Used a few sacrifical tools today, a 14mm 6pt. socket, a 3/8" drive 2-1/2" extension, and a 1/4 to 3/8" adapter, and rigged up a way to raise and lower my drill press table with my right angle drill.
I didn't want to do anything that would prevent me from putting the original parts back together. And I didn't want to rely solely on the drill motor every time I used the press, or for fine adjustments of the table. So I drilled and tapped a hole in the side of the socket for a set screw, (in the red circle). If necessary I have a deep socket that will slide further onto the shaft leading into the worm gear if the short socket doesn't hold up. I then ground a flat spot on the side of the extension to accept the set screw that holds the original crank in place. Mounting it as I did allows me to still use the hand crank for finer adjustments as well as when I just have to move the table up or down once. I then ground the ball bearing in the adapter flat (in the green circle), so that it slides in easily, and then out of the extension without pulling the extension out of the socket.
Now, with a little touch on the variable speed trigger of the drill I can move the table up and down quickly. I don't have much room between the shaft of the press and the shield and that's why I'm going with the regular socket instead of the deep one, at least for now.
