Create a Drill Table With Guardrail for Constant Holes Every Time
Adding a larger drill table and railing to your drill press will allow you to drill the same holes in the same plane every time, and will also provide support for larger wood pieces. Here are some great examples of drill tables you can build yourself.
Drilling machines have a small surface for drilling in cast iron, typically 8 “x 8” or less. They can be round, rectangular, or square and usually have slots to accommodate a larger workspace.
The video above shows a drill bench that is built with two pieces of 3/4 ” cabinet grade plywood and a Kreg Mini-Trak to attach the base to the drill and provide slots for the fence to slide over it. It is 19 x 25 inches, which is enough for large pieces of wood, but not so much that they are uncomfortable to work with. He has a complete list of materials used on his website .
The table shown above is also made from 3/4 ” plywood, but drawers have been added for more functionality. It also includes a removable sacrificial insert plate and a stopper bar. Here are the full plans for Jay’s custom drill bench.
Making an aftermarket drill press table is not necessary to effectively use your table. In the video below, Matthias Wandel makes the case for not using the drill table, but just stick to the platform that came with your drill and the hardwood base plate.
If you need a fence to drill repetitive holes, you can use C-clamps to secure the fence to the platform. Without a large table, you can easily maneuver around the drill press, raise and lower it easily.
Most DIYers will find the drill table a valuable addition to their tools, allowing them to work faster and more accurately. If you’d rather skip the assembly, you can buy a drill press table and start working on it right away.
How to build a drill press table »wiki useful blazingnailgun (YouTube)