EASY Drill Press Mod I Should Have Done Years Ago

[@rpan5441]

Short, precise, and NO unwanted yapping video. Two thumbs up. Oh, I forgot to mention NO ANNOYING background music. Great work. Many thanks. I use a magnet ring to catch metal shavings.

[@spasticmuse4262]

"...magnet ring to catch metal shavings..." You ever hear one of those ideas that are so brilliant and simple you feel like an idiot for not thinking of it before? Yep, this. In my defense however, I RARELY find myself working with iron & steel - mostly plastics and Al. But next time, I'm grabbing one of the salvaged speaker 'donut' magnets from the back of the shop door!!! (Which will probably be when I do Tim's mod!) Thanks to all who share ideas!!!

[@Gottenhimfella]

Magnetic rings are certainly a good idea, failing that just a cheap ferrite rectangle with one end near the hole. It's easier to clear the chips off. Also, it's not necessary or even helpful to use cutting fluid when drilling or machining cast iron. The graphite content provides ample lubrication, and the chips are self breaking which greatly limits heat buildup. The chips are easier to collect with a magnet in the absence of fluid, particularly sticky fluid.

[@JohnDK165]

​@Gottenhimfella

[@RogerSmith-h3i]

How do you get of the shavings fro the Magnet? Do you use some kinf of Plastik or Aluminium Cover?

[@stephensaines7100]

@@RogerSmith-h3i A rag or brush.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Hey Tim - excellent work. (Mechanical engineer from Australia here.) The chips you noticed are also emblematic of the material being ductile iron, as opposed to the (cheaper and more brittle) gray iron. Ductile iron also raises a burr around the centre punch mark, whereas gray iron does not. (Both good methods of determining which kind of iron you're machining, if the material type is unknown.)

[@ShainAndrews]

I came down here to make a similar comment. In addition cutting fluids are not required for either material.

[@mrsock3380]

Machinist from Australia here, that is without a doubt grey cast iron, you obviously have not machined grey cast iron or even centre punched it. While not as ductile as some materials grey cast iron is still ductile enough to raise a burr around a centre punch and make short swarf.

[@TKC_]

@@mrsock3380mechanical engineer here. Never trust an engineer who leads with their qualifications lol. But as a mechanical engineer who has actually machined stuff that sure looked like gray iron to me…too bad I can’t be trusted now.

[@mrsock3380]

@@TKC_ I think youtube has a collection of hobby machinists that didn't think it through, like a friend of mine that asked me to look at this, he spent a lot of money setting up a little workshop but didn't have anything to make, sees stuff like this and thinks it's a good idea. I put him onto model steam engine building from kits and now I get calls asking how to achieve results in machining and fix his mistakes, rather than stupid things to make.

[@TKC_]

@@mrsock3380 oh don’t mind me I’m just salty from years of reminding engineers that work with me to listen and don’t always try to stand out as the smartest person in there room. Usually this happens as a tradesperson with way more experience tries keeping them from making a major mistake while being ignored.

[@EliB0217]

I've seen people mention it, but just the way your come off is so pleasant, and just seem like a really genuine nice person. Thank you for all the videos, they give me motivation to learn new things

[@SuperBill68]

This press has worked like a charm for my projects kzbin.infoUgkxajoEbapTfqWaadnqb04h6U576yxXp-FE . I didn't even secure it to my table top, mainly due to the fact that I was using a 15 lbs drill vise. It's not flimsy at all as to what others have claimed it to be. Make sure the locking nuts and levers are secured and there won't be any issues with light pressure and patience. I was able to drill through aluminum, plastic, and steel (steel took a while) with no problems at all. Yeah it took a little longer than a regular drill press, but I don't have the space OR the money for one.The instruction manual was worthless, but luckily assembling the press was intuitive. However, the manual would be good for ordering replacement parts if needed. There is a nice breakdown of the parts that are included in the kit. Before ordering, make sure it is compatible with your unit, it is clearly stated what models the press is compatible with.This was an excellent purchase for $40!!

[@richardwillis1719]

The basic safety step you took by rotating the part against the column before drilling would be worth highlighting to beginners.

