Drill Press Upgrade 1: The Handwheel

[@chrisharper2658]

Just do what I did. With a piece of steel rod and a small piece of bar stock, I made an extension shaft to move the handle to the right of the new work table. It's rigid enough that there is no problem just reaching over and crank away to the desired height. The bar stock gets drilled to fit the diameter of the original crank shaft and a set screw is used to lock it onto the drill press. The new extended shaft was brazed onto the bar stock adapter. The old hand crank attaches to the new extended rod.

[@eggsngritstn]

Very high-quality work. I've successfully used a black pipe extension with a sliding cross-pin handle created from a hex bolt. It works, and it's strong. Most importantly it was quick to make.

[@ParaBellum2024]

Nice idea. My drill press has some sort of wheel, but I can't remember what it looks like despite seeing it most days! I agree completely with your comments about the scroll saw: every workshop needs one, and once you own one, you'll find that it gets much more use than you anticipated. Mine (Delta Q3) has been used for wood, plastic, brass and copper, and I wouldn't be without it.

[@MCsCreations]

Brilliant, Patrick! Beautiful work! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@duncanhurst2888]

Beautiful job Patrick!

[@patrickfee5065]

Great job that wheel looks good!

[@ashokmoghe8035]

Another great video Patrick. My drill press handle is broken and I will benefit from building a wheel like this. Thanks for showcasing the build process in your no-nonsense meticulous style. I love your videos. Keep up the great work !

[@RobbieBolog]

Very cool! Impressive use of templates and jigs

[@Erik_The_Viking]

I have the same issue with my drill press. I love this idea! I tried a couple of other solutions but they failed miserably. I'll definitely try this out!

[@RossReedstrom]

Love the wheel. With a larger table load, you'll be also able to apply torque from more than one point of the wheel, compared to a crank handle, so less side loading on the rack and pinion.

[@normancarnahan4893]

Nice video! Beautiful wood! Looks like you might be able to just use the wooden hub - or maybe just a bit larger wooden hub? Keep up the good work!

[@Garanon5]

I was psyched to see some new content!

[@Michael-Makes-Stuff]

That came out great! What an ingenious design. I had the same problem but I used a long dowel with a star knob on the end. It works but it takes much more twisting force. I like your design much better - and it looks beautiful! I’m looking forward to the rest of this series. 👍🏼

[@willxin4517]

I have made a few hand wheels over the years and I am impressed with your design. The only thing I can think of by improvement is to use a shop made 3 layer alternating grain hub.

[@keithmiller6583]

Loved this one!!

[@thomasalison6188]

Nice project, turned out great!

[@robertvancleef5220]

Welcome back...love your posts...this is definitely coming soon to my drill press...thank you!

[@michaelduddy4119]

Did you consider adding a dc motor to the pinion shaft to replace the crank ? My guess is that the table ring, rack and pinion are collectively too coarse which would bog it down ? BTW your production values are state of the art and a feast for the eyes.

[@PatrickSullivan]

I think a motorized rack and pinion would be wonderful, but this seemed a lot harder. However, I would love to have a table that rises and falls with a push of the button, and remains flawlessly centered under the quill at all times. The machinists have such devices, but they paid more for them than I did.

[@peterpe5851]

Welcome back! Looking forward for more videos in a near future

[@crossgrainwoodproductsltd9230]

I plan to do this as well and for the same reasons. Tired of my right hand scraping the back edge of the table. I think though, if I can't remove the crank handle bar to replace it with a longer piece, I will end an extention on to it. You can always cut a lap joint into the existing bar and an extention- making the joint long enough to at 3 screws it will hold up well. Then there would be no need for a new handle. For added strength with a lap joint you could put a small pipe clamp around the lap area- over the screws. I feel the same way about my scroll saw especially when cutting brass. Do you recommend a specific scrollsaw blade for cutting wood that you like?

[@elioth.g.w2976]

I extended mine with some tube and an aluminium solid insert , but I do like the wood handle idea.

[@afpwebworks]

My drill press doesnt have the problem yours does, in that the handle causes your knuckles to be shaved by the table. But i like the look of your wheel so much I think I'm going ot have a go at making a wheel like that myself. "It's only shop furniture" in your mind obviously means good enough quality to look like fine furniture. Beautiful job, Patrick, as are all your creations. Thanks for posting this.

[@rzentz9690]

Great outcome. Always hated the handle on my Grizzly floor model (same as the Wen design). I sold it along with other floor model tools as we get ready to downsize in retirement. New shop in the planning stage now and from this video, I think I’ll try to find a drill press with a hand wheel but making one may be more satisfying. 😏 Also, I think a scroll saw is in the shop plan now. I’ve always used a band saw, but with the projects I work on these days, the scroll saw may be a great option. Thanks Patrick.

[@PaganWizard]

I like the Wen drill press, and am on the fence about buying one. I already have an old Delta bench top drill press, but I want a free standing drill press. I wish Wen would offer a free standing drill press, I wouldn't think twice about buying one.

[@mark261166]

A top job, as usual.

[@velcroman11]

Nice job.

[@ianedwards1293]

I like your use of the jig saw on this project, I have had difficulty getting mine to follow the line, what blades do you recommend for thicker wood? Thanks

[@jimh472]

I know you haven't coved it yet but I have to ask. Where are you getting the black MDF? The EuroTubers have it in all their projects but I can't seem to find it here in the States.

