Does a drill press need to be bolted down?

[Rick Potter]

I am still back there where Kevin's cat knocked it over.

Wow, that must be some cat.

RP

[Dave Zellers]

I am still back there where Kevin's cat knocked it over.

Wow, that must be some cat.

RP

I've been doing my best to hold my tongue since that post.

Every single case of a floor drill press tipping over is an example of someone exceeding it's designed capabilities.

There are those with common sense who understand a machine's designed limits and then there are the others.

There isn't a house cat in the world that could topple a floor drill press without some other external influence.

Are those of us with common sense who understand machines to be ruled by those who don't?

[Drew Pavlak]

I thought I saw someone post on the Creek a plywood and 2x4 box they built. Had casters on the back side I think and then it was filled with dry Quickcrete cement. The drill press was then bolted to that. Made for a more stable base, but still allowed it to be moved fairly easily. I myself have never had a problems with my Jet 17" drill press being unstable. I haven't had 6" x 6" x 12' treated post on it either. I should say the plywood base looked to be about twice the size of the drill press metal base.

[Rod Sheridan]

I'm getting my first drill press and hope someone more experienced can help me with this question. I read that drill presses are top heavy and should be bolted down for safety, to keep them from tipping over. I would welcome the advice of people experienced with these machines. If this is true, I would have to get a bench top model since I don't want to drill into the floor of my concrete garage.

David

A drill press that is just sitting on the base supplied, does need to be bolted down as it can be tipped over either by a person or the weight of a work piece.

If you don't want to drill your floor make a plywood base much larger than the press base and bolt it to that.

You don'r want a drill press to fall on you or your kids...............Rod.

[David Hostetler]

Yes a drill press is top heavy, and Earl Mclain's does give you pause, but the fellows safety tale includes not having someone drop in on him periodically to make sure he is alive and well. How big of a drill press it would take to asphyxiate an adult human is mind boggling, my 16 speed 3/4 HP Northern Industrial press just doesn't have the mass for any reasonably healthy adult, or even a fairly grieviously wounded one come to think of it.... to move it off of them should a tip happen.

A mobile base with levelers, and a heavy straddling cabinet over that mobile base would go a LONG way to preventing the tipping problem.

I had considered bolting mine down, but honestly, I have moved it to 4 semi permanent locations in the last 6 years... I wouldn't have that flexibility if I had it bolted down to the floor...

Glenn Bradley's idea of a concrete filled mobile base ballast box would give you the weight on the bottom you really need...

[Rich Enders]

Not for typical activity, but consider the earthquake possibility in your area. When I lived in Southern California it was smart to secure everything, and required to secure such things as water heaters.

[Benjamin Miller]

How big of a drill press it would take to asphyxiate an adult human is mind boggling

My 20" Clausing weighs about 700 lbs, and it is definitely not considered large in machining circles. Radial drill presses can easily be multiple tons, and knee mills start at 2000 lbs.

I don't have the Clausing bolted down, but if I needed to drill holes on the end of a long part, I would either bolt it down or make sure the part was well supported.

[Thomas Canfield]

I did not see anyone speak to the fact that a drill press table is often added to the smaller metal table furnished. That allows for increasing the tipping factor for heavy loads sitting to side or front of table. I often drill 60# sections of wood in preparation for turning on my 16.5" floor unit that has a larger plywood section bolted to the original base. I do not think that the original base would be safe without the larger plywood base. I felt the same with the bench top drill presses and always bolted them down to a larger base when using an additional table.

[Kevin McCluney]

"There isn't a house cat in the world that could topple a floor drill press without some other external influence." I beg to differ. The drill press was standing firmly on a concrete floor. The cat was a large one and she jumped off the top of it and it fell over sideways. Equal and opposite reaction. Maybe the base on my drill press is abnormally small (it's an old no-name Taiwanese model Home Depot sold 25+ years ago).

[Cary Falk]

I agree that in an industrial setting a drill press should be bolted down. There is no end to some peoples stupidity. I have a mobile base under mine because I don't have the luxury of a large work space. I also know enough not to move it by pushing on the very top of it.

[Dave Zellers]

"There isn't a house cat in the world that could topple a floor drill press without some other external influence." I beg to differ. The drill press was standing firmly on a concrete floor. The cat was a large one and she jumped off the top of it and it fell over sideways. Equal and opposite reaction. Maybe the base on my drill press is abnormally small (it's an old no-name Taiwanese model Home Depot sold 25+ years ago).

I'll accept that. I guess I view this through the prism of the old machines that were built to a standard of common sense that doesn't exist today. I'm sure there are machines being built today that violate every standard of reasonableness that used to exist.

This is all just so sad that we have dropped to this level. Apologies for any offense taken. I'm just shocked by the level we have allowed ourselves to sink to.

Cats tipping over drill presses. I guess we've given up industrial greatness for raising fat cats.

[John Downey]

In the UK drilling machines (drill presses) account for 55% of all industrial accidents, more than the next 5 machines added together. Mostly due to loose clothing and hair.

cheers

Dave

I've certainly been dinged more often by the drill press than by any other machine. It's an easy machine with which to become complacent, since it's fairly quiet, has no large spinning toothed blades, and seems to the casual user to be a lot like a big drill motor on a pole.

[Garth Almgren]

I bolted my benchtop press down to my shopmade stand... I figured I wouldn't be moving it without moving the stand too, so why take the chance on knocking it off the stand? They're pretty top-heavy as it is.
If I had a floor-standing model, I'd probably build a mobile base with a slightly wider stance, and bolt it to that.

[Joe Leigh]

It takes all of about five minutes and $1.50 in hardware to ensure that your drill press doesn't fall over and hurt someone.

Or you can spend the $1.50 on more cat treats.

Whatever works for you.

[Dave Zellers]

Or you can spend the $1.50 on more cat treats.

Whatever works for you.

Well, assuming one likes cat treats.

Me, I'd add it to all the money I didn't spend on unnecessary precautions on my other tools (like static grounding wire for my DC) and buy a good bottle of wine to enjoy with my sweetie.

Nothing quite like emerging from the basement coated in a fine layer of exotic hardwood dust on a Friday evening and popping the cork on a nice Cab Sav as you fire up the barbie.