How to Set up a Drill Press
- 1). Disconnect the drill press from the electrical outlet. Check to see that the drill's table is level both left-right and front-back (as looking toward the drill press from the front).
- 2). Loosen the large bolt underneath the table, tighten the grub screw (also underneath the table, a couple of inches below the bolt) and re-tighten the large bolt to adjust the table's level, using a screwdriver.
- 3). Insert the desired drill bit into the chuck, and tighten with the chuck key.
- 4). Raise the table to the desired height (which should be about an inch higher than the thickness of the stock being drilled) by loosening the height-locking mechanism on the riser behind the table, and cranking the height adjustment crank. After reaching the desired height, tighten the locking mechanism.
- 5). Open the head of the drill press. Adjust the speed of the drilling by changing the belt configuration above the head of the drill. Connecting to a larger pulley in the back and smaller in the front will increase the speed, while a smaller pulley in back and larger in front means slower drilling speed.
- 6). Pull down on the spindle handle to lower the spindle toward the table. If you need the drill bit to stop before going through the stock to be drilled, adjust the position of the height adjustment to the correct height.