In woodworking, nice accurate holes are really important especially in maintaining structural integrity of an object. A drill press is a tool that is specially designed for this and it usually is complemented by a vise, a tool that holds wood in place as it is drilled. But how do you attach the two?
1. Have a drill press table.
This is crucial as the drill press table serves as a link for the two, holds both of them firmly in place, and pivots the vise to rotate in the needed direction. A rotary table is a specially made table that allows one to make many different angles of holes. In addition, it comes with pre-made holes to fit in vises.
2. Consider the best placement position on the drill press table
If you are not using a rotary table, you must then determine the best position to set up your vise. Consider what material you often use and how you want it to be set in place to give you an idea of the best possible position.
3. Put the vise in place
Here, place and fix the vise to the drill table. Do this by aligning pre-drilled holes on the drill press table with the ones on the vise. Once aligned, use four to six bolts and secure the vise in place. To achieve the best results, place all the bolts first and then attach nuts from underneath the table. Finally, you need to tighten them firmly and for this you use two wrenches, one on the bolt and the other on the nuts and drive them on opposite directions to secure the vise in place.
4. Test and make adjustments
The only true way of knowing if something works is by testing it Take a piece of wood and mark a spot you would like to drill. Secure it with the vise and align the mark with the drill. If the alignment is way off, you might need to take out the vise and secure it again until the alignment is just right. Some vises have the ability to slide back and forth and this helps in canceling slight errors in placement.
5. Operating the drill press
First you need to adjust the drill tables position till it fits your desired angle to the drill bit. Then, you will need to align a piece of wood or any other work piece such that it is just beneath the drill bit. Once aligned, use a targeting devise (like a center-finder) to hold it in place. Finally, power on the drill and pull or use a lever to lower the drill onto the work piece to drill. For more information, click here to check it out
If you are a guy who constantly struggles holding material and drilling at the same time, you should consider attaching a vise to your drill press. It is real simple to install and it will ease your work so much, you will wonder why you had not done it sooner. Apart from drilling holes, the drill press can also be used for a variety of other functions like counter-sinking, counter-boring, and reaming among others.