# Depth Stop Setting



## ducbsa (Jul 6, 2014)

I wanted to have a consistent Forstner bit drill depth and couldn't do all of them with the same drill press setup. Used a 1/4" brass bar under the adjuster nut to set it while the bit was kissing the top of the work piece (see arrows). Needed 2.5 hands to do it, but it worked pretty good.


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## DrRobert (Apr 27, 2015)

I believe that a fairly common practice, but it was still your idea!

That reminds me (and please accept apologies if I’m hijacking). I absolutely *despise *the depth stop on my drill press.

I’ve been trying to come up with a way to mimic a router, IOW a bar that drops to the surface of the wood and you adjust the depth just like a plunge router. I think it coukd be done by tapping a hole in the mounting block and using bar stock.

I’ve seen on guy uses a dial indicator mounted to the press, and of course there are DRO’s, not for me.


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## Woodworking Wolf (Sep 17, 2021)

Nice. I posted a few days ago about buying various size key stock as maybe being less expense than buying a set of setup blocks. Thanks for showing me another use for them!

@DrRobert, your abbreviations kill me sometimes! What the hell is a DRO?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Consider stacking a few rare earth magnets instead of wrestling with a heavy bar that's too long and falls off.
Space them apart with small washers for fine tuning.


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## DrRobert (Apr 27, 2015)

Woodworking Wolf said:


> Nice. I posted a few days ago about buying various size key stock as maybe being less expense than buying a set of setup blocks. Thanks for showing me another use for them!
> 
> @DrRobert, your abbreviations kill me sometimes! What the hell is a DRO?


Digital Read Out.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

Not too long ago, my drill press Depth Stop quit on me. havent had time to repair it yet. What I did when I had to make some mortises with consistent depth was pull the the depth adjusting handle all the way till it bottomed out. Then I raised the table up to the necessary height and voila!. Just bottom out to the maximum stroke.
Glad your solution worked for you.


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## fcgadget (Apr 19, 2021)

Precision Drill Press Depth Gauge by Patrick Sullivan on You Tube





using a cheap caliper and a few simple parts you get a an easy to use depth gauge


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

As for Forstner bit stops, I just bought an inexpensive set just for the stops. I will use these in a handheld drill though. I don't care much for the stop on my drill press although it does the job.


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## 4DThinker (Mar 13, 2013)

fcgadget said:


> Precision Drill Press Depth Gauge by Patrick Sullivan on You Tube
> ...using a cheap caliper and a few simple parts you get a an easy to use depth gauge


I own that same Wen drill press and the only thing I dislike about it is the depth stop. I've got digital depth gauges on my planer and drum sander, and a digital width gauge on my table saw fence. I also have a full size drill press that has a direct drive head and programmable depth settings that work once you tell the press where the top of the board it. I'll have to steal the idea from the video or see if anyone (i-gaging or Wixey maybe) makes one for drill presses, maybe as a Christmas gift to myself. I do have at least one redundant digital caliper I could use which may work. 

And the topic has my mind wandering around my shop to see if any other machine might benefit from some digital help. Can't see any use for one on a bandsaw, or lathe, or disk or spindle drum sanders. Maybe a sliding digital width stop for the fence on my radial arm saw. Hmmm...


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

I own 4 drill presses, all different sizes and makes. I would like to have a digital depth "gauge" that I can move from one to the other, for the rare occasions that would be necessary.
I think I could monitor the gauge closely enough to stop drilling when I read a designated depth.... I donno?
I think it may be easier and simpler to add a clamp on plate to the quill itself than to mess with the depth stop rod.
I'll be mulling this over to see what I come up with depending on how the machines are constructed.


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## 4DThinker (Mar 13, 2013)

It turns out that both Wixey and Igaging do have drill press digital depth gauges. I order the Igaging version as it was less expensive than the Wixey at Amazon.com. Amazon isn't doing too well with it's 2-day shipping promise this time of the year so sometime next week maybe....


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

4DThinker said:


> It turns out that both Wixey and Igaging do have drill press digital depth gauges. I order the Igaging version as it was less expensive than the Wixey at Amazon.com. Amazon isn't doing too well with it's 2-day shipping promise this time of the year so sometime next week maybe....


Thanks for the info, I also ordered one today and expect it in two days with Prime. free shipping.


