Searched this up because I got a dirt cheap used WEN press that could use some love, Now i want to buy an old beat up one and restore it with the info from this video. Very helpful many years later
To people complaining about the fingernails; He's a guitarist. The fingernails are only long on the right hand and are well groomed and they are short on the left hand. This is very common for classical guitarists and other styles that use finger picking.
Thanks for going to the trouble of making such a focused and straightforward video. Learnt a number of things I was getting wrong on my drill press. Cheers!
Thank you. Your tutorial is a superb one, if practice regularly will definitely put the machine into order for a very long time. Thank you for your painstaking work more grease to your elbow.
Since you already have that magnetic base and the indicator I wouldn't bother checking how square the chuck is to the table using that square and the mark I eyeball method. Simply unscrew the single set screw that holds the vertical column to the magnetic base, unscrew that from the base, invert the column and clamp it in the chuck. Now zero your indicator on the table and slowly spin it by hand a full circle as close to the tables outer edge as you can get it. That's the proper and accepted way of tramming the table to the spindle. And it's far more accurate. Plus it doesn't matter how much runout your chuck has. That runout is exactly in the same position as the spindle rotates and the indicator tip makes the full circle. Think about it. And for anyone that thinks any of these light drill presses are at all rigid ? There not, while your tramming the table with the above method set the indicators plunger out on the table where it would be closest to the operator. Then just add a little bit of down pressure with your thumb. Then visualize what happens to that table under normal drilling pressures. Then think about the part weights you load onto the table. The table will flex downward severely simply because most are so poorly designed. I'm not really a woodworker and work mostly with metal. I no longer even own a drill press because of how weak and poorly designed the average non industrial models are that are less than 1,000 lbs. All my drilling now gets done on a milling machine. But if you want straight holes on a drill press, you'll need some type of adjustable support between the bottom of the drill presses table and either the floor or the bench top. It's physically impossible to drill a straight hole with any drill press like the one shown in this video.
there's usually a lever between the motor and the press arms. near that lever, as well on the opposite side of the press, there is a knob. loosen both of those knobs, then pull the lever in the direction that provides resistance. you can confirm that it is being tightened by opening the top of the press to view the belts. While maintaining pressure on the lever, tighten one, then the other knob to lock the belt tensioner.
yes using a dial gage for checking the drill bit is not angled in the spindle and checking the press table for squareness between it and drill bit with a straight edge is definitely a major thing to do for precision hole making
very useful thanks. One needs to be careful about pointing the compressed air so that it is not aimed in the general direction of the eyes, so the face shield is actually a good idea at that point. Bad things can happen with compressed air pointed in the wrong direction.
What you called a "set screw" on that Ryobi which yes many drill presses have, is actually a guide screw... it doesn't remove any play worth mentioning. It's only there as a guide and to prevent the shaft from turning. To remove play you'd have to drill 4 holes and use some type of set screw on two sides of the shaft 90 degrees to each other. Others have done it. Problem is, the switch is usually in the way so you can't...
I got a 42 year old drill press for $20. It's a central machinery model 884. One of the chuck jaw "teeth" is considerably lower than the other two and i was wondering if that is why the drill bits seem to become bent (I'm not sure if the bits are actually bending or if they are just falling out of alignment, i hope it's the alignment option) when in use. The chuck is rusty, but i used some steel wool on it while having it on (probably not the best idea as too much pressure will cause it to rip the steel wool right out of your hand). I was wondering if you could tell me if that jaw tooth being more advanced than the other twi would cause the bits to either fall out of alignment (preferred option because i don't have many bits),or cause them to bend. It kinda seems like it is the alignment option because the whole bit seems to be affected.
Got a Powermatic 18" VS drill press at auction. It is and was like new but the variable speed drive rattles and squeals throughout the range of speeds. Do you or any of your viewers have any suggestions how to improve it? The belts and pulleys appear new with no signs of wear but upon removing the plastic shroud I found fine powder covering everything. The powder seems to be ground rubber. Help!
What if you have a similar one and no matter how hard you hit it the spindle doesn't come out of the quill? Trying to troubleshoot some run-out that I have.
Nice reading. Just like Holmes! People are often unaware how much information they unwittingly tell the world around them without saying a single word. Reading this information comes easily to people like you.