[@MyUnquenchableThirst]

where is this in the video?

[@richardwillis1719]

4.13 when he uses the clamp to drill the plate at the end of the video.

[@s151669]

Another option is to use two of these clamps. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.

[@Helm-w1q]

It took me a broken finger to learn this.

[@angusmurray3767]

An alternative stop would be to put a nut and bolt through one of the other drilled holes. This would stop the item being drilled rotating eg on breakthrough when the clamp is no longer able to handle the torque.

[@andrebartels1690]

Your idea is great 👍 Small tip: Your drill press will feel a lot sturdier when you weigh it down to the ground. Don't be shy to put a 60lb or maybe even a 100lb concrete block into the machine stand. For mechanical machines, weight is good.

[@shakdidagalimal]

Yes, I have found that clamping or holding is the biggest problem in metal or wood work. How well the target is held can make a big difference in smoothness of cut, drill, whatever process you're doing on it.

[@dangroce82]

I’ve been fighting my drill press for years. I will definitely be trying this on mine. Thank you.

[@robertmccallum8626]

Hey Tim nice idea, just a tip the first drill ie pilot drill, it should only be no bigger than the point landing of your second drill, that will allow it to drill with out vibrating.

[@dennisyoung4631]

That, or use an “NC spotting drill,” followed by step-drilling, when you need an especially good hole - like, for example, where you are going to put a riv-nut insert.

[@EngineerMikeF]

Ditto on the size of pilot holes, just fat enough to clear the center of the full size drill you'll be using

[@davidquirk8097]

If you do go the inverter route for speed control is worth spending a little time seeing it up properly; you need to look into the torque boost option for the lower speeds and I also set up two, switched, pre-set speeds (same speed but one forward and one reverse) that I use for starting taps. I also use the DC injection option to give a proper emergency stop. If you work the drill hard at low speeds, as I do, then it's also worth fitting an auxilary fan to the motor as the motor's own fan is designed to cool the motor at synchronous speed and will not stuff enough air through the motor at lower speeds.

[@billc6087]

I really appreciate that you provide a source for all your tools and accessories, no matter how briefly they appear in the show. Thanks!

[@spasticmuse4262]

Honestly one of the best suggested mods I've seen! When I start back in the shop I'll be doing this ASAP! Thanks for sharing!!! I have a tiny shop in barely the "half" of a 1&1/2 car garage; but I AM sporting a full-sized standing drill press. It certainly makes a presence there, but I had NO drill press; and it was free from an old employer clearing out. It's an old beast and still works a treat! For anyone still interested - the two major mods so far have been: 1) Installing casters [locking fronts on a ~26" crossbar for stability]; because in a small shop having as much as you can mobile helps you to make the room you need for a project as you need it. 2) A "POWERED" warning light on the top so I will always know if it's plugged in regardless of where it's in the shop. It's an ornate hollow black skull cast in resin about the size of a golf ball with a diamond pattern carved in to the cranium. I cleared & widened the openings I could and inserted a red C7 bulb fixture tied directly to it's power input before the switches. 2a) Also added a small OSH!T sticker above the control switches that warns "Not to be operated by F@#$wits".

[@roycarter6235]

I have very large gearhead pedestal drills. I recently rescued a drill stand identical to yours. Once I had sorted out the switch, the seized chuck etc it hums along. I use it almost daily. Thanks for an excellent idea. I will certainly copy that as holding fiddly pieces on a drill stand of this size can see you with damaged fingers.

[@behemothinferno]

Hi Tim, you don't need to use cutting oil when drilling into cast iron as it is self lubricating due to the high carbon content so better save your lube for when you really need it.

[@TimWelds]

That's awesome! I learn something new every day on here. Thanks!

[@t.s.racing]

You are correct Sir. On my mill if I'm drilling extensively on a long pass or a large cut in a cast iron engine block, I will clamp a air line and allow a LIGHT mist of air to keep the tooling cool.

