Drill Press Table - A Comedy of Errors

Vaughn McMillan

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I decided the new drill press needed a bigger table. I've admired the older Woodpecker drill press tables made of phenolic covered plywood, but they've discontinued them and are selling Formica-covered MDF tables instead. At 16" x 23" it's also a bit smaller than I wanted. So I decided to buy the Woodpeckers hardware and make my own table. I also decided to use some t-track I had laying around to fasten the table to the cast iron table on the drill press. That would give me a handy way to adjust the location of the table in relation to the bit.

I didn't feel like applying my own laminate, so I used some 3/4" melamine-covered particle board I had laying around. It's not nearly as stout as Formica and MDF (or plywood), but the price was right and the hassle factor was low. I glued two pieces together to make a 1 1/2" thick table, so I'd have enough thickness to accommodate the t-tracks. I trimmed the edges with some 3/4" mahogany that I'd bought a couple years ago, and had now warped to the point that it was only good for relatively short pieces. Nothing fancy, just using up old stock.

Up until this point, the project was going smoothly. I cut the two pieces of particle board EXACTLY the same size, and managed to get them glued (with contact cement) so well lined up that I didn't have to dress the edges before applying the trim. Loving the Incra setup on the table saw. The trim work went without a hitch, too. Then the fun started. :rolleyes:

Next it was time to route the stopped dadoes for the fence t-tracks. Using the router table (again with the Incra rig), I routed the first dado perfectly. I was really loving the Incra. Knowing how perfect it was, I made a couple marks on the Incra scale, slid things over and routed the second dado. Turned it over to check the fit, and the dado was 3/8" too wide. Coincidentally, I was using a 3/8" straight bit in the router. Yep, I'd forgotten to subtract the width of the bit when I marked the Incra scale. :doh: After a few bad words were spoken, I decided I'd make the other dado the same oversized width, then use more scrap mahogany to fill the gaps. Might actually look OK, I says to myself. So I flip the tabletop over again and make the extra cut to enlarge the narrower (correct) dado.

After calming down, I decided to route the dadoes for the t-track on the bottom of the table. This time I was doubly sure to calculate the width of the bit when I set up the fence. Measured a couple times just to be sure, then turned on the router and made the first pass. It was about then that I realized I'd not turned the tabletop over. I'd just cut another dado in the TOP of the piece, not the bottom. :doh: :doh: :doh: Additional bad words were said. I believe I even made references to someone's mother that I shouldn't have. At that point, I figured I'd once again be filling the dadoes with scrap mahogany, so I went ahead and routed a matching dado on the opposite side of the top. Then I turned the darned thing over and made the dadoes where I needed them to be.

I was able to finish up the rest of the project without any other major mistakes, but I added another night or two's worth of work to what should have been a simple little project. In the end, the table is very serviceable, just not real pretty. The melamine is cheap and thin, and I'll likely scratch it up pretty quickly with use. I consoled myself with the fact that it was mostly made from scrap, and if I ever want a nicer one, I can at least re-use the hardware.

Anyway, enough sob story. Here's some pics...

Drill Press Table - 01 800.jpg

The table is 25 1/2" x 19 1/2", and the dual t-tracks for the fence are 15 3/4" long. The fence itself is 36" long. I intentionally made the sacrificial insert in the middle off-center, so I can rotate it four times per side before I have to replace it. (Plus, I can move the table around easily to hit fresh spots on the insert, due to the t-tracks on the bottom.) The hold downs work great for holding my drill press vise onto the table, too.

Drill Press Table - 02 800.jpg

The fence and the tracks it rides on are laser engraved with 1/16" increments. I also got a couple of flip-stops to go with. Don't know how useful the markings will be, but I have already made use of the stops. As a bonus, they also fit my Incra gear.

Drill Press Table - 03 800.jpg

Here's a shot of the t-tracks on the bottom. They were leftovers from another project, and about 1 1/2" shorter than the table width. Still plenty long for what I needed, just not nice and flush with the edges. The bottom tracks were screwed and epoxied. You can also see the holes for the screws that hold the tracks on the top. Those are just held in place with oval nuts and machine screws, so they are removable (and reusable on another table down the road.)

Drill Press Table - 04 800.jpg

The bottom of my original table has castings to accommodate "outrigger" stock supports. Of course these castings (on opposite corners) were right in the way of the knobs holding the new table on, so I turned a couple of standoffs to give the knobs room to turn.

Drill Press Table - 05 800.jpg

As I said, it's functional, just not pretty. And I really like having all that real estate to work on.
 
Vaughn,
I'm sorry but with all of the new toys you shouldn't use a second rate DP table so I will make the sacrifice & take the offending table off your hands so you can concentrate on making a perfect one.:D

Chuck
 
Yeah, I agree. Looks very nice. Now what you should have said is something like: "I wanted to dress up things a little more than the standard drill press table, so I enhanced the t-track system with some mahogany I had left over from a previous project. I think the contrast of the mahogany and the white melamine....." Use the situation to your advantage!! :thumb: Jim.
 
