My dog bought me a drill press a while back (she's the best 😉) and I want to build an add-on table to make it more useful with woodworking. Initially I have just clamped some scrap plywood across but that wasn't ideal.

I've been watching YouTube for ideas. I like the ones with t-track for clamping and to attach a rear fence. Also want to have a replaceable sacrificial insert so I can replace only that part when it gets too cut up. I have glued up a couple pieces of 1/2 plywood left over from my miter saw station to use for the table base (oversized and not squared up yet).

The current factory table doesn't have any holes to attach from below as done in the YouTube videos I have viewed so I'm trying to figure out the best way to attach the plywood table. Here's the factory table.

Thinking maybe some sort of clamp or fastner that would hold the top without protruding above? Tracksaw clamp like this might work if I can figure out the groove in the plywood table. Any suggestions or other ideas are appreciated.

Also would be interested in seeing what others have done to increase woodworking options for your drill press.

I got a plan from Shop Notes and it allows for drilling ends of much longer stock. It has two fences and a replaceable center panel.

I am not sure of the dimensions of the slots in your drill press table but I use these for T-tracks and table saw tracks. Some tracks require me to resize the bottom widths slightly. You can cut them to length. The new table will probably be more or less permanent so you could counter bore the top to have the nuts set flush with the surface

Flange bolts and they are in the plumbing section of the Borgs

I built mine similar to @Gerald's

Here’s mine, pretty typical.

Here's an old one I did, this arrangement didn't allow for me to tilt the table so eventually I replaced it with just a flat table (no crank to raise ti up down). But the one thing I want to suggest is the round insert under the chuck. You can rotate it to get a clean spot, after it's used up flip it over. After that's used up toss it and replace it with one of the spares you made. BTW, this is a floor stand DP, the cabinet is on wheels and can be pulled out for when I need the extra space. I think all this stuff was in Woodsmith magazine.

Edited August 24Aug 24 by Fred W. Hargis Jr

Something I forgot about when I first designed mine was the crank to raise/lower the table. I kept banging my knuckles on the table so I added this

This table was an early version. Later I added T-tracks used the flange bolts

Lew I did my handle almost just like that but I found a large handle at a antique store.

As to bolts NOT all T-track is the same size. I usually prefer the ones that fit hex bolts. Also they are different ticknesses so buy before you build as you will probably need to double the ply to allow for good fit of screws holding track.

look at THIS The second pic is the one I built.

By the way look up drill press table on YouTube and you will find lots of ideas

Edited August 24Aug 24 by Gerald

my drill press table. my own design. 1/2" ply with 1/2" of MDF on top, then some scrap laminate countertop material. i recall i got the hardware from INCRA, held to the factory table with bolts underneath that tie into the 2nd channel. replaceable MDF insert. i do have a stop that fits into the fence channel, just not in place at the moment.

Edited Monday at 10:45 PM5 days by DAB

@Gerald @JimM @Fred W. Hargis Jr @DAB Great table pictures! I plan to do something similar with the t-track along the sides on the top surface. Have some t-track left from the mitersaw station that should work.

@lew I've looked at the handle travel and think I'll be ok with my plan, but have seen that be an issue in some of the YouTube so good point to verify. Like your solution

11 hours ago, lew said:

The new table will probably be more or less permanent so you could counter bore the top to have the nuts set flush with the surface

That's the only way that seems to allow use of the factory table t-tracks. Not sure why the factory table is built in that style (haven't seen this in any of the YouTube I have watched). Wish there were holes to attach easily from underneath.

Appreciate all the pictures, info, and suggestions. Will have some time to mull over a final design as my husband and I started installing some flooring in our house so that will consume my shop time for a while 🙄.

I like that handle design Lew has as well, I may have to look at incorporating that on my DP.

How is the factory table attached underneath? Is it a round part, clamped, so the table can be rotated, or ??

I would love to see a picture of the bottom, please. 😃