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help attaching drill press vice to table

WillD10

Plastic
Joined
Aug 23, 2012
Location
Chambersburg PA
I'm "storing" a friend's drill press while he moves and I'm not sure how to clamp the vice to the table. What is shown is what I have. I think I need some kind of clamping dogs. Any advice?

101_0116.jpg 101_0109.jpg 101_0108.jpg
 
For a press of that kind, I just keep a pair of 3 or 4" C clamps on hand and clamp the vise with those (screw side downward to keep them out of the way). Helps not to clamp the vise in the center of the table. Put it slightly off to one side and then use the rotation of the table (clamp underneath) and the rotation of the table around the column to center the work under the drill.
 
Probably easier to make something "ruff but effective" than find the correctly sized clamps, which will be shockingly expensive even at Evil Bay prices unless you are dead lucky. Simplest is probably a bit of inch by quarter, or what ever thickness will slide into the groove on the vice base with a foot a little thicker than the bottom ledge affixed to one end and wide enough to span the table slots with a safe amount each side. Say three times slot width minimum for the foot. Trim the corners of the end at 45° or so to give three clamping positions on the node. Straight in, left, right. Drill for a clamp bolt close to the nose end so that most of the force goes into holding. Maybe an oval hole or short slot works better. Having the foot a little thicker than the ledge gives a downwards slope to the clamp when in operation which again improves grip. Guessing from the pictures something 3" long will be somewhere near.

Suitable bolts and thick washers to taste.

Considerable refinement to basics are possible eg T-nuts beneath, thicker bar with step on the end to reduce chance of bending. Can get cruder with loose piece instead of fixed foot but odds are loose piece will escape or be hidden by the shop gremlins.

That's not the best vice in the world so don't ask too much of it when doing the work holding bit. Its an improvement on just hand holding but the moving jaw retention arrangements are skimpy so its prone to rise and tilt back when clamping up, especially on irregular parts, so what looks to be well held often isn't. Crushable packing (aka small lump of wood) can help a lot.

Clive
 
Sorry for the OT post. I'll be back when I finish college and can afford "the good stuff" but for now I have to make do with what I have on the chaski forum.
 
The neatest setup I've seen is a magnetic chuck (like a surface grinder uses) under the DP vise. Move the vise were you want it, then energize the magnet. Not a cheap way to go about it, but slick.
 
You can make a sub-plate out of 3/4 plywood, recess the fasteners/washers that attach the vise, and bolt it to the drillpress table. At least 2 fasteners for the vise, at least 2 fasteners for the table, total of at least four fasteners.

This will also protect the table from the "arc of shame".
 
Probably easier to make something "ruff but effective" than find the correctly sized clamps, which will be shockingly expensive even at Evil Bay prices unless you are dead lucky.

In that case I'm creative enough to make something work. Now that I have a drill press at all, even temporarily, it makes me want a good vice and x-y table even more.
 
In that case I'm creative enough to make something work. Now that I have a drill press at all, even temporarily, it makes me want a good vice and x-y table even more.



If that round table revolves (look under it, for a clamp) you may not need an X-Y table; if you devise a way to keep the table from sliding down when its clamp is loosened, you would then swing the table/revolve the table to position the work. Others (in the past) have stated the technique works well.

That table most likely doesn't have degree marks, does it?
 
It does revolve but does not have degrees. It also tilts and has degrees for that. I didn't realize it had either of those movements until you mentioned them. It was just moved to my place yesterday, so I haven't had much time to tinker yet. Now I have something else to be distracted by during CAD class...drawing up a vice mount that doesn't need milling/turning.
 
Fab up a few toe clamps out of some 1/2"-3/4" thick strap...maybe add a bushing nearly as thick as your table slots so the bolt won't wobble around once they're tightened. Also, realize that your drill press table isn't very thick or high quality cast iron, so don't go to town over-tightening those clamps.
 

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That drill press has a capacity of around 1/2" in steel. For holes up to 5/16" I'd be inclined to hand hold the vise (insert legal disclaimer here) for all but "grabby" materials and situations. Up to 3/8" and maybe more a stop bolt in the table, positioned so the drilled hole and the vise stop point were reasonably far apart might do. Beyond that the suggestion for a sub-base makes good sense. Situations where caution is especially urged include drilling sheet metals, drilling materials like brass with standard drills, drilling largish holes through metals into air (use a wood backer) and enlarging or step drilling holes.

While there are those who like x-y tables on drill presses, to me there are two distinct classes of work. One (on drill presses) where an accurate layout, followed by center punch, a small or center drill, and then the final size drill is enough. Another (on vertical mills) were holes are expected to be within at least a few thousandths of other features and a drilled hole might well be followed by a reamer. The likely run out on your loaned drill press suggests you use it with the former class of accuracy in mind.
 
"...the moving jaw retention arrangements are skimpy so its prone to rise and tilt back when clamping up, especially on irregular parts..."

Piece of round bar stock solves that problem wonderfully. Old shaper vise trick.

X/Y on this machine will do nothing but get in your way. Been there, done that. It makes the table heavy and hard to move and is a PITA when you need to put something larger on the table. I have this same press (if it's the one that runs up to 4200rpm, it's actually not a bad machine, considering) and the off-center vise mounting is every bit as good as an X/Y, given the level of accuracy you are going to get out of the press or a cheapo X/Y. Save that money for a mill. You can probably get a VN12 for not much more than double a cheap X/Y and a junky chinese vise.
 
I think my craving an x-y table comes from wanting a mill and other higher grade machines that my college budget doesn't allow for. Homework hasn't hit too hard yet, so I might get to do some shop re-arraigning tomorrow to get this thing in place.
 
Does your college have any shops on campus? I'd say that you might be better off seeking employment or access to a shop on campus, if they are there. That is how I started out, and it is a hell of a lot nicer using a knee mill than a drill press with an x-y table. You're also going to run afoul of the machinery discussion guidelines on this page if you mention your setup (drill press with x-y table). Feel free to ask about techniques or methods, but don't dwell on "non-professional" equipment on this forum.
 
I think my craving an x-y table comes from wanting a mill and other higher grade machines that my college budget doesn't allow for. Homework hasn't hit too hard yet, so I might get to do some shop re-arraigning tomorrow to get this thing in place.
Apply for a job at a machine shop on campus? I think I learned more doing that than engineering school.
 
Hi, Will! I just wanted to get my two cents in before this thread is locked.

I've been there, with a drill press almost exactly like that. It was the first power tool I ever bought, and I still have it. (I used it an hour ago). I've probably drilled upwards of 25,000 holes with it. Not all that precise, but it's a workhorse.

When you're young and on a tight budget, ya gotta do what ya gotta do! Hang in there!
 
Does your college have any shops on campus? I'd say that you might be better off seeking employment or access to a shop on campus, if they are there. That is how I started out, and it is a hell of a lot nicer using a knee mill than a drill press with an x-y table. You're also going to run afoul of the machinery discussion guidelines on this page if you mention your setup (drill press with x-y table). Feel free to ask about techniques or methods, but don't dwell on "non-professional" equipment on this forum.

I've just started taking classes at the campus that has the shop. I'll have to check them out. I had been taking classes at a campus closer to home, but now that I'm running that far anyways, distance isn't a problem.
 








 
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