Hi Vaughn :wave:,
That was a fun walk through of your project. It was almost like being there, or, a reinactment of project mistakes and the expletives that follow in our own projects. Nice recovery and "You are better for it!" :D :thumb:
Shaz :)
 
Beautiful job Vaunghn:thumb:

I've seen somewhere a sacrifice plate that is round. The drill is drilling on the peripheral of the circle so, every time you want a new "zero clearance" you just turn the plate to a new position that still does not have a hole. That way, you can use one plate for many holes and sizes.

When you finish to use all the circle, you can drill over the smaller holes with bigger drill.

Regards
niki
 
WOW!

That's a fantastic drill press table Vaughn! :clap:

I am going to use my Rockler table for now but somewhere on the list is a better home brewed table.
I'll just keep this post for a while if you have no objections. :thumb:

DT
 
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Vaughn, question: Do you find it hard to use those scales on the drill press table. Seems you have to 1.)remember how you set it to zero, place the fence over the line so you don't see it or place it so you see the line, 2.)setting the correct dimension depending on how you look at it when setting the fence.

Most reason I ask is because I got those scales for christmas and maybe I am just looking at it wrong or trying to be to precise. That is a good looking table though.
 
Ahh, to be a fly on the wall. I bet that would have been entertaining afternoon!
Excellent recovery – the table looks awesome and look at all the practice you have with the Incra rig! The table is going to make that new DP a joy to use!

I’m sure glad that I never make mistakes like that….:rolleyes:
You’ll notice a shallow little dado close to the blade in my old bandsaw table…I not only missed the location for the miter slot; I missed it by a bunch:eek:. It’s funny how we always figure it out AFTER the fact… :huh:
 

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Thanks for the compliments, guys. It might look OK in the pics, but trust me, this is not some of my finer flatwork. :p I did successfully use hand planes to make the trim and inlays flush. I think this was the first time I've gotten good results with a hand plane. (Used an old Stanley block plane and my "Little Victor" from Lee Valley.)
Vaughn, question: Do you find it hard to use those scales on the drill press table. Seems you have to 1.)remember how you set it to zero, place the fence over the line so you don't see it or place it so you see the line, 2.)setting the correct dimension depending on how you look at it when setting the fence.

Most reason I ask is because I got those scales for christmas and maybe I am just looking at it wrong or trying to be to precise. That is a good looking table though.
So far I've not really used the scales yet. I suspect the issues you've brought up are all very true, but I I haven't run into them (yet). Quite honestly, I think the scales won't be used a whole lot...whenever possible I tend to use story sticks and other "relative" measurements instead of actual dimensions. Even without the marks though, I like the way the fence adjusts and moves for different situations.
 
Hi Vaughn and

Thanks for the many replies. I will admit that I had to laugh at your mistake:rofl:.
I have made many and save all of my scraps just to make sure that I have it set right. It was still humorus to read your real happening:rofl: I do thank you for all of your help to me.
Thanks,
Chuck
 
DPTable.jpgHmmmm...:huh: I didn't have any problem putting mine together...:dunno:



Oh, I forgot.:doh: I got mine on sale from Woodpeckers...:rolleyes:

:rofl:

Nice job, Vaughn. Looks great and seems very functional. Won't be long before you forget all about those little "Ooops". A good table adds so much to a DP, and you made a good one!:thumb:
 
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Yeah Greg, you suck. I was disappointed that they discontinued those. I even looked into buying some phenolic plywood, but it was more than I wanted to spend.

BTW, I was mistaken on the measurements of mine. It's 29 1/2" x 19 1/2".
 
Looks like a swearing intensive project -- the best kind.:D

It should do what you intended it for, so call it a success.

Whenever I install T-track or miter slots I leave them a hair proud of the table and then use a flat bottom router bit to mill them flush. I also always, repeat, always use epoxy on the track and the screws. If you use them alot and like to use clamps with them, invariably one will give eventually, and it eliminates and bending between screw points.
 
Hmmmm...:huh: I didn't have any problem putting mine together...:dunno:



Oh, I forgot.:doh: I got mine on sale from Woodpeckers...:rolleyes:

..................


Yeah but do you actually use it Greg, that thing looks like it just came out of the box ;) :D

I've got to get around to building one myself, thanks for the walk through Vaughn! :wave:
 
"I've got to get around to building one myself, thanks() Vaughn!"

Yeah, geez, now we all have to build one! ;) I spent a good hour yesterday looking at drill press table plans! I can't for the life of me figure out why you'd want a split fence? And I think it's unlikely I'd want to incorporate dust collection. And I cannot, no matter how much I stare and fiddle, figure out how my table tilts. I know it must, because there's a degree scale where the arm pivots. But there's no knob that would loosen the durn thing. There's one that lets me change the height, there's one that lets me remove the table, and that's it!

I *know* there's a way. It's very frustrating. My father was right: if brains were dynamite, I couldn't blow my nose! ;)

Thanks,

Bill
 
On some better drill presses, there is a locking handle under the table, but most have just a large nut or bolt, that you loosen and then tilt the table, then tighten.

FYI :wave:
 
Good one Vaughn. Provided my required laugh of the day. Looks like it turned out pretty well, despite the cockpit errors...I particularly like your artistic use of contrasting woods.
 
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