[@PatrickSullivan]

I bought mine from Trinity Innovations in Texas. It is expensive, and I am not sure it is exactly the same product that is being sold in Europe. I think you might be just as well off staining regular tan MDF with black oil stain.

[@jimh472]

@@PatrickSullivan I might actually try that just out of curiosity.

[@muttleydk]

this looks very nice, but i like a cheap drill driver.. i used a top that only just went over the thingy, drilled and tabbed for a set screw, and used a hex to top converter thingy.. low speed on the 18v drill driver, and i can move up and down very very easy, and way faster then anything else.. i was afraid the drill driver would damage the teeth on the drill press, but i used this for 2 years now, and i see no damage yet.. sorry for bad english :)

[@rogerlove7588]

I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. There’s a video somewhere that shows a similar solution. Good idea.

[@spencerbass7142]

That is pretty neat.

[@usaf4dbt]

Thank you.

[@supergimp2000]

Interesting solution. I have the same drill press and solved this problem by extending the shaft with a piece of 9/16 steel rod and a 9/16 ID coupler (with two set screws). Filed flats on both ends of the rod and used the coupler to attach to the existing shaft and put the handle on the other end. The extra length is supported by a wooden boss attached to the underside of my new self made table. The rod passes through this boss and is supported by an oiled bronze bushing. Going on 4 years with this solution and it seems to be holding up well.

[@PatrickSullivan]

My daughter suggested a similar concept after she saw the video. I like the idea. I did not know that you could buy a 9/16" coupling, and failed to think of the idea of installing a support bearing in the table itself to keep the extension from wobbling and bending. This would be an especially attractive solution if you do work that requires a really big table, where reaching under the table is awkward.

[@supergimp2000]

@@PatrickSullivan Well, to be fair, I do like the fact that your wheel is relatively recessed. My system is pretty robust but in my "shop" (overcrowded garage) every tool is on wheels and I regularly roll the drill press around and have to be careful the extended crank doesn't catch on anything. A little annoying but works for me. And I should have been more clear on the "coupler." I used a 9/16 coupling nut from the home center and drilled out the threads (really easy) to clear the rod, then drilled and tapped for set screws on one of the flats of the coupling nut. Roughly judging from the images in your video, my table is about the same size as yours. I also recently discovered (and have become obsessed with) the MatchFit system as it appears you used on your table. When I built mine I used T-track, but love the idea of dovetail slots. With a 3D printer and embedded 10-32 machine nuts I've been able to make some really clever modified" versions of the MatchFit track hardware. Would love to have put this in my table.

[@jeremyporterfield1611]

Patrick, this a really nice piece and well told story! Question - you mentioned your drafting program for developing templates - what program do you use?

[@PatrickSullivan]

I use CorelDraw, a general purpose drawing program. No 3D, no animations, no typical CAD features. I bought it 20 years ago or more for entirely different purposes, and use it here just because I am so familiar with it. If you are looking for a program exclusively for shop design, I suspect there are several that would do more than mine.

[@jeremyporterfield1611]

@@PatrickSullivan Thank you for the response - I'm familiar with some other drafting tools through my career, but many of them are overkill for what I need mostly in the shop. I'll check out CorelDraw

[@samhoschar5794]

Very nice love your videos

[@chrisvos2721]

Make some of these wheels for after market purchase to sell.

[@prototype3a]

Generally, faster setting epoxies are weaker than slower setting ones. I honestly prefer the slower epoxy systems for this reason and the additional work time is really nice. I also really like epoxy like Loctite Hysol that use static mixer nozzles with a taper tip as you can jam a leur-loc tip onto the static mixer for precision application.

[@maxximumb]

nice

[@W4TRI_Ronny]

Have to disagree with you. This is better than fine furniture! More useful!

[@nightmarejr]

I forget who, but someone had the idea to put a gear and bring the wheel to the front instead of leaving it to the side

[@jhans3278]

Woodsmith

[@kaiwheeler64]

I'd have gone with ply.

[@8BitLife69]

Interested in this series. Time for you to get a 3D printer pal. This task would have been trivial, and handled in a couple hours while you did other things.

[@8BitLife69]

@B.L.A. The hell there isn't. You think it's magic?

[@howycwap]

@@8BitLife69 The end products would not be comparable in quality

[@8BitLife69]

@@howycwap Wrong.

[@8BitLife69]

@B.L.A. Where do you think the file comes from? The ETHER? A 3D printer has to be built, tuned, maintained. That magic too? It is better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth, and remove all doubt. Keep up the great work.

[@howycwap]

@@8BitLife69 Cheap PLA or ABS plastic is a lower quality material than Mahogany, there is no valid argument against that

[@lfernandplopsa3627]

No need for a bloody wheel, you can just turn you're hand upside down, or is that to hard for a American? 😴😴😴😴🤦‍♂🤦‍♂🤦‍♂🤦‍♂🤦‍♂🤦‍♂🤦‍♂🤦‍♂good god

[@andybrook-dobson726]

Why do you feel it necessary to be unpleasant and xenophobic? The moto “if you’ve got nothing nice to say, say nothing” is a good one to live by. Take a chill pill, along with a dram of your favourite tipple. You do you and let him do him!