I've been thinking of mounting a Milwaukee drill press with a magnetic
base to a piece of steel plate so I could clamp it in the center of
countertops, benches (for dog holes), etc... However, these run about
$800, so I'm wondering if there's a cheaper alternative. Sort of like
a drill guide that Rockler et al sell, but beefy - with a drill press
type mechanism. Short of going to work on an old Craftsman bench top
DP, anyone have any other ideas?

Thanks.
JP

Mon, Oct 22, 2007, 5:35pm (EDT-3) (Jay*Pique)
doth wonder:
I've been thinking of mounting a Milwaukee drill press with a magnetic
base to a piece of steel plate so I could clamp it in the center of
countertops, benches (for dog holes), etc... However, these run about
$800, so I'm wondering if there's a cheaper alternative. Sort of like a
drill guide that Rockler et al sell, but beefy - with a drill press type
mechanism. Short of going to work on an old Craftsman bench top DP,
anyone have any other ideas?

You can always get a long drill bit. Or make one. Then use a
bench top drill press. If I was gonna drill holes every day tho, I
might well eventually modify a bench drill press. Maybe. But probably
just usa a long drill bit instead, so when I got tired of drilling holes
I'd still have a usable drill press. Of course, if you did modify one,
and quit drilling holes, you could always make a horizontal boring
machine out of it.



JOAT
"I'm an Igor, thur. We don't athk quethtionth."
"Really? Why not?"
"I don't know, thur. I didn't athk."

Jay Pique wrote:
I've been thinking of mounting a Milwaukee drill press with a
magnetic
base to a piece of steel plate so I could clamp it in the center of
countertops, benches (for dog holes), etc... However, these run
about
$800, so I'm wondering if there's a cheaper alternative. Sort of
like
a drill guide that Rockler et al sell, but beefy - with a drill
press
type mechanism. Short of going to work on an old Craftsman bench
top
DP, anyone have any other ideas?

You might want to take a look at
http://www.grizzly.com/products/G7945. You should be able to pull the
table off and _maybe_ saw the column shorter and use it pretty much
like you propose to use the Milwaukee. With the table off the weight
should be manageable if you're in good shape--if it's not then the
head assembly should pull off with one screw and broken down into two
pieces you should be able to handle it easily.




--
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--John
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(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)