Do you need to know how to build a drill press table? Doing so allows you to customize everything so that you can make a table personalized to you.
It is pretty inexpensive to make and has a lot of features you will appreciate later. If you want to know the best way to tackle this project, be sure to keep reading. We have got you covered!
Why Build Your Own Drill Press Table
Drill presses are made to work with metal, not wood. When you want to use more materials on your table, you probably need to make some adjustments that can be costly. By building your own drill press table, you are saving money- plus, you can design it however you want.
Your drill press table should be able to handle any material that you want to work with. If you want it to drill precise holes into wood or metal, you should be able to rely on it to help you make your projects.
If you are a craftsman and love building, you probably already have a lot of these materials at home, which can help keep the cost down. You likely will only need to buy the T-track. This allows you to add a feature that makes it easy to adjust where the hold-downs can hold your materials.
What You Need to Build a Drill Press Table
Before you get started, you want to be sure that you have all the materials and tools on hand. This would include a belt sander, clamps, router, table saw, drill bits, and a hole saw kit. Contact cement or wood glue would also be a good idea. We listed everything below to make it easier for you.
This drill press table design features a fence, throat plate, edging, T-tracks, and a laminate. These are all aspects that you will appreciate when working on your table later.
Materials
- Two 2 foot squares of particleboard
- A fence that is 6 lin. feet of 1×3 hardwood
- An edge band that is 8 lin. feet of 1×3 hardwood
- Laminate that can provide 20 x 30 inches (get the smallest size that offers that much)
- T-track set, it should include:
- 2 24 inch tracks
- Two hold-down clamps
- 2 knobs
- Two ½ inch T-slot bolts
- Contact cement
- Wood glue
Tools
- Belt sander
- Clamps
- Drill bit set
- Cordless Impact Driver
- Hole saw kit
- Miter saw
- Router
- Router bits
- Straight cut bit
- Flush bit
- 45-degree bevel bit
- Table saw
Building the Drill Press Table
Step 1
This DIY drill press table is simple to build. Start by gluing 1-inch oversized particleboard panels together. When they dry, cut them down to size with your table saw. You can edge-band the sides of the table after that. Sand down the top so that everything is flat.
Pro-tip – You can use clamps to ensure that the boards are held together tightly until dry. Be patient- moving or working on the particle boards before they set can cause them to shift out of place.
Step 2
Next, cut your 1-inch oversized laminate squares and attach them with contact cement. Make sure that the laminate squares are flush with one of your flush drill bits before using a 45 degree bit on them. Then, hollow out a ½ inch deep area using your router for the throat plate.
Step 3
Cut out ¾ inch wide dados (a cut perpendicular to the grain in your wood) before adding your clearance holes on the fence. These clearance holes should be made using a 2 ½ inch drill press.
Attach the fence together with screws before adding on laminate. Finally, rout that the same way you did in step 2.
The T-Track
When you go to attach the T-track, it should come with its own instructions. However, we can give you a general idea of how to do it here. Keep in mind that your version might have some variations with the installation.
You will want to insert the T-track into the dado that you cut out earlier. You can use a strong glue or screws to hold it in place or both. Your instructions will let you know what is best.
T-tracks are helpful to have around. They allow you to adjust the fences and clamps easily. On this drill press table, it allows for those parts to slide, so they can fit whatever you are working with at the time.
Completion
All you have to do now is set the table up under your drill press. This design makes a great replacement drill press table if something unfortunate happened to your last one. Plus, the project can be completed in a few days easily.
You can also make any changes you want to the basic design. This is perfect if you have something very specific in mind for your drill press table
Tips for Using Your Drill Press Table
You can use your new DIY table just as you would your old one. It has the benefit of a T-track and fencing, so you can adjust where you need the materials to sit easily. Here are a few extra tips for getting the most out of your drill press table:
Get Rid of Debris
When using a drill press, debris and dust can build up quickly. You want to make sure that your workspace and table are clear so that leftover materials do not get in the way of making your project.
Compressed air is excellent for clearing off the drill press table. Use a can to reach where you normally cannot and blast away any debris that is clogging up the works.
Use Your Toggle Clamps
If you are drilling a metal material, such as steel, you need to be certain that it is held firmly down on your drill press table. You can use a pair of toggle clamps to do that.
If you did not install a T-track, then you can screw the clamps into the table where you need them to be. With the T-track, however, you can simply slide the clamps into place. This is more convenient and just as sturdy.
