Drill Press Table

[teetomterrific]

What is the purpose of this, Thomas? It looks ready for space flight

It is a T-slot table giving you more clamping/hold down flexibility and the ability to precisely move the work piece by moving the table on linear bearings with ball screws instead of moving the work on the table itself. it will move 200mm in either direction on the x axis side to side, and 100mm forward on the y axis. Backward on the y axis there is only about 20mm of travel until you hit the post. The digital read outs will allow you to dial in the movement in precisely a desired increment, mm or inches. The fence can also be re-positioned if 100mm on the y axis is not enough movement forward but for the most part it can stay in one place since the table can move.

I'm mostly finished with the design and have sourced most of the parts. I should be able to start building it sometime next week. Not shown on the drawing are knobs to hold the bearings in place after moving the table.

[Bill Holt]

mechanism for raising and lowering the table is very sloppy.

Removing the sloppy travel (at least most of it) is very simple.  Put a hose clamp around the column and the travel guide.  I guess if you are real serious about removing the sloppy travel you could use hose clamps above and below the table.

[teetomterrific]

mechanism for raising and lowering the table is very sloppy.

Removing the sloppy travel (at least most of it) is very simple.  Put a hose clamp around the column and the travel guide.  I guess if you are real serious about removing the sloppy travel you could use hose clamps above and below the table.

The travel guide isn't moving. it is the gap size of the slot for the travel guide that is too large which allows the side to side movement.

[museumguy]

I got the Rockler table for free when I bought a floor model, 17" Jet drill press. I like it a lot. I did make a flat fence for it to compliment the tall fence that came with it. I can tahe pics in 2 weeks when I get home if interested.

[MarkSingleton]

It is a T-slot table giving you more clamping/hold down flexibility and the ability to precisely move the work piece by moving the table on linear bearings with ball screws instead of moving the work on the table itself. it will move 200mm in either direction on the x axis side to side, and 100mm forward on the y axis. Backward on the y axis there is only about 20mm of travel until you hit the post. The digital read outs will allow you to dial in the movement in precisely a desired increment, mm or inches. The fence can also be re-positioned if 100mm on the y axis is not enough movement forward but for the most part it can stay in one place since the table can move.

I'm mostly finished with the design and have sourced most of the parts. I should be able to start building it sometime next week. Not shown on the drawing are knobs to hold the bearings in place after moving the table.

  Good thread Derek!!  The only thing that jumped out from your description was your
describing your "usual clumsy fashion."   None of your work looks clumsy in the slightest!


  And to teetom.......... Post some pics of your DP table build. The design is very cool!

[teetomterrific]

  Good thread Derek!!  The only thing that jumped out from your description was your
describing your "usual clumsy fashion."   None of your work looks clumsy in the slightest!


  And to teetom.......... Post some pics of your DP table build. The design is very cool!

Mark I will, but I'll be sure to make it a new thread so I don't further hijack Derek's awesome table.

[Juss1]

Here is a nice but pricey dp table.  Looks like idea for both wood and metal working.  Also review from a guy using it on his nova dp.

https://ruwi.de/produkte/clamping-plate/?lang=en

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5untPWaHIg&t=592s

[teetomterrific]

Here is a nice but pricey dp table.  Looks like idea for both wood and metal working.  Also review from a guy using it on his nova dp.

https://ruwi.de/produkte/clamping-plate/?lang=en

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5untPWaHIg&t=592s

Nice ideas. I'm very interested in some of those clamps. I also like the idea of the table extensions.

[Derek Cohen]

I replaced the Nova chuck (which is actually a cheapish Chinese-made keyed chuck), with a 13mm keyless Albrecht clone I have used for several years. I had good results with this in my previous drill press, and was wondering whether to upgrade it or not. Consequently, I ran some run out tests for it.

Set up ...



I used a 1/4" shank carbide router bit as the test piece. This was a one-time test, so I may have had better results from another router bit, or from re-positioning it. It is what it is ...



Results ...



This reads 0.045mm run out. That is 0.0017" run out. Is that good or bad?

My understanding is: there is run out that may occur with the spindle, then there is run out that will occur at the chuck and quill (which could also be measured separately), and finally there is the run out measured at the bit. The results here are a total of all these together. It was mentioned to me that around 5 thousands of an inch would be acceptable. I have 1 thousand inch.

The other item I attended to was to add a Wixey laser guide ...



It tucks aware and is quite unobtrusive ...



It leaves a nice, clean line ...



... but it is a little wider than expected. The jury is out whether it is just a gimmick, or whether it will prove to be useful.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Tony Z]

The travel guide isn't moving. it is the gap size of the slot for the travel guide that is too large which allows the side to side movement.

Without a picture of the slot, wouldn't a piece of thin brass/bronze flat stock be able to fill that void? Would also be able to bend a 90 degree tab on the top to keep it in place. But, as I said, without a picture, I'm speculating.