Benchtop Drill Press stands

[gfry]

Well THAT didn't go so well! I posted 7 photos, and they only showed one! And it's the inside one at that! What gives?

I copied greenacres design - mostly! Thanks for the inspiration!



Seems I can only post one picture at a time, so here's another view:



This is how my new JET (Model JDP-15M) looks mounted on the freshly built stand:

[greenacres2]

Looks great--beefy and good looking. Are you going to add a shelf on the inside?
earl

[rcp612]

Not the best pic but, you can get the idea.
5 drawers in front and an inset pegboard on the back, on 5" casters for mobility.
I believe the stand was in Shopnotes a few years ago.

[cabinetman]

Your stand looks very good and functional. Looks like you may not have a problem with stability, but for those planning a tool on wheels, keep in mind that a DP is a fairly tall and narrow tool. It's on the top heavy side. In planning for a base, especially one on wheels/castors, the overall balance can be improved with a large enough spread for the castors for support (or counter weighted with a base and its contents).

If the castor layout is within the confines of the concentrated weight, moving it can be a tipsy event. If a castor hits an obstruction on the floor, the top of the DP will want to continue to move. Just thinkin' out loud here (so-to-speak).

.

[greenacres2]

Heed Cabinetman's words. A local attorney had an adult son who was an avid model railroad enthusiast, single, lived alone several hours away from here. Did not report to work one Monday morning--with no call-in. They found him in his basement shop, pinned by his drill press (a 15" floor model as i recall), broken watch indicated the accident occurred Friday evening, death estimated likely to have been Sunday afternoon/evening.

The warnings are to firmly attach a drill press to a secure surface, most of us don't give it a thought about how top-heavy and inherently unstable they are. Wouldn't take much to tip the balance I'm acutley aware every time i move or use mine. Stay aware, stay safe.
earl

[gfry]

My JET stand info

Yes, I will be adding a floor inside, a drawer up top and some kind of top covering like a hard rubber or linoleum (something?), that I'll cut out to fit around base of the drill press stand - so as to protect the tabletop and I can take up and clean off. And, I'll eventually put a steel bar handle across the front too - attaching it through a couple of steel plates screwed into the upper 2 x 4 supports along the underside of the tabletop.
As to the danger of tipping over, the drill press base is 10 1/2" wide x 18" deep - the table top is 29" wide (across the front), and 23" deep by 2" thick. The floor-to-top height is 29", bringing the very top of the press now to my eye level (I'm 6' 3") - all calculated and drawn out before hand.
The press weighs 160 lbs. and the table is around 80 lbs. now. I've moved it around and there's not even a hint of tipping over. That was a major concern when designing it, hence the dimensions and weight of material chosen and... that's also why I chose greenacres2's design! (The heft!).
Plus, I've got even more weight going in on the bottom floor, (once installed), with things like a belt sander, orbital sander, etc. when finished, which will give even more lower, center-of-gravity weight to it.

[greenacres2]

Yeah, yours has a nice wide stance--and i really like how you fastened the DP to the table. I used 1/2" oak if i recall correctly--i do remember looking for flat iron/steel and not finding anything in the shop!!

Shoot, the only resemblance mine has to your work of art is that they've both got 4 wheels!!
earl

[gfry]

Reply to Earl...

Thanks Earl!
I only used cheap 3 1/2" casters from Home Depot, and they seem to work just fine... but I'll be watching for any problems later on down the road! If I encounter any problems, I have NO problem with switching them out in a heartbeat!

[Tom Clark]

Since this old thread showed up, here is one more idea. Consider making your machinery stand a bit larger so it can hold two or more machines. It eliminates the metal stands that waste space, makes the stands far more stable, and provides a lot of storage. This cabinet is not on casters - but it could have been. I use plastic furniture feet so the cabinets can be slide around on the floor, for those times when I feel like rearranging things.

[LCHIEN]

last week I bought a Toolchest intermediate cabinet (e.g. one of those units that supposed to go between the Rolling floor cabinet and the toolchest with lid and many drawers that goes on top). to put on the shelf next to my Drill press.

Here's an inventory of what I put on top of it:
1. DP vise
2. DP tilting Vise
3. Large bx of Forstner bits to 2.125"
4. Large index (115 pc) standard twist drill bits
5. Spade bit set

Whats in the drawers
1. INsty bits
2. Small container of step index bits
3. Drill index box with standard 118 deg twist bits
4. Drill index box with 135 degree bits
5. Drill index with Brad point bits
6. Small box of carbide forstner bits
7. small container with drill bits and indexes and pin vises for micro bits (smaller than #60)
8. Misc center punches, auto-center punches for starting holes
9. Hold down clamps (4) for DP table that engage the T-tracks
10 Fence stops for fence
11. small drill and tap set
12. Countersink screw bit set
13. hole plug set
14. Hole saws and arbors of various sizes collected randomly
15. set of extra long (12") brad point bits from 1/8 to 1/2"
16. Misc bits for special purposes/
17. Countersinks of various types

there's probably more but but I can't think of them now
I have a tall fence for the DP and a set of brad points always out.

[gfry]

Oh yeah - that's nice! If I owned my own home I'd definitely do something like this - no question! But, alas, I don't - I rent an apartment with a double-car garage, (which is nice for the moment), but if I ever need to move someday, I need everything to be portable.