Having a problem with my 1960's Delta drill press. it has a hand tightened chuck, yes no key is used. Now recently i used WD40 to clean the chuck, and to my disappointment i found that the teeth will not hold a bit once drilling a hole. what do you recommend i do to correct the situation.
hello. i have an old drill press that i would like to tune up.. it is actually the same as the second press you show in this video. it is a craftsman king sealy.. i understand that the methods you show are universal but i have some questions about that specific model..can you help me out are should i just buy a new press?
When my drill press is unplugged, I grab the chuck and can move it back and forth about 3/4 of an inch. I hold the belt pulley above when doing this. When using my drill press I can hear a rattle until I begin to move the drill bit down. Is ther any adjustment for this. The drill press is a new King model.
At about 8:45 you talk about removing runout and wobble from your drill press. I searched videos several times and couldn't find it. Would you provide the link to that reference? Thanks in advance.
Unfortunately, the article that the host is referring to is not available online at this time. We will work on republishing those instructions. You can find his complete drill press maintenance instructions on this DVD: www.rockler.com/woodworkers-journal-power-tool-maintenance-dvd-rom
biophiliac9 the run out is very simple to check & it could easily be checked w/ a dial indicator that has a magnetic base if you have one of those measuring instruments - if you rewind the video as many times you'll need it to finally get it you"ll see it the video was made for informational purposes only but if you need more info on the operation of such device just do the part of your home work and narrow it w/ google on 'how to use dial indicator' and you'll find thousands of videos, web sites, forums, articles and literature concerning that specific topic, or simply go to a public library to search for that info - is that simple i hope you'll get it at the end
I have a guardian 12 speed drill press, even though there a different company alot of that info does help me. But some of it does not just for that very same reason, its a different drill press from a different company
Köszönöm Sándor. I am about to buy a 10" variable drill press, and i am pretty sure it will needs a few fine adjustment. What i have read about this model, the chuck itself tend to wobble. I am not sure if its just because the sloppy assembly, or better to totally avoiding to buy it? This is a WEN 4210.
Depends what you're doing with it. In my view... a stable chuck / arbor is the most important part of any drill press. Don't settle for less. Check out shopfloor models where you can, to test stability.
Thanks a Lot. I already got the drill press. There is no problem with accuracy and everything seems fine. Except 1 issue only one time. The chuck came off from the arbor. I really hope it was my mistake when i was installing the chuck on the arbor first time. there is no issue since, but i keep my eyes on it.
great informative video but i believe that the measurement with the square should be done before you do the run out check w/ the dial indicator to have more precise measurements on your adjustments overall in that way your measurements w/ the dial indicator wouldnt be misleading to time consuming unnecessary procedures thanks
Dial indicators don't care if your surface is plumb or square. They start from an absolute number. That is the reason for "zeroing" the turntable gauge.
My drill press table is out on two axis, I noticed you only did the side to side, and skip the front to back axis. In my case I had to grind some of the mounting casing to get it perpendicular to the vertical plane. Keep that in mind when you get a cheap drill press like mine.
Many small model drill presses save money by not giving you a way to level front to back. When you had it apart the thing to do is put in 1 or 2 "push" screws to allow for adjusting. The gringing is good but with much use it can wear out, hopefully it will stay square.
I don't see an issue with Sandor's finger nails but he needs to grow that hair out a bit more and hit the salon so he can get that bitchin' mane glowin' & flowin' in a classic Firebird.
Doesn't really matter because you can set the indicator level on its own, the base is only to hold it steady. Plus if the run out is too excessive you wont get an accurate level for your table and you will just be chasing your tail.
After checking the drill press Chuck take the indicater and put it in the drill press Chuck and sweep the table for square front and back,much better the using a square off of the drill press table
Excellent video. Bang on about the oil and the downside of excess oil. It kills me watching ppl drown stuff in oil. Might as well smear wet sand into your gears.
A drill press is a complex machine that only needs to have only another column, a lead screw, and a carriage/cross feed/compound/tailstock to make a lathe. You could improve the spindle if needed and add a lathe chuck.
11 years later, still the best video on YT for drill press maintenance
As my friend Justin that is here below me says, this is still the best video for drill press maintenance.
Searched this up because I got a dirt cheap used WEN press that could use some love, Now i want to buy an old beat up one and restore it with the info from this video. Very helpful many years later
that variabel speed pulley system is really nice invention :D
To people complaining about the fingernails; He's a guitarist. The fingernails are only long on the right hand and are well groomed and they are short on the left hand. This is very common for classical guitarists and other styles that use finger picking.
MAGA MAN Was
Mark Beyth Why "was"? Has he passed away?
I knew this right away, lol
Thanks for going to the trouble of making such a focused and straightforward video. Learnt a number of things I was getting wrong on my drill press. Cheers!
Thank you. Your tutorial is a superb one, if practice regularly will definitely put the machine into order for a very long time. Thank you for your painstaking work more grease to your elbow.
I've been completely negligent to my drill press ! Ty for the wake up call and the valuable info....great video!
This was actually a really good video.
Very good tutorial! Simple and detailed at the same time!
Since you already have that magnetic base and the indicator I wouldn't bother checking how square the chuck is to the table using that square and the mark I eyeball method. Simply unscrew the single set screw that holds the vertical column to the magnetic base, unscrew that from the base, invert the column and clamp it in the chuck. Now zero your indicator on the table and slowly spin it by hand a full circle as close to the tables outer edge as you can get it. That's the proper and accepted way of tramming the table to the spindle. And it's far more accurate. Plus it doesn't matter how much runout your chuck has. That runout is exactly in the same position as the spindle rotates and the indicator tip makes the full circle. Think about it.
And for anyone that thinks any of these light drill presses are at all rigid ? There not, while your tramming the table with the above method set the indicators plunger out on the table where it would be closest to the operator. Then just add a little bit of down pressure with your thumb. Then visualize what happens to that table under normal drilling pressures. Then think about the part weights you load onto the table. The table will flex downward severely simply because most are so poorly designed. I'm not really a woodworker and work mostly with metal. I no longer even own a drill press because of how weak and poorly designed the average non industrial models are that are less than 1,000 lbs. All my drilling now gets done on a milling machine. But if you want straight holes on a drill press, you'll need some type of adjustable support between the bottom of the drill presses table and either the floor or the bench top. It's physically impossible to drill a straight hole with any drill press like the one shown in this video.
m
Excellent video. I just picked up my first drill press (used) and am learning some new terms, like "quill".
Thanks for a great video! I learned a lot that I can apply to maintaining my drill press.
there's usually a lever between the motor and the press arms. near that lever, as well on the opposite side of the press, there is a knob. loosen both of those knobs, then pull the lever in the direction that provides resistance. you can confirm that it is being tightened by opening the top of the press to view the belts. While maintaining pressure on the lever, tighten one, then the other knob to lock the belt tensioner.
That was very helpful, Sandor.
yes using a dial gage for checking the drill bit is not angled in the spindle and checking the press table for squareness between it and drill bit with a straight edge is definitely a major thing to do for precision hole making
I was given an old Mastercraft drill press. This is fantastic information.
Thank you for this helpful video, I needed to learn all of these basics.
wow i never saw variable speed like that - wonderful thing!
Good lesson and easy to follow. WD40 is actually a water dispersant, not meant to be used as a lubricant.
+Tom Wilcox
No no it stuck a nut but you where soooo close!
He was using it as a cleaner, not a lubricate. He said add dry lube after wiping the WD-40 off. WD-40 is nothing more than kerosene.
Yap! I thought so to...guitarist!
Great presentation!
very useful thanks. One needs to be careful about pointing the compressed air so that it is not aimed in the general direction of the eyes, so the face shield is actually a good idea at that point. Bad things can happen with compressed air pointed in the wrong direction.
What you called a "set screw" on that Ryobi which yes many drill presses have, is actually a guide screw... it doesn't remove any play worth mentioning. It's only there as a guide and to prevent the shaft from turning. To remove play you'd have to drill 4 holes and use some type of set screw on two sides of the shaft 90 degrees to each other. Others have done it. Problem is, the switch is usually in the way so you can't...
