xy table on a drill press

[cpd62]

I recently got an old x-y vise at a garage sale. It looks like it may be useful for my drill press. I don't have a mill yet. I don't plan to do any milling with the press but it seems that it may be helpful for fine adjustments on drilling small parts. I'm concerned that the more any variation that the table is off from dead center, the more it will cause inaccuracy of the X-Y vise. Since the table rotates about an arc around the DP post it seems that it would limit the over all accuracy of measuring off of the X-Y vise for accuracy. Is this a valid concern?

Does anyone have suggestions on how they line up their drill press table with an X-Y vise? I can bolt the X-Y vise down to the table obviously, but if the spindle is not directly lined up with the center of the table, then traveling in the "X" direction may throw off the set "Y" coordinates.

Christian

 

[Bill Gruby]

Center the DP table to the chuck as close as you can. Mount the XY Table and indicate to the chuck. It's a simple task. I've had this one on my DP for yease.

"Billy G"

 

[cpd62]

Center the DP table to the chuck as close as you can. Mount the XY Table and indicate to the chuck. It's a simple task. I've had this one on my DP for yease.

"Billy G"

Wow, nice table. The one I got has nowhere near the amount of travel yours does. When you adjust the height of your table do you recalibrate each time?

Christian

 

[Bill Gruby]

No Christian, none is necessary. My DP Table raises on a key. You have to tug pretty hard to offset the table. That XY Table moves 14" on the X axis and 5" on the Y axis.

"Billy G"

 

[kizmit99]

I have an X-Y table for my drill press - one of the best investments ever. I just centered the table on the drill press table and bolted it down. When I raise or lower the table it's free to swing left to right, so by my thinking, there's really no fixed relationship between the spindle and the table. The table is just an extremely convenient surface to secure the part to be drilled on, then the x-y adjustment let's me position the hole to be drilled directly under the spindle. Then adjust x and y to get to the next hole position, etc. Just remember to either align the holes with a slot in the table, or raise the part off the table when securing it so that you don't drill into the table.

 

[Bill Gruby]

I have an X-Y table for my drill press - one of the best investments ever. I just centered the table on the drill press table and bolted it down. When I raise or lower the table it's free to swing left to right, so by my thinking, there's really no fixed relationship between the spindle and the table. The table is just an extremely convenient surface to secure the part to be drilled on, then the x-y adjustment let's me position the hole to be drilled directly under the spindle. Then adjust x and y to get to the next hole position, etc. Just remember to either align the holes with a slot in the table, or raise the part off the table when securing it so that you don't drill into the table.

For the most part you are correct, alignment to the DP table is not necessary. Just eyeball it close. You can align to the spindle with the two axis'. Mine is different in that the rack for height adj. is rigid enough to maintain near perfect position in transition up and down. I tightened it so it would do that.

"Billy G"

 

[Hawkeye]

Keep in mind that round-column mills have the same issue when you adjust the spindle height. Swiveling head vs swiveling table. X-Y still works. The only problem comes when you adjust the height after you've set up the table. If that becomes absolutely necessary, centre on a feature such as a hole before and after movement to minimize error.