Well, I bought a Ridgid floor mount drill press a few years ago. It served
my meager needs well until just recently when I discovered I needed a drill
press table and fence. The problem I ran into is that the chuck is actually
mounted lower than the lowest travel of the handle. This limits me to a
very short fence. Otherwise, when I start to lower the chuck, the handles
hit the fence. I suspect I can replace the factory handles with something
shorter, so that I can have a taller fence, but I am wondering if that will
cause some unforeseen difficulties.

Have any of you had a similar problem and how did you resolve it?

Thanks, Ralph

On Dec 20, 1:16*am, "Ralph" wrote:
Well, I bought a Ridgid floor mount drill press a few years ago. * It served
my meager needs well until just recently when I discovered I needed a drill
press table and fence. *The problem I ran into is that the chuck is actually
mounted lower than the lowest travel of the handle. * This limits me to a
very short fence. *Otherwise, when I start to lower the chuck, the handles
hit the fence. *I suspect I can replace the factory handles with something
shorter, so that I can have a taller fence, but I am wondering if that will
cause some unforeseen difficulties.

Have any of you had a similar problem and how did you resolve it?

Thanks, Ralph

Sears radial press with 3-spoke handle. Unscrew the
spoke that gets in the way.

"Ralph" wrote:

Well, I bought a Ridgid floor mount drill press a few years ago. It served
my meager needs well until just recently when I discovered I needed a drill
press table and fence. The problem I ran into is that the chuck is actually
mounted lower than the lowest travel of the handle. This limits me to a
very short fence. Otherwise, when I start to lower the chuck, the handles
hit the fence. I suspect I can replace the factory handles with something
shorter, so that I can have a taller fence, but I am wondering if that will
cause some unforeseen difficulties.

Have any of you had a similar problem and how did you resolve it?

I made my fence asymmetrical, higher on the left side and very low on
the right. The fence [for me] is usually only for horizontal
positioning, but where I want to use it to align something vertically,
I just align the left side and trust the right side not to twist!
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.

"Ralph" wrote in message
...
Well, I bought a Ridgid floor mount drill press a few years ago. It
served my meager needs well until just recently when I discovered I needed
a drill press table and fence. The problem I ran into is that the chuck
is actually mounted lower than the lowest travel of the handle. This
limits me to a very short fence. Otherwise, when I start to lower the
chuck, the handles hit the fence. I suspect I can replace the factory
handles with something shorter, so that I can have a taller fence, but I
am wondering if that will cause some unforeseen difficulties.

Have any of you had a similar problem and how did you resolve it?

Thanks, Ralph

Notch the fence

On 12/20/2010 12:16 AM, Ralph wrote:
Well, I bought a Ridgid floor mount drill press a few years ago. It
served my meager needs well until just recently when I discovered I
needed a drill press table and fence. The problem I ran into is that the
chuck is actually mounted lower than the lowest travel of the handle.
This limits me to a very short fence. Otherwise, when I start to lower
the chuck, the handles hit the fence. I suspect I can replace the
factory handles with something shorter, so that I can have a taller
fence, but I am wondering if that will cause some unforeseen difficulties.

Have any of you had a similar problem and how did you resolve it?

A drill press fence works fine 99.99% of the time if is only 3/4" high.

IOW, make the fence shorter ...

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlC@ (the obvious)

I had a delta benchtop that had the same problem. I notched my (high) fence.

I also had a low fence (ie a simple board)

You can also cut the handles and remount the knobs by gluing them back
on with epoxy. Use heat on the shaft before cutting to remove the knobs
if they don't screw off.

On 12/20/2010 1:16 AM, Ralph wrote:
Well, I bought a Ridgid floor mount drill press a few years ago. It
served my meager needs well until just recently when I discovered I
needed a drill press table and fence. The problem I ran into is that the
chuck is actually mounted lower than the lowest travel of the handle.
This limits me to a very short fence. Otherwise, when I start to lower
the chuck, the handles hit the fence. I suspect I can replace the
factory handles with something shorter, so that I can have a taller
fence, but I am wondering if that will cause some unforeseen difficulties.

Have any of you had a similar problem and how did you resolve it?

Thanks, Ralph

I cut my handles & re threaded both ends and used those long nuts they
sell where you buy all thread rod at big box.

Jerry


http://community.webtv.net/awoodbutc...oodWorkingPage

In article ,
Ralph wrote:
Well, I bought a Ridgid floor mount drill press a few years ago. It served
my meager needs well until just recently when I discovered I needed a drill
press table and fence. The problem I ran into is that the chuck is actually
mounted lower than the lowest travel of the handle. This limits me to a
very short fence. Otherwise, when I start to lower the chuck, the handles
hit the fence. I suspect I can replace the factory handles with something
shorter, so that I can have a taller fence, but I am wondering if that will
cause some unforeseen difficulties.

Have any of you had a similar problem and how did you resolve it?

Thanks, Ralph


Usually the handles unscrew and all the ones I've seen have an oridinary
bolt thread on the end, maybe 5/16-18 or 3/8-16 or metric in that size
range. I never really gave it much thought before, but my old Delta 11-280
has a handle like a vise does, that slides through from one side to the
other. The 11-280 is a radial drill designed for woodworking. I guess those
old designers knew what they were doing.

--
Better to be stuck up in a tree than tied to one.

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar.org

On Dec 19, 10:16*pm, "Ralph" wrote:
Well, I bought a Ridgid floor mount drill press a few years ago. * It served
my meager needs well until just recently when I discovered I needed a drill
press table and fence. *The problem I ran into is that the chuck is actually
mounted lower than the lowest travel of the handle. * This limits me to a
very short fence. *Otherwise, when I start to lower the chuck, the handles
hit the fence. *I suspect I can replace the factory handles with something
shorter, so that I can have a taller fence, but I am wondering if that will
cause some unforeseen difficulties.

Have any of you had a similar problem and how did you resolve it?

I've unscrewed the handle that interferes.

Luigi