Using Router Bits on a Drill Press: Workshop Techniques and Safety

Many Australian woodworkers first meet the drill press as a quiet machine for boring clean holes, and only later discover what else it can do. Mount a profile bit in the chuck and the press starts to behave like a small overhead router, opening up decorative edges, shallow mortises and inlay cavities that would otherwise demand a second tool.

That versatility suits a small suburban workshop, where bench space and budget are both tight. A drill press paired with a few well-chosen router bits can handle picture frames, jewellery boxes, clock inserts and the detailed scrollwork that usually lives on a router table. Makers from Brisbane to Hobart have built entire hobby businesses on this approach.

The catch is that a drill press is not a router. Spindle speeds, runout and feed control all differ, and the safety profile changes once a side-cutting bit is in the chuck. A careful approach to setup and material handling protects both the workpiece and the operator.

The techniques and safety habits below suit Australian home workshops running on limited space and a tight budget.

Why Reach for a Drill Press Instead of a Router

A handheld plunge router gives freedom of movement, but it demands two free hands, a steady stance and a confident eye for the cut. A drill press trades that flexibility for repeatability. The workpiece is supported on a flat table, the spindle travels in a perfectly straight line, and the operator can see exactly where the bit will engage.

For small parts, that visibility is hard to beat. Clock faces, name plaques, drawer pulls and inlay pockets all sit comfortably under a drill press quill, and the same setup can be used dozens of times without re-measuring. A community workshop in Melbourne running a beginner scroll saw class will often pair that saw with a drill press.

The technique also suits the Men's Shed movement, where members share stationary tools. A drill press fitted with router bits gives a small group access to profile work without each member buying a router table.

How a Drill Press Differs from a Plunge Router

A plunge router is engineered for lateral cutting, with the motor hanging from rails, the base gliding across the workpiece, and the bit raising and lowering on the fly. A drill press is built for vertical drilling, with the quill moving on a fixed column, the table staying still, and the workpiece travelling against the spinning cutter.

That structural difference changes everything about how a router bit behaves. On a router, the bit spins slower and the operator controls feed rate by feel. On a drill press, the speed is set at the pulley and the feed comes from a quill handle, giving a slower, more measured cut but less chance to back off if the cutter grabs.

Runout is another factor. Even a high-quality drill press will usually have slightly more runout than a well-maintained router, because the bearings are designed for point loading from drill bits rather than the lateral forces of a side-cutting profile. For that reason, only certain bit geometries work well in a drill press, and shallow cuts are always safer than deep ones.

Choosing Router Bits That Work in a Drill Press

Shank size is the first consideration. Most Australian drill presses come with a 13 mm chuck that accepts both 6 mm metric and quarter-inch imperial shanks. Avoid bits with very short shanks, as the full shank should be clamped in the chuck for stability.

Carbide-tipped cutters are strongly preferred over high-speed steel, because the higher spindle speeds generate more heat. A straight plunge bit, a small-diameter roundover, a chamfer bit and a rabbeting bit with a top bearing are all good starting points. Bits that rely on a guide bearing on the shank should be avoided, because the bearing can slip on the workpiece rather than follow an edge.

For pattern work and decorative profiling, the Baccarat Bead Plate Score style of decorative inlay is worth a closer look, as the short cutting length suits the limited quill travel of a benchtop press. Sloan's Woodshop stocks these specialty profiles alongside scroll saw blades and drill bits, useful for sourcing a matched set rather than buying one cutter at a time.

Spotted gum, blackwood and Tasmanian oak have a Janka rating well above American oak, and they punish a dull edge. Sharp tooling, slower speeds and shallow passes keep the heat down and the surface clean.

Setting Up Speed, Depth and Workholding

Speed comes first. The general rule is the larger the bit diameter, the slower the spindle. For a 6 mm straight bit in hardwood, somewhere between 1,400 and 1,800 RPM is a sensible starting point. For a 25 mm roundover in softwood, drop to around 1,000 RPM.

Workholding is the next piece of the puzzle. A drill press fence, clamped to the table, controls the position of the workpiece for edge profiling. For through cuts and mortises, a simple sled or shop-made jig keeps hands well away from the cutter. Magnetic clamps and double-sided tape work for small parts, but a proper hold-down is always safer, especially when working alone.

Depth of cut is the third setting that needs attention. The quill should be lowered in stages, removing no more than 3 to 4 mm of material at a time. Multiple light passes produce a cleaner edge, generate less heat and reduce the chance of the bit grabbing the timber.

Safety Essentials for Vertical Routing

Eye protection is non-negotiable. Router bits throw chips with surprising force, and the vertical geometry of a drill press means debris tends to fly straight up. Wrap-around safety glasses plus a full-face shield are common in commercial Australian workshops.

Dust management is equally important. Hardwood dust from species like jarrah and merbau is a known respiratory irritant, and the fine particles produced by profile cutting settle on every surface of the shop. A dust port connected to a shop vacuum makes a real difference to air quality and visibility.

Hearing protection matters more than many hobbyists realise. A drill press running a carbide bit at high speed produces a high-pitched whine that, over time, contributes to hearing loss. A pair of earmuffs is inexpensive insurance.

Finally, never leave the chuck key in the chuck. It sounds obvious, yet it remains one of the most common workshop injuries recorded in Australian safety bulletins. A small magnetic strip beside the press keeps the key within reach but out of harm's way.

Step-by-Step Techniques for Common Cuts

Edge profiling is the easiest place to start. Set the table fence to control the cut, lower the bit until the profile just kisses the timber, lock the quill, and feed the workpiece from right to left. Take three light passes rather than one heavy one.

For mortising, drill press operators usually work in two stages: a shallow flat-bottomed hole drilled to the desired depth, followed by a straight plunge bit that cleans up the walls. A shop-made jig with a sliding fence keeps the workpiece square, and a backing board reduces tearout on the exit side.

Pattern work is where the technique really shines. With a template pinned to the workpiece and a top-bearing bit following the template, even a curved or intricate shape can be cut repeatedly. The template can be made from MDF, acrylic offcuts or thin plywood. Hobbyists interested in building a hollow wooden surfboard can find full surfboard shaping plans that use a similar template-and-bearing approach, which translates to drill press work.

Always pause and let the bit stop before raising the quill, and never attempt to back the workpiece out of a cut while the bit is still spinning. A stalled bit is a strong signal that the feed is too aggressive or the depth too deep for the species being cut.

Avoiding Common Problems

Burning on the cut edge is the most frequent complaint. It is almost always a sign that the speed is too slow for the diameter of the bit, or that the feed rate is too slow. A quick smoke test on a scrap piece, followed by a small adjustment, usually clears the problem up.

Tearout on the exit side happens when the bit blows through unsupported fibres. A sacrificial backing board, clamped or taped in place, supports the wood and leaves a clean edge. Reversing the workpiece so the best face is down also helps.

Chatter marks appear as regular ripples along the cut and usually mean the bit is mounted too high in the chuck, the runout is excessive, or the workpiece is not held firmly. Lowering the bit, truing the spindle, and adding a clamp often clears the chatter.

Bit breakage is the most serious outcome. It almost always traces back to a heavy first pass, a dull cutter, or a workpiece that shifted mid-cut. Sharp, quality tooling and treating the drill press with the same respect given to a stationary router keeps the cutters intact and the operator out of the first-aid kit.

Practical Recommendations for the Home Workshop

• Keep a small selection of carbide-tipped bits in 6 mm and 12 mm shanks, including a straight, a roundover, a chamfer and a rabbeting bit with a top bearing.
• Fit a dust port directly behind the spindle and connect it to a shop vacuum before the first cut.
• Mark the recommended RPM for each bit on the shank with a paint pen, so the speed change is fast and consistent.
• Build a simple hold-down jig from 18 mm plywood and a couple of cam clamps before tackling any through-cuts.
• Source specialty profiles and matching supplies from Sloan's Woodshop, which keeps scroll saw blades, clock inserts and router bits under one roof for Australian customers.
• Review the workshop layout so the drill press sits with at least a metre of clear space on every side, allowing safe handling of long boards.