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Drill Press Accessories:

15 Must-Have Drill Press Accessories

Whether you’ve just bought a drill press and you’re wondering what the must-have drill press accessories are, or you’re still in the market for one, and you’re simply researching which add-ons would come in handy, you’ve come to the right place.

As you’ll see, there’s no shortage of drill press accessories designed to either expand upon or compliment, the impressive functionality and versatility of what is one of the most popular workshop tools available.

From tilting vises that’ll help you drill at angles and organizers designed to boost productivity and eliminate the stress and swearing that comes from losing the one drill bit you need, to cutting fluid that reduces wear-and-tear to prolong drill bit life; it’s all here.

Here are fifteen must-have drill press accessories for amateurs and professionals alike:

  • Tilting drill press vise
  • A set of nylon vise jaws
  • Adjustable drill press clamp
  • Universal T-tracks
  • Extended drill press table
  • Self-centering jig
  • Titanium drill bit set
  • Drill bit sharpener
  • Drill bit organizer
  • Sanding drum set
  • Work support stand
  • Magnetic cleanup tool
  • Flexible LED worklight
  • Heavy-duty shop apron
  • Industrial cutting fluid

Keep on reading as we’ll show you each accessory in detail.


Quick Links – Drill Press Accessories

1. Tilting Drill Press Vise


2. Nylon Vise Jaws


3. Drill Press Clamp


4. T-Tracks


5. Drill Press Extended Table


6. Self-Centering Drill Press Jig


7. Titanium Drill Bit Set


8. Drill Bit Sharpener


9. Drill Bit Organizer


10. Sanding Drum Set


11. Work Support Stand


12. Magnetic Cleanup Tool


13. LED Work Light


14. Heavy-Duty Shop Apron


15. Cutting Fluid


1
Wilton 11753 3-Inch Cradle Style Angle Drill Press Vise

an image of the Wilton 11753 3-inch cradle style angle drill press vise, one of our recommended drill press accessories

A vise is a must-have for any drill press user, and it’ll improve the quality of your work by securely holding in place whatever you’re drilling.

For maximum convenience, we recommend picking up a tilting vise like the 3-inch Wilton model shown here, as opposed to a fixed, non-tilting model. If you’re planning on doing any angled drilling, tapping, or reaming, you’ll benefit from the vise’s ability to tilt and lock at any increment from zero to 90-degrees.

Even better? The Wilton 11753 comes with a lifetime warranty for added peace of mind.

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2
Nylon Vise Jaws for Metal Vise

an image of a set of magnetic, reversible nylon vise jaws, one of our recommended drill press accesssories

Metal vises, while strong, can cause damage, especially when they grip too tightly on softer workpieces.

Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to overcome this issue by installing a set of nylon vise jaws. Available in a 4-inch or 6-inch size, they’re a great way to extend the gripping area of a smaller vise, for example, the 3-inch Wilton 11753 shown above, without buying a whole new vise.

Easily fitted in seconds thanks to their magnetic design, these jaws feature both a flat and profile face to provide the ideal grip pattern for drilling flat, rounded, or angled workpieces.

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3
Armor-Tool 6DP-70 Auto Adjust 6″ Drill Press Clamp

Armor-Tool 6DP-70 auto adjust drill press clamp in six-inch size

Looking to secure a workpiece quickly and securely, but don’t want the hassle of using a vise, and want a safer option than holding it with your hand?

Well, a drill press adjustable clamp could be just what you’re looking for.

This particular clamp, the Armor-Tool 6DP-70, is capable of providing up to 250 lbs of force to workpieces up to 4 1/2-inches in depth. It can be fitted or removed in seconds, too, by bolting it through the drill press table’s channels.

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4
POWERTEC 71182 Universal Multi T-Tracks

image of the POWERTEC 71182 universal multi T-tracks which make an ideal drill press accessory

T-Tracks offer a quick and easy way to increase the versatility of your drill press. Attaching T-Tracks to the fence or base of a drill press table, for example, provides a secure place to add extra stops and hold-downs, helping speed up your drilling tasks or preventing movement during drilling.

