Woodworking

The drill press has traditionally performed project applications associated with metal work. Standard drill presses need to be customized with a fence and a table. Whether you are drilling into wood or metal, you might want to take some of the following points into consideration.

When choosing a drill press you should start by analyzing the height requirements for the projects on which you will be working. Ask yourself whether a bench top model will do the trick, or whether you will need the extra space provided by a floor model drill press.

The next thing to consider is the motor size and number of speeds by asking yourself what you can afford. The greater the power, the better the drill press when it comes to working on items that are tough to drill. How many speeds will you need to work on your projects? When looking at a particular drill press you should check out how you will be changing the speeds on that particular model. Most drill presses are belt/pulley types that you change by lifting the top casing and slipping the belt to a new pulley, but some of the new models have a crank you turn to change the speed.

What size chuck should you consider before you make your purchase? Most drill presses are either 1/2" or 5/8". You want to be careful not to hurry up and buy a drill press that won't be able to handle the bits and accessories with which you will be working.

Table size varies according to the model and brand. If you are planning to be drilling into wood you should be prepared to fabricate a table for your standard drill press. Throat depth determines the greatest width that you can drill from the center. The quill stroke length determines the depth of the hole you can make on a pass without adjusting the table.

Many drill presses today come equipped with a light. Its easier to purchase a press with a light already built into it because then you won't have to rig one up.

Finally, if you are planning on using a standard drill press for wood you should be sure it has a collar for clamping a mortising yoke to the drill press. If your drill press doesn't come with this feature you won't be able to use a mortising attachment.