Project aim:

Mounting a Drill Press on a bench so I can used it more easily, make it more stable and so it does not go through the bench top.

Step 1: This Goes on That.

Great. I finally have a really good Drill Press, but my Workbench would not support it very well. Plus, I am sick of being on my knees to use it.
My poor knees.

I wanted to put it on my Workbench, but the top of the bench is too thin, and I do not have any thicker wood to make a new top. Now that I have spent all my monies on buying this Drill Press, what would I do?

Being the cheap, sorry, poor/broke bugger that I am, I decided to make a mounting frame from some scrap metal I had laying around.

Laying around, I hear you ask? Well, it is amazing what people will throw out onto the street, other than pre-owned husbands and rubbish, some often very useful stuffs.
I had found a used metal bed frame sitting on the footpath (sidewalk for my US friends), and decided to take it home for any future projects.

Well, the future had arrived.

This would be perfect for the job.

Step 2: Steel at a Steal

I was going to need some angle iron around 25mm to 30mm across, to make my frame. This bedframe at 25mm wide, was just the ticket, and at 2mm thick, strong enough to support the weight.

Parts:

Steel angle iron. 25mm x 2mm
Mounting bolts for Drill Press: 120mm x 10mm Hexhead- 2 of.
Mounting bolts for Steel Frame: 65mm x 10mm end capped - 4 of.
10 x 2mm steel washers - 6 of.
1HP Drill Press - 1 of.
Workbench - 1 of.

Sizing on the next page.

Step 3: Does It Measure Up?

To get the Length of the frame, I measured under the bench, from the mounting beams, front to back.

To get the Width, I measured the position on the base of the Drill Press, at the centre of the base mounting holes, and set this as the centre position at the width of each long beam.

As you can see in the first photo, the lighter area is where I removed a cross member from under the workbench. This member was in the way of the frame, so had to go. With the manner in which the frame is to be mounted, the bench still has maintained it's structural integrity.

The thickness of the bench's frame wood is 145mm per beam, so I got bolts to fit this and the frames thickness.

The steel frame would need to be the following sizes, to fit under my bench.
285mm width x 500mm length.

With the cutting thickness, the frame ended up at 285mm width x 498mm length.

Step 4: Front to Back and Ready to Weld.

Once I had got the position of the the Drill Press on the bench, I measured mounting holes up for the frame. This I did by placing the Drill Press on my Workbench and placing the longer steel pieces next to the base, and then measuring the hole position, front to back, using a tape measure and set square.

I place the set square on top of the Drill Press base mounting holes, one across the other, to get a straight line from the middle of the holes, and then measured and marked the beams, as per the first picture.

I measured from both ends, to make sure there both measurements where equal.

Measure twice, drill once! Hey, it's works for cutting....

Then I laid out the frame how I was going to weld it, and I cleaned off the paint around the point of where the welding would be done. I held the frame pieces in place with welding magnets and clamps, with the pieces overlapping. I filed down the inside pieces ends prior, to adjust for the inside curve of the angle iron.

I have taken a few pics to show how I use the magnet and clamps to hold the material for welding. I use the magnets for holding right angle or end butted pieces and the clamps for when the pieces are flat and overlap.

I apologise for no welding photo's. But, as I was on my own when doing it, it was impossible to hold my phone or iPad mini, and weld at the same time. If someone wants to buy me a camera and tripod, I won't say no! :D

Step 5: Paint Me Like One of Your French Women Errr, Frames.

After I had welded the pieces together, welding on the top and bottom of the where the pieces are touching, I ground and filed the welds down smooth, where I was able to reach.

I am not the best welder in the world, but even the best welds, still need to be cleaned up before painting. So, grinding, filing, and wire brushing all the gunk and splatter off, that I could, before painting, make it not only look nice, but, more importantly, allows the paint to adhere better.

Once the welds are ground down, I wire brushed and then cleaned them with grease/wax remover. I let that dry for 20 minutes before painting.

Though this frame was to be inside, out of the weather, I wanted it to last a long time, so I applied three coats of paint. I dispensed with primer, as the paint I used was for cars, and could go straight on without an issue.

Applying three coats, I waited about 20 minutes between each coat, for it to touch dry, before applying the next one. The helps it adhere to the next coat, and prevents pooling and running paint.

I left it overnight to fully dry, before drilling the end holes in the work bench and frame. I touched up where I drilled the frame holes on one end, as I had forgotten to drill them earlier!

This, unfortunately, is a bit typical of me, as other things tend to get in the way and distract me from the job at hand. Such is the life of a maker! Still, turned out ok.

Step 6: If It Fits, I Screw and Sticks.

Now that the frame is welded and painted, time to attach it to the Work Bench.

Clamping the frame into place, I marked and drilled the end holes for the Work Bench.

I then bolted the frame at both ends, using the cap bolts, placing a washer between each nut. I tightened down the bolts to an even tension at each end.

Next step was drill the holes into the top of bench for the Drill Press mounting bolts. I used the frames holes to guide the drill bit.

I place the Drill Press on my Workbench, inserted the Hex Headed bolts, added washers and tightened it down. I tightened it to about 25 ppf. I took care to not over tighten it.

Step 7: My Bench's New Erection.

Now, I finally have the Drill Press mounted into place. Yes, that is a slight lean, but is on the bench, as the floor is not level. I put some wood under the feet to level it up, after I took this picture.

I added a new bench vice on the end at the same time, though I am thinking of adding a more sturdier mounting frame for it, like the one I did for the Drill Press.

Ta Da! Thus, it is done.

Now I have a more useful Drill Press, with much more ease of access. Bonus is having my entrance area back.

Hope you enjoyed this short build. Stay tuned for more.