Drill press alignment?

[RJD2]

I have a Ryobi 10" drill press, and need alignment directions. My current project requires drilling precise as possible holes through 2 1/8" thick stock. However, the exit hole is further away from the end than the entrance hole. I am utilizing a drill press vise to hold the wood secure. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Ron

[dbhost]

Check the table for square to begin with...

[Tom Miller]

...the exit hole is further away from the end than the entrance hole....

Are you saying that the hole is not exactly perpendicular to the top or bottom faces of the wood? If so, this could either be due to the DP table not being exactly perpendicular to the bit, or in the case of narrow bits, the bit could be flexing and bending in the workpiece.

Assuming it's the former, check with something like this.

Regards,
Tom

[dbhost]

Okay I know my advice above stinks... I had to think about what I am saying here...

Using a level, make SURE your drill press is level.

Next using an engineers square, or other shortish (5" or so) KNOWN square straight edge such as a block cut on the miter saw and double checked for square with the engineers square, use that to check your table in reference to the bit. Adjust per the owner's manual. Not sure about that particular DP, but some have front / rear and left / right tilt, and if any of those directions are off... well...

Of course if it is a matter of bit deflection my only advice is use a thicker or shorter bit...

[LCHIEN]

use an engineer's square of the appropriate height (usually 3-4 inches) to check the front-back, left-right perpendicularity of a 1/4" drill bit chucked up in your DP and about 1/2 inch from the surface of the table. Adjust the table tilt to make it so there's no light to be seen between the bit and the square when the other side of the square is flat on the table and the vertical blade is flush against the bit.
If this is straight it should be good to go.

if you still have problems it might be technique -Don't use too much drilling pressure on small bits - or you have to make sure your quill runs vertical. If using a vise make sure the vise is flat ont he table and has no tilt. You may have to use the engineers square on the wood to the bit same as you did for the table.

Clamp the vise to the table or better yet clamp the wood to the table and get rid of the vise.

DPs are almost a sure fire way of getting perfectly perpendicular holes.

[RJD2]

The table seems fine (no visible light) via checking it with an engineer's square, but definitely not with the addition of the vise. The vise seems to be the problem. Thanks for the assistance.

Ron

[dbhost]

Addition of a Woodworking drill press table, and appropriate hold downs will help in that area. MOST drill presses are designed for machine work, wood deflects a LOT under too much clamp pressure.... Which machinists type clamps / standard tables will apply...

I HAVE a Grizzly DP table that I got from Loring. A nice design that I am not happy with the materials on. This is NOT a comment on Loring, but rather a comment on how poorly the MDF table grizzly sells was sealed, Humidity is getting to mine BAD... I am planning building my own out of Baltic Birch ply this upcoming winter....

Also, go slow and steady with your bit, don't "shove" the handle down, it should take relatively light downward pressure on the handle, just let the bit do the work....

[Tom Miller]

Had the camera in the shop this AM, so I thought I'd give this topic one last unnecessary flog.

Many of us have one of these -- and if we don't, we should run (not walk) to Grizzly or wherever to get one:




Then, do this:




Rotate the chuck (by hand ) and watch the gauge.

Regards,
Tom

[cobob]

I did buy one of these guages. Have you figured a good way to use it to adjust the SMT, mitre slots, or Rip fence? I've begun to ponder but haven't done anything with it yet.

[Tom Miller]

Have you figured a good way to use it to adjust the SMT, mitre slots, or Rip fence?

Not personally, but I've seen how other folks use dial gauge-based setups for such alignments. The key idea is to attach the gauge to a block, and then run the block along the rip fence, for instance, measuring distance to the blade along the length of the blade. Attach a piece of miter slot bar, and run the gauge along the miter slot.

Hopefully others with real experience will post, otherwise, you could google "dial gauge table saw alignment", or similar.

Regards,
Tom

[Tom Slick]

Just in case anyone wants to read up on Tom Miller's suggestion, the process is called "tramming" and is a critical setup step for milling machines.

[dbhost]

Any recommendations on a good dial indicator / jig such as that? I actually have use for stuff like that, and no, I do not yet own any such device...

[Tom Slick]

HF sells TM's setup for about $20.