On Dec 12, 3:52*pm, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
"BrianSiano" wrote in message

...

There's a project I have in mind that requires some precise and
regular drilling, so it may be time to buy a drill press. I'd prefer
to get a small benchtop model, but I have a problem.

The project requires drilling pilot holes into the ends of boards that
are roughly 30" long. You can see that this can be a problem even with
a floor drill press.

Is there a way to get around this problem? Perhaps a benchtop drill
press whose top can swivel away from the base?

I'd either buy a floor model with enough clearance or I'd turn the head on a
bench top model. *If you take the second method, it will not be factory set
to do that, but the base is a separate part from the support column. I'd
screw down the base securely on a bench, then rotate the column. *Since it
is a repetitive job, I'm sure you will be making a fixture to line up the
board.

Thanks to all. I wasn't sure how much a drill press head could swivel,
so I could use the method described above.

The doweling jig's a good alternative. There's one point where the
pilot holes have to be about 1/16" off-center, but shims could correct
for that.