I got a 42 year old drill press for $20. It's a central machinery model 884. One of the chuck jaw "teeth" is considerably lower than the other two and i was wondering if that is why the drill bits seem to become bent (I'm not sure if the bits are actually bending or if they are just falling out of alignment, i hope it's the alignment option) when in use. The chuck is rusty, but i used some steel wool on it while having it on (probably not the best idea as too much pressure will cause it to rip the steel wool right out of your hand). I was wondering if you could tell me if that jaw tooth being more advanced than the other twi would cause the bits to either fall out of alignment (preferred option because i don't have many bits),or cause them to bend. It kinda seems like it is the alignment option because the whole bit seems to be affected.
Very informative, I learned a lot. Thanks much ... Cheers, Dave
Great video, thank you for sharing your knowledge.
What German made adapter did you buy. Thx
I have the bench top version of that Ryobi and it has runout that is unfixable
When checking for runout, it doesn't matter if the table is square as long as the arm on the dial indicator is perpendicular to the spindle.
i have that same drill press but unfortunately don't have the owner's manual....how do you change the belt on it?
Got a Powermatic 18" VS drill press at auction. It is and was like new but the variable speed drive rattles and squeals throughout the range of speeds. Do you or any of your viewers have any suggestions how to improve it? The belts and pulleys appear new with no signs of wear but upon removing the plastic shroud I found fine powder covering everything. The powder seems to be ground rubber. Help!
What a fantastic video! Thank you!
What if you have a similar one and no matter how hard you hit it the spindle doesn't come out of the quill? Trying to troubleshoot some run-out that I have.
Must be a guitar player 😁 great video, even 9 years later! Thanks !
Nice reading. Just like Holmes! People are often unaware how much information they unwittingly tell the world around them without saying a single word. Reading this information comes easily to people like you.
Having a problem with my 1960's Delta drill press. it has a hand tightened chuck, yes no key is used. Now recently i used WD40 to clean the chuck, and to my disappointment i found that the teeth will not hold a bit once drilling a hole. what do you recommend i do to correct the situation.
This was a good video . Lots of useful information .
thank you for sharing the knowledge
Are there any videos on how to give drill press more Power Tim Taylor style lol
hello. i have an old drill press that i would like to tune up.. it is actually the same as the second press you show in this video. it is a craftsman king sealy.. i understand that the methods you show are universal but i have some questions about that specific model..can you help me out are should i just buy a new press?
Thanks for uploading such informative video.
why does my drill press drill stay down? the handles are loose too? is this fixable or is it broken?
When my drill press is unplugged, I grab the chuck and can move it back and forth about 3/4 of an inch. I hold the belt pulley above when doing this. When using my drill press I can hear a rattle until I begin to move the drill bit down.
Is ther any adjustment for this. The drill press is a new King model.
Great Information Great Video Thank You!
At about 8:45 you talk about removing runout and wobble from your drill press. I searched videos several times and couldn't find it. Would you provide the link to that reference? Thanks in advance.
Did you ever find that article? I need to remove runout as well.
No Sir, and they never answered back. Still haven't found that info.
Unfortunately, the article that the host is referring to is not available online at this time. We will work on republishing those instructions. You can find his complete drill press maintenance instructions on this DVD: www.rockler.com/woodworkers-journal-power-tool-maintenance-dvd-rom
good information is from Matthias Wandel an expert of woodworking he has his web site,.
biophiliac9
the run out is very simple to check & it could easily be checked w/ a dial indicator that has a magnetic base if you have one of those measuring instruments - if you rewind the video as many times you'll need it to finally get it you"ll see it
the video was made for informational purposes only but if you need more info on the operation of such device just do the part of your home work and narrow it w/ google on 'how to use dial indicator' and you'll find thousands of videos, web sites, forums, articles and literature concerning that specific topic, or simply go to a public library to search for that info - is that simple
i hope you'll get it at the end
Very well made video, covered just what I was looking for. Thank you very much.
Guys, my guess is that SN plays the mandolin or banjo, so the nails are essential for picking, so cool it.
Either that or he has a boyfriend!
@@rm42749 I'm sure only someone gay would notice that.
Very informative video. Learned a lot. Thanks for posting.
My drill press suddenly stopped spinning. I hear the motor running, but the chuck isn't turning. Any idea what could be the issue?
Huge help thank you sir!
I have a guardian 12 speed drill press, even though there a different company alot of that info does help me. But some of it does not just for that very same reason, its a different drill press from a different company
Very helpful
Great video
Good video. Thanks Sandor.
Great video, thank you!
The .002" you mentioned looked like .005" to me.
