Drill Press Table & Bits question
#8
Do you use one? If so, what features do you find important?

From what I can see, they consist of some track for mounting and clamping, a replaceable insert and a fence that allows for a length stop. I see Rockler offer a fence similar to a router table ence that slides and has a central DC port. Useful or gimmick? Anything else to consider?

I have the standard array of hand held drill bits and want to acquire some Forstner bits. I'm thinking a 4 piece set of 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00 inches would make sense. I would other buts singly when, as, and if required and replace the starter set bits with premium stuff when they get worn out. Make sense? Are Wood Owl bits OK in a DP?
Thanks,  Curt
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#9
(11-24-2019, 09:37 PM)cputnam Wrote: Do you use one?  If so, what features do you find important?

From what I can see, they consist of some track for mounting and clamping, a replaceable insert and a fence that allows for a length stop.  I see Rockler offer a fence similar to a router table ence that slides and has a central DC port.  Useful or gimmick?  Anything else to consider?

I have the standard array of hand held drill bits and want to acquire some Forstner bits.  I'm thinking a 4 piece set of 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00 inches would make sense.  I would other buts singly when, as, and if required and replace the starter set bits with premium stuff when they get worn out.  Make sense?  Are Wood Owl bits OK in a DP?

The Rockler tables are junk.  I bought one, it lasted less than a week before the T-track hold down screws stripped out of the cheap MDF.  I mounted an oversized piece of 3/4" ply so I can clamp from the edges of the table. No replaceable insert when the center is ripped up I replace the ply.  I keep it simple.

As far as bits go, that depends a lot on what you are doing.  I use Forstner bits quite a bit so bit the bullet and bought the $400 high-speed steel set from Lee valley which have served me quite well.
Mike


If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room!

But not today...
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#10
(11-24-2019, 09:37 PM)cputnam Wrote: Do you use one?  If so, what features do you find important?

From what I can see, they consist of some track for mounting and clamping, a replaceable insert and a fence that allows for a length stop.  I see Rockler offer a fence similar to a router table ence that slides and has a central DC port.  Useful or gimmick?  Anything else to consider?

I have the standard array of hand held drill bits and want to acquire some Forstner bits.  I'm thinking a 4 piece set of 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00 inches would make sense.  I would other buts singly when, as, and if required and replace the starter set bits with premium stuff when they get worn out.  Make sense?  Are Wood Owl bits OK in a DP?

I have one. It's one of the few things I've bought from Woodpeckers. I doubt I would have saved much $ making my own, actually thought the price was reasonable. For features, I don't personally need much. I have the fence, some hold-downs, and flip-down stops. Of those, the fence is the only one I use consistently. It's low and I like that; a taller fence would limit how close to the chuck I can get the workpiece. Hold-downs are nice, I guess, but I tend to use bar clamps when I can. I rarely make repeated holes, so I can't say how useful the flip-down stops are. The table needs to be reasonably flat, so you can square it to the spindle for any size piece. A replaceable insert is essential IMO. 

Dunno if this is useful info, but I've had good luck with the Lee Valley HSS Forstner bits. I use them all the time in my drill press.
Best,
Aram, always learning

"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery


Web: My woodworking photo site
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#11
I also use one of the older versions of the Woodpeckers table. Had it for a decade now. Love it. Money well spent. I have surprisingly few pictures of it, though. Best one I could find is from when I made the base cabinet a few years back:
[Image: drillpress06.JPG]

I bought a cheap box of Harbor Freight Forstners nearly 20 years ago, and I am still using them. I tend to spend my drill bit dollars on the Lee Valley quality HSS bits, after getting frustrated by cheaper bits that bent or were not truly round.
Math is tough. Let's go shopping!
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#12
I made my own a few years ago and it's held up pretty well. I probably went a little overboard by some standards, but it works for me...

Two pieces of 3/4" MDF covered with laminate and wrapped in maple. T-track for hold downs and replaceable inserts. Aram's comment about the value of a low fence is accurate, but I've found I can use hold downs effectively with the fence pushed back out of the way if the holes being drilled are too close. The DC port in the fence wouldn't be all that effective for most of the holes I drill. I use a hose that mostly holds a shape and position it near the hole when needed.

[Image: 6B83ZmG.jpg]

As for bits, I've been using forstener bits from Woodworker's Supply for almost 20 years without any complaints...
"One should respect public opinion insofar as is necessary to avoid starvation and keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyrany, and is likely to interfere with happiness in all kinds of ways."
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#13
If you do any cabinet work, you'll want to eventually buy a 35mm or 1 3/8" Forstner for the Euro-hinge holes (Blum, Salice, etc.)
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#14
I've had a Harbor Freight DP for nearly 19 years now.  

I put a minimalist melamine table on it more than 15 years ago. 

   

   

I'm thinking about replacing the whole DP now, so any upgrades to the table will wait until after that occurs.

As regards bits, my original 7-piece set (1.4" up to 1") is about shot, but I'm resharpening what I can, and replacing singly when I need to.  I have a couple of larger bits that I bought when the need presented.  I agree with buying the larger bits only when needed.  I refuse to settle for cheap bits these days.

Can't talk to Wood Owl bits.
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