Shortening a drill press

[Chuck Isaacson]

Chuck
Here is an idea how about mounting the drill press upside down mounted to the ceiling. This would allow unrestricted access for your wheel chair.
Here is a link to one mounted this way.

http://www.owwm.com/photoindex/images/355-a.jpg

Now that is a very interesting concept. I never would have thought about that. I would have to build some kind of support. I have 10' ceilings. I would have to think long and hard about how to do that though. thanks for the input.

Chuck

[Ray Newman]

Chuck: check your private messages.

[James Baker SD]

I did not read all the posts, so maybe this has been mentioned already, but if you could find a used Powermatic 15" drill press from a few years ago, the head and table can be placed anywhere you want along the post. No need to cut the post, just loosen the locking screws and lower it to where you want it. Added plus, the old Powermatics had a 6" quill travel. I have one of these old units, and no desire to replace it.

James

[Mike Wellner]

Chuck,

Check this out

http://www.owwm.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=69638

[Don Bergren]

My approach as a C5 quadriplegic who works from a power chair would be to cut the post down to a lower height. I think you can figure out the height you would need by sitting in front of it and going through the physical motions as if it were already lowered. That would help you get a measurement that would be quite accurate.

I currently use a benchtop model and the quill travel is a problem. Mine is mounted to a support I made that extends out from the wall. It lets me get close by straddling the base (which is up off the floor) with my legs and works okay. What I really need to do is replace the factory base with a fabricated one that is a couple of inches narrower to allow better access for me.

It can seem like an odd idea when one thinks of cutting down the post of a brand new drill press. But in our world, modifications are they way we live. I'm also toying with the idea of buying a floor model and wouldn't hesitate to cut it down to suit my needs and operating comfort.

[Myk Rian]

How about finding someone with a benchtop DP that wants a floor model, and swapping the post and rack? 2 birds with one stone.

[Randal Stevenson]

My approach as a C5 quadriplegic who works from a power chair would be to cut the post down to a lower height. I think you can figure out the height you would need by sitting in front of it and going through the physical motions as if it were already lowered. That would help you get a measurement that would be quite accurate.

I currently use a benchtop model and the quill travel is a problem. Mine is mounted to a support I made that extends out from the wall. It lets me get close by straddling the base (which is up off the floor) with my legs and works okay. What I really need to do is replace the factory base with a fabricated one that is a couple of inches narrower to allow better access for me.

It can seem like an odd idea when one thinks of cutting down the post of a brand new drill press. But in our world, modifications are they way we live. I'm also toying with the idea of buying a floor model and wouldn't hesitate to cut it down to suit my needs and operating comfort.

Don, I believe you might find the post interesting where a person mounted it from the ceiling. Also, some of the old ads I have seen (including some real old ones, with the motor on the base), had the base, behind the drill, under the motor (mounted to some cabinet/etc). That should allow you to roll up under it.

[Don Bergren]

Don, I believe you might find the post interesting where a person mounted it from the ceiling. Also, some of the old ads I have seen (including some real old ones, with the motor on the base), had the base, behind the drill, under the motor (mounted to some cabinet/etc). That should allow you to roll up under it.

Good idea Randal! If I can switch the base around it would solve the problem. I think I'd also want to make a stabilizer for the post near the head of the press just to add a bit more stability than just bolting the base down. I'll give it a shot sometime and see. Thanks.

[Jim Heffner]

I read the other posts about shortening the drill press and thought about this. Look real hard at the floor base plate of that drill press and have a friend check it for you to make sure it can be done. I think that floor baseplate should be removable from the column. If it is, remove the base plate, cut off
the amount you desire and re-install it! Instant height, where and how you like it! No cutting of the rack gear, removing the motor assembly or any of that stuff.Check that before doing anything else that involves that much work.