harry strasil
03-31-2008, 7:15 AM
As a former machinist, I was used to the benefits of a plate with many drilled and tapped holes for placing hold downs when milling material. My import drillpress has a small round table that I mosty used visegrips with the swivel pads for holding. The reinforcement ridges on the under side were always a problem and the really large aftermarket auxilary table tops with slotted channels doesn't really appeal to me.
So I used a scrap piece of construction 3/4 plywood a little bit larger than the table and drilled recesses and holes every 2.5 inches for 1/4 inch T nuts and bolted the auxilary top to the table with 2 carriage bolts.
I made these hold downs from laminated oak with short dowels glued and bradded into the ends, and use quick release knobs for the clamping.
So I used a scrap piece of construction 3/4 plywood a little bit larger than the table and drilled recesses and holes every 2.5 inches for 1/4 inch T nuts and bolted the auxilary top to the table with 2 carriage bolts.
I made these hold downs from laminated oak with short dowels glued and bradded into the ends, and use quick release knobs for the clamping.