Köszönöm Sándor. I am about to buy a 10" variable drill press, and i am pretty sure it will needs a few fine adjustment. What i have read about this model, the chuck itself tend to wobble. I am not sure if its just because the sloppy assembly, or better to totally avoiding to buy it? This is a WEN 4210.
Depends what you're doing with it. In my view... a stable chuck / arbor is the most important part of any drill press. Don't settle for less. Check out shopfloor models where you can, to test stability.
Thanks a Lot. I already got the drill press. There is no problem with accuracy and everything seems fine. Except 1 issue only one time. The chuck came off from the arbor. I really hope it was my mistake when i was installing the chuck on the arbor first time. there is no issue since, but i keep my eyes on it.
An HD video from 1970? Unpossible!
What a great video, thank you for making it.
Many thanks, I think you cover it ... Regards
great informative video but i believe that the measurement with the square should be done before you do the run out check w/ the dial indicator to have more precise measurements on your adjustments overall
in that way your measurements w/ the dial indicator wouldnt be misleading to time consuming unnecessary procedures
thanks
Dial indicators don't care if your surface is plumb or square. They start from an absolute number. That is the reason for "zeroing" the turntable gauge.
Great information!
Thanks great pictorial
Awesome vid - exactly what I was looking for! THX!
how can you tight the tension of the belt on a Radial drill press ?
Thanks, a nice job!
Very informative!
How do u adjust Z axis?
Very informational, thank you!
why dont you put the dial indicator in the chuck to see if the table is square with the bit?
VERY HELPFUL!!!!!!! Thank you :)
Nice video thanks
Very useful. Thank you.
Wouldn't you want to square the table BEFORE you check the spindle for runout?
Perfect, professional. Thxs
My drill press table is out on two axis, I noticed you only did the side to side, and
skip the front to back axis. In my case I had to grind some of the mounting casing
to get it perpendicular to the vertical plane. Keep that in mind when you get a cheap drill press like mine.
My table has a setscrew under the table bevel lock nut. When you tighten the screw, the front of the table raises.
Many small model drill presses save money by not giving you a way to level front to back. When you had it apart the thing to do is put in 1 or 2 "push" screws to allow for adjusting. The gringing is good but with much use it can wear out, hopefully it will stay square.
where can i find the webzine article
I don't see an issue with Sandor's finger nails but he needs to grow that hair out a bit more and hit the salon so he can get that bitchin' mane glowin' & flowin' in a classic Firebird.
Doesn't really matter because you can set the indicator level on its own, the base is only to hold it steady. Plus if the run out is too excessive you wont get an accurate level for your table and you will just be chasing your tail.
Thanks sir!
I'm watching all this care while my own drill press is on my porch in my little work area only protected my the roof over it. Lol
That tapered pin is called a Drift Punch.
That is one sweet 70's feathered haircut.
This guy is like Bob Ross of Drill Presses
thank you very much
Appreciate this.Thanks.
great vid!
How often should this be done?
Have you done this even once since asking this question 7 years ago? Just curious
...tap on that cast iron table with a 'soft' hammer....
you can, but dial indicators aren't required to be perfectly perpendicular to provide a more than satisfactory reading in cases such as this
Probally should square up the table BEFORE performing runout test.
thank you
thanks alot you did well.
He's probably a guitarist, the use to have plectrums for nails :)
Great video! Thanks so much. ...and I'm guessing the long nails are because Mr N is a guitarist.
+wiljon23 Or a pimp.
After checking the drill press Chuck take the indicater and put it in the drill press Chuck and sweep the table for square front and back,much better the using a square off of the drill press table
Don't know about nails getting caught in a machine, but it sure looks gnarly.
Every set screw I have ever seen has a shoulder so that it can't be over tightened and does not adjust side play.
Excellent video. Bang on about the oil and the downside of excess oil. It kills me watching ppl drown stuff in oil. Might as well smear wet sand into your gears.
reminds me of Mr. Data from Startrek next generation.
Looks like everyone is drinking the Woodpecker Koolaid
A drill press is a complex machine that only needs to have only another column, a lead screw, and a carriage/cross feed/compound/tailstock to make a lathe. You could improve the spindle if needed and add a lathe chuck.
my Maserati does 185
Hut Rawlson ... rpm