[@davidquirk8097]

Lubrication isn't the only job of cutting oil. It also cools as well. Cast iron comes in many forms and in the engine plants I've worked cutting oil has always been used on cast iron parts whether they be grey iron or ductile (SG) Iron. I know on high cutting rate jobs the coolant is also used to clear the chips away from the cutter.

[@Bob_Adkins]

Drills last very well drilling cast without oil, but last a little bit longer with a drop of oil. (but a puddle of oil is wasted and just messy!)

[@Dave5843-d9m]

Cast iron SHOULD be drilled dry.

[@inusmine]

Thank you for a great idea! As I watched you hold the vise with one hand and advance the drill with the other I thought to myself. This man is doing what I have done a million times. I am going to drill out my press table like this and add a clamp to the vise itself. Totally would have not thought of this had it not been for your video! Many thanks Brother!

[@bdockett]

By far the best mod I've made to my small floor standing press is an adjustable jack stand supporting the table. It is made from 18" of 2" sq steel perforated tube, 18" of 1.875" round steel pipe machined to fit inside the 2' tube, and 18" of 7/8" threaded rod topped with a 2" ball from a trailer hitch. It has 24" range of adjustability and is bolted to the T slots in the base plate. With the jack stand I can easily square the table to the column. The table can now support a huge amount of weight and will not deflect downward no matter how much down force I use. I drill mostly steel and aluminum.

[@jackdawg4579]

I use that type of clamp in my drill press, except mine had a threaded stud. It simply bolts through the existing slots. I use it to hold both discrete pieces, but also to hold my drilling vice in place.

[@melgross]

Yes, and they’re made in two sizes.

[@donziperk]

I have the same thing. No need to drill holes and more versatile as it can be moved along the slot instead of being anchored in one place. I also use my milling machine clamping fixtures as the t nuts fit in the slots.

[@TimWelds]

Thanks for watching! Links for the items used in the video are below. ****Learn Welding and Fabrication in my $39 Online Courses**** courses.timwelds.com ****Things to do this mod yourself**** Stronghand Locking Plier Clamp: amzn.to/3CqE5M3 (There are a few sizes available. I used 3-3/8" throat depth.) Stronghand Bar Clamp: amzn.to/3BX7jAB 5/8" Drill Bit: amzn.to/3y4F41y Tap Magic: amzn.to/3UM72ZX Deburr Tool: amzn.to/3fm6qd5 Center Punch: amzn.to/3UPccUW ****Discount code 'TIMWELDS' saves friends of the channel**** 15% Laser cutting at sendcutsend.com (discount code: TMWLDS15) 5% off HTP machines and quality accessories at usaweld.com?ref=timwelds 10% off welding coupons, kits and supplies at weldmetalsonline.com 5% off Evolution power tools at store.evolutionpowertools.com *Contains affiliate links which provide a small commission to support the making of these videos at no additional cost to you.

[@flatroc1]

Upon watching this vid, I went right out to my shop and did the same to my drill press. Don't know why I never thought of this before. Thanks.

[@stevemorton7141]

Tim, I have watched many of your videos about welding and they are great! The drill press table modification is certainly a time saver and added safety feature. I want to mention that when drilling and machining cast iron coolant is not necessary and makes clean up a lot easier too.

[@TimWelds]

Very cool! I learn something new every day. Thanks!

[@alanmiller4012]

A very useful mod. I see this happening in my workshop very soon. I too got very frustrated with having to constantly change belts on the drill press and so I did the treadmill motor swap. This is working very well for me. I liked it so much I also did the same mod on my lathe and my drill press. An added bonus - I picked up all three treadmills for free.

[@justinandrus6731]

There should be a feature on drill presses that allows you to loosen those pulleys so that you can easily swap the belts around as needed, especially when you need to switch the belts over under to get the other set of speeds

[@stevenlarsen1691]

Great video. I have a vice just like yours. I bolt it to the work base and have never had to unbolt it. I just swivel or twist the base to line up my drill.

[@TheFlatlander440]

Great idea. I have the exact same Shop Fox drill press I purchased through Grizzly over 10 years ago and this will work wonders. I've been using C-clamps to hold my pieces and def need to pick up some of those vice grip clamps. Additionally having a better set of HSS drill bits makes a world of difference. Thanks.

