Sacrificial drill table inserts

[LCHIEN]

A couple of days ago I decided to retire my sacrificial drill press table insert

Actually just flipped it over


For most critical drilling I use a scrap of thin wood to back up the workpiece. That keeps the back of the hole from blowing out and splintering. Or, using forstners and brad points, I set the depth stop so just the point penetrates the backside and then I flip it and drill to get clean entry holes on both sides.
Still its unavoidable to end up drilling your table surface some. Sometimes you are too lazy to use a backer or its too awkward a cut.

I was dumb when I installed by DP table. I set the center of the insert under the center of the drill axis so all the damage occurs in one arc. If I had off set it by about an inch or 3/4 inch then the damage would be spread out more by rotating the insert.. But its too much trouble to change now. I would do it differently today.

Whats up with your guys DP tables? Mine is an older woodpecker low profile table, my quill raising arms are too long and hit the fence on most tables. The fence is a piece of t-track only 1/2" tall with stops; I do have a tall 4" fence with a cutout for the quill and the arms to get close to the table..

[leehljp]

If I had off set it by about an inch or 3/4 inch then the damage would be spread out more by rotating the insert.. But its too much trouble to change now. I would do it differently today.

Good idea. Its amazing how many small items like this in the shop make things more simple, if we would just think about it.

Thanks

[twistsol]

"Think through everything before you do anything" my Dad, at least 100,000 times. I heard that in the back of my head half a dozen times so far while finishing the basement when I thought "if I'd only done ... "

Thanks for the idea since I need to make a sacrificial table for the ShopSmith once the new shop is ready.

[cwsmith]

Twistsol,

Your post made me smile, I've been following that motto "Think it through before you do" for decades and have been using it for a post signature on here since almost the first day.

CWS

[Jim Frye]

Many years ago, before I had a oscillating spindle sander, I used a drum sander in my drill press. I made an bolt on accessory table with changeable inserts and a vac attachment under it to use on the drill press. The table was a laminate covered double sink cutout I got from a counter top shop. The inserts are plywood and some were made to allow the different sanding drums to pass through with vent holes around the perimeter to allow sanding dust to be drawn down into the vac space. The vac box/base is the size of the drill press table and I added a stiffing frame around the outer edge of the cutout, but left room for clamps if needed. The table has a threaded insert in the bottom and a large shop made knob with a long bolt holds the attachment table to the main table. You can see the knob in the attached picture.

[cwsmith]

I had purchased a Rockler table back around 2005 or so and it was designed to use an insert block, which they sold separately. I have the top mounted on my Ridgid 15" drill press which works well for my needs. The insert is just 1/2-inch MDF and I make my own from scraps, but those are limited because I really don't like MDF at all. So one day I was thinking that most all of my holes are relatively small and I figured why waste a roughly 5 x 7 block just because you're tearing out 3/8th and small drill throughs. With that I decided to just bore a 7/16 inch hole in the block and then use a piece of dowel which I can replace every so often.

With that in mind, I just cut some replcement 'plugs' and keep them handy to glue in position.

Since I rarely have to replace the block, I marked one up with some quick measurements for roughly setting my fence position. You'll note in the picture below, that I also have the drill press and the radial arm saw set-up so either table supports the other.




CWS

[dbhost]

Just stumbled on this. Thanks for the reminder. I need to cut up some new inserts as I am finally trashing the last of my original ones.

[capncarl]

Question, is the square insert positioned so the drill hits the center?

[LCHIEN]

Question, is the square insert positioned so the drill hits the center?

Read the first post in this thread. Read the third paragraph after he pictures beginning with "I was dumb..."
Its not a good idea as I found out.



If you center the drill axis over a square insert that's the worst. You can swing the table right of left a bit to get a clear area of insert but when you rotate it the three other positions you will overlap much of the same area esp in the middle. as shown on the left.

If you offset the drill axis about 1/2" from the center you will eliminate much of the overlap and have a lot of clear supported area even if your holes are up to 1" diameter,

Don't forget to flip the insert over when its all chewed up.

Unfortunately I did the left and have been cussing ever since that I wish I'd done the right side version.

[capncarl]

Sorry, I was left handed speed reading and letting my good eye rest, musta missed that.

[Carlos]

I made a bunch, but rarely change them out. I find that using a random flat piece IF there's a need for a backer works better. So many of my holes don't need it. So I'm constantly chewing the inserts anyway. And I wouldn't want to offset it, since my table has really nice markings and a fence. I guess I can rotate the table and offset it left-right. In the end, the pile of scraps I keep next to the DP is the easiest.

[Jshack01]

I made a small table for my small drill press, it's vaguely based on a commercial one. Wen?
There's a round recess in the middle that takes an insert, and I can rotate the insert around as it gets chewed up.

[LCHIEN]

Round inserts make it infinitely adjustable on rotation but must be a lot more trouble to make!

[Jshack01]

Not too bad, I have a hole saw that is a whisker more than a perfect fit. One quick spin around on the disk sander.

[Jim Frye]

Question, is the square insert positioned so the drill hits the center?

Yes, These pictures should show. The insert with the large hole is for one of the drum sanders I used to use before I got an OSS. The picture under the table shows the vac attach port.

[Jim Frye]

Yes, made from leftover scraps.

[LCHIEN]

nicer20, I'm not sure you can count on even a small piece of 1/4" plywood to be really flat and they also tend to vary in thickness.
Both can be problematic for drill press inserts which you need to be perfectly level with the table to do a good job.
I use MDF which is flat and accurate in thickness dimensions.

[nicer20]

LCHIEN Oh Ok. I thought I can get away with a 1/4" plywood which I have some. Looks like I better stick to the MDF. Drill press table is definitely next on my must-have list as I am finding everyday.
Thanks for the insights.