Note that I'm talking about the slots in the base of my Craftsman floor standing one, not the ones in the table (which I know are for a vise).
For sure this is a silly question, but neither the Internet nor the manual knows the answer. There are holes for screwing it into the floor, but these are slots.
It's a 113.213850 if that matters, but I think they all have those slots.
Big honkin bolts (they call them expansion bolts) to hold those suckers tight to the floor. The most top heavy of the shop tools for woodworking, and seldom do you drill feathers on them. They can/do tip over.
You do use the four corner holes for bolting down the drill press to the floor. The slotted holes are for the attachment of vises/jigs, etc. to the base plate. Sure, they can be used for holding down the drill press to the floor but that's not the primary design reason for them.
Why wouldn t you just use the holes in the 4 corners to bolt it down?
- LeeRoyMan
You do use the four corner holes for bolting down the drill press to the floor. The slotted holes are for the attachment of vises/jigs, etc. to the base plate. Sure, they can be used for holding down the drill press to the floor but that s not the primary design reason for them.
Don't tell me, I'm asking the people above me, saying to use the slots to bolt it down.
I understand you Could use them for that, but when you have holes, especially put there for attaching them, why would you use the slots?
I'll get in here, The slots are strictly for mounting vises, jigs, etc for working the ends of longer work, That is why it is machined to a closer finish, to give you an accurate mounting of accessories. If you use it to bolt to the floor, there is a good chance you will crack the base when you tighten them down and then apply side press to the drill press as you work. The holes at the corners are designed to bolt down to the floor that is why they are built up and close to the corners of the base casting, to give extra support against cracking.
What accessory would I use to hold desk legs perfectly straight so I can drill 3/8" vertical pilot holes for 3-1/2 lag bolts? (They're to attach the legs to a base.)
I just used my dowel jig to support a handheld drill, but this sounds like a more elegant way of doing it.
Heres a quick off-the-top of my head idea, a little more thought could refine it further. Depending on your drill press you can usually drill the ends of a 24" piece between your table and drill point. If you can set up a center jig on the base you can add another 12 to 14" depending on your drill press. You can make the jig high enough to allow adjustment for the full 12" or so. A lathe center would work good for the jig center but there are lots of other options, even a nail would work. A small laser level would help to quickly center the jig center to the drill point. If your drill press has laser centering even better.
Edit: There are a couple of other options both would probably take longer to set up than the above idea mainly because you could leave the above idea set up pretty much permanently, just swing the table out of the way.
1st option if your drill press allows it, you can flip the table 90* and clamp the work to the table. Would require more set up time, every time.
2nd option if you do lots of other work with the drill press you might want an ultimate drill press table that has a built in option to do longer work. Try this one. Ultimate Drill Press Table
I think your first option makes the most sense, or better yet just a right angle jig as shown (with the table positioned under the drill bit, of course). Set-up would consist of two clamps, and I wouldn't have to rotate the table - or more to the point, I wouldn't have to worry about aligning it when I put it back horizontally.
It's great having the use of other people's brains. Mine alone is rarely enough.
I should add that the number of times I do this doesn't warrant the effort to make the one you drew, and I have the press too close to my garage door to use a table like that one you linked.
However, I'm planning on converting most of our screened-in laundry porch to a shop, and I'll think about making a table like that when I lay it out.
The holes at the sides or corners are for bolting to the floor. The slots in the base are used for fixtures or even a vise. They are not for bolting to the floor. A vise would be used at the base to hold long pieces for end drilling. A level would be used to align the wood parallel to the spindle. On another note, my Delta (1937 vintage) has a round base with NO holes for bolting down. The base has a large diameter, so it is stable without bolting down.
Those slots have one singular purpose:
It is for each and every small piece used on drill press that gets dropped; has a place to hide and never be retrieved.
I probably have a dozen drill bits stuck down under the base on my drill press. And even flexible magnets can not grab and allow removal.
yes, #IAMAKLUTZ
Those slots have one singular purpose:
It is for each and every small piece used on drill press that gets dropped; has a place to hide and never be retrieved.
I probably have a dozen drill bits stuck down under the base on my drill press. And even flexible magnets can not grab and allow removal.
yes, #IAMAKLUTZ
I agree that the slots are not intended for attaching to the floor. Unless the casting around the slots extends to the floor, there is a bug chance you can crack the casting as it flexes when you screw it down (or give the press a good bump on the side). They could be used in a pinch if you stacked washers or some other non-compressible material to fill the gap underneath.
Those slots have one singular purpose:
It is for each and every small piece used on drill press that gets dropped; has a place to hide and never be retrieved.
I probably have a dozen drill bits stuck down under the base on my drill press. And even flexible magnets can not grab and allow removal.
yes, #IAMAKLUTZ
This is the real answer and it was all planned by the original designer who is laughing in his grave??? But he can be out smarted,,, attach a square cake pan to the base using those slots and it will catch those dropped item…..
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