Comments on: Cheap-Ass Tools: DIY Drill Press Rig

By: Gareth

Gareth — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 04:20:53 +0000

That my shop in the pic. The aluminum part is the landing gear for the airplane I’m building.

Honestly, I never really had much exposure to a drill press before I started this project. At first I was just using the clamps to hold things down. For small parts, really large parts or oddly shaped things clamps wont work. I was holding the really small bits with my hand and you can guess how well that worked.

Then I realized that I needed a fence to stop the work piece from rotating. I still hold some of the small bits down by hand but I have the fence to help out.

Later I may do something that better fits my needs with a T-track and some toggle clamps. For now this is an 80% solution.

By: ToolFreak

ToolFreak — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 03:28:35 +0000

Am I missing something? Isn’t this how an inexpensive drill press is used?

By: johnnyp

johnnyp — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:55:46 +0000

Here is something cheap and easy. Join 2 pieces of stock at right angles, cut slots in horizontal piece in line with table slots, use small carriage bolts w/ washers and wing nuts. With this setup it is now dedicated to to your press and it can also be used parallel to slots.

By: james b

james b — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 04:20:15 +0000

I do something like this, only with C-clamps and a cheapo half-vicegrip type hold down. I had to weld a bolt on the bottom of the vice grip where there was some sort of round screw eye, and then grind it to fit my T-slot. But the clamps, like shown above, are a great way to keep things from spinning around and the locking plier keeps it from lifting up.

I tend to mess up my tender flesh quite a bit with drill presses and belt sanders. They don’t have the fear factor of a table saw or jointer, so I get slack and wind up bleeding - though I’m starting to learn.