Loring's old drill press table is busted...

[dbhost]

As some of you know, I bought a Grizzly drill press table from Loring a while back. It did NOT like the humidity of being right on the coast, and the fiberboard it was made from, well it just kind of melted. Specifically the section the thread inserts goes into just kind of flaked apart like shale pops off in sheets... I did Gorilla glue it (twice) and epoxy it (once) but the failure this week was the last straw...

So now I am shop building a table. I actually built a prototype already (I am calling it a prototype because I made some bad mistakes on it), and am now gluing up what will be the final table.

The specs are...

3/4" birch ply / 3/16" tempered hardboard lamination table. Replaceable insert cavity routed in place (using the Grizz as a template). Inserts will be 1/2" plywood (I have TONS of that, and can set the depth for my rabbeting bit to achieve this pretty easily...

I will be recycling the Grizzly hardware for the thread inserts.

The T track in the table, and the fence will be Rockler Universal T Track so that I can use regular bolts as well as my many Rockler T bolts...

I am considering edge banding it, but have never done so. Not even sure how to do this other than some sort of slot and tenon arrangement. You guys have any suggestions? The lazy part of me says to heck with it, but another part of me wants to band it to get the practice... And yet another part of me wants to edge it with hardboard for a consistent look...

Well, tomorrow the glue up should be done, and although I will be way too busy for my own good with other issues, I will try to get out to the shop and flush trim the hardboard, and get the edging started... Then I will know...

[LCHIEN]

but Loring is not too sad.

The Woodpecker replacement is going strong although they've already replaced it with a different model in their catalog.

I suppose after a bit we'll be hearing about the drill press table "made from the reclaimed hardware from Loring's old Drill press table".

[dbhost]

The Woodpecker replacement is going strong although they've already replaced it with a different model in their catalog.

I suppose after a bit we'll be hearing about the drill press table "made from the reclaimed hardware from Loring's old Drill press table".

Not unless you want to read my blog entry on LJs and be regaled with tales of how I screwed it up...

Actually, yeah, some of the hardware will be recyled. The thread inserts will be reused, as will the hold downs, knobs etc... The T track is unique as are the T bolts for the fence, and they do not fit my Rockler stuff, I kind of want everything to work together, so the T track on the one being built will be the new Rockler stuff I have had in my shop for quite a while now (I took good advantage of Rockler's $19.00 sale on the T track kits....)

It didn't take long for me to run into the same problem you had with the fence knobs, I could live with it, but the thread inserts constantly pulling out was just too much to deal with. Just the wrong material for use in a humid environment, and I have not been able to do much about that, yet.... Still in progress, and likely to be for quite some time to come...

[radhak]

Definitely edgeband it, and with hardwood if possible. Adds rigidity that you'd sorely miss otherwise. Of course you'd need wood with real thickness of 1" (and not the 3/4") since you're gonna have the hardboard adding to the ply's thickness. Mitered ends add to the looks, though a bit more effort.

I feel easiest way is with a spline running the middle of the ply and the hardwood, because alignment is the only goal here. Cut the slot on the TS with the same fence setting for both pieces and you should be good.

I have done that, and have also used my dowel jig with decent satisfaction (ie, after doing all that, you could get to a meltdown when you find the alignment is still off and you need to sand or plane; or you could be phlegmatic about it and and get to it... ).

But I have also taken shortcuts by simply ripping the corresponding edges on the TS and butt-join-glued them; had to sweat a bit when the pieces slip on clamp pressure, and had to do it one edge at a time; but this too works and I have not had any such joint unraveling on me yet. You could always think yourselves up some basic jigs to keep them aligned when clamping. But this could be the fastest, and since you are prepared for the hustle, you feel happier with the results!

[JR]

You'll probably end up doing something like what Radhak suggests. There's also a rubber edge band that goes into a rouied slot.

Alternatively, you could use some iron-on laminate trim. It's cheap and easy to use and gets the job done. Just pointing out the "handyman's" alternative vs the "woodworker's" choice.

