Drill Press Updates

[Alan Schaffter]

The VFD is pretty cool. Like many things in my shop, buying a better & more expensive drill press is one of the things I regret not doing. But for now what I have is serving me well.


I never mentioned whats on my todo list still for the DP.

- I do need to work on the dust collection
- I need to finish up my drill press stand, its about 90% done and I need to post it, I think its a cool design...

--
John C

I got another one for you-

I hate the crank assembly that is used to raise the table - mine is a POS, but even a better working one would still be a pain. Plus there is enough play in the rack assembly that the table doesn't stay aligned with the chuck when raising and lowering.

I know some have motorized the table, but I don't want to go that far. Instead, I plan to add a cable, pulleys, and a counter weight inside the column that will counter the weight of the table . Then I'll replace the crank and pinion with a cam lever lock and the rack with a self-centering, wedge shaped, rail that mounts in the same place as the rack.

[Van Huskey]

[QUOTE=Alan Schaffter;1630506]

You are not done yet!

I added a WoodPeckers table and a SC laser (I hard-wired the laser and mounted it to the headstock instead of the column so I can rotate the headstock):



I added a light:


I added a keyless chuck, too- second best upgrade. (no pic)

Next I put in a 3 phase motor so I could add a VFD for electronic variable speed:



To control it, I put a remote speed dial (red) and a small toggle switch on the front, then, so I would know how fast it is turning, added a digital tach and remote LED readout:




I also added some dust collection. This was just slapped together and will be redone:

OK and I thought my similar plans for a PM 1150 might be gilding the lily!

[John Cavanaugh]

John,

I love that flex Light. I went to the Ikea web site and could not find any info. Do you have a model or Ikea number for it? I'm assuming its 115V, does it have a magnetic base?

Its the Ikea Jansjo (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10128734#). What is ironic is that the desk lamp is $10 and one of the variants with a clip is $30. Same light just with a different attachment feature. I bought the $10 one and made a little wood block it would attach to and then bolted the wood block to my drill press after tapping 2 holes in it. I cant believe Ikea thinks a different base is worth $20....

[John Cavanaugh]

John, I think that's the one I have, too. Do you ever have any trouble centering larger bits? I seem to be having the challenge of lifetime with this chuck - large bits are hard to center, and sometimes they slip, etc, etc....
Maybe I just got a bad one.

Dan, well I hope your experience doesnt foreshadow what will happen with mine. I havent had mine for very long (~2 weeks), but Ive done some drilling with a 1/2 bit (the max for my chuck) and a lot with 5/16 without any issues.

[Salvatore Buscemi]

Yeah, that's an expensive clamp

[Russell Sansom]

I cant believe Ikea thinks a different base is worth $20....

It's all about marketing. Across the board I'm seeing the same core item dressed up with "options" so the merchandisers can offer various "price points." Woodworking tools tend to be priced on cost of production much more so than home maker items.

[John Cavanaugh]

I got another one for you-

I hate the crank assembly that is used to raise the table - mine is a POS, but even a better working one would still be a pain. Plus there is enough play in the rack assembly that the table doesn't stay aligned with the chuck when raising and lowering.

I know some have motorized the table, but I don't want to go that far. Instead, I plan to add a cable, pulleys, and a counter weight inside the column that will counter the weight of the table . Then I'll replace the crank and pinion with a cam lever lock and the rack with a self-centering, wedge shaped, rail that mounts in the same place as the rack.

Alan, at some point you might want to just acknowledge you have outgrown a simple DP and have graduated to a mill... ;-)

[Alan Schaffter]

Alan, at some point you might want to just acknowledge you have outgrown a simple DP and have graduated to a mill... ;-)

Then, I would be tempted to do what my brother did- he got an old Bridgeport mill, cleaned, refurbished, and painted it, then bought stepper motors, controllers, software and all the gearing to make it a full three axis CNC mill!

I do a lot of tinkering where I work with metals, plastic, and wood so there are times I wish I had a mill (and space for it). But, so far I have just gone for convenience mods. Needed bigger table- check, needed extra light- check, wanted to avoid belt changes when switching from drilling wood to metal- check, wanted to know how fast the bit was turning- check. I'm REALLY annoyed with how difficult it is to change my table height with the flimsy (plastic!!!) crank handle and an evidently buggered pinion gear assembly, so that's on my round tuit list.

[John Petsche]

great pictures, like the dual dust collection idea. Thanks.