Precision at the Drill Press

[radhak]

The last few days I dug a few mortises on 1" thick Red Oak with 1/2" fostner on the Drill Press. These were the sides/legs/stiles of a book shelf, so 3 mortises per, each 1.5" wide, 1" deep.

I took some care to position a fence for the exact distance (0.23") from the edge. Then, I marked the mortise in pencil and eye-balled the bit's landing spot each time. Since I had only 12 mortises to do, I did manage okay; but really wished there was a better way. Or am I missing a better way to assure repetitive stops?

I don't have a DP table, and am thinking maybe I should build one something like this.




It may not help with the different stops for the mortises, but positioning the fence from distance from bit might be easier, right?

[LCHIEN]

The last few days I dug a few mortises on 1" thick Red Oak with 1/2" fostner on the Drill Press. These were the sides/legs/stiles of a book shelf, so 3 mortises per, each 1.5" wide, 1" deep.

I took some care to position a fence for the exact distance (0.23") from the edge. Then, I marked the mortise in pencil and eye-balled the bit's landing spot each time. Since I had only 12 mortises to do, I did manage okay; but really wished there was a better way. Or am I missing a better way to assure repetitive stops?

I don't have a DP table, and am thinking maybe I should build one something like this.




It may not help with the different stops for the mortises, but positioning the fence from distance from bit might be easier, right?

Use the fence to set the distance from the fence to the edge of the mortise, then use stop blocks on the fence to set the ends of the mortise. Its not important to be precise with the sideways positioning of mortices cuts except for the ones on the end, of course.

I usually try to use something like .25" for the edge to mortice distance. Then I can use a .25" setup bar and set the fence so it just slips between the mortice bit and the fence. Then the "landing" or the width of the strip between the edge and the mortice will be precisely .25" - that's the best way to set things up.

[phi1l]

It may not help with the different stops for the mortises, but positioning the fence from distance from bit might be easier, right?

With a decent DP Table you should be able to easily set left & right stops as well, even on very long pieces you can clamp the work piece to a jig ( in this case just a piece of wood or MDF with a pin on top) & have the stops act on the jig

[LarryG]

For workpieces longer than the fence, another solution is to position a stop block for one side of the mortise and then make a spacer the width of the mortise to establish the other side. Put the spacer in place to start the mortise; remove it and use the nibble method until the stop block limits the travel at the other side of the mortise.

[LCHIEN]

For workpieces longer than the fence, another solution is to position a stop block for one side of the mortise and then make a spacer the width of the mortise to establish the other side. Put the spacer in place to start the mortise; remove it and use the nibble method until the stop block limits the travel at the other side of the mortise.

Very good point, Larry. This is a real good trick.

[pelligrini]

A stop block will work. I like using my short fence and a couple of flip stops.

My short fence is basically a length of T-track plus with a couple of track locks. Those pinnacle T-track flip stops are nice.

My tall fence is one of the HF router fences.