Drill Press — Lutherie Encyclopedia

Drill PressType: toolA floor or bench-mounted drill that bores accurate, perpendicular holes for tuner posts, bridge pins, and jig construction.## Description A drill press is a stationary drilling machine that holds a rotating bit in a vertically adjustable spindle, allowing precise, perpendicular holes to be drilled into a workpiece clamped to the table. Key features include variable speed control, depth stop, tilting table, and a chuck capacity of at least 1/2 inch. Floor-standing models offer more power and throat depth than bench-top versions, but either style works for lutherie. ## Use in Lutherie Accurate hole drilling is required at many stages of guitar building. The drill press is used to bore tuning machine holes in the headstock, bridge pin holes in the bridge, endpin jack holes, strap button pilot holes, and holes in jigs and fixtures. It is also used with Forstner bits to bore flat-bottomed recesses for truss rod access, pickup cavities in electric guitars, and control cavities. The perpendicularity and depth control of a drill press are difficult to achieve with a handheld drill. ## Selection Guide A benchtop drill press with 1/3 HP or more and variable speed from 500 to 3000 RPM is sufficient for most lutherie tasks. Floor models from Jet, Delta, or WEN offer more capacity. Variable speed is essential because different bit types and wood species require different RPMs. A tilting table is useful for drilling angled holes. Budget 100 to 500 dollars. ## Tips - Always use a backing board under the workpiece to prevent tearout on the exit side of the hole. - Use Forstner bits for clean, flat-bottomed hole…