benchtop drill press

[Jason Adkins]

im looking into possibly getting a benchtop drill press as my next purchase. I want to stay around 200 dollars but less is better as long as its a decent tool. i see alot of no-name tools in the 100-120 dollar range. Is there really that much difference in a drill press? Otherwise, im looking at the craftsman model 21914 http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_101...&blockType=L16 basically because I can go put it on layaway and make payments like i did with my table saw. any feedback on that model or others i should be looking at?

[Brian W Evans]

Jason,

I used to have a delta benchtop dp that worked great. I got it at a yard sale for $40. I see dp's on craigslist all the time - both floor model and benchtop. I got my current floor model dp for about $100 that way. For something as ubiquitous as a dp, I'd definitely watch CL for a while. Put some of the savings toward a good dp table or a keyless chuck.

In lieu of specific model recommendations, some things I would look for are: low minimum speed (for large forstner bits), longer quill travel, a decent table that stays locked in position, and ease of changing speeds. Finally, when buying new, I pretty much stick to the adage: "you get what you pay for."

Good luck.

[Andrew Howe]

I just picked up a ridgid 15" drill press for $200 at home depot. I used harbor freight coupon to get 20% off. I searched crags list for about a month and gave up because there was so much high priced junk for sale.

[glenn bradley]

There can be a world of differences in drill presses. I had a small Delta which performed well, had the runout that most small (and some large) machines have. Realistic expectations of a benchtop aside, the depth controls were what really bugged me. Oddly enough I did a personal "fail" and bought the Delta 17-950 which has the same poor setup. It was an impulse buy and as usual, the purchase reminds me of why I should have waited and planned a bit better.

The things you like and dislike about a DP will vary with how you use them. The Grizzly G7943 wins a lot of bake-offs but is $285. I have a 1940's Delta Milwaukee that is nicer than many machines out today that are pushing $1000 when it comes to runout and smoothness of action. Its a floor model but that just takes cutting the vertical if you want a benchtop.

I see similar models for around $100 to $150 frequently so I too would advise hitting the used lists. The things you won't get are easy speed changes, a geared table lift mechanism and so forth but, you should get a smooth and solid machine.

[Keith Westfall]

I think it depends totally on what you will be doing with it. While a $1500 dp would 'probably' be nice, is it necessary? Not for me. A few years ago, a new rigid at HD, variable speed, little short on travel but has worked so far.

If you need precision, buy precision. If not, get something that works for you.

It sometimes seems like I need the best, just for bragging rights, not because I need it.

But having said that, there are a lot of people on here that do much better work than I do. I just need a hole. And for me, it doesn't take a $1000+ DP, $100 bits, and a minimum of 3 or more horsepower.

Maybe I should have this on the confession thread...

[Michael Simpson Virgina]

I own a larger variable speed powermatic PM2800 drill press and a smaller Variable speed Ryobi drill press. The Ryobi costs $169 and the Powermatic cost me almost $1000. While I need the capacity of the PM2800 it is not worth even half what they sell it for. The little 12" ryobi runs smoother, and is much easyer to adjust the speed. The lasers were spot on out of the box and table was square. The only down side on the Ryobi is capacity.

IF you can use a 12" drill press then you get a lot of bang for you buck with the Ryobi 12" variable speed.

[Victor Robinson]

I have the $200 Delta benchtop (300L I think...currently $190 shipped on AMZ). It does what I need it to do. It is a little short on travel but I haven't needed its full travel yet so I can't say that has affected me.

[steven c newman]

Hmmm.. I went out a year ago looking for either a new motor for my Montgomery-wards benchtop dp, or a small benchtop new. Would up in H-F, looked at the motors, and then at the benchtop DPs. I wound up spending $70 for a five speed, no frills, benchtop that was on sale. No real problems at all with it. The only downer was that one pulley was missing a set screw, no big deal, $.49 for a set screw.

[Ken Deckelman]

I just picked up a ridgid 15" drill press for $200 at home depot. I used harbor freight coupon to get 20% off. I searched crags list for about a month and gave up because there was so much high priced junk for sale.

How did you use a Harbor Freight coupon at Home Depot

[Don Bullock]

Like Victor, I have the DELTA DP300L 12-Inch bench top drill press. It's OK for a bench top. My biggest complaint is the quill travel. The first time I used it I realized that I had to readjust the table height in the middle of drilling a hole just to use the drill bit for my Miller dowels. Some people like the ability to change speeds using a dial on the front of a drill press like the one on the DELTA DP350 Shopmaster, but the variable speed feature didn't seem worth the extra approximately $45 to me. I'm "old school" and changing speeds by switching the belts is very easy to do. While I do use the drill press rather frequently I wish that I had saved the money and bought a floor model with 6" quill travel. I consider buying a bench top drill press to be the worst tool buying decision for my shop.

[Neil Brooks]

Last time I saw a comparison test, in one of the major WW magazines, they gave the nod to the Grizzly, for a lowER priced, benchtop DP.

I have the Craftsman 12", though, and ... it works just fine for me.

EDIT: it's an FWW test. Grizzly got the value designation. General and Jet got the best overall designations.

[glenn bradley]

How did you use a Harbor Freight coupon at Home Depot

There are reportedly some HD's that will match other stores coupons. My local HD told me to go pound sand but my Lowe's has matched HD offers for me but, not HF.

[David Nelson1]

I bought the 34" in Rikon Radial D/P last year and have used it quite a bit. I rated it as a 3 out of 5, but after using it for sometime plus a few adjustments I would run that rating to a 4.5. Below is my review a few days after I purchased it.

Comments about Rikon 34" Bench Top Radial Drill Press, Model 30-140 :
I'm giving this tool a rating of 3 for a few reasons. 1) The table adjustment worm gears have way to much back lash (almost 3/4 of a turn) as well as the handle seems a bit cheap. 2)Quite a bit of spindle drift when feeding the bit. (I think this can be tightened up a bit but that may cause the feed assemble to bind). 3) The depth indicator doesn't stay put. The good things are that it was well packed and preserved and other than the fit of a few parts it's made quite well made, good heavy castings and structure. A quite and very smooth motor. With a 5/8 chuck there should be nothing that I wont be able to uses. 6 speeds also allows this tool to be used as a drum sanders. All in all I'm satified.

[Joe Von Kaenel]

Jason,

If you can swing it and have a little more room consider a floor model drill press. You will quickly outgrow the benchtop (which has a lot of limitations). I did the same thing and can now do so much more with my floor model Porter Cable.

Joe

[Steven Hsieh]

Check Craiglist first.
I've seen Ridgid drill press almost new but used once for $180 on Craiglist.