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## fcgadget (Apr 19, 2021)

woodnthings said:


> I own 4 drill presses, all different sizes and makes. I would like to have a digital depth "gauge" that I can move from one to the other, for the rare occasions that would be necessary.
> I think I could monitor the gauge closely enough to stop drilling when I read a designated depth.... I donno?
> I think it may be easier and simpler to add a clamp on plate to the quill itself than to mess with the depth stop rod.
> I'll be mulling this over to see what I come up with depending on how the machines are constructed.


My version was with a $10 Harbor Freight caliper...


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## kwoodhands (May 1, 2020)

DrRobert said:


> I believe that a fairly common practice, but it was still your idea!
> 
> That reminds me (and please accept apologies if I’m hijacking). I absolutely *despise *the depth stop on my drill press.
> 
> ...


Dr Robert, I'm gone to guess you have the crap dial type depth stop. I have a Delta DP that had that. I removed it and tossed in the trash. I made a threaded rod type depth stop that works great. The return spring broke one day, I removed it snugged the nut on the left side of the DP so the quill moves but stays in place. I liked this so much I never ordered a replacement return screen. I milled flats opposite each way on a 1.2" x 20 threaded rod. The flats are not necessary but DP's with threaded stops are made this way. Installation was simple. Just screwed two aluminum angles , top and bottom to the plastic cover on the head. Plastic was thick enough to tap. the rod is bolted to the angles with 1/2 x 20 nuts. at bottom angle. Height is adjusted with two 1/2 x 20 nuts, second is a jam nut.
mike
mike


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## 4DThinker (Mar 13, 2013)

I've got the Igaging mounted on my Wen. It is simply a digital readout which I can take advantage of, but NOT a depth stop. I'm so dissatisfied with the existing screw down stop that I'm going to make my own push button quick set stop. I designed and made push button releases for a chair base design of mine many year back, as well as a push release of a lathe tool handle so it could be set for right or left handers. I think I've got a design I can make that should work. If my prototype works on my Wen I'll make another to use on my Nova Voyager DRV press. Conical springs are required so I have some ordered from McMaster-Carr. 
If anyone is interested I'll show it off when I have all the materials for it.
4D


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## Olwoodguy (1 mo ago)

I use a piece of masking tape for marking debth . Wrap it around the bit and leave a 1/4" to fold over on the end. Like a little flag sticking out. When the sawdust get swept away I'm there. Quick n cheap


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## 4DThinker (Mar 13, 2013)

Olwoodguy said:


> I use a piece of masking tape for marking debth . Wrap it around the bit and leave a 1/4" to fold over on the end. Like a little flag sticking out. When the sawdust get swept away I'm there. Quick n cheap


Same trick I use with handheld drills. Sometimes when using the drill press. For repeated holes that need to be the same depth a good depth stop on a drill press is critical. Occasionally the bit will grab the wood and pull the bit deeper using handheld drills. It can happen on the drill press unless you've clamped down the wood. 
4D


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## yomanbill (Jul 7, 2020)

I know this question was posted some time ago. But, for the purpose of discussion: 

Sorry. I thought my first paragraph came across too critical. I removed it.

The easiest, assuming his work piece is 3/4" thick, would be to use a 1/2" block or brass bar. Set it on the table below the bit. Set the bit down on it and set the stop. Done.


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## 4DThinker (Mar 13, 2013)

I've now made a working push button depth stop for my Wen drill press. Made from some HDPE scraps and a conical spring. Working on a how-to post for my blog but not done yet. I cut the depth stop body and button using my CNC, although all the work could have been done using a drill press with some careful precision, 5/8"d Forstner bit, M12 fine tap, 27/64" and M12 drill bits. This is just a prototype made from HDPE as it is easy to machine. My intent is to make one from aluminum. When the button is pressed in you can slide it up or down the threaded shaft. A spring pushes a threaded section back to engage the shaft threads and keep it in place when the button isn't pushed in.













Once I know I can make one from aluminum I intend to also make one for my floor standing Voyager drill press. I have to admit this eliminates the only complaint I had about my Wen drill press. That along with the DRO I have for the Wen should make it nearly as precise for drilling as that Voyager can be using it's depth stop digital control.
4D


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## 4DThinker (Mar 13, 2013)

A how-to is now up on my blog: Making a Push Button Depth Stop for my Wen Drill Press 
Let me know if you have any Q's about making your own if you want. 
4D


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