[sunnybob]

I have a new bench pillar drill.
Its quite good considering its fairly cheap.
but it has a tilting table.
And of course, the indictated 90 degrees just can not be 90 degrees.
So, how do I check the angle between the flat table and the vertical drill?
Tried a set square, eyes say it looks good, spirit level says it isnt. But then again, why should i trust this spirit level? Everything apart from the table is round, so theres no flat surface to start from. Cant use a plumb bob because the bench is bound not to be true vertical.

Without waiting a week for delivery and ordering some stupidly expensive instrument, how to get the table 90 degrees to the drill?
Once its proven, I can make my own reference mark for future use.

 

[sunnybob]

dont worry, I just did the you tube step that I should have done in the first place.
Its simple, you can work it out with a pencil!
(DUH)

 

[BrianS]

Lots of different ways to do this. This is the one I used:

 

[Garyk]

If the drill is plumb there are a number of angle indicators on the market that will work. Mine is a Wixey digital.

 

[gmercer_48083]

The table can be adjusted by tilting the angle only in the one direction. My question is how do you square it from front to back? My Delta is out of square from front to back! Is there a way to adjust the head to be square?

 

[sunnybob]

The pencil trick didnt work because i realised afterwards that I dont have a rack for table height.
but the bent piece of rod worked fine.

Front to back can only be done with shims.

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

Good video Brian but a good small machinist's square would be faster and at least as accurate and faster. Just loosen the table clamp even to move it and swivel until the square is flush with the bit. I bought a 3" from LV just for jobs like that. I agree with Bob about being out front to rear. I don't know of another method than shimming other than taking it to a machine shop and having the angle corrected.

 

[JOAT]

I've got a HF drillpress, had it for years. Never bothered to check because it is plenty accurate for anything I use it for. But, if I did check it, I'd likely just drill a hole in wood, stick a dowel in, check it, adjust the table if need be, and repeat as needed. If it was out front to back, far enough to concern me, I'd likely fit a piece of plywood to the table, sand one side until the table is as square as I wanted it, then epoxy it in place. Shims would work, but I'd be likely to lose the shim after using it, it's a lot harder to lose a piece of plywood that is epoxied in place.

I go along the lines that if I really need a tool, and can't make it or wing it, then I'll buy a tool. But it's a lot more fun to just wing it. Hehehe

 

[kp91]

We use a dial indicator and "sweep" the table to determine proper alignment, or tramming.


Front to back alignment issues can be adjusted by shimming the head of the drill press, or by rotating the column to the place with the least error.

 

[DaninVan]

Best reason for adjusting the table is because it allows you to bore perpendicular holes accurately in tall objects, if it's been correctly adjusted.
This is particularly important if you have a floor mount DP.