Drill Press Table Questions

Darren Wright

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So I'm looking to build a drill press table. I was looking a the woodpecker's track set (http://www.woodpeck.com/dptrackkit.html), and know some of you either have their discontinued plywood table or have bought the track. Is the track worth the extra coin or would I be ok with just using regular T slot track for half the price?

What features do you have on your table and what things do I need to consider while building? I've seen some that have a hinged top and can angle front to back in combination with the DP table's tilt, which I'm considering. Will have a replaceable (sacrificial) center plate also.

I also noticed a lot of the tables have Formica tops, is this for oil resistance?
 
I don't have a pic of mine, but it is just a 2" thick scrap piece of partical board with a formica top. I put in some t track to hold the fence on and use hold downs, but the tracks are to far away from the bit to do much good :doh:. I also routed out a 3" swath under the quill so I can swap out 1/4" hardboard strips when they get worn. I only have a 10" tabletop and don't use my drill press for much so I don't see the need for the woodpeckers track setup you linked to...but I remember quite a few members here that have it and like it.
 
I don't have a pic of mine, but it is just a 2" thick scrap piece of partical board with a formica top. I put in some t track to hold the fence on and use hold downs, but the tracks are to far away from the bit to do much good :doh:. I also routed out a 3" swath under the quill so I can swap out 1/4" hardboard strips when they get worn. I only have a 10" tabletop and don't use my drill press for much so I don't see the need for the woodpeckers track setup you linked to...but I remember quite a few members here that have it and like it.

Thanks Jeff, yeah I wonder how much anyone actually uses the tracks and how, so just wondering if it's worth spending double for it.
 
I built a drill press table from a Wood Magazine plan many years ago. It called for some "mini-track" that required grinding the edges off of some 3/8" carriage bolts to fit. The fence lockdowns ride in the tracks so you can lock it into position. I've used the tracks to hold small pieces but it's been years since I've done that. If I were doing it all over again, I'd use the t-tracks from Rockler that I've used for a lot of jigs, etc.
 
Here's the one I have now, it replaced on that just had the tracks, this one has that crank to raise/lower the table. I use those T tracks all the time (for woodwork) to hold the fence as well as the workpiece on occasion. This one has the clamp slots to allow a clamp to fit through it (the old one didn't). This one (a recent plan from Shop Notes) has the replaceable center made so you can rotate it around, making it last longer. The jury is still out on this design, as far as I'm concerned. That crank is handy as all get out, but it's can be a headache to remove the table if you want to drill some metal (that was what I had always did before). I would love to have a tilt feature as well. If I replace this one, it will be with one that has it.

DPtable_zpsc52e1ede.jpg
 
i have a formica covered top with regular t tracks which i use for hold downs and the fence.. one thing i didnt do but suggest you or anyone else does is make sure your table and fence can go as far back as the main pipe of the drill press to get maximum use of the space.. mine didnt and i have had to do some fancy foot work to do the drilling .. i would also suggest a taller fence than the 1" high ones that wood pecker shows for the type of work i do i like to have more support and clamping possibilities..
 
DPtable finished.jpg

This is mine which I made from a set of plans I found online. If I can find them again, I'll tell you where. If I need to clamp things, I generally clamp them to the fence, which is nice and tall. I am going to get a pair of hold downs from LV, so I can actually use the T-track at the front.
 
A to whether that track set or another will be best is up to you. The set you show is missing a set of tracks IMHO as I find four sets to be the minimum. I have even built fixtures to allow even more clamping versatility. Going to only two tracks now would not be real workable for me. I have the old style Woodpecker table: http://familywoodworking.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8522&d=1178998645

Things I find important are:

- The fence being functional clear back to the post so that you don't loose much of your capacity.
- A set of tracks for the fence with measuring tapes for quick positioning.
- An additional closer set of tracks for holddowns.
- An insert that is round or off-center so that you can use multiple areas on it before replacing.
- A fence (I have three different ones for various tasks) that takes stops.
- A fence that is split to allow chuck clearance at close quarters and allows dust collection near the action.

The set you show has the measuring marks fixed tot he track. As long as you left them adjustable in case of an alignment issue, that would be fine. Mine are inserts but, once I had things where I wanted them I put a drop of CA glue at one end to hold them fast. They have stayed aligned for years.
 
I went from this
003.jpg

To this
IMG_20130703_195425.jpg

I find that a table takes up too much valuable space. If I really need to use a fence then I just clamp a board to the table.
 
My DP table was a gift from Glenn years ago. It is a Rockler with modifications.

In the pic from the operator position shows 4 tracks. Originally there were only two. They were too far apart for a heck of a lot of hold down ideas. Glenn and I (Glenn worked, I watched) added the other two tracks. Someday I am going to add two more tracks right up against the inserts.

