Laser Drill Press Guide

ryanbp01 · Post by **ryanbp01** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 11:07 am

Peachtree woodworking has a laser guide on sale thu the 14th. I am very tempted to purchase it. My question is how could this be adapted to be used on a Shopsmith?

BPR

terrydowning · Post by **terrydowning** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 12:11 pm

ryanbp01 wrote:Peachtree woodworking has a laser guide on sale thu the 14th. I am very tempted to purchase it. My question is how could this be adapted to be used on a Shopsmith?

BPR

If you mean tis one
http://www.ptreeusa.com/drillPress_Acc.htm
Scroll down about half way. I have no real clue, but i'm sure the ingenious people on this forum could engineer something.

It seems like the constant adjustment every time the table height changes might become a hassle though. (I just some reads complaints regarding this "Feature" online.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 12:41 pm

ryanbp01 wrote:Peachtree woodworking has a laser guide on sale thu the 14th. I am very tempted to purchase it. My question is how could this be adapted to be used on a Shopsmith?

BPR

You are kidding, aren't you? Or maybe you are giving up woodworking to become a precision machine operator.

I'm sorry, but a laser guided drill press is NOT FOR ME nor is a laser guided table saw..

Now I wish I could position every hole I drill like it was precision guided but that is part of the thrill. I puff up like a banty rooster when I drill a series of holes and they all match up like they are suppose to but the thrill would be gone if it was all done mechanically.

Fence settings, guide blocks and stop blocks is where it is at.

michaeltoc · Post by **michaeltoc** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 12:52 pm

It would seem to be very useful, but since it cannot be permanently mounted on the Mark V it would need to be adjusted/calibrated each time you go into drill press mode. Unless you are drilling a lot of holes with one setup, it may be more efficient to just spend the extra few seconds to ensure the drill bit is on its mark. Most of my drilling uses the fence, and it's not that difficult to accurately locate the drill in that situation. Also, some type of adapter would be needed as the way tubes are much smaller than 4"

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:14 pm

michaeltoc wrote:It would seem to be very useful, but since it cannot be permanently mounted on the Mark V it would need to be adjusted/calibrated each time you go into drill press mode. Unless you are drilling a lot of holes with one setup, it may be more efficient to just spend the extra few seconds to ensure the drill bit is on its mark. Most of my drilling uses the fence, and it's not that difficult to accurately locate the drill in that situation. Also, some type of adapter would be needed as the way tubes are much smaller than 4"

I don't mean to say that it does not work. I am sure that it does or at least there is a good chance that it does. It is just not for me. Sorta like some guys cut dovetails by hand. Now I would like to believe I am that good but I have cut a few dove tails and I know better. Besides, my router does a great job.

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 2:49 pm

Perhaps it could be mounted to one of the two way tubes on the Shopsmith or you might need to make some sort of mount that you would clamp between the two tubes. Either way, as was mentioned by Michael, you'd need to constantly remove it and then readjust it before using it again.

On a conventional drill press, once adjusted properly, it would assist in accurately drilling holes centered on marks on you stock. Whether you need that kind of precision depends on what you're doing, I'd guess. If it was priced like those Chinese-made tachometers, perhaps I'd but one to play around with.

garys · Post by **garys** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 3:07 pm

I'm sure with some creativity, it could be mounted to the Shopsmith. I've never had a drill press with a laser guide, but I have a metalworking chopsaw with one. The laser is more of a PITA and annoyance than something useful. I never use it. It is easier to line my cuts up with the blade than to line them up with the laser.

terrydowning · Post by **terrydowning** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 3:21 pm

From what I have read about these online. The lasers need to be re-adjusted/re-calibrated whenever the table height changes.

Which makes sense because you are essentially creating a 3 sided pyramid and this geometry changes each time the height of the table changes.

Seems like a lot of hassle for other than a repetitive production setup.

And stand alone users gripe about SS changeover/setup times...

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 3:46 pm

Hey look at this way you if you buy it and it becomes a pain in the butt you have two lasers to tease the cat with.

foxtrapper · Post by **foxtrapper** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:43 am

Friend has one. What a pain to use. Oh, it's easy to get the intersection line close. But getting it spot on, all but impossible. And if you do get it, then you'll bump it and knock it off. And then you forget to turn the lasers off and run the batteries dead.

In use, once the bit gets close to the wood, it blocks the lasers. So you're still doing the final guide in by hand, looking at where the bit actually touched the wood and where the little mark is left.

Neat sounding, but haven't found it to work worth a darn on drill presses.