After completing my drill press table, I decided my next step would be to make a fence for it – so I can drill vertical holes in the sides of short boards.
First I cut a 3 1/2″ board of 3/4″ MDF, of a width to match the drill press table. This first piece will be the face of the fence.
Continue reading How to Make a Drill Press FenceAs multiple woodworkers have mentioned, a drill press as-is is poorly suited to doing woodworking: the cast iron table can transfer grease to the wood; the table is small; the table has limited places to fasten clamps to hold the wood down.
So here I am making a drill press table.
I started with a sketch based on this drill press plan, with an offset waste plug circle from this nice design. I’ll narrate the project as a “how to” from here on.
Continue reading How to Make a Drill Press TableFormula 409 turned out to be, as people had suggested, a fine way to clean the packing grease (likely Cosmoline) from the drill press parts. It’s necessary to clean this goo off so that 1) you don’t get it on the wood you’re working with, and b) the drill chuck doesn’t fall off while working (!)
Continue reading The Drill Press is DrillingThe drill press arrived this evening!
I’ve never assembled a machine tool before, so I was put off by the rust-preventive coating that needs to be cleaned off, through mysterious and inadequately-explained means.
Continue reading My First Real Machinery Arrives
