Blocked drill-press crank needs an extension

After adding an auxiliary tabletop to my benchtop drill press, the new top prevented the table-elevation crank from turning. Here's how I worked around the problem: First, I removed the crank handle and replaced it with a threaded coupler drilled and tapped to accept a set screw. Next, I cut the head off a long carriage bolt and ground a flat area to accept the table crank's set screw. (Size the coupler and carriage bolt to fit your drill-press crank's shaft.) To stabilize the extended handle, I attached a support bracket to the bottom of the table. Finally, I threaded the carriage bolt into the connector and the handle, securing both ends with set screws. My new extended crank works like a champ.
—Bob Hoffmann, Sugar Hill, Ga.