I don't think I like my drill press

[Bob Riefer]

Well, awhile back while at the start of my "outfit the shop" steps, I got a good deal on a cleaned-up-and-repaired walker turner floor model drill press. Now, I don't have a lot of drill press experience, so I took the deal and decided I would figure it out as time passed.

This weekend I had a chance to use it more extensively for a few tasks and found a couple things that are really annoying to me. I'm wondering if I should sell the drill press and get something else, or maybe I'm being too picky or missing something.

Issues:
- To change speeds, a set screw/bolt needs to be loosened, the motor then slides forward, and there's enough play for the pulley to be repositioned. I found this process cumbersome.

- The table raises and lowers on muscle power, and it's heavy and difficult to fine tune. There's no crank/winch type of raising/lowering. When you unlock the table, if you're not careful, it can start shimmying to the floor.

- Table does not tilt so I was using wedges to create angles.


Things I like:
- plenty powerful
- smooth operation
- 6+ inches of travel (I think that's what you call it)
- simple and effective depth stops
- able to lock at any depth


So, do you think the issues are easily overcome so that I can stick with the machine? Or am I better off selling and trying something different?

Thanks!

[Will Overton]

If this is a hobby, you should have tools that you are most happy with. Even if that drill press is voted best in the world, if it annoys you in any way every time you use it ... off with its head!

If you are in a commercial shop, a valid business reason should weigh on your decision.

[Matt Meiser]

To get away from the belt change you are going to have to get into a fairly expensive variable speed drill press. To get all your likes from this one plus the things you listed that you want your choices are going to be pretty limited. And there's lots of complaints on one of the commonly available new ones.

On moving the table, there are people out there who've implemented a counterweight system with a weight inside the column to counteract the table weight via a pulley. And there are people who've put a jack under the table. I don't have either on my current DP and haven't found it to be a problem. Even when I had a DP that had a rack and pinion I really didn't move the table much. Especially the longer the quill travel, the less I've found I need to move the table.

It wouldn't be difficult to make an auxiliary table that tilted. No matter what an auxiliary table is a nice add-on. And I've always found auxiliary tables get in the way of the crank for the rack and pinion mechanism BTW.

[Bob Aquino]

You have a very good DP there, the qualtiy of an old Walker Turner will not be matched in any of the current chiwanese imports. Only way I would trade that machine would be for something along the lines of a Powermatic, Delta/Rockwell or Clausing variable speed machine. But those presses are far and few between and would probably sell for anywhere of 400 up used if you can find one. I have a Clausing VS press and I would be hard pressed to swap it for something else. But it still does not have any method for helping to raise up the table so I feel your pain there. Also keep in mind that that 6 inchs of quill travel is not something you find all that often, certaininly not on the late model imports.

Here is a trick I saw over at OWWM that I think I am going to use on my press, it involves a trailer jack mounted to the column upside down to raise the table.



There are also tricks to make it easier to swap belt positions for speed changes. But probably more involved than the trailer jack trick. Stepped pulley machines do run a bit quieter and smoother than VS machines that use a mechanical Reeves drive. So there are always tradeoffs and benefits.

[John Coloccia]

However much you dislike the drill press now, you'll hate it even more when you replace with something that does everything on your list easily except drill straight, round holes. You have a nice DP there.

[Bob Riefer]

Cool, thanks guys, I was hoping you'd all say that the grass isn't greener elsewhere and that I could make life easier with a few changes.

I like that jack mod, I'll look into that for sure.

And I guess I could fairly easily create a hinged table top system for setting angles consistently.

And changing speeds is cumbersome, but perhaps as I practice it I'll become a pro.

For the $150 initial investment, sounds like making these adjustments, combined with the pluses I already enjoy, is the way to go.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

$150 for a W-T DP? You suck....

It is a good DP and as almost everyone said, those are "problems" that almost all DPs have. I paid more than that for my Delta.

An aux table makes your DP way "better". That metal working table is woefully inadequate for wood working. I built one with T-tracks and a movable fence. I can drill shelf pins and door hinge pockets no problem.....

[Bob Riefer]

Got a picture of the table? So, with such a table, you swing or lower the metal working table out of the way?

speaking of deals... The guy that sold me the drill press... a year later, since we kept in touch, sold me my G0555 bandsaw with mobile base, light, and extra blade for $250 in absolute mint condition. I was happy to pay that price because the drill press was in great condition and he was nice to do the deal with.

[Brad Patch]

As others have said, unless your WT Drillpress has been abused, it's likely much better than the imported machines. The fit, finish and manufacturing tolerances employed when it was built are far superior to import's I find that if I run my drive belt a little loose I can change speeds without moving the motor. I often need to drill accurate deep holes and my import could never do so without the bit wandering, My new(old) WT can do so with absolute precision. Sure, there are some annoyances, but overall I'm much happier with my WT.

[Bill Huber]

Like has been stated, I think you have a great drill press, there is always a few things that you will find that you don't like about any took I think.

On the table not tilting, I had the same problem with my old Craftsman and this is what I did and it has worked out very well.

P7048949.jpg P7048961.jpg

I also had the problem with the getting the table up and down. I went with the fast lazy fix, I just got a hydraulic cylinder from Harbor and just set it on the base, works great.

PC207533.jpg

[Kyle Iwamoto]

For the DP table, I got the plans from the 2007 FWW power tool basics edition. It's pretty basic, 3/4" plywood, and t-tracks, the table clamps to the DP metal table with cleats under the aux table. I tried doing a search, but could not find the plans, but several designs pop up. The big thing is the fence that rides in the T-tracks. Can clamp things against the fence, and it acts like a fence to drill repetitive holes.

[Salvatore Buscemi]

Those drill presses suck, I vote that you get rid of it. I'll come take it off your hands for the 150 you have in it.

[Andy Sowers]

+1 with what Brad said... leave the belt just loose enough that you can move it without loosening the set screw. I actually have two WT drill presses in my gara... er shop right now... I got the second one because it has a table raising/lowering mechanism. So that addresses one of your other complaints as well.

andy

[Ted Wong]

Here is a trick I saw over at OWWM that I think I am going to use on my press, it involves a trailer jack mounted to the column upside down to raise the table.

Bob,
Where on the owwm site did you see that picture?

Thanks

[Jim Rimmer]

Got a picture of the table? So, with such a table, you swing or lower the metal working table out of the way?

speaking of deals... The guy that sold me the drill press... a year later, since we kept in touch, sold me my G0555 bandsaw with mobile base, light, and extra blade for $250 in absolute mint condition. I was happy to pay that price because the drill press was in great condition and he was nice to do the deal with.

Guys, I think we have been suckered with two (YES, TWO) stealth gloats. However, Bob, with 149 posts, you should know that without pics, it didn't happen. And was whispered in another post, YOU SUCK. (Yikes, the new changes won't allow large fonts.)