Drill press depth adjustment

[Phil Thien]

IMO, the depth stop on the walker turner DP is far superior to the rotating collar setup shown on those imports.

I guess I'm the loan dissenter but I really prefer the turret style depth stop.

[Rich Bygness]

I recently bought a Grizzly model G7946 radial drill press. While I like the adjustability of the headstock, etc, I very much dislike the depth stop. you have to lock two nuts together to set the depth, and it is very imprecise. I would like to get a Delta depth stop assembly with locking nuts. It is one round threaded nut and above it a cone shaped upper nut that slides down the stop rod and locks it in place. Does anyone know where I can buy the complete depth stop assembly? I have used this type on a friend's old Delta and I found it easy to adjust and very accurate, but can't seem to find one online. Any help would be appreciated!

[ray hampton]

I recently bought a Grizzly model G7946 radial drill press. While I like the adjustability of the headstock, etc, I very much dislike the depth stop. you have to lock two nuts together to set the depth, and it is very imprecise. I would like to get a Delta depth stop assembly with locking nuts. It is one round threaded nut and above it a cone shaped upper nut that slides down the stop rod and locks it in place. Does anyone know where I can buy the complete depth stop assembly? I have used this type on a friend's old Delta and I found it easy to adjust and very accurate, but can't seem to find one online. Any help would be appreciated!

Instead of two nuts that lock , will a nut with a nylon insert work on the stop

[glenn bradley]

Instead of two nuts that lock , will a nut with a nylon insert work on the stop

If you are referring to a lock nut, yes it will work until the nylon/plastic wears out. Those nuts have a finite duty cycle ;-)

[John Coloccia]

re: quill locks

It's funny. Some time ago I complained that nothing comes with a real quill lock anymore, in particular the DP we happened to be talking about. At least not anything less than a big Clausing or something like that. I got a PM from someone saying that they worked for so-and-so a company (a popular woodworking tool company we all know), and the "quill lock" design they use is same kind of mechanism used on Bridgeport mills. Yah, the DEPTH STOP is similar to a Bridgeport, and a million other drill presses for that matter, but it's not a quill lock. Yes, technically you can snug up the nuts on both sides and hold the quill in one position, but a quill lock clamps down on the quill and prevents any movement whatsoever, including vibration. Very useful not just for setup work, but also when running something like a drum sander. Just try and mill something on a Bridgeport just using the depth stop without engaging the actual QUILL LOCK. Good luck. Makes me think that the engineers designing these things have collectively forgotten how to design a decent drill press, hence split heads and quill locks have all but disappeared. Instead, they concentrate on nonsense like part trays, lasers, built in lights and other garbage that has absolutely nothing to do with a functional drill press.

My drill press has the depth stop collar thing on it. I know some people like it, but I find it to be the most incredibly annoying thing to use. Number one, it's on the wrong side of the drill press and it's hard to get to because the spokes are in the way. Just how are you supposed to conveniently set this thing with your arms crossing your body, completely blocking your view of the work and forcing you to contort yourself to avoid the spokes? Then they put this stupid little set screw on it that is again very difficult to get to, and sometimes practically impossible because a spoke just happens to end up in just the wrong place. I find the screw is always getting stuck too. If I tighten it enough that it doesn't move, I have a heck of a time getting it back off. You can't "fine adjust" the design in any way...you have to hold the quill in the exact position with one hand and fumble with the twisty thing with the other hand. The design is an absolute abomination and shows a complete and utter lack of ANY actual drill press design knowledge beyond "Move this turning thingamabobber up and down, and make sure there's at least a couple of lights on it". I don't understand how manufacturers could possibly be so detached from the actual use of their products that they can come up with stuff like this. It would be 10 times better if it were at least on opposite side of the drill press. At least then it would be somewhat ergonomic and comfortable to use, and though I still like the traditional method better then it would just be a matter of my personal taste vs. a terrible design.

