Squaring up your drill press

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I have a delta drill press, and the table tilts on both x and y axis for compound drilling.  I usually use a square to square the bit and the table up, but I don't know how accurate it is.  Does anyone have any other methods of squaring up the table to the bit?Here is my drill press:[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoTtDLIStz0[/ame]Maybe I should make some stops on it somehow?  I am pretty sure the table is cast though.Last edited by jdh239; 04-23-2010 at 11:23 AM.The Lord has declared, "This is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man"  Moses 1:39Link: My name is John, and I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.-- ColdCreekWorks.com --
Reply:Mount a dial indicator on an arm held by  the chuck, which sticks out to the side. As the chuck is rotated, the distance to the table is indicated and should be the same throughout the entire circle.If you don't have an indicator, a cruder way is to use the arm but measure the gap with a feeler gauge, or even do it by eye.
Reply:Originally Posted by Oldiron2Mount a dial indicator on an arm held by  the chuck, which sticks out to the side. As the chuck is rotated, the distance to the table is indicated and should be the same throughout the entire circle.If you don't have an indicator, a cruder way is to use the arm but measure the gap with a feeler gauge, or even do it by eye.
Reply:Do you have any your recommend?  A quick google search at local stores doesn't show it.  I hate ordering things online when unfamiliar with exactly what I should be looking for.  Just wondering if you can point me to one you would recommend.The Lord has declared, "This is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man"  Moses 1:39Link: My name is John, and I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.-- ColdCreekWorks.com --
Reply:Hi jdh239,A combination square and a long ground rod  will work well enough for drill press work. I helps to have some light behind the rod and square and you bump the table around with a wood block.Matt
Reply:Just have someone with a lathe machine a round chunk of aluminum with a .25 hole in the center. Then you just set it on the table top and make sure the 1/4" bit goes in the hole.
Reply:Dial indicator is the most accurate and it's a good investment. For a drill press a square is likely close enough.I've never done it this way but this might give you an idea:http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/To...liminator.htmlIf your looking to spend crazy money you should look at this:http://www.spindlesquare.com/This guy has a spindle square he built himself:http://home.earthlink.net/~bottlbob/
Reply:Thanks for the cool links forhire! Re;http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/hstpages.htmlIt's going to take some time to get through the above.Matt
Reply:find a piece of hard steel plate about 3 to 4  in dia. and have it ground on a surface grinder until perfectly flat on both sides and use this to SWEEP in the table..........just like it's done on a millThe surface plate will keep you from Shocking the dial indicator  you don't want to have it dropping into the ways or clamping holes it's hard on the indicatorBacked my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck