Interesting Drill Press Digital Depth Gauge Mod

[Robert Strebler]

I found this while surfing for information on my drill press.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Accurized-Craftsman-Drill-Press/

The guy mounted a digital caliper to his drill press for an accurate depth gauge. Has anyone tried this mod?

http://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/FIE/ZO3Z/FAQEDNL3/FIEZO3ZFAQEDNL3.MEDIUM.jpg

[Doug Shepard]

I've thought about doing it with a Wixey but the fact that you'd have to re-calibrate it every time you changed bits makes it seem like it might be more bother than it's worth.

[Barry Vabeach]

I did the same sort of mod on a metal lathe - I had to cut the end of the caliper down to about 4 inches so it wouldn't interfere with a handle and mounted it to the lathe with a super magnet and pet another super magnet on the chuck. It works great - you hit the zero function when the drill bit just enters the stock and you can keep track of your progress. I don't know if it would be as useful on a drill press as opposed to a lathe - it is pretty useful on the lathe since the lathe has no stop like a drill press .








I've thought about doing it with a Wixey but the fact that you'd have to re-calibrate it every time you changed bits makes it seem like it might be more bother than it's worth.

[Chris Padilla]

Nice simple idea! I have a caliper I dropped once and thus bent up that would be good for this. :) However, the digital readout is fabulous but I have a hard time believing that that caliper in the picture is the cheap $7 one from HF. I will now go look and probably have to edit this post. :)

Edit: And here (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93293) it is, for $10!!

[Chris Barnett]

Bought my decimal/fractional metal calipers for just a few bucks above that on sale at HF. They are fantastic so I keep my Starrets in the desk. Have had issues with depth a few times on my DP...might try that. Like they say... mothers are the invention of necessity...uh...necessity is an invention of mothers...no....uh, necessity is the mother of inventions...there...thats it....or close.

[Peter Quinn]

I'm thinking the caliper is more precise than the tool in question. Do you really need to measure depth on a drill press for wood working in thousands? Looks to me like an obsessive waste of time. If you find your self unable to sleep at night worrying about the precise depth of your holes it might be time to cruise for a good used bridgeport.

Speaking of which I watched the machinist at work use an edge finder on the bridge port the other day setting up for milling slot mortises in Teak. Apparently they are accurate to with in .0005"! Cool to watch. Once the edge is located precisely the table is moved via fine hand wheel and digital readout to set the slot precisely in he center of the work.

So if you are going to obsess about the depth of the hole, be sure to consider a means of accurately aligning the other two planes in question. Get a bridgeport.:eek: Make sure your floor is very solid too.

Sorry for the sarcasm. But working wood with a bridgeport really is fun.

[Perry Holbrook]

I made that mod to my DP about 3 years ago. Works great. I think I posted the idea with pictures back then.

I did to for accuracy to within .5 mm. I also find it is quicker than having to set a stop block, just touch bit to stock, zero the scale and drill to desired depth. If you do many 5mm barrel hinges you know that is one example of having an accurate depth is important.

Perry