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Had the same experience earlier this year. Billy D showed me a trick to through drilling. I have a craftsman drill press, it has a swiveling bed and in the center of the bed is a huge factory hole meant for bits to go into and not hit the bed. So we know the drill point is fixed meaning it will always drill the same distance away from the stand, the only variable is the side to side movement of the bed when it is unlocked. Bill gave me a center point, kind of like a belly grommet but one end has a point in the middle. So I drilled a hole through the bed of the drill press anywhere, then drop the center point in. Now I have a point that is directly in-line with my drill.... until I move it again. So if I need to find center again, I chuck the bit I want to use to pilot the hole. Move the bed to the correct height, take the bit out, take the centerpoint out, put a 12-14" bit into the chuck, then spin the drill manually to see how this long bit aligns with the hole previously drill in the bed. It will have some play, so adjust it until its best fit centered and lock the bed. Rechuck your intented bit, put the center point back in the drill hole. Now again you have two things aligned, the center point on the bed and the point of the drill bit.
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