How to Convert a Hand Drill to a Press Drill

A drill press is a very handy shop tool, but not every handyman has the space or budget for a specialized tool such as this. Attempts to hold a hand drill straight while drilling a hole in small parts, usually result in failure. This same hand drill can be quickly converted to and from a drill press with an adapter that costs far less money than a dedicated drill press.

Things You'll Need

• Drill press stand

Instructions

1. Remove the clamp that will hold the hand drill. On some drill press stands, this is a U-shaped heavy wire with two nuts on the bottom to tighten it and clamp the hand drill securely. On others it is an adjustable steel plate that pushes down on the drill when tightened.

2. 

   Place the hand drill in the frame with the handle facing away from the post of the drill press stand and replace the clamp. Tighten the clamping nuts securely.

3. Mount the drill press stand to a work bench if possible. In lieu of that, mount the drill press stand to a piece of board or 3/4 inch plywood a few inches larger than the base of the stand and clamp the board to the bench.

4. Use the drill press conversion as you would any regular drill press, but understand that this is a light duty setup and is not designed for drilling larger holes in metal or very hard woods.

Tips & Warnings

• Always wear safety glasses when using a drill press. Clamp smaller workpieces securely to prevent them from being thrown from the drill press if the bit should snag.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish