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A laser guide would sure be handy for my current drill press project. Anybody use one like this: http://www.amazon.com/Drill-Press-Laser ... B001COR8G2

Best,
Tom

tomsalwasser wrote:A laser guide would sure be handy for my current drill press project. Anybody use one like this: http://www.amazon.com/Drill-Press-Laser ... B001COR8G2

Best,
Tom

My floor model came with one built in, but my table model has one just like that. As long as you set them up correctly they work great.

I haven't tried this one, but have put an 'aftermarket' laser guide on both my Delta drill press and my Bosch 12" compound miter saw (neither laser was inexpensive). Both lasted maybe a week before the vibration uncalibrated them. The problem is you either spend time before each drill checking the accuracy or waste a drill or cut in almost the right place. I no longer depend on them and will only rely on a guide that the manufacturer builds in and warrantees for accuracy.

Forrest

tomsalwasser wrote:A laser guide would sure be handy for my current drill press project. Anybody use one like this: http://www.amazon.com/Drill-Press-Laser ... B001COR8G2

Best,
Tom

Tom,
I don't use a laser although I have been tempted to try the Bushnell Bore Sighting tool. I do use a center finder/edge finder tool from General after using a optical punch to mark the center of the hole I want to drill.
ldh

I bought one from woodcraft for my Delta table drill press. It would not stay calibarated and I just had to stop using it. Instead now I use a punch to mark the location and then use brad point bits so I can get a dead on hole.

Been tempted to give one of these a try.
http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=2604

Friend has a drill press that came with a laser. Sounded neat, wasn't.

Problem #1 is trying to get it lined up. Not as easy as it sounds! Especially for the full length of travel. In fact, we've never gotten it perfectly aligned.

Problem #2 is seeing it. As the bit travels down to the piece, it blocks the lasers. The bigger the bit, the further away from the piece it starts blockign the lasers.

Problem #3 is forgetting to turn it off. Then the batteries die and it doesn't work. Which actually may not be a problem after all.

Thanks for all the great advice. It sounds like the after market laser guides are not going to make anybody happy. I think the center punch and brad point bit are about as good as it gets. I couldn't find a 31/64 brad point bit that my tee-nut called for. I did find a regular drill bit at the hardware store in that size. Fortunately I have a margin for error side to side on the location of the hole. By placing the work pieces against the fence I get an exact location in that (up and down) dimension, which has more exacting requirements. It is a joy using the SS drill press.

tomsalwasser wrote:Thanks for all the great advice. It sounds like the after market laser guides are not going to make anybody happy. I think the center punch and brad point bit are about as good as it gets. I couldn't find a 31/64 brad point bit that my tee-nut called for. I did find a regular drill bit at the hardware store in that size. Fortunately I have a margin for error side to side on the location of the hole. By placing the work pieces against the fence I get an exact location in that (up and down) dimension, which has more exacting requirements. It is a joy using the SS drill press.

I do wish that I could come and watch you at the drill press for a while. You obviously have something going for you that I could learn from. I am not doing that well with this particular operation. However, I am doing some work in aluminum (not wood work). I have had to tighten tolerences for this job and not doing too well holding those tolerances. A machine shop this is not.

dusty wrote:I do wish that I could come and watch you at the drill press for a while. You obviously have something going for you that I could learn from. I am not doing that well with this particular operation. However, I am doing some work in aluminum (not wood work). I have had to tighten tolerences for this job and not doing too well holding those tolerances. A machine shop this is not.

Guess that's why I enjoy woodworking so much. I am fascinated by the tolerances employed in firearms. The precision and the operation when fired. With wood, when it wiggles a little, I just explain that I have allowed for moisture expansion, or it is to entertain the children with noise.
As for the drill press, a center punch or a small starter hole have always resulted in satisfactory work.