[@TheFlatlander440]

@weaponofchoice-tc7qs Thanks for the tip. I will.

[@tmurray1972]

Shop is looking nice! I would like to hear about your mill and how it works for your needs, pro’s and con’s. Drill press mod should speed up things quite a bit.

[@TimWelds]

Thanks a ton! I'm planning on some machining content including a look at some of the tools over the next few months.

[@stevetruby8865]

That’s such a neat idea, I’m so going to be modifying my drill press at the weekend, thanks Tim

[@edreusser4741]

Excellent stuff. Makes me wonder why clamping holes are not included in all drill press platforms. Thanks for the great idea.

[@SoloRenegade]

same here

[@carolynbatta9525]

Lubricant is used to allow the chips to travel up the drill bit flutes. I has no effect on the drilling face of the drill bit where friction is need to cut the material. Cast Iron has plenty of graphite so lubricant is not usually needed. Thanks for the idea !

[@davej6222]

Drilling (and sometimes tapping) holes in machine tools makes them more useful, for sure - there’s no rule which says you can’t! Hint for pilot size drills though, from a career machinist…use a pilot bit that’s the same diameter as the chisel edge. It’ll prolong the cutting edge life of the larger drill.

[@TimWelds]

Great tip! Thanks!

[@tullgutten]

I was going to say that 😅 As if your pilot bit is too big the next drill have a tendency to bite in since the surface area is to small and it chips the outer edge. Always try to have a pilot bit just slightly larger than the center web/chisel. And if it starts chattering and smoking it often is too high speed and too low feed force. Cast iron is my favorite to drill as it doesn't make hot large chips that burns everything 🤣

[@DursunX]

i love pilot holes ! it's not cheating.. its guaranteed success everytime without killing my bits

[@walterashley149]

@@DursunX I've never met a pilot hole that wasn't cheating!!!! 😆

[@amateurmakingmistakes]

@@walterashley149 Haha! As a retired pilot, I resemble that remark! 🤣

[@grumpyone5963]

Good solution for that drill bed. I have a larger square drill bed with T slots and have a piece of angle steel bolted down that I turn my vice to rest up against. So the angle is preventing the spin. It’s quick to adjust and can be used as a datum for drilling holes at a set distance into a length of steel.

[@stefandebruijn3167]

Nice one. My best drill press mod was putting a 0.1mm stainless steel shim in the quill. It basically removed all the play from the cheap thing, and now it's spot on.

[@DanKoning777]

Great tip/idea; thanks. Btw, one of the best things I ever did was to just bite the bullet, and get a variable speed drill press. I took a long time making that decision b/c I wasn't sure it would be worth spending the extra $$$, but it didn't take long to realize that the only poor choice was not making the decision sooner.

[@toddz8579]

This! I spent 20+ years using two drill presses that had belts and pulleys, and a few years ago I moved up to a variable speed drill press. One of the best decisions I ever made, and very well worth the money.

[@TheJoechester]

100% agree. I used to think how much each hole was costing me because my machine was fairly expensive but thousands of holes later it's still a pleasure every time I walk up to it and I'll keep it forever. I've probably got another 40 years to use it. Btw. I would think you could get a clamp that has a piece on the bottom that'll fit through the slots one way but not when you rotate the piece on the bottom 90 degrees.

[@sbulla65]

Its a great Idea. I'll be doing this to mine. What is also amazing is you managed to stretch this out to almost 5 minutes.

[@kentstringer4160]

Tim, Cool tips. I have an anvil clamp I made for the anvil and I drilled 1/2 holes on my weld table and it works pretty well. I think I might see if it would work on the drill press. I drill a lot of pipe and have a block of wood with a vee cut in it and can really center a hole in pipe fast and its pretty secure. For drill lubricant in the 70s I had a spring shop make a new leaf spring and the old timer used water. He said there is no better drilling lubricant. It stays on the bit and hole longer. Cuts nicer chips and is easier to clean. I use water to this day and like the results.

