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12-04-2007, 10:10 AM
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#1 | | Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base? Name: Rick City: Autryville State: NC County: Cumberland Join Date: Feb 2006  12-04-2007, 10:10 AM
My shop is very small and space is a premium. It is also a wooden floor and not nearly as rigid as concrete. Because of the wood floor and a relatively narrow base for its height, the drill press tends to rock from side to side a small amount. It is not dangerously unstable, but I am wondering if anyone has put their drill press on a mobile base? I would help in storing the drill press out of the way, and, hopefully, because of the wider base, it would also be a little more stable.
Any suggestions?
Thanks. | | Views: 396 | |
12-04-2007, 10:16 AM
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#2 | | Moderator
Name: Ray City: Raleigh State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Mar 2006 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 0.04 over 180 days | Re: Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base?
Rick,
I haven't put wheels on mine so I"m only guessing here. A mobile base will raise the press up just a bit... making center of gravity further from the ground. I have a Delta (floor-standing model) and was instructed to bolt on a wider base or bolt it to the floor to add stability.
Ray
__________________
I cut that board twice and it's STILL too short.
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12-04-2007, 11:35 AM
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#3 | | Treasurer
Name: Travis City: Wake Forest State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Dec 2005 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.53 over 180 days | Re: Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base?
There are a few members that have done this. I have thought about it, but was worried about the same things as you. Papa Smurf (Steve Coles) has done it, and seems to be quite happy with it. Check out this thread. http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/s...ht=drill+press | |
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12-04-2007, 12:11 PM
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#4 | | Advisor
Founder
Name: Steve City: Apex State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 65 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.81 over 180 days | Re: Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base?
Originally Posted by Travis Porter  There are a few members that have done this. I have thought about it, but was worried about the same things as you. Papa Smurf (Steve Coles) has done it, and seems to be quite happy with it. Check out this thread. http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/s...ht=drill+press I have no problems with stability or mobility. The only I would change is to make it smaller, depth wise. The size I made it was overkill. One of these days I will make mine smaller. | |
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12-04-2007, 01:03 PM
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#5 |
Name: Update your profile with your name City: Pittsboro State: NC County: Chatham Join Date: Jul 2006 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 2.68 over 180 days | Re: Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base?
I also have mine (Delta) on a mobile base with no problems except it is a bit taller. Not really a problem since my eyes and back are getting weaker. | |
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12-04-2007, 01:13 PM
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#6 | | Executive Vice-President
Libraries Administrator
Name: Rob City: Hendersonville State: NC County: Henderson Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 67 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.88 over 180 days | Re: Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base?
I would not recommend putting a Floor Model Drill Press on a mobile base unless the footprint is fairly large and you have the ability to lock both the drillpress to the mobile base and the mobile base's wheels to the floor. By its nature, a floor model drill press is quite top heavy and it can be unstable on too small a base. That is why manufacturer's recommend bolting them to the floor! Sorry, but I think safety comes first.
__________________
Rob Payne  Truths: There is no such thing as a 25 hour day, so why do I keep trying to cram so much into every day so it seems that way!   | |
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12-04-2007, 02:23 PM
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#7 |
Name: Bernhard Lampert City: Rougemont State: NC County: Person Join Date: Sep 2005 Age: 49 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 5.48 over 180 days | Re: Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base?
All my equipment is on casters/mobile bases including the drill press. I used leveling casters mounted on 5/16" (4"x3") angle iron. The dril press footprint is in effect wider with the casters. Unless it is being moved, the drill is resting on the leveling pads.
The mobility comes in handy when I am working on larger pieces and the drill press needs to be moved into open shop space.
Cheers,
Bernhard | |
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12-04-2007, 03:43 PM
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#8 |
Name: Willie City: Southern Pines State: NC County: Moore Join Date: Mar 2006 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 0.00 over 180 days | Re: Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base?
I have my 17" Delta drillpress on a mobile base on a wood floor and it is fine. It does wobble just a bit if I shake it, but does not in use. With a shop made auxiliary table on it I have used it on everything from metal-working to hogging out mortises in 10' 4x4 timbers (extra support for the length only). | |
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12-04-2007, 05:30 PM
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#9 |
Name: Randy City: Macon State: NC County: Warren Join Date: Jan 2006 Age: 59 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 5.48 over 180 days | Re: Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base?
Mounted my 17" Delta on a 24Wx36D ply base which is bolted and screwed to a universal mobile base with leveling pads on the front. When I move it around, I drop it on the pads and it is very stable.
I agree with Pappa Smurf (Steve Coles), about the depth. 36" is too much and would have been fine at probably 24". I tend to stump my toes occasionally, but other than that I love it! Small shops require versatility! 
HTH,
__________________
Randy
Any compromise between the truth and a lie can ONLY be something less than the truth.
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12-04-2007, 07:57 PM
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#10 | | Senior Administrator
Name: Bas City: Raleigh State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Aug 2007 Age: 36 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.96 over 180 days | Re: Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base?
I saw a design that looked interesting. Basically put some weight in the bottom to minimize the instability. I just bought another drill press, so assuming I get my workbench finished that will be my next project.
Bas. | |
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12-05-2007, 01:35 AM
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#11 |
Name: Bryan City: Burlington State: NC County: Alamance Join Date: Apr 2006 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.57 over 180 days | Re: Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base?
Rick I also put mine on a mobille base and I believe it to be more stable. I should be able to snap and post a pic when I get up in the morning.
__________________
He is your partner, your defender, your friend, your dog. You are his love, his life, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true to the very last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion
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12-05-2007, 01:45 PM
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#12 |
Name: Bryan City: Burlington State: NC County: Alamance Join Date: Apr 2006 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.57 over 180 days | Re: Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base?
Heres what I did. I glued and screwed a piece of scrap subflooring to some 2x4's and screwed on the casters. This way I only raised the drillpress about 1 1/2 in 
__________________
He is your partner, your defender, your friend, your dog. You are his love, his life, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true to the very last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion
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12-05-2007, 02:29 PM
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#13 |
Name: Alan Schaffter City: Washington State: NC County: Beaufort Join Date: Dec 2005 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.69 over 180 days | Re: Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base?
Like others, I mounted my drillpress to double layer of 3/4" ply that was attached to a universal base. I will eventually remove the ply and make an all metal base to reduce some of the flexing.
Frankly, unless you are using your drill press as a tackling dummy, you shouldn't have any problem with it tipping over! | |
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12-05-2007, 07:59 PM
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#14 |
Name: Dennis City: Ivan's Corner (Monroe) State: NC County: Union Join Date: Jan 2007 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.69 over 180 days | Re: Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base?
My drillpress is an older 'Kenmore' unit & the column goes completely through the head - in fact that's the way it was crated with the head & table down against the base. Look @ your drillpress & see if you can't lower it down on the column any. This should help with the height issue. Then the only additional high weight is the added column length above the head. | |
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12-05-2007, 08:31 PM
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#15 |
Name: barry City: Louisburg State: NC County: Franklin Join Date: Jan 2006 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 0.39 over 180 days | Re: Drill Press A Candidate For Mobile Base?
I too have mounted my drill press on a mobile base...no problems ..I would say go for it Use Good Locking casters and go wide with your base not deep for better stability
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