Most drill presses include a small cast-iron desk designed for metalworking. Like many woodworkers, I’ve added a bigger plywood desk to mine. I made it with two layers of Baltic birch glued and screwed collectively, which let me construct in a sliding insert that may be moved ahead and again—or changed solely. The insert lets me keep zero clearance below any drilling operation. The insert is held in place by merely locking down the fence.
The fence has T-tracks for attaching my JessEm routertable equipment—which additionally work effectively on the drill press—however the tracks will maintain different industrial and shopmade equipment as effectively. The desk has T-tracks additionally, one pair for attaching it to the cast-iron desk under, and the opposite for attaching the fence on prime.
I gave the fence and desk a rear cutout in order that they may slide nearer to the column, permitting extra capability behind the chuck. The assorted tracks, knobs, and T-bolts all come from Lee Valley.
—Walter Baziuk, Ottawa, Ont., Canada
Drawings by Dan Thornton
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