I need to do something with my drill press. My setup is minimal and very poor. Thanks for posting this. I'll work towards this solution.

[Chris Fournier]

My drill press was pretty much the first piece of equipment that I souped up in my shop. I built an auxiliary table with a fence that was a quick adjustment. A LV machine tape in the fence and off I went. Saved me hours and hours over the years. Eventually I made a fixture for my dust collector hose that could be moved on the pillar or column, I agree those forstner and saw tooth bits cough up a lot of chips. I have recently replaced the drill press with a Bridgeport style mill which seems like overkill but it really has been fantastic. Super rigid, potential for great accuracy, generous work envelope and since I work in wood metal and plastic it always brings it to the task.

After wood working for several years and beginning to understand the equipment that we use I concluded that the drill press was the trickiest piece to buy right and a truly good one is north of $2500.00 CDN new anyways. I never saw that coming in the beginning.

[Derek Cohen]

Chris, I believe that the drill press is the most underrated machine in the workshop. My previous one was a basic 3/4 hp 16 speed Taiwanese machine I purchased 25 years ago. In addition to drilling holes accurately, it was a buffer, sander, grinder, sharpener, and (rather poor) milling machine. The Nova Voyager is something else again.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Chris Fournier]

Chris, I believe that the drill press is the most underrated machine in the workshop. My previous one was a basic 3/4 hp 16 speed Taiwanese machine I purchased 25 years ago. In addition to drilling holes accurately, it was a buffer, sander, grinder, sharpener, and (rather poor) milling machine. The Nova Voyager is something else again.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I wholeheartedly agree Derek! Or because it's a drill press would that be "holeheartedly"? The chasm between consumer grade and industrial grade requires bags of $$$. Not that we need industrial for WWKg though. Is your Nova made by the same company that has made lathe chucks and centres? I bought some Nova woodturning accessories and I recall that they were made in your hemisphere. They were and still are working perfectly in my shop. If your DP is made by them then I bet it is great!

[Derek Cohen]

Chris, yes, the Nova Voyager drill press probably shares the same motor as the Nova Saturn lathe.

https://i.postimg.cc/d0NZXhqD/Wixey2.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/XN9MT9nP/Lathe1.jpg

Both variable speed, 2 hp, direct drive. From New Zealand.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Chris Fournier]

Ah, neat! Thanks for responding to my question.

[Bob Jones 5443]

My drill press, a 16-1/2" Delta 17-965, has not been on any voyages, except from China to Amazon Tool Crib to me when I bought it in 2002. To change speeds you open the top and move 2 belts among 3 sheave sets. It has a legitimate 8-1/4" throat capacity, and at a humble 3/4 HP has never bogged down regardless of bit size, hole depth, or sanding drum diameter.

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I lived over fifteen years without a decent fence or table, so a few years ago I made this simple setup:

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The dust collection is a welcome convenience, but the fine 2-axis adjustability is the best part. I used the lower left setup to lock in the position of a round oak 5" handwheel. It also winds down about 24" or so for end holes.

If I had it to do again, I'd have left a recess in the middle of the fence for boring holes close to the edge of work. Derek's split fence idea is probably the optimum design. As it is, I prop the work up on plywood scrap layers as needed to raise it to near the top of the fence. Problem solved.

Like others on this thread, I also greatly appreciate the utilitarian value of a drill press in the shop. I used it to make cherry shelf pins for a cabinet I keep threatening to finish.

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