Drill Press Recs

[Ashwini Kaul]

Have decided to finally get a DP.
Would like some guidance on what to look for and what to avoid.
Budget: Under $1000
Use: Weekend hobbyist.
Will need some basic bits also since I only have a set of cheap dewalt handheld drill bits.

Thanks for the help!

[Bill White]

Look around for an old one. I found a King Seely Craftsman floor model for $125.00. Cleaned the dust off and put it to work.
If ya can't find what ya want that way, try lookin' at Grizzly DPs.
Bill

[Ashwini Kaul]

Look around for an old one. I found a King Seely Craftsman floor model for $125.00. Cleaned the dust off and put it to work.
If ya can't find what ya want that way, try lookin' at Grizzly DPs.
Bill

Have been looking at the local CL lately and have not found much except tiny bandsaws!
I am very short on shop time between work and young kids, do dont want to hassle with used.
I have been looking at the Grizzlys, the Ridgid, PM, Jet and Deltas.
Unless there is a fantastic Black friday deal from Jet/PM or Delta, will probably go with one of the floorstanding grizzlys.

[David Hostetler]

Grizzly, Steel City, and I think Delta all have floor models with lots of speed options, and huge quill travels. Both of those features will be hugely important...

[David Kumm]

I found a little millrite and use it all the time. I never liked the regular DP and used it little. If you get lucky enough to run into a reasonable MIllrite, Burke, Powermatic mill, even a small Clausing, go for it. You will find a million uses for a little milling machine. Dave

[pat warner]

1000 bucks, whilst a good start, buys more bells & such than iron, design, & good machine work.
Would rather look at well rebuilt Powermatics, Rockwells, General (Can.) Buffalo's and others made in the USA ~20-35 years old.
Drilling tools: another matter. That's where the money really is over the life of the tool.
Examples.

[steven c newman]

Not sure where you are at, but you might try Harbour Freight. Seems they have several kinds there. Including a couple floor models. I have a bench-top version, about $70 out there door. Five speed, just about all my little hobbist shop needs.

[Dale Cruea]

My recommendations are that you look for a cast iron base and table, no less than 1 hp and no less than 12 speed.
If you want to use Forster bits you need the hp and speed range.
The Deltas I have seen have a 3/4 hp and I am not sure they will spin a bit over 1".
I had a bench top Delta with a 3/4hp and it would stall on anything over 3/4" Forster bit.
Lower speed about 350 rpm or a little less. Top speed about anything. Unless you are using small bits all the time you will not use the top speed often.

I have a PC 1hp but I am not real happy with it. The spindle is not real tight.

[Trent Shirley]

I have a 10 year old mid-sized Craftsman and it is all I need for a drill press. I have had no occasions where I needed larger and the only thing I could wish for was longer quill travel and especially speed controls without swapping the belt around. But for what I need to use a drill press for there is no justification for high end spending and I put the money towards other tools.

[Victor Robinson]

Quill travel, quill travel, and quill travel. Did I mention quill travel?

Easy speed/belt changes.

The new Delta 18-900L has a full 6" of spindle travel. It's the cat's meow, though close to your budget.

[Chris Tsutsui]

I think the Jet drill presses are well built so don't rule them out. There's also decent parts availability.

If I had to get a new one right now i'd probably take a look at a grizzly G7944, 47, 48. I'd compare stats to the delta and powermatic models as well, and maybe check out Rikon and General.

A while back I bought a used and abused Jet floor model from a fire sprinkler contractor for $75. They beat the crap out of the thing and the chuck was beyond repair.

Rather than pay $55 for a new JET chuck I put in an albrecht keyless chuck, bought a couple of small fix it pieces and it works great. I also added the rockler drill press table which I bought on craigslist for $25 and it comes in handy for repeat tasks like boring cabinet door hinges and so forth.

I recently upgraded to a V-link belt and it runs smoother and quieter now.

For tooling you can do a lot with a complete set of drill bits and a drill doctor. I never really found a particular drill bit brand to stand out... Just don't get a really cheap bit that will dull after the