Drill Press Table

Well, I bought a Ridgid floor mount drill press a few years ago. It served my meager needs well until just recently when I discovered I needed a drill press table and fence. The problem I ran into is that the chuck is actually mounted lower than the lowest travel of the handle. This limits me to a very short fence. Otherwise, when I start to lower the chuck, the handles hit the fence. I suspect I can replace the factory handles with something shorter, so that I can have a taller fence, but I am wondering if that will cause some unforeseen difficulties.

Have any of you had a similar problem and how did you resolve it?

Thanks, Ralph

Reply to
Ralph
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Sears radial press with 3-spoke handle. Unscrew the spoke that gets in the way.

Reply to
Father Haskell

I made my fence asymmetrical, higher on the left side and very low on the right. The fence [for me] is usually only for horizontal positioning, but where I want to use it to align something vertically, I just align the left side and trust the right side not to twist!

Reply to
alexy

Notch the fence

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

A drill press fence works fine 99.99% of the time if is only 3/4" high.

IOW, make the fence shorter ...

Reply to
Swingman

Resolved the health issues of the table,

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fence I use is only 1/2" thick. Pix in
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window.

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Reply to
routerman

I had a delta benchtop that had the same problem. I notched my (high) fence.

I also had a low fence (ie a simple board)

You can also cut the handles and remount the knobs by glu> Well, I bought a Ridgid floor mount drill press a few years ago. It

Reply to
tiredofspam

I cut my handles & re threaded both ends and used those long nuts they sell where you buy all thread rod at big box.

Jerry

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Reply to
Jerry - OHIO

Usually the handles unscrew and all the ones I've seen have an oridinary bolt thread on the end, maybe 5/16-18 or 3/8-16 or metric in that size range. I never really gave it much thought before, but my old Delta 11-280 has a handle like a vise does, that slides through from one side to the other. The 11-280 is a radial drill designed for woodworking. I guess those old designers knew what they were doing.

Reply to
Larry W

I've unscrewed the handle that interferes.

Luigi

Reply to
Luigi Zanasi

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