The Drill Bit

[Jerry]

Just in case there is some of you that do not have this addition added to your drill-press, I suggest that you spend a couple of hours in the shop brewing up this most handy of accessories for your drill-press. Once in place, you will wonder how you did without this drill-press tray. I initially built the tray without sides, and in short order added the rim to keep the various drill-bits and what not from falling on the floor. If I was to build my drill-press tray over again, I would make the arm a little longer, to position the tray further out from the drill-press. Still, I am more than happy with my drill-press tray, after using it for a number of years.

[Carld]

Nice idea and well done.

[Michael Edwards]

I like it, makes more sense than using the table of the bandsaw sitting next to the drill like I do. Interesting, I use the same two cutting fluids.


me

[Alistair Hosie]

Hi how is the coller support fitted to the drill column?Alistair

[Black_Moons]

By the look of things, the hard (heavy) way, of removing the drill press head and slideing it onto the collumn

[Jerry]

That is correct, I removed the head and positioned the collar in place on the column. It was simple to do, as the drill-press head was not all that heavy. Actually, another way of making the collar, would be to turn the collar to size in your lathe, and then weld or silver-solder lugs spaced 180 degrees apart on the collar (drill and bolt the lugs together for alignment, before welding them in place on the collar) and then split the collar in half between the lugs. At that point it would be as simple as placing the collar around the drill-press column and with the correct spacers in place between the lugs, this would allow for free movement of the collar on the column.

[George Hodge]

I asked a truck shop to save me an old crankshaft connecting rod to do the same thing.Had to shim the big end with a piece of belting.

[Scishopguy]

Nice addition! That DP looks like my 12 speed HF that I bought back in the early 80's. It has been a great machine and is still going strong. I will have to make one of these trays to "buy me some bench space."

Thanks for the idea,

[Jerry]

Nice addition! That DP looks like my 12 speed HF that I bought back in the early 80's. It has been a great machine and is still going strong. I will have to make one of these trays to "buy me some bench space."

Thanks for the idea,

Thanks, I have owned this drill press since the 80's and the name on it says "Rexon". I had to look at the name tag to be sure, and was surprised to see it actually was built in Taiwan, how times have changed. I bought this drill-press from "Thomas Skinner & Son Ltd." in Vancouver. The quality of this particular machine is quite decent. I also have another worth-while mod that I did to this drill-press some years back that I posted on before, and that is a gear-head motor driving the table instead of the crank.

[Scishopguy]

Jerry...Wow! That is some neat power table lift! The head looks identical but my DP is a table model. It has the same tilt mechanism and table. The knobs were the only cheap out on the one I got. You know, the knobs were just a bolt with a plastic head cast on it. They work but make it look like a real cheap setup. The machine cost me $169 delivered and I could not even buy a sheet metal special at Sears for twice that but the cast iron was really good and the machining was top notch. The quality varried on those machines from brand to brand so I guess we got lucky.

[gary hart]

Jerry, nice table.
I find another table that has worked out good, mostly in helping clean up as it catches lots of the mess from drilling. The table has a collar on the column and two posts attached to bottom of the drill press table. This swivels and goes up and down with the drill press table.
Anothe nice addition is a foot switch. Hard to see in the picture but is attached to base on the lower right side. Drill press in mounted on skate board wheels so can get behind for cleaning.

[Jerry]

Jerry, nice table.
I find another table that has worked out good, mostly in helping clean up as it catches lots of the mess from drilling. The table has a collar on the column and two posts attached to bottom of the drill press table. This swivels and goes up and down with the drill press table.
Anothe nice addition is a foot switch. Hard to see in the picture but is attached to base on the lower right side. Drill press in mounted on skate board wheels so can get behind for cleaning.

It's cool to see what other people have done and also discover more great ideas.

[BobWarfield]

Very nice idea Jerry!

I like adding storage to the machine itself, and there have been some great ideas over the years on this and other forums.

A variation I use on my mill is to use the little magnetic trays you can get to stick on the side of your toolbox. They will stick to any flat surface and can provide a little extra storage where it's needed.

I also have one of those triangular welder's magnets stuck near every spindle or tailstock that may sprout a drill chuck in the shop. The chuck key goes onto the magnet whenever the chuck is mounted and then back in the chuck jaws once it is removed.

Best,

BW

PS If you guys have never followed Jerry's signature line link to see his web site, you're missing out. Some gorgeous photo work there.

[Jerry]

Very nice idea Jerry!

I like adding storage to the machine itself, and there have been some great ideas over the years on this and other forums.

A variation I use on my mill is to use the little magnetic trays you can get to stick on the side of your toolbox. They will stick to any flat surface and can provide a little extra storage where it's needed.

I also have one of those triangular welder's magnets stuck near every spindle or tailstock that may sprout a drill chuck in the shop. The chuck key goes onto the magnet whenever the chuck is mounted and then back in the chuck jaws once it is removed.

Best,

BW

PS If you guys have never followed Jerry's signature line link to see his web site, you're missing out. Some gorgeous photo work there.

Thanks Bob, I like your idea for the chuck-key, as I spend a big part of the time in my shop looking for many that I own.
Years ago, I adopted a means of storing the related accessories for each of my machine tools. This is a series of wall cabinets that reside beside each machine tool,(I have 7 of these cabinets) made by Beach that have proven to be the ticket in my shop.
PS The cabinet is in the proper place, I'm left-handed