Yes, I said insertS. The original, rectangular, insert was a joke because you could only move it by reversing it. Therefore you had big insert with only two places the bits would hit it---switch it end for end. Heck, if you turned it over the bit just his the same two holes or very near them.

Anyway, by cutting the insert in half I ended up with two squares. Each square provided 4 bit contact areas without turning them over. So instead of two bit contact points, I have 8.

Anyway, back to tracks. I would also like a track running from side to side on the operator side of the bit contact spot.

I have made a bunch of oak hold downs with different lengths and elevations. This is working, however more slots would be better.

The saw kerf did not show up well where I cut the insert in half so I ran a black Sharpie across so you could get an idea about how it works. The part of the insert under the fence is just a mirror image of what you see on this side of the fence.

The pic of the back was sort of for the heck of it; in case anyone was curious.

A long time ago I did a thread that showed pics of the various hold downs I had made. I have more now.

That was pretty windy. However, I was just trying to point out that you are going to keep doing different things, so the more track you have, the happier you will be.
You do have to keep in mind that track screwed to MDF only allows you to tighten hold downs a limited amount or you pull the track up out of the slot. I will add I have never found this to be a problem.

Oh yes, I do prefer the track that is open on the end towards the operator even though Tee bolts can be put into the blind ended tracks. A space large enough to put the Tee bolt head into was routed for each blind end track. However, these tend to get filled with shavings and the vacuum needs to be used.

YES, you do want the fence to be able to go back as far as possible. DAMHIKT. The Rockler fence moves fore and aft using slots through the table itself instead of Tee track. However that means that the slots can only go back so far or you will make the back of the table too weak.

I use my Tee track hold downs almost all of the time. Once I had a very exciting time when a piece of wood rode up on the bit and played like an airplane propeller. When the Tee track slots are there it is easy to slip in a hold down almost every time. It is not so easy when there are no tracks and it is easier to just muscle it "This one time."

Enjoy,
JimB
 
My DP table isn't fancy. It has 2 tracks for the fence & for clamping. It has no insert in the table because I can drill just about anywhere on the table by moving the head in or out & swiveling it. I can also drill angled holes which has comes in very handy on occasion. I just use a piece of scrap to drill through into.
 

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I appreciate everyone's input so far. I've just used the steel table so far, the vice usually stays on top, but not bolted down with one or two pieces of scrap wood clamped in it. With the high chair project I'm going to have to do some repeatable holes and compound angles, so thought it would be a good time to look at an upgrade.
 
Bookmarked this and Vaughns post its high time i tackled this too since i got the new dp.

Fred you got a great idea there for your dp draws.
I am presuming your dp is floor mount if so can cabinet rotate out the way on the main post ?

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 
one thing i think you need to try and do darren is make a cut out in the back bigger than what your sketchup pic shows so you can get max use of the depth of center..from pole to chuck center.
 
Rob, that cabinet was another Shop Notes design. It has a set of wheels but they are on a straight axles, so it only pulls straight out. Of course, then you can maneuver it around. That covers the mobile base the DP itself sits on, the Shop Notes version had a shop built base, but mine ( a Shop Fox universal) was already on this one, so I worked around it. I love that cabinet, first time I have ever had all my DP accessories next to the DP.
 
I do NOT use nor do I want a DP table.

WHY?

This is TOTALLY ** unpopular ** (and NOT the politically correct answer) - BUT >>

I have a newer model of the same dp. I use my dp table now that I've made it, and I switch out inserts from time to time. Still, he makes some very good points. I also made a bandsaw table, and sometimes I've removed it and used the fence I made for the stock table to make cuts. It's not always helpful.
 
one thing i think you need to try and do darren is make a cut out in the back bigger than what your sketchup pic shows so you can get max use of the depth of center..from pole to chuck center.

To Larry's point, here's a shot of mine and something I'm doing right now:

DP WP Table (3).jpg . DP WP Table (4).jpg

I'll state again that the split fence is a must for me. I also wish it would have come with an off-center round insert. Even though I mounted the square insert off-center, I still only get four corners of use out of it. A round one would allow better.

I could even have mounted the table back farther but, I judged the position by when the fence hit the post. I have no trouble reaching the controls but, my DP is not sitting on my bench and backed up against a wall. If it were, or becomes so, I would have a different situation. The raising and lowering are not a problem with my table. It also swings easily to the side for tall work and gives me a reliably perpendicular place to clamp my work. The table I got dad is larger and heavier and does cause some issues when going up and down. I'm working on talking him into letting me hack it down but, so far, no dice.



I do NOT use nor do I want a DP table.

WHY?

This is TOTALLY ** unpopular ** (and NOT the politically correct answer) - BUT >>

For all the same reasons as :

Unpopular or not, this is just evidence that we all work differently. I did cringe though when I saw him take after that piece of stock while just holding it with his hand :eek:. If my DP decided to go into 'propeller mode', nothing human is going to be able to hold onto the stock. Like most "accidents" these things happen faster than you think.
 
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