Securing t track to plywood

[Luis Reyes]

Hi All,

I did a google search and forum search but I'm looking to attach an aluminum t track to 3/4in plywood (for a drill press table). Unfortunately I believe my plywood base isn't think enough to countersink a screw so I'm thinking of gluing the t track to the plywood. Does the group recommend epoxy or contact cement? I only have wood glue at home and maybe some cheap dollar store epoxy / super glue but if i need to get a small bottle of something else I will.

Let me know what you think!

edit: I’ve made a dado in the plywood where the top of the t track sits about 1/16 or 1/8 below the surface

[ChrisA Edwards]

Could you possibly double up the plywood and dado or leave slots for the T track.

[Dave Zellers]

First- yes to epoxy.

Second- I don't think 3/4" is thick enough for a drill press table with T-track. 1" would be better. Although as I think about it, 2 T-tracks epoxied in might give it the stability needed.

[Keith Westfall]

Remember there is not much force on the drill press table. I'd dado it in flush, 'maybe' some epoxy, but probably not, and just screw it down. Mine hasn't moved in about 12 years... Mine is 3/4" and no issues. But then it's not a big powerhouse DP either!

[Carl Beckett]

I have used 5 min epoxy on such a thing, it has held well so far (years), but only in a dado. I would be concerned not with the epoxy failing, but if just gluing to the top surface of the plywood it might delaminate the top layer of plywood if any force put on it.

Dado is much nicer and allows you to work flush to the top surface. And would resolve delamination (does not have to be screwed, just glue would hold)

[Rich Aldrich]

Could you possibly double up the plywood and dado or leave slots for the T track.

I did exactly this when I built my drill press table with a couple of t tracks for the fence. It gives you a nice sturdy surface and allows you to attach the t-track with screws. I also put a couple of storage shelves underneath it.

[Alan Lightstone]

I did exactly this when I built my drill press table with a couple of t tracks for the fence. It gives you a nice sturdy surface and allows you to attach the t-track with screws. I also put a couple of storage shelves underneath it.

Personally, I would double up the plywood, and epoxy and screw it in.

And shelves underneath is REALLY nice to have. A least one drawer like I have on the Woodpeckers drill press table.

So, basically, I'm giving you more work to do.

[Luis Reyes]

Personally, I would double up the plywood, and epoxy and screw it in.

And shelves underneath is REALLY nice to have. A least one drawer like I have on the Woodpeckers drill press table.

So, basically, I'm giving you more work to do.

Haha, actually this is a great idea. Add a drawer under the table. Would you still double up the plywood in that case though?

On another note, would adding 1/4 MDF under the plywood be sufficient to get to the magic 1 inch mark or is this not a good shortcut?

[Rick Potter]

Mine is made from an old sink top cutout. It is particle board with Formica on top. I Put a layer of PB or MDF (can't remember) under it, to make it nice and solid. No T-track, but I used a T-track router bit and cut two T-tracks in the top for the fence adjustment.

This was over 20 years ago, and I have had absolutely no problem with the edges breaking, and I move and retighten the fence all the time. If you are not using the track for clamping work down, the only pressure is squeezing, not trying to lift out.

Also made a pattern and routed out an area for sacrificial insert when drilling.

[Jim Becker]

Luis, I agree with doubling up the plywood for the table. It will be far stronger and you really do want to be able to use proper length screws for the tee track...you will be very surprised about how much force that can be generated by a simple clamp on material.

[Jacques Gagnon]

Luis,

Count me in as well for doubling the plywood. One day or another you will need to use clamps and not risk having the T-track lift off the work surface.

Regards,

J.

[Andrew Seemann]

Haha, actually this is a great idea. Add a drawer under the table. Would you still double up the plywood in that case though?

On another note, would adding 1/4 MDF under the plywood be sufficient to get to the magic 1 inch mark or is this not a good shortcut?

I would probably use the same material, i.e. all MDF or all plywood. I haven't laminated MDF to plywood before, but I would be concerned with different rates of moisture absorption and the potential for cupping or warping. On mine I doubled scrap 3/4" cabinet grade plywood.


Unsolicited advice section When you put your sacrificial drilling insert in, don't center it, but offset it by an inch or so. Then you can just rotate it and use the undrilled area and get twice the usage on the same insert.

[Rod Sheridan]

I made a torsion box with 3/4 melamine PC as the top.

My T tracks are on the top side edges so they’re on top of the torsion box side, screwed down……Regards, Rod.