Popular Woodworking 2001-10 № 124, страница 24

drillpresses

Making holes that are all the same depth and all straight into your work might not sound like a big deal until you try to do that without a drill press. Trust us, you need one.

For most woodworkers, the drill press isn't the most important tool in your shop. But it's a tool you'll miss if you try to go without it. Drill presses excel at drilling consistent holes into your work with very little effort. For many people, drill presses may sit idle for long stretches before being put to use. But with additional attachments, the drill press becomes a mortiser or a spindle sander, increasing its usefulness.

Capacities on drill presses are determined by measuring the distance from the center of the chuck to the post. An 8" benchtop drill press has a 4" throat capacity from the post to the chuck.

Sold as benchtop and floor models, expect a 4" to 8¹/2" capacity on standard benchtop models (which are priced from $80 to almost $1,000, with most around the $180 mark). Standard floor models will range from 6V2" to 11" capacity and cost between $195 and $3,700 and average around $400. Both benchtop

BIT SPEEDS

BIT TYPE SOFTWOOD HARDWOOD

and floor model radial drill presses have a much larger capacity.

Choosing between a benchtop or floor model drill press is likely to come down to price and throat capacity. Many of the other features are similar among the models. Though benchtop units limit the possible height of the piece being drilled, the height limitation can be worked around by mounting it to a work surface and swinging the head so it extends over the edge of the work surface.

One feature that is standard on most drill presses is the ability to operate at variable speeds by changing the orientation of the drive belts on stepped pulleys. Some models allow speeds to be changed without stopping the machine or moving the belts. This feature is more important than most users realize, as specific speeds will provide better performance from bits. Larger bits perform better at slower speeds, while smaller bits work well at higher speeds.

See the chart below to make sure you're getting the most from your drill press tooling.

Closely related to speed is the motor size. It's not important to have a large motor on a drill press. In essence, a drill press does the same type of work an electric drill does, but it is more accurate. A ¹/6 hp to ³/4 hp is the normal range for bench-tops, while floor models will run from V2 hp to 2 hp.

One of the features that allows drill presses to be more accurate than an electric drill is an adjustable depth stop. Employing either a threaded shaft with stop-nuts attached to the quill, or an internal limiter that keeps the handle from turning past a certain spot, the depth stop allows you to drill hole after hole to exactly the same depth. Some drill press models offer both types of depth adjustment. Either will work, though you may find that you have a personal preference.

Now that we've got the bit spinning at the proper speed and to the proper depth, let's take a look at what's holding the wood. The tables that most drill presses are outfitted with are holdovers from when drill presses were crossover tools from the metalworking shops. The tables may be square or round, and if you're lucky they'll offer slots you can use to mount a plywood sub-table. The critical feature on the table is the way it adjusts. Tables move up and down using a simple friction sleeve (mostly found on benchtop units) or a rack-and-pinion system operated by a crank. In either case, if you get the chance to try the machine, make sure the

10 Popular Woodworking October 2001