Hi,
Is it normal for the drill press table to move slightly from side to side when raising the table? The rack moves a bit as well when the table is raised although the rack ring is fully tightened. Should the entire length of the rack be flat against the column without any light visable? Is it a faulty rack?
I haven’t really had a chance to try out my new drill press(GI 75-200 floor model) until this evening. When I turn the crank handle to adjust the height of the table the table moves from side to side… it lowers ok but when I go to raise it that’s when the table moves from side to side. Once the table is at the correct height I then have to adjust the table for square again. That’s kind of inconvenient.
I made sure to tighten the rack ring by tighening the set screw. Perhaps the rack is not in alignment to the column?? The table shouldn’t be moving from side to side while the table is being raised should it? the rack moves a bit as well.
by the time the drill press table is raised to the correct height the drill bit is touching the side of the center hole. it actually grazes it as the table moves from side to side as it’s being raised. I then have to adjust the table for square before tightening the column lock handle. I don’t recall having that problem with my old drill press.
Help please!
Wanda
Replies
It's "normal" in the sense that most drill presses do it. It's an easy way to allow the table to swing side to side. There exist drill presses where the up/down rack is let into a groove in the column, so you don't have the problem, but then an additional mechanism is required to allow the table to swing side to side.
I agree that it's annoying--there's no good way to adjust the height of the table without losing alignment with the head.
-Steve
Wanda, Before adjusting the table's height,
place a 1/2"steel rod in the chuck
(long enough to span the travel needed)and passing down through the hole in the table. Now make a wooden "doughnut" to fit the big hole and drilled to a snug fit for the rod.
(I made mine using a hole saw in the drillpress)
After the doughnut is made to fit, glue it to a 1/4"thick (square or round)plywood flange, to hold the 'pilot' from falling through the hole. With the rod and pilot in place, loosen the clamp and raise or lower the table as required.
The table will always be in line with the center and won't need any
're centering'
Steinmetz
Wanda,
All of the inexpensive drill presses made for home shops will do that, it would cost a lot of money to create a precision slot in the column and then a key to slide tightly but smoothly in it.
Generally it isn't a problem, and the table doesn't have to be perfectly centered, just close enough that the bit will clear the center hole. A good habit to form is to always check that the bit clears before you start drilling.
The gear rack going up the side isn't supposed to be fixed in place, again it is cheaper to make that way.
I'll be shooting some videos for Fine Woodworking in a month or two, I'll try to include a short piece on how to keep the table lined up exactly when it is critical.
John White
Hi John,
I look forward to seeing your new video. I really enjoy the short videos produced by Fine woodworking.
I was watching a woodworking show the other day on PBS (woodsmith workshop) They were demontrating how to use the drill press to drill out holes for mortises. That's when I got the idea to go down in my tool shop and familarize myself with my new drill press.
They always make things look so easy on those home improvement shows. They only showed how to adjust the stops on the drill press.
Time to build a drill press table!
Wanda
yes, mine does, but once I lock the table it stops.
There's enough youth in this world, how 'bout a fountain of SMART??!!
It is normal for the table to move when adjusting the height. I marked the column and the yoke with a magic marker to get close to the center when adjusting the height. This will get you in the ballpark. I have heard of scribing a scratch line on the column and yoke for precision. Steinmetz's idea is a good one if you need precision.
I do not recall this being a problem for me.
mike
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