[@mariusmoller3882]

Great idea, Tim! Understandably you would want to avoid the ribs. Although, if you had not avoided the thicker sections in line with the slotted holes and drilled your holes through them, your clamp would have had better leverage and would not tilt back as much when tightening. Perhaps drill one or two through those sections, test the difference and let us know.

[@dineshjamnadas8228]

Hi Tim, if you have a wide high jaw locking pliers, you can practically lock the item to be drilled without making any holes, just the bottom jaw will be below the support plate, n the top jaw will be on the workpiece. Dinesh from Fiji

[@darrenborn307]

Love it !! Definitely going to do this. It can be quite dicey when you're drilling with a large drill or holesaw and it grabs and rips things out of your hand !!

[@dennistennyson4540]

One modification I made to my drill presses was to make the motor reversing for power tapping.

[@rs2024-s4u]

Wow what a great idea it's so simple I can't believe it took me this long to realize, I have already installed 3ph motor with inverter on my drill press and set hz to 45 to 80cps which has almost eliminated the need to change speed with belt/pulley changeovers, and I got reverse as a new added feature. I like your videos. Ray Stormont

[@graysonhill]

You can quickly loosen the motor to adjust your belts. If you look closely at the rigging up there, it slides back and forth. This also lets you tighten the tension if you notice some slack in your v-belts. Thank you for this. I've have the exact same problem nagging me in the back of my mind for years.

[@wizrom3046]

Brilliant idea! 👍 For a big drillbit like 5/8 I would have run that drill press on its lowest speed. Most people use too much speed drilling steel, although that cast iron is a bit more forgiving than mild steel.

[@tomk3732]

Recommended speed in mild steel for 5/8 is around 400-500 rpm. But you can always go slower - just have to adjust the feed.

[@everTriumph]

When possible have the handle of the vice or for longer material, the job itself, resting against the drill pillar. Saves it grabbing and whanging around.

[@danmoreton1788]

Good fix for an old problem when using a drill press. BTW nice extension on the end of your vise grips. Very helpful!!

[@chrisdaniel1339]

This is similar to what woodworkers do with bench dogs. Very concise and informative.

[@ProfTom99]

Brilliant! I've been trying to solve that problem ever since I bought my drill press. It was certainly one of those "why didn't I think of that?" moments when I saw your vid. Thanks!

[@snakehead5444]

Excited to see your belt grinder build. I built a revolution with an auction Baldor 3 phase about 6 months ago. Great tool to have for all sorts of metalworking

[@TimWelds]

Very cool! I helped a friend build a revolution, they're super nice!

[@g.tucker8682]

What is a "revolution"?

[@snakehead5444]

@@g.tucker8682 a 2x72 belt grinder. Only thing that sets it apart is it’s ability to flip sideways. I haven’t used this feature at all however it’s helpful to have.

[@paddlepower888]

A really elegant solution. That drill bit is a little expensive, as are the stronghand clamps. To use my locking c clamps on my drill press table-I can use a 1/4” steel plate under the table to bridge the bumps.

[@noble_wolf]

Such a basic, yet highly effective mod. Thanks for sharing.

[@CoastGord]

Nice work...Cast iron is self lubricating - sharp drill alone/proper feed and speed/or air fixture to blow chips from the workpiece. Hope that helps.

[@chuck1607]

Great idea!!! I'm literally about to fab up a small table top to mount my drill press using 1/2" plate steel. I have a mag-drill and plan to use annular bits for my holes. And thanks to YOUR video you have given me another idea on how to make it more useful. Thank you sir!

[@BuildLearnRepeat]

Binford Brand drill press in the thumbnail! Awesome call back to Home Improvement! Great video!

[@flintmaloney3143]

What a great simple Idea! Thanks for the friendly and informative video.

[@rickden8362]

That was a nice, clean operation. Did you ever consider just using vice grip type C-clamp as hold downs, that's been my go-to for years. Cheers.

[@rksg2003]

Thanks for the tip That is what I will do!

[@rickden8362]

@@rksg2003 Glad to have helped.

