Fix Drill press tray, Make oil can holder
Not mine-just to show what it looked like stock.
Where the band clamp passed thru the base the plastic broke within a few months of installing. I was able to fudge it back together, but it was always coming loose. Oil can was always falling off. Plus bracket clamps below the ring that the height adjusting rail rides in so meant loosening if I need to rotate DP table. Handy yes-aggravating yes.
One day standing at press it broke again, table rotated out of hogged fix and oil can slid off, hit the floor & top popped off.....So taking a deep breadth I paused.
After cleaning up the mess decided to stop working on project and address (otherwise it'd happen again before I got around to it). The extra table to set stuff on is nice. Though about getting another but figured it break too.
So what I came up with scrounging thru my junk box. Found couple of sheet metal channels brackets that came with something? Figured it would set against round post, Squared up the holes that were already thru sides for band clamp to pass. Was going to just weld the second one at right angle for tray rod but decided it would be nice if mounted above the table height rail guide however try would clear handle or motor. Plus it would also be nice if the table could rotate all the way behind. A little more thought I used a scrap of square tube. Welded it to both pieces of channel offsetting the lower piece. .
Clamping new bracket to post the rather thin channel just spread around post so I weld a piece of flat bar behind band clamp holes. Keeps sides from spreading and clamps against the post.
Thinking the channel wasn’t going to support the tray, and existing holes were to large for tray post I welded flat washers on both sides. I cut the old plastic base to use a spacer, it wedged against back off channel.
Inserting the tray rod into new bracket the tray would not rotate fully to rear-the rod hit new square tube bracket. Tray was also too high, anything on tray would hit motor, and drill depth handle hit tray. Almost threw it out. Thought I could cut tube and extend lower mount but realized all that needed was reverse the tray pivoting rod. I re-bent the rod so tray rod hangs instead of inserting into top. Used washers & cotter pin.
Slick-works nice-secure, can rotate tray fully around to rear. Rotated to front depth handle clears. Won't need to mess with to rotate drill table.
Oil can holder
New tray bracket is secure & tray stable now but other than when tray use to tip, I was always knocking the oil can off. Would be nice to set somewhere else. The cabinet directly behind would work but I don't want to get it oily. So went into the recycle can-got out a green bean can. Could screw it to the shelf, set oil can in it. Hmm...well it'd still drip, also needs to be closer. Looking at the can, looking my table- it has an edge.
Hammered out a piece of flat bar until it would slip over and hang on table edge. Then hammered other end to profile of can. Bolted it to can. I used a couple of fairly long screw that I was going to cut off.
Setting the new holder on drill table-the too long bolts just cleared and fit under table. The holder can be lifted off or rotate around the table but the too long bolts keep it from jumping off table when bumped. Cool. Shear luck but works slick. As I mentioned drill press has an oilier but I only use when drilling continuously or thick material.
Amazing how long or what it takes sometimes to finally address something that is a continuous source of aggravation. Took all of 2 hours with stuff on hand to fix tray and make holder.
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