JR

[Tamarack]

Something I did on the edge of a rolling work table might work well for you. After I had the work surface completed , I ripped 3/4" hard maple to width and drilled pilot holes for 2" #8 screws to hold it to the sides of the table while the glue set and avoid the problem of slipping clamps. Glued it up and let it set overnight, the next day I removed the screws and replaced them with contrasting color (walnut) Miller Dowels after drilling out the screw holes with the Miller Dowel stepped bit. Glued/hammered in the dowels, planed them down with a low angle block plane and sanded them flush before the final finish went on. I was surprised at how easy it was to get it all right, and most people who saw it commented on the nice look of the dowels.

Paul

[dbhost]

I like the spline idea that radhack suggests... I have plenty of 1/4" stock to use as a spline, I was honestly thinking of doweling and glueing it up. I figure a walnut edge band with oak dowels would make for an interesting contrast, and I have the scrap to do it...

Right now that project is on a back burner, or should I say on the workbench and shoved out of the way... I have been spending my day in the ceiling and the attic finishing the insulation, and running the wire for the lighting and air scrubber outlets in the ceiling. I have also been ripping out the 1/4" ply "decking" in my attic, and replacing it with 5/8" OSB. I think I am not used to having pnuemaitc nailers yet... I still went up the stairs with the old Estwing in tow...

[crokett]

Post pics of yours if you don't mind. I made one for my Ryobi Benchtop DP a while back but it has several shortcomings. I am not sure if it is that a benchtop DP has limitations a floor model does not, or the design, probably the latter.

[dbhost]

Post pics of yours if you don't mind. I made one for my Ryobi Benchtop DP a while back but it has several shortcomings. I am not sure if it is that a benchtop DP has limitations a floor model does not, or the design, probably the latter.

What shortcomings are you talking about?

My uh, prototype has a goodly number of mistakes, Design and execution. The Grizzly slots are 3-1/2" in from the ends, which can, under certain circumstances, put the fence knob right in the way of the elevation handles. I moved mine outward to 2" from the sides, which makes using the hold downs on shorter objects impossible. My next revision I am going to put them in at 4.5"...

Anyway, this is the really messed up prototype.

Oh, FWIW, the angle of the table in relation to the chuck is a visual illusion, I am able to chuck up a 3/8" smooth rod and use my engineers square and it is completely square when set to 0...

[LCHIEN]

in terms of design, here's a couple of ideas.
Have two sets of tracks, one for the fence and one for the hold downs, you can actually use the hold downs in either set for small or large pieces.
On a tight budget? you'll never need the track all the way to the front for the fence. Cut the track in half and use a stopped dado slot for the fence track just halfway thru the table. Use the other half tracks in another stopped dado for the hold downs in the front half of the table.

My preference is to get the fence hold down knobs off the top of the fence. Sure its vertical now, but get a piece of wood chip under it and it will tilt easily.
My fence has a L-shape, the rear foot extends about an inch or a bit more. I use small T-knobs that don't take much clearance. Wing nuts would also work. This keeps you from getting too close to the center post? I put a deep notch into foot to go around the column.
And my table/tracks are extended on the rear sides where the track is, to maximize the rearwards location of the fence.

The added foot stiffens the fence a lot from warping and keeps it straight. I use a small knob on a sideways running slot on the foot to secure the fence, the slot allows me to angle the fence more flexibly, also some left-right play in the fence as I might allow the table to rotate right and left.

I have a 1/8" 45° chamfer on the front bottom edge of the fence. This allows some dust and chips to be present without pushing the item away from the fence.

I have a notch in the center of the fence to allow the chuck to go lower and drill close to the fence. On my 3" tall fence (yes I have two) I have a notch on the right to allow the handle to swing if the head is low.

And don't forget, you can always turn the fence around (face pointing to the rear) to use when needing a fence and drilling objects which require more swing.

I use a short fence, 1/2" high, to drill on flat objects. Its just more convenient.