[@billybike57]

Great job, I’m make two changes now on my press, this one and adding a keyless chuck. Thanks for the advice 😊

[@BobBlarneystone]

There are formulas to calculate cutting rpm for a given diameter and material. I do mostly woodworking, and to improve my larger rectangular table, I drilled 1/4-20 holes with a combination bit that has both the cutting tip/flutes and tapping threads as well. After drilling the hole, I shut down the motor and did the tapping by hand after releasing the drive belt. It works for me.

[@TimWelds]

Awesome! I've never used those bits before but they look cool!

[@BobBlarneystone]

@@TimWelds I think that to use the combo bits to their full potential, both a precise cutting and plunge speed must be used. In my homeshop, the drilling speed is manageble, but I don't think I could ever get the plunge tapping speed correct, and so I did the tapping operation manually, so that I could feel both the cutting resistance and the feed pressure.

[@melgross]

Those bits are good, but be careful. They tend to be very hard and brittle. If you tilt them to the side just a bit when using, they may snap in half.

[@messylaura]

what i use with my floor drill press is that same vice you have bolted to the table so its all ways there, then for the large flat pieces or any other odd stuff i use attachments that fit in the vice as a second fixture place, with the floor mount press its got the working space to do that where as the bench top ones would run out of room pretty quick. of for the larger flat stuff or even the very small stuff i have a scrap box section with a steel bit of stock welded to the bottom of it for the vice to grab then i can use any number of grips to attach stuff too and i can drill right through the item and into the box section, with the press table as the lowest base you need to make sure you have your holes going through in the right place, its ok for one or two but many at the same fixing it would need re adjusting, the thinner walled box section i use also allows for thin needle nose vice grips for a lower profile above the work piece, i havent used C clamps on the work table yet but they do have a taller stick up not so much a better way just a different way, i prefe that to unclamping / un bolting the vice from the table top

[@outdoorzone]

That was pretty slick using the chuck and a sharpie to draw circle!!

[@garytreible8950]

I missed the line a little bit, but fixed it by erasing the line. You’re my kinda guy! 😀

[@Tubeagrutis]

Great idea Tim!!! Going to do this on the old drill press I'm reconditioning.

[@JayHutchG]

What a great idea Tim! How often do we default to an additional tool to accomplish the task? You go straight after it. Anyone with a fixture table knows how well this type of clamping works. KUDOS

[@temporalmadness3756]

Well, i didnt knew what each kind of cutting residue meant till now, so i learned two things today, Thanks again Tim!

[@MichaelKingsfordGray]

You don't even know what your real name is!

[@teddysurf]

Hey man, I don’t know if you read this, but I used 2 bicycle seat clamps with washers on them to hold down my vice on my drill press. I mean, you still have to thread on the “nut”, but you don’t have to use a tool to do it.

[@gvinrad]

We have these in the UK they are called drill press clamps, I have a pair & they have a swivelling foot. I prefer to see them fitted through one of the casting slots, this way there's no need to drill any holes through the table. Although I understand your utilising an item you already have !

[@edgecondition]

Cool; I have some of these 5/8 inch clamps already for welding and will look forward to using them on my drill press!

[@D70340]

Excellent idea! Thank you for posting it.

[@bigmc5706]

Great video it helped me a lot for drilling into my drill press table. I noticed in the background your welding table, can you tell me the make of it if you bought it and the cost please as it is just the right size for my workshop. Thanks

[@leidenhelma5579]

Great idea Tim!

[@TimWelds]

Thanks!

[@slashsplat]

Great idea. I use the same vise, bolted down, and have to spin it to center. This is way more better!

[@scottrussellphotofilmz3970]

Hey Tim. Just watched your video tip in on drilling the holes to use your clamps in. I purchased the same w1668. Going to do the same with my table. Going to purchase your welding bundle. I purchase a 3 in 1 welder from Eastman about a year ago and have not used it yet. A little intimidated I guess......lol

[@sherpadoug]

A nice tip, but you probably don't need more than 2 or 3 holes. Also, I would have drilled through the thick part of the table at the end of the slots to give the welding clamp a longer hole to lock into. I have a couple of holes in my drill press table and a tapered pin I can drop into any of them to stop parts from spinning if they are too small to hit the column.

[@teamidris]

Nice mod :o) I run a three phase drill and lathe off a variable from a single phase line. A friend said be careful of low motor speed and load because it doesn’t cool and he burnt his motor out. *if you have a four pole motor you can double the hertz to run two pole speed and still have a strong motor at 1460 rpm at 50 Hz.

[@ljprep6250]

That's a great idea, Tim. The same clamp put through one of the slots is a PITA, so your idea saves a lot of time and hassles.

[@coburnlowman]

Hello Brother Man👍👍👍👍👍 I really do like this idea. I have several bigger presses that are hard to get a grip on the bigger tables. One needs a new table because it swivels , and it has about been sawed in half from being drilled into before I even got it. Way back yander when I was doing my apprenticeship, we were taught to only drill a pilot hole the size of the webb of the bigger size drill. Reason being the bigger drill will chatter and walk in the pilot hole until the outer flutes engage. It'll also dull the bigger drill faster in the middle of the cutting face because of the chatter.

[@outlet6989]

Your video was excellent. You are a credit to the DIY race. Those multiple holes mean that you can use more than one clamp.

[@TheBlueScarecrow]

What a great idea!!! Tap Magic is the best. It blew me away the first time I tried it; luckily I survived.

[@PiefacePete46]

I had a similar drill press with the two-belt setup... it sounds good until you actually use it! I took the easy way out and replaced it with the one I really should have bought in the first place! The new one is not such a heavily constructed machine, but it is a dream to use, and has a work holding clamp incorporated into it. Bosch PBD40. 2 speed gearbox and variable speed motor. 13mm keyless chuck. Built-in light and laser crosshairs. Digital speed and depth of cut readout. Work holding clamp. Fence.

[@AM-jw1lo]

The manual says 1amp so a cheap (ebay) variac will give you variable speed, i just picked an old w1680 up today, and that was my first though, it would be nice to uses a mill bit as a shaper at a speed i can control.. Good video i think I might do this on mine, this is a nice easy way to stay safe.

[@jt9498]

Did this to my floor drill press a couple of years ago, as I had the same Idea you did. Works great. Wish I could post a pic of what I did, but unfortunately, there's no way to do that on here. :(

[@jaivigo]

Thanks for the video, I have noticed a little problem 03:28 the clamping is pushing the part due to the 90 degree pliers clamping. I think a 1/4” cover plate underneath the round table would work better and the use of a “C”clamp or a regular pliers. The use of 180 degrees clamping should maintain the part to be drilled in place.

[@TimWelds]

I agree that would be more accurate. I never thought of a cover plate for the bottom, that's a great idea.

[@lapislignum]

I considered this, in the end I just ordered a set of vise grips long enough to reach the centre of the workrest, they cost 20 bucks from the best hardware store there is (ebay) which is expensive, but cheaper than trying to work with bandaids on your remaining fingers.

[@mikecartlidge5355]

I make use of the slots already cut in the drill's table and use T nuts and studs as used on a milling machine table.

[@mattwaters6987]

Brilliant idea. Gonna do that to my drill press too. Thanks for sharing sir.👍😊

[@metalshopwithtroy5755]

solid video, great practical use of a table clamp for a drill press.

[@professorg8383]

I love those vise grip style clamps!! Use them on my welding bench too!

[@philoso377]

Nice video and idea. Caveat? Slots are (voids) in the back plate which was made with edge (ribs) to distribute work stress away from the void to avoid premature breakdown and crack in the plate. The diy void hole in this video has no protective ribs is not protected against migratory breakdown and cracks. DIY voids are sensitive to shear force sourced from the work. To make matter worse the hold down force is amplified with mechanical advantage and is converted into a shearing force which is a potential risk to the back plate made of brittle cast iron, and not for mild steel. Option? Create a secondary back plate out of mild steel a thickness close to the stud of clamp pliers and mounted on top of the stock plate. Create hole pattern in the new plate matching location of stock slots. There you have it. It is unnecessary to make an array of holes in the new plate.

[@davemitchell9941]

When drilling cast iron we always used paraffin as a cutting fluid. Work hardening can occur if not & it can go like glass & be impossible to drill. Cast iron doesn’t need any assistance to enable it to crack readily, especially when it gets hot. 🙂

[@s151669]

Using two of these clamps to clamp down a straight piece of steel makes very nice makeshift fence which can keep up with surprisingly large drill bits.

[@johnstone9396]

Great idea, I’ll be doing this to my drill press this week

[@robertodebeers2551]

Excellent idea and presentation. Good job.

[@mattkrause6264]

Brilliant idea! Gonna have to add this to my drill press table!

[@Changtent]

Excellent idea, thanks! I've so many times been unable to clamp where I want to due to those ribs underneath.

[@buckshot8393]

What's the name of the clamp tool that fits in the holes Tim?

[@tegimr]

It is in the description

[@TimWelds]

It's a Build Pro Inserta Pliers. They come in a few sizes, I used the 3-3/8" throat for mine. amzn.to/3CqE5M3

[@Bob_Adkins]

I have the same drill press vise. I like it loose, so the drill will automatically center on my center punch mark or pilot hole. But, I also keep 1 T-bolt in 1 slot of the vise. I keep the bolt pretty loose so the vise will still move, yet won't move even when I drill something awkward. Try it, it's safe and doesn't defeat the purpose.

[@barrylinkiewich9688]

Similar to this, my dad taught me a trick. He would use a carriage bolt up from the bottom, through a slot in the table then a nut or two to hold it in place. It functions similarly to a guide pin on a router table and acts as a stop in case the bit grabs the material.

[@stevej7139]

I have the same drill press except mine is a floor model not the benchtop. I switched to an Albrecht chuck for quick change and no key. Normally if I want a hole say at 5/8 I would drill it 9/16 then chase it with the 5/8, normally a 135 degree drill bit is not just high speed steel like most at 118 degrees but it has some cobalt in it as well and a coated drill can be better if it isn't garbage under the coating like you see coming from China. I worked in aerospace manufacturing for 43 years, back then I wasn't using drill presses much but the tooling was always high end stuff and to this day I only buy good tooling.

[@dolphincliffs8864]

We did this mod to both of our presses last night. Thanks!

[@stantilton2191]

A simple and very useful mod. One that I'll try myself, thank you.

[@stephencox4224]

There is another useful mod you can do with a reasonable quality Drill press with a round table, But it is no longer a drill press put the Table on Tapered Roller bearings which requires some machining then make a safe permanant fixture to mount a grinding facing stone off the Drill and set everything to the lowest possible speed maybe even using a VFD also. Once everything is safely munted up and a safety cage designed as well preferable one simply needs to put the now spinable table offset from the Grinding stone (Cup Style) give it a spin up and lower the grinding stone which when it hits the table being offset will . A :Keep it spinning without needind any form of power. B : Machine the surface perfectly parallel to the grinding wheel. Now you have a very effective surface grinder for Blanchard grinding of things like Automotive Flywheels and at a cost below $1,000.00 That when considering dedicated flywheel grinders start at over $10,000.00 new and even second hand are at least 3 to 5,000.00

[@traianima]

Of course we liked this and of couse we hit the thumbs up. Thank you for all these videos.

[@Ron_EZ]

I had to "Mod" my drill press; as I was assembling it, I realized the manufacturer didn't attach the rack & pinion to the column.. So when you used the table lift crank that thing was flopping all over the place. A quick drill and tap fixed it up!

[@CogentConsult]

Excellent idea! Nice job on the selection of bits and speeds. What brand of clamp was that? Where did you get it?

[@TimWelds]

Thanks! It's a Stronghand Build Pro inserta-pliers. Here's a link: amzn.to/3CqE5M3 . There are a few sizes. I used the 3-3/8" throat size.

[@wayner806]

Very nice. I am saving to buy the Fein magnetic vise for my drill press but your tip is a nice addition.

[@TimWelds]

Those are really nice, definitely on my wishlist.