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View Full Version : Bench top Drill Press - Most bang for your $ ?


Charles Wiggins
10-21-2007, 2:19 PM
Howdy, oh wise ones.

I am slowly building up my collection of tools and I think my next major purchase is likely to be a Drill Press. My shop is TINY and I need a benchtop model, but I don't like the dinky ones I see in the Borgs.

Suggestions?
Cliff Rohrabacher
10-21-2007, 3:05 PM
Used Industrial. I really like the older machine shop drill presses. You can get 'em as old as made in the 1950's and still get a fabulous bullet proof machine. And they are cheap.
Mine is an old Walker Turner from the 50's I paid about a hundred bucks. Have used it so hard that I would have long since destroyed any wood working model short of PMs big industrial DPs.
glenn bradley
10-21-2007, 3:10 PM
A floor model takes just a little bit more room than a benchtop and sometimes less. If you're up for a benchtop: http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/FWNPDF/011192068.pdf
Lance Norris
10-21-2007, 3:10 PM
Wood magazine Nov. 2007 has a review of benchtop drill presses. They recommend the Delta dp350($240), the Grizzly g0485($190) and falling just behind those 2, the Ryobi dp121L($170) The Delta and the Ryobi are variable speed which is helpful. The only thing about the Ryobi that Wood mag. didnt like was the depth stop wouldnt hold fast.
Rick Gooden
10-21-2007, 3:52 PM
I just picked up a Rikon 13" Benchtop at Woodcraft with 5/8" Chuck and 1/2 horse that will do everything I need. I got 10% off (floor model) which brought the price to $225 which I thought was a pretty good deal. When I got it home I realized there was no chuck key in the package, Woodcraft didn't have one so I went looking for one. In my journey I stopped at Harbor Freight and saw a 13" benchtop that looked exactly like the Rikon. This machine is a dead ringer and all indications are it is the same. $194. Might be worth a look.
Charles Wiggins
10-21-2007, 7:00 PM
A floor model takes just a little bit more room than a benchtop and sometimes less. If you're up for a benchtop: http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/FWNPDF/011192068.pdf

I have this post on WoodCentral as well, and so far getting a floor model is the leading recommendation there. My plan is to build a mobile cabinet with storage on one side, and mounting tracks on the other side, for holding tall stock or an auxiliary table. That way I can get all my drill accessories out of my main tool locker (which is getting crowded), AND I'm getting more use out of the floor space.
Charles Wiggins
10-21-2007, 7:01 PM
Wood magazine Nov. 2007 has a review of benchtop drill presses. They recommend the Delta dp350($240), the Grizzly g0485($190) and falling just behind those 2, the Ryobi dp121L($170) The Delta and the Ryobi are variable speed which is helpful. The only thing about the Ryobi that Wood mag. didnt like was the depth stop wouldnt hold fast.

Thanks Lance. I'll have to see if I can scare up a copy.
Charles Wiggins
10-21-2007, 7:03 PM
I just picked up a Rikon 13" Benchtop at Woodcraft with 5/8" Chuck and 1/2 horse that will do everything I need. I got 10% off (floor model) which brought the price to $225 which I thought was a pretty good deal. When I got it home I realized there was no chuck key in the package, Woodcraft didn't have one so I went looking for one. In my journey I stopped at Harbor Freight and saw a 13" benchtop that looked exactly like the Rikon. This machine is a dead ringer and all indications are it is the same. $194. Might be worth a look.

Thanks Rick. I'll check into that too. We have a HF here as well.