14 Tips for Getting the Most from Your Drill Press

Set the Drill Press Table for Perfect “Perpendicularity”

A drill press can only drill perfectly straight holes if the table is perfectly perpendicular to the spindle. Here’s an old machinist’s trick to make your table spot-on:

• Make about a 30-degree bend in a 1/4-in. steel rod about 2 in. from the end.
• Cut it to a length that will reach the outer edges of your table when the short end is in the chuck.
• Chuck in the rod and then turn the chuck so that the rod’s end is oriented toward either edge of the table.
• Raise the table until the rod just touches the surface and then lock the table.
• Turn the chuck to position the rod on the opposite edge of the table.
• Adjust the tilt of the table until the rod touches both edges equally.
• Lock the tilt adjustment nut and never adjust it again.

We’ll show you how to build your own drill press table here.

Article source here: 14 Tips for Getting the Most from Your Drill Press