It's also interesting to note how many traditional depth stops have the nuts on the same side of the rod. Not only does that mean that you can't hold the quill in the down position at all on newer designs, but you also loose the ability to fine adjust the position by setting the bottom nut and then snugging up the top nut (not a big deal, but convenient and an easy mod if you want). In addition, when you try to lock the jam nut you ALWAYS turn the other nut on the new designs because, you know, that's what happens when you turn one metal thing against another metal thing. You get friction, and it makes it seriously frustrating to do such a simple task as set the depth stop. The older designs were designed for this...a little washer with anti-rotation features between the nuts. The newer ones are just two flat nuts half the time and it doesn't work well. I had a DP like that once and the first thing I did before I even turned it on is I took the mechanism apart and put the nuts where the belong. I really like the design on the new Delta with those quick release nuts. Too bad it's not a split head and has no quill lock...LOL.

It's interesting to note in the OP's pictures that all of the DPs with this stupid rotary depth stop design, even the older one, are also missing a split head and a quill lock. No surprises here.

[Brad Patch]

re: quill locks

It's funny. Some time ago I complained that nothing comes with a real quill lock anymore, in particular the DP we happened to be talking about. At least not anything less than a big Clausing or something like that. I got a PM from someone saying that they worked for so-and-so a company (a popular woodworking tool company we all know), and the "quill lock" design they use is same kind of mechanism used on Bridgeport mills. Yah, the DEPTH STOP is similar to a Bridgeport, and a million other drill presses for that matter, but it's not a quill lock. Yes, technically you can snug up the nuts on both sides and hold the quill in one position, but a quill lock clamps down on the quill and prevents any movement whatsoever, including vibration. Very useful not just for setup work, but also when running something like a drum sander. Just try and mill something on a Bridgeport just using the depth stop without engaging the actual QUILL LOCK. Good luck. Makes me think that the engineers designing these things have collectively forgotten how to design a decent drill press, hence split heads and quill locks have all but disappeared. Instead, they concentrate on nonsense like part trays, lasers, built in lights and other garbage that has absolutely nothing to do with a functional drill press.

My drill press has the depth stop collar thing on it. I know some people like it, but I find it to be the most incredibly annoying thing to use. Number one, it's on the wrong side of the drill press and it's hard to get to because the spokes are in the way. Just how are you supposed to conveniently set this thing with your arms crossing your body, completely blocking your view of the work and forcing you to contort yourself to avoid the spokes? Then they put this stupid little set screw on it that is again very difficult to get to, and sometimes practically impossible because a spoke just happens to end up in just the wrong place. I find the screw is always getting stuck too. If I tighten it enough that it doesn't move, I have a heck of a time getting it back off. You can't "fine adjust" the design in any way...you have to hold the quill in the exact position with one hand and fumble with the twisty thing with the other hand. The design is an absolute abomination and shows a complete and utter lack of ANY actual drill press design knowledge beyond "Move this turning thingamabobber up and down, and make sure there's at least a couple of lights on it". I don't understand how manufacturers could possibly be so detached from the actual use of their products that they can come up with stuff like this. It would be 10 times better if it were at least on opposite side of the drill press. At least then it would be somewhat ergonomic and comfortable to use, and though I still like the traditional method better then it would just be a matter of my personal taste vs. a terrible design.

It's also interesting to note how many traditional depth stops have the nuts on the same side of the rod. Not only does that mean that you can't hold the quill in the down position at all on newer designs, but you also loose the ability to fine adjust the position by setting the bottom nut and then snugging up the top nut (not a big deal, but convenient and an easy mod if you want). In addition, when you try to lock the jam nut you ALWAYS turn the other nut on the new designs because, you know, that's what happens when you turn one metal thing against another metal thing. You get friction, and it makes it seriously frustrating to do such a simple task as set the depth stop. The older designs were designed for this...a little washer with anti-rotation features between the nuts. The newer ones are just two flat nuts half the time and it doesn't work well. I had a DP like that once and the first thing I did before I even turned it on is I took the mechanism apart and put the nuts where the belong. I really like the design on the new Delta with those quick release nuts. Too bad it's not a split head and has no quill lock...LOL.

It's interesting to note in the OP's pictures that all of the DPs with this stupid rotary depth stop design, even the older one, are also missing a split head and a quill lock. No surprises here.

I agree with John and some others who are annoyed with adjusting depth stop by the use of two nuts. If ayone is familiar with the Old Woodworking Machines web site, OWWM.ORG there is an incrediably talented machinist who goes by FRANKS44 who made me a knurled brass bushing that is intended to replace the annoying nuts and can be secured with a thumbscrew or T Bolt. Now instead of fooling around turning two nuts up and down, I can adjust to the desired depth in seconds.

