How did you attach your Drill Press Table?

[Brian Parker]

I am building my DP table and I'm currently in the planning phase. I have a piece of laminate which will go on the 1.25" thick pieces of plywood that I have glued up. I thought about putting cariage bolts down through the top and then put the laminate over it but I'm not so sure about that idea.

I am thinking of making something that screws over the bottom of the actual DP table and then into the top that I am making.

My question to you is how have all of you who have tables attach your tables to the press? If it helps I have the Delta 17-965 which has the square table

Also if anyone has some pics that would be great.

Thanks
Brian

[Doug Shepard]

I put threaded inserts into the bottom of the table and drilled 2 holes through the DP table. I use 2 1/4"-20 fixture knobs through the DP table from underneath into the threaded inserts of the shop made table.

[Tyler Howell]

Wood Screws and fender washers (provided) up through the existing hold down tracks of the DP into the table.

[Dewayne Baker]

I made a sliding cleat setup. No visible fasteners from the top of the table.
I secured a piece of mdf with a couple of rabbited cleats to the D.P. table and 2 more opposing cleats to the bottom of the table I made. It just slides on and off. I secure it under neath with a couple of threaded collars and thumb screws.

Works sweet and comes off and on in a jiffy.

[Andy Fox]

I have the same drill press as you. Following the Wood project plan for the table I built, I did this:

Screwed and epoxied aluminum T-track in the bottom of the table in a groove running the length of the table. I positioned the track so that it would be about halfway between the front and rear of the rear slots in the metal DP table to allow for adjustment.
Used two 1/4" x 1.5" (length is approximate guess) or so hex bolts which go in the T-track and protrude through the metal DP table slots and the bottom of the metal table.
From underneath the metal DP table, I used 1/4" fender washers and the long joystick style handle knobs with threads. I tighten these as tight as I can by hand.This works great!

[Randy Meijer]

The attachment method on my DP table is probably overkill; but I bought it used and that's the way it came. A piece of 3/4" MDF approximately the same size as the original table is attached to it with four 3/8" hex bolts. A second piece of MDF, same size as the first is attached to the underside of the table extension with 6 sheetrock screws. That piece of MDF has four shallow blind holes to provide clearance for the heads of the hexhead bolts. The bottom piece of MDF is screwed to the middle piece with 6 sheetrock screws. The table extension itself is made of some nice plywood that measures 1-1/8" thick.

[tod evans]

i do like tyler, square drives and fender washers. but i make a new table outa scrap whenever i need a table rather than the vice i keep on the drill press.....02 tod

[Jim Becker]

I put threaded inserts into the bottom of the table and drilled 2 holes through the DP table.

Same here, except I used four fasteners.

[Doug Shepard]

Same here, except I used four fasteners.

I wanted to put 4 in, but the table on my DP is cast and has tapering thickness underneath in many places, so I didn't have too many flat areas where I could attach through. Cant see the factory table in these pics, but the DP is the big heavy monster on this post.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showpost.php?p=185091&postcount=3

[JayStPeter]

I have t-track on the bottom of mine. Bolts in the track, through the table, and some nice threaded knobs.

Jay

[Joe Chritz]

Two pieces of scrap in the web under the round table with a deck screw.

Not exactly fancy but it holds it solid. I have thought about a couple of those studs with a lag on one side and a machine bolt on the other but I used the last out of my scrap box and was to cheap to buy two more.

Since I need to buy T-nuts by the hundred soon for some poker tables, If/when I do another I may put t nuts in the bottom lamination of the table before glued up. Then a couple fender washers and a 1/4-20 bolt.

Joe

[Norman Hitt]

Brian, I prefer "T" nuts to threaded inserts when at all possible for this type application. Just make your table and set it in place and mark where you want the holes, then drill the inset for the T nut plate from the top of the table surface with a forstner bit, then use a regular bit and drill through the table top and insert the T nut, and THEN put the laminate on the table which will cover the T nut. (note: put a small piece of masking tape or scotch tape over the top of the T nut to keep the laminate cement out of it when you glue the laminate on the top)

You don't ever have to worry about the the T nut pulling through, even on a MDF table as can sometimes happen with a threaded insert. **"Just be sure to cut the bolt in the threaded knob to the proper length"** so it doesn't go THROUGH the T nut and punch up through the laminate surface when you tighten it up from below.