How to Build a Drill Press Stand (Simple and Sturdy)

#drillpress #woodworking #drillpressstand #brattonbuilt #workbench #workshop #bratton

Here's an easy project on how to build a drill press stand for the shop! This drill press stand has a beefy glue-up top, 2×4's for the frame, and a 3/4″ plywood bottom with locking castors. I plan to add drawers to this stand in the near future, but it's a great basic stand as it is. See below for all the supplies, tools, and cuts used for this build. There is also step by step directions on how to build this drill press stand.

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DRILL PRESS STAND DIMENSIONS:
Height: 36.5″
Width: 18″
Depth: 22″

LUMBER USED FOR DRILL PRESS STAND:
CUT LIST:
(3) 8′ 2×4's
(1) 18″x22″ piece of 3/4 plywood
(1) 6′ 2×8
Legs: (4) 31 1/4″ 2×4's
Top and Bottom Frame Pieces: (8) 15″ 2×4's
Bottom 3/4″ Plywood: 18″x22″
Top Panel: (4) 18″ 2×8's.
Substitute plywood for top for a quicker build

SUPPLIED USED FOR DRILL PRESS STAND:
(4) Locking Castors
(32) 2 1/2″ pocket screws (for the frame)
(8) 2″ pocket screws (to attach top)
1 3/4″ wood screws (to attach bottom)
Wood Glue
(2) 3″ Bolts, nuts, and washers (to attach drill press to top)

TOOLS USED FOR DRILL PRESS STAND:
Table Saw
Power Drill
Pocket hole jig
90 degree drill adaptor (Might not need this if you own a shorter drill than mine)
(1) clamp (at least 24″ long, or a pocket hole clamp would work too.)
see tools for glue-up panel if making a glue-up top.

STEP BY STEP DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE THIS DRILL PRESS STAND

STEP 1: MAKE THE CUTS.

See cut list above. The top is a glue-up using 2×8's, but use whatever you'd like. I just wanted a beefy I wanted to be sturdy enough to hold my heavy drill press. I was going to use two layers of 3/4″ plywood for the top, but I had these 2×8's in the scrap bin. Note: The 1/4″ plywood in the picture is going to be the back panel of this drill press stand when I add drawers, in the hopefully, the not too distant future.

STEP 2: DRILL POCKET HOLES

Set the pocket hole jig for 1 1/2″ and drill two holes on all ends of the eight 15″ frame pieces.
Then set the pocket hole jig for 1 1/4″ and drill two holes on one edge of the four top frame 15″ pieces. These will be used to attach the frame to the top panel.

STEP 2: BUILD BOTH SIDES OF FRAME

Fasten top and bottom 15″ boards to legs using wood glue, clamp, and 2 1/2″ pocket screws as pictured above. Note: Make sure the 1 1/4″ edge drill pocket holes are all facing up for attaching the top.

STEP 3: COMPLETE THE FRAME

Attach the front and back 15″ boards. I used square jigs to hold the side frame pieces upright, but getting an extra set of hands would work just as good. I also used a 90 degree drill bit adaptor to fasten some of these screws.

STEP 4: ATTACH BOTTOM AND LOCKING CASTORS

Glue, clamp, and fasten 3/4″ bottom plywood using 1 3/4″ wood screws. I used the same wood screws with washers to attach the castors where the holes lined up with the frame. Then I used the 3/4″ screws, that came with the locking castors, on the hole that just went into the plywood.

STEP 5: ATTACH TOP

Line up and mark where to drill two holes that will be used to insert bolts. Add wood glue to the top of the frame and then place the frame on top of the top panel. Fasten top to frame with 2″ pocket hole or cabinet screws.

STEP 6: BOLT DOWN DRILL PRESS

Finally, bolt down the drill press!

Badda Bing! Enjoy your new drill press stand!!

[LindaGus]

My first build 😊 took half the day, but I did it!

[sscottross]

Awesome video. Awesome drill press. Great job on the stand bro!!!

[philipcatuogno]

Thank you! I will notch out another bottom shelf to fit around the legs. I can easily wipe away any sawdust.

[WADS-rrwy]

Just the video I was looking for. Thanks! Where can I buy the blue fixture for the hidden holes?

[awlthatwoodcrafts]

Cool little stand for one of the best pieces of equipment one could ever own, i.e. something from their grandpa.

You should have used z-clips to hold the top down. Since you made the top out of several pieces glued together, it would have been better to just hold down the top and allow for expansion rather than glue it down and risk the frame being wracked about.

Still, simple and easy design. Here's to many years of good service.

[enterprise]

When or if there comes a day and the wife says "we need to down size", meaning, it's time to sell the house and get a smaller one just for us. DON'T sell ANY of your woodworking tools! Three years ago, we sold our big home to down size. We did the RV thing for almost 2 years after and put a lot of stuff in storage. Guess what I had to give up. I kept my hand power tools, but sold my jointed, planer, band saw, scroll saw, drill press, table saw, a bunch of hand tools, and ALL of my bar clamps. This was the 2nd worst mistake I've made, first being selling my boat. Now, we've bought a smaller house, and I'm starting from scratch with my big power tools. I'll never have the good ones I used too as the costs have gone way up, so it's the cheap stuff to get me by. That's a great looking radial drill press you got there ! NEVER SELL IT!

[superpolymath]

This looks great and simple. For an 85 lbs+ drill press, does this need more weight at the base to reduce the risk of it toppling over? It seems like the center of gravity would be a bit high.

[Ted_James]

Nice build! I'm modeling my drill press stand after your design. What model pocket hole jig is that? Looks like a Kreg.