Proof of Concept Powered Drill Press Table

[Toolmaker51]

I do have a length of ACME threaded rod. I played with it on the end of a small electric screwdriver and it does appear to work. It would work a lot better if my ACME nut was in a pinion gear so the screwdriver was horizontal.

My RF-30 mill/drill has the arrangement you describe and it works well enough. Once I changed to CNC, I have not needed to move the head much.

I forgot that I have a window motor from a car. That shows a lot of promise! It has a lot of torque so would add a mechanical fuse to the linkage to protect the drill press.

Thanks,

Rick

re ACME nut; there have been occasions 'we' bored one gear and turned another to assemble a different drive. A matching pair of miters would be simplest of all.

I don't have a conventional round column drill. I use one at work once in a while, my go-to for chamfering/ de-burring, and table is never at convenient height. 50's era but very sound, and the column is clean.
Much harder to slide the table up holding the table than handling it adjacent to the clamp. Center of gravity might be middle of table; but real issue is close fit of clamp and column, ~.002 max. Holding table imparts angularity [likely in 2 planes] on the cylindrical fit; binding is unavoidable. I find swiveling it helps normalize the disparate axis but doesn't last very long.
I'd think propelling the table via a screw in the spindle would do same thing.