[Ole Anderson]

As much as we complain about Craftsman tools, often they seem to try to include features that are innovative or at least needed. That doesn't always work out, but in the case of my DP, it did. I was really skeptical about the skinny v-belt design that allowed 8 speeds with a single belt, but I used it in production for 15 years with only one belt change. They included on the machine a nice chart of belt position/speed along with recommended belt speeds for different drill sizes and materials. They included on the machine a tap thread and corresponding drill size chart. They included a real honest-to-goodness quill lock. The depth stop used a collar with a thumbscrew and a back up nut (which I eventually replaced using a allen head cap screw so i could use a 1/4" tee handle wrench on it). All it was missing was a crank for the table.

[Phil Thien]

I was really skeptical about the skinny v-belt design that allowed 8 speeds with a single belt, but I used it in production for 15 years with only one belt change.

Those pulleys look pretty finely machined.

That drill press also has quite a bit of quill travel, doesn't it?

Those are pretty neat drill presses.

[Michael Koenig]

I prefer the turret lock.
It is alot quicker and easier than the double nut.

[Rich Bygness]

Excuse my ignorance, but could you tell me exactly what a "turret lock" is? I have found on ebay a Depth Stop for Delta Drill Press 1/2"-10 TPI Hole It looks like a pair of nuts I used on a friend's Delta that I liked very much. It seemed very quick to set and kept it's depth very accurately. What I haven't been able to find is a threaded rod that is flat on two sides that I can be sure has the same TPI. If I can find both, I will try to install it on my Grizzly DP. Thanks for the help!

[Ronald Blue]

This is the Shopsmith Turret lock. Not a real clear photo but you can preset it or you can run it to the desired depth, lock the quill and then set the depth stop. Although there many who bad mouth the system and I agree the table saw leaves much to be desired it is very good at some other functions as has been previously mentioned.

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

One advantage to the "turret" lock is that besides controlling how far down the quill will go, you can rotate it around and control how far up the quill will go. There are times when this is very useful. This is very hard to do with the threaded rod stop, and I do have one of each.

[Rick Potter]

My Delta 17-925 (about 8 years old) has a quill lock, the depth stop has a speed nut which helps a lot, variable speed (reeves) with a two speed gearbox, and six inches of travel. Love it. One thing I would like to add is a second nut on the bottom of the stop. The only thing missing is a task light built in like my old Craftsman has.

Brad, maybe you can get a speed nut for yours at McMaster Carr?

Rick Potter

[Kevin Groenke]

My Wilton has a depth stop that clamps to the graduated depth stop rod: quick, easy, effective and robust.

P1020802.jpg



Our Delta at work has the threaded rod configuration. It came stock with the nuts that you have to spin up or down. We quickly replaced those with a "push button" depth stop commonly found on Bridgeport style milling machines (1/2"x20tpi thread). We had to replace the threaded rod to match the thread of the stop, but fortunately it was a simple matter of removing a couple nuts and putting in a piece of threaded rod with the correct pitch.


Another option is a "clamp-on" depth stop which can be handy on those occasions when you don't want the quill to retract all the way since you can put it above or below the piece that the stop "stops" against. Of course both of these types of stops can be found in a range of prices.



0950611-23.jpg
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Quick-Quill-Stop/G7316



0950610-23.jpg

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...&PARTPG=INLMK3


g9306.jpg
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Quill-Stop/G9306

[Rich Bygness]

I have a very, very old Shopsmith (circa 1954?) I got when I first started woodworking. I got it with the jointer, bandsaw, jigsaw, belt sander, etc. accessories. I had never used it as a drill press, but I can see how it works and it seems to be excellent for setting it as you described. Over the years I have acquired other "dedicated" power tools (jointer, table saw, miter saw, etc.) that the Shopsmith could be used for if I wanted to take the time to change the machine to the use needed. I have been amazed at the precision that each of the accessories seems to be. I still come back to the drill press issue for the Grizzly I recently acquired. I would still like to get the pair of thumb nut with the conical locking nut that slides down over it to lock it in place(you can see the pic on my previous post). I just want to be sure I can find the double flat sided threaded rod needed to make them work. Any recommendations for the best way to redesign my DP depth stop so it is easy to set and accurate when I get the depth where I want it? TIA Rich