Two-level drill press table – FineWoodworking

In the last episode of Shop Talk Live, I stated that my drill press would probably be the last power tool I’d get rid of if I ever were forced to do something that dramatic. I have always had drill presses with only 2 in. of quill travel, so drilling holes deeper than 2 in. required multiple steps. More steps equals more chances to introduce inaccuracies. I think 2 in. of quill travel would be fine for most woodworkers, but it became a point of friction often enough for me to be consistently annoyed by my old drill press.

The other elephant in the room is my infatuation with vintage Delta machines. Along with my love of Swiss-made Inca machines, it always factors in heavily when acquiring machines for my shop. I love the styling of these old Deltas and I love how easy they are to find in our neck of the woods.

However, I don’t love the lack of a rack and pinion to raise and lower the table. I have a few friends with machines like this and they all say they avoid moving the table because it’s just a pain. Mike Pekovich said he keeps his table at a good height for drilling with a 1/4-in. brad-point bit and hopes he won’t have to move it. Phil Huber recommended adding springs from the table to the motor mount to make the task easier. Both are valid opinions.

I thought about myriad options for my setup. Leaving it be wasn’t one of them. Springs would get me closer. Oh, some acme thread and a 12-volt DC motor sounds right up my alley (one of my favorite examples is below)! I adore overcomplicating things! To me, the only thing better than an elaborate, over-the-top solution is one that is distilled down to the simplest answer that accomplishes the task at hand.

What do I need? Is it the ability to minutely adjust the table? Nope. I need something to keep me from having to move it large amounts. This two-tiered table seemed like the simplest answer while being just elegant enough to make me want to do the work to make it happen.

Level up your drill press

These jigs, accessories, and tricks for your drill press will let this must-have tool work even better.

Power Lift for Drill-Press Table

Making woodworking less phyiscal

Drill-press table with dust collection

Tearout-free drilling on a self-cleaning surface