drill press table

[peter havriluk]

I just got this enormous catalog from Grizzly and they offer a 'drill press table' with a fence. Seems like it would be a worthwhile tool, expecially at the $42 price. I noticed there's a bunch of other similar, and maybe identical tables/fences for sale on Amazon.

Worth adding to the shop?

Thanks.

[Dave Bagwill]

I use mine - from Griz - all the time. Works fine. That is a big heavy catalog.

[Kevin in California]

I got mine from MLCS paid a little more, but got a couple of hold downs with it, no tax and no shipping. $70 till end of the month.

Kevin

[peter havriluk]

Yesterday I fished around and found what looks like the same table that Grizzly offers table at Harbor Freight, and with a 20%-off coupon it cost me $28.00. On the same trip I stopped at Woodcraft and bought a pair of nice Woodpecker hold-downs. One more tool in the shop. Worst that happens is that I spend $28 on tool tuition.

[Kevin in California]

I've never seen a drill press table at HF. Good find, good score.

Kevin

[peter havriluk]

Kevin, it's in the catalog as item #96395, 'drill press extension table with fence'. There's two HF stores near me, one had the table, the other didn't and wasn't going to stock it. Sounds like each store manager can stock his store with inventory that moves from that particular store, one size doesn't fit all.

[Dan Pennington]

A bunch of years ago, I had a small counter top drill press in my basement shop. After I got an old Shopsmith 10er, which turns into a great drill press (but a lousy table saw), I sold my small drill press. The Shopsmith is in my garage with all the other big woodworking tools. But, since this is Minnesota and it's been 20 below in my garage, even with a couple of heaters, it's not much fun. So, I rolled down to the local Fleet-Farm store and bought another cheap small drill press for the basement.
This discussion about drill press tables got me lusting after one for my new press, cause the metal table on it is only about 6x6. Being frugal, sometimes, I decided to make my own. About a dollars worth of Baltic birch 3/4 in. plywood and a couple bucks worth of bolts and knobs that I had in my bolt box, I had a 12x9 table for my drill press.


Glued on some sticks that center the table and drilled some holes for the bolts and knobs that keep it clamped on. The tops are counter sunk.

And here's my fence.

It even says drill press fence on it so it doesn't wind up in my scrap wood box.
12x9 is big enough for the stuff I need to do in my basement shop. For the bigger stuff, I'll just have to brave the cold in my garage. And since this is Minnesota, I own insulated mukluks, furry earflap hats, and insulated camo coveralls. Ideal costume for sneaking up on a deer in January muzzle loader season. Mmmh, venison pasties!!