These extruded aluminum T-Tracks from POWERTEC not only look the part thanks to their electric-blue finish, but they’re also engineered for high-quality strength and durability. Available with either six or eight slots, they also come in 24″ or 36″ lengths.

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5
Drill Press Extended Table

image of an extended table which makes an ideal drill press accessory

For some applications, for example, when drilling larger materials, you might find that the table size on your drill press isn’t big enough.

Other times, you might find that the standard table is lacking features, for example, a fence to hold materials securely against, or a large enough central hole to accommodate a sanding drum.

It’s pretty easy to rectify these shortcomings by adding an extended drill press table. This 12″ x 24″ example is made of 7/8″ thick MDF/Melamine for maximum durability, and it comes with two T-Tracks for holding down, along with an adjustable fence and removable insert to accommodate a sanding drum.

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6
Self-Centering Drill Press Jig With Ruler Markings

image of a self-centering drill press jig with ruler markings

If you’ve ever tried to center a hole in a round workpiece, you’ll understand just how fiddly this can be. It doesn’t matter if you use a center punch either, it’s still tricky to always hit center in the likes of tubes, pipes, or dowels.

Thankfully, this self-centering jig removes all of the frustration and guesswork to leave you with exactly what you want; dead center holes in seconds.

It features a heavy-duty extruded aluminum construction for added strength and convenient ruler markings for on-the-fly measurements.

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7
DEWALT 21-Piece Titanium Drill Bit Set (DW1361)

image of the DEWALT DW1361 21-piece titanium drill bit set, one of our recommended drill press accessories

We’ve all tried to drill a hole with some old drill bit found at the back of a toolbox. Y’know, the blunt, rusted one that would struggle to drill through a Coke can.

If you want to drill holes quicker, more accurately, and more cleanly, though, a good set of drill bits is a must. Thankfully, as this DEWALT set proves, a good set of drill bit needn’t cost the earth.

Coated in titanium for added strength, DEWALT claims these bits (ranging from 1/16″ to 1/2″) will last up to 2x longer in stainless steel. Suitable for both wood and metal drilling, they feature DEWALT’s patented Pilot Point for a cleaner, more accurate hole.

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8
Drill Doctor 750X Drill Bit Sharpener

image of the Drill Doctor 750X drill bit sharpener

Got a perfectly good set of drill bits that are just a bit blunt? Why go to the expense of being a new set when you can sharpen your existing drill bits instead?

Depending on how often you use your drill press, it could be much cheaper to buy a handy sharpener like the Drill Doctor 750X.

Designed for the serious drill press user, the 750X can handle multiple types of drill bits, including HSS, masonry, cobalt, and TiN-coated bits, and you can even set a custom point angle from 115° to 140° for maximum flexibility.

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9
Drill Bit Organizer

image of a drill press drill bit organizer

There’s nothing more annoying than wasting time hunting for a drill bit. It’s always when you’re in a hurry too that you lose the exact one you’re after.

Thankfully, by installing a drill bit organizer to the pillar of your drill press, missing bits, lost chuck keys, or that “I had it a second ago” pencil can be a thing of the past.

Big enough to hold a 40-bit set (it features pre-drilled holes ranging from 1/4″ to 1/2″), it clamps to drill press columns ranging from 2-1/2″ to 3-1/4″ in diameter using a couple of bolts.

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10
20-Piece Rubber Sanding Drum Set

image of a 20-piece rubber sanding drum set for a drill press

The Big Horn 19521 Sanding Drum Set lets you tackle more than just drilling with your drill press by turning it into a spindle sander.

The kit includes four different sized rubber-cushioned, self-expanding sanding drums, along with two sets of sleeves (120 and 80 grit abrasive sleeves) for each drum, letting you tackle a variety of sanding requirements with your drill press.

The drums benefit from a friction fit design, too, so you won’t need adhesive for the sleeves.

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11
Rockwell RK9034 JawStand XP Work Support Stand

image of the Rockwell RK9034 JawStand XP work support stand, ideal for use with a drill press

Sometimes, when drilling longer materials, you need to be creative and prop the end of the workpiece on the back of a seat, or off the edge of a workbench, to keep it balanced and secure.

If you’re lucky, whatever you use will be just about the right height.

With the Rockwell RK9034 support stand, though, there’s no need to rely on luck. Capable of handling up to 220 lbs, the height is adjustable from 29 to 43-inches to give you all the support you’ll ever need.

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12
Champion Magnetic Cleanup Tool

image of the Champion magnetic cleanup tool

If you’ve ever drilled into metal, you’ll have experienced the small metal chips and filings that are left behind. Do enough drilling, and leave the chips long enough, and you’ll have a mini-mountain on your hands before long.

Before you go to the hassle of vacuuming your entire workshop or use an air line to disperse the filings into every nook and cranny imaginable, though, consider using a magnetic cleanup tool instead.

Probably best used after every few times drilling, this handing cleaning tool can be waved over metal chips to pick them up, before being safely disposed of by pulling back the handle. Simple!

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13
LED Work Light with Flexible Gooseneck and Magnetic Base

image of a LED work light with flexible gooseneck and magnetic base, suitable for use with a drill press

You can’t expect to do your best work if you can’t see what you’re doing. From drilling minuscule holes to measuring fractions of an inch, good lighting is a must.

Why go to the expense of installing dedicated task lighting, though, when you can use an inexpensive, yet high-quality gooseneck LED light instead that attaches via a magnetic base?

This model from NextLED has a 20-inch flexible shaft and uses just 3x regular AA batteries to provide 200 lumens of light directly where you need it for up to 20-hours. It’s even got an IP54 waterproof rating for added durability.

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14
Waxed Canvas Heavy Duty Shop Apron With Pockets

image of a waxed canvass heavy duty shop apron with pockets

Using a drill press can be dirty work. From grease and dirt to metal filings, there’s no shortage of stain-causing contaminants that’ll leave your clothes looking worse for wear every time you use your drill press.

Before you ruin yet another outfit, though, consider picking up this snazzy heavy-duty apron which is available in a universal fit.

Both rugged and fashionable, it features a wax coating for added water resistance, along with reinforced pockets for drill bits and pencils, and steel rivets and grommets for maximum durability.

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15
Tap Magic Industrial Pro Cutting Fluid

image of tap magic industrial pro cutting fluid ideal for use with a drill press

The primary purpose of using a cutting fluid is to reduce friction during drilling, usually when drilling metal. It eases the strain placed on the drill itself and also reduces wear-and-tear on the drill bit to increase bit life.

Cutting fluid can also reduce thermal deformation of the workpiece (drilling metal generates a lot of heat), and it can also flush away chips to improve the surface finish of the area you’re drilling.

This non-spray cutting fluid from Forney can be applied directly to the work surface of ferrous metals and non-ferrous alloys, and is ideal for tapping, threading, drilling, and reaming.

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Final Remarks

As you can see, there’s no shortage of drill press accessories available, and in all likelihood, you’re probably spoilt for choice.

For us, the top priority is buying a quality set of drill bits. After all, you can go out and buy the most expensive drill press available, but if the bits you’re using with it aren’t up to scratch, then you’ll be severely limiting the drill’s potential.

Aside from drill bits, a magnetic pickup tool, LED work light, and cutting fluid are all sensible investments, not to mention a good quality vise to hold your workpieces securely in place while drilling.

We hope you found this article useful, and as always, if you do have any questions or queries then leave us a comment below, and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

Good luck!

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Author: Jon Maxwell
Senior Writer, ToolCrowd
Jon Maxwell writes about various topics for ToolCrowd, including tool reviews, material advice, common home problems, and general DIY advice and how-to articles. His work has been published in national publications for audiences including consumers, homeowners, and industry experts. Jon has a bachelor's degree in Building Surveying and a master's degree in a branch of Civil Engineering focusing on concrete and steel durability. When he isn't writing for ToolCrowd, Jon enjoys completing DIY tasks in his own home, as well as woodworking in his home workshop, snowboarding, and website development. Contact Jonarrow_right_alt
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