Show me your drill press station

[Mike Cruz]

I am at that stage in my shop design/organization where I am comtemplating a drill press "cabinet" to house all my bits and drill press related items. It will be floor standing, just to the right side of the DP. I have some ideas as to what I want, but am certainly open to other's designs. So, show me what you've got...pleeeeeeeeeeaase.

[pat warner]

Not a station, just a drill press decked out in fixtures for precise drilling.
Takes a lot to hold the work still. In my view, a press should be drilling not storing anything; build a cabinet for your accessories. Keep it simple; there's already enough stuff around to spoil a good drilling session without a 50 pound tool crib fastened or tucked under your machine.

[Richard Wolf]

Pretty impressive Pat.

[Myk Rian]

Not a station, just a drill press decked out in fixtures for precise drilling.
Takes a lot to hold the work still. In my view, a press should be drilling not storing anything; build a cabinet for your accessories. Keep it simple; there's already enough stuff around to spoil a good drilling session without a 50 pound tool crib fastened or tucked under your machine.

Did you read Mikes' post? He said the cabinet will NOT be attached to the DP, but next to it.

[pat warner]

My haste & arrogance. You're right. Title of entry "Drill Press Station", over came me.

[Phil Thien]

I don't have a cabinet, really, so I'm sorry if this post isn't appropriate.

When I needed a way to organize bits I didn't want them in a cabinet. I had all these metal and plastic drill bit cases and I was tired of having them all over the place. So I wanted something where all my bits would be right out in the open and I could just pick what I needed. I didn't want to open drawers or doors or anything.

One shelf holds three sets of brad point bits from 1/8 to 1/2 by 64ths, and another set of split point bits to the same dimensions. So four complete sets on that shelf (there is a story to that). That same shelf also holds some of my other specialty bits.

The shelf below it holds my set of carbide tipped Forstners from Grizzly.

The same wall unit also holds my router bits and some hand tools and chisels and magnetic screw drivers with bits.

I also included a pic of my inexpensive Ryobi drill press. Not as nice as the presses you guys have, but I've optimized it for my purposes and I'm happy with it. It is only a couple steps from the rack with the bits.

SANY0061.jpg SANY0060.jpg SANY0059.jpg

[Mike Cruz]

Thanks, Phil. That's exactly what I was asking about...how you store your bits and things. I won't be able to use a wall unit. Mine will have to be free standing, maybe 2 feet by 2 feet and up to about 4 feet tall. I agree that having stuff in the plastic containers in a closed cabinet isn't ideal. I kinda would love for it to be open. I guess that is why I'm asking for direction, here. I know THAT I want a drill bit station, but I'm not exactly sure just what kind of station I want it to be/look like. BTW, that is an AWFULLY lot of bits there...

Pat, no biggie. I have to admit that I scratched my head when reading your post. And I got a chuckle out of Myk's reply.

Anyone else got pics?

[John Cavanaugh]

I did mine as stand that my drill press sits on. The bits etc are in that. The base is also weighted with about 60lbs of sand to keep it very stable and not tip with the weight of a DP.

Google Sketchup Model - http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehou...c285476c85bafa

[David Hostetler]

No cabinet per se, but instead a simple shelf for the drill bit sets. I find it is FAR easier for me to keep track of a large blow molded case filled with bits, than it is to keep track of all the bits individually... The shelf just serves as a place to keep the bits... Same goes for drilling jigs and gauges. I do need to add storage for loose spade bits because my spade bits were purchased individually and not as a set... Some drilling accessories are in need of a small shelf as well such as pilot bits, and counter sinks, not to mention storage for drill bit depth stop collars. Yes I need some improved storage for these items...

[Matt Meiser]

I don't have a picture handy but I just have a small 4 drawer office type cabinet that I found at a yard sale. Its very heavy duty and I added an MDF top and some casters. Its not pretty but it works so well I've had no reason to do anything different.

[Dick Mahany]

Although entirely a personal preference, I wanted to have drawers in a cabinet. This way I have quick access to everything drill-press related in the shop.
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[Mike Cruz]

Very, neat, Dick. I have a floor standing model DP, so I can't put it under the DP. When I had a table top model, I was going to do precisely what you did. But a cabinet like that would sit right next to my DP very nicely. Did you buy that or make it?

[Dick Mahany]

Mike
I built the cabinet out of Borg ply and used accuride drawer slides. I made the upper drawers fairly shallow so that I could store a lot of bits, reamers, drivers etc.

[Phil Thien]

Very, neat, Dick. I have a floor standing model DP, so I can't put it under the DP.

I saw a neet cabinet somewhere that was designed to roll over the base of a FS DP, as the table is normally quite high for most operations. But when needing additional height, you were able to roll the cabinet out and lower the table.

Of course, if you aren't space limited like me, no need to do anything like that.