Dedicated Drill Press

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edma194
Platinum Member
Posts: 1874
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:08 pm

Re: Dedicated Drill Press

Post by edma194 »

Very nice machine. Can it tap? I'd love that right now.
Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
edma194
Platinum Member
Posts: 1874
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:08 pm

Re: Dedicated Drill Press

Post by edma194 »

Trying the picture again.

Aluminum castings are painted. Legs have rust touched up. Headstock is from 510. Picture taken after drilling lock plates for Sawsmith table saw.
Attachments
Drill Press
Drill Press
drillpress.jpg (327.12 KiB) Viewed 2498 times
Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
edma194
Platinum Member
Posts: 1874
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:08 pm

Re: Dedicated Drill Press

Post by edma194 »

Following up on this project with some changes to the table.

500 tables in Drill Press Mode need additional support. I started with the simplest approach by using the extension table as a table support as shown in the picture above. This makes it hard to adjust the table position forward and back using the Table Height Adjustment because the table trunnions interfere with the wide top of the extension table. To adjust the table position you have to lower the extension table then move the table into place, then raise the extension table again until it stops against something. And then you have to re-level the table if you want your holes to be vertical.

To take care of this I pulled the legs from the extension table by heating the aluminum table bracket with a heat gun and knocking the tubes out. I then drilled through both tubes and joined them with a piece of 5/8" threaded rod. 5/8" rod was the ideal size to use because I already had some.

At the top of the tubes I inserted Load Transfer Ball Bearings. These came from Amazon, $16.99/dozen. The bearing bodies are supported on top of the tubes by their own flange but the diameter of the bearing body under the flange is slightly less than the inside diameter of the extension tubes so I wrapped electrical tape around them until they fit snugly in the tubes.

Then I added two blocks of 1" HDPE under the table top to fit into the recessed of the underside. The blocks were slotted to fit with the table stiffeners cast into the underside. 1" HDPE was the ideal material to use because I already had some. It's old and picked up some stains but still smooth. The blocks are attached with wood screws driven through countersunk holes on the top.

Once I raise the extension tubes and level the table it can be moved forward and back and the HDPE blocks will slide over the transfer bearings and the table stays level. The blocks are long enough to allow the full range of forward and back table movement.

Finally I moved the Table Height Adjustment lever and lock to the right side so the lever won't interfere with the table or fence. I still have to move the Carriage Lock to the right side because it's where I keep reaching for first.

I still have to do a big leg swap among the machines, and a bunch of cleaning and touch up paint scratches, but I'm using the drill press a lot for wood, metal, and plastic and these changes have just made it better. I'm heading toward using it for routing and light machining as well.

Here are the table support tubes in position with bearings on top up against the HDPE blocks:
table support.jpg
table support.jpg (134.84 KiB) Viewed 1119 times
The table top and the HDPE blocks underneath:
table top.jpg
table top.jpg (195.72 KiB) Viewed 1119 times
HDPE blocks.jpg
HDPE blocks.jpg (188.62 KiB) Viewed 1119 times
Load transfer bearing top and side view:
transfer bearing top.jpg
transfer bearing top.jpg (64.1 KiB) Viewed 1119 times
transfer bearing side.jpg
transfer bearing side.jpg (76.62 KiB) Viewed 1119 times
Finally, the Table Height lock and lever on the right hand side:
table adjust handle.jpg
table adjust handle.jpg (53.26 KiB) Viewed 1119 times
Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
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