Woodworking Community
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Still questioning the usefulness of that drill press in your shop? Maybe you haven’t explored all the many ways it could be used to its full potential. Whether you use it weekly or monthly, chances are you might be missing one of these drill press tips. Check them out:
1. Prevent Clogged Bits – Keep drill flutes clear with a couple squirts of bit lubricant before you drill. This is especially helpful when you are drilling deep holes. And you’ll really notice the difference when drilling into end grain, such as on the pen blanks shown here. Without a lubricant, the flutes jam quickly.
2. Drill Without Blow-Out – Avoid blow-out on round stock by resting it in a half-round cradle instead of a V block. A cradle provides continuous support for the material so the bit won’t blast through the back, leaving a ragged exit hole. To make the cradle, drill a hole the exact size of the round stock in a small piece of scrap and then cut it in half. Mount the two halves on a sheet of plywood to cradle the stock on each end.
3. Square the Table for Accuracy – Square the table using this old machinists’ trick. Bend a piece of 1/4-in. steel rod (available at home centers) into an S shape, as shown in the photo above. Mount it in the chuck and swing it by hand to each side of the table. Use a feeler gauge between the end of the rod and the tabletop to test the clearance at each end of the table. Adjust the table tilt until there’s .003 in. or less difference between the two sides.
4. Find the Center – Perfectly center a hole by placing one face of your workpiece against a fence and dimpling the surface with the tip of the drill bit. Then rotate the workpiece end for end and dimple it again. If the two dimples don’t line up, as shown here, the fence needs to be repositioned. To center the hole, move the fence by half the distance between the two dimples.
Source: Toolking
