Sawdust on the Floor

One of the often forgotten tools in my woodshop is the Drill Press. Mine is a no name knock off that has served me faithfully for many years. I don’t use it everyday, but for those applications that require that the hole be accurately drilled, the drill press is the answer. If I were into doing more metal work then I might look for a better setup, but for woodworking, it meets all of my requirements.

Well, maybe not all of them. There is always a question of how accurately I have set up the drill press. Or in other words, how close is the hole actually being drilled to the point that I wanted it to be drilled.

Since most of the drilling I do is with either a Brad Point bit or a Forstner bit, I normally check the alignment by just bringing the bit into contact with the wood, and then retracting the bit. If the hole from the centering point of the bit is where I wanted the hole, then I complete the drilling. If not I nudge the wood around till it lines up.

Not a very accurate way of setting up the drill press. A lot of trial and error and it’s a time consuming
process. Since I am always looking for ways to improve my accuracy, when I found a laser designed for the drill press, I immediately sat up and paid attention. What a great idea. Here is a simple add on to the drill press that will not only improve the accuracy of your drilling, but it’s an inexpensive option. As an added bonus, the laser runs off a standard 9 volt battery, so you don’t have the added problem of tangled cords.

So here is how simple the process now becomes. Install your bit, turn on the laser, line up the intersection of the lasers over your desired point, clamp your wood down and drill. It couldn’t be easier. And for those of us who fondly remember 40 and always seem to need just a little more light on the project, the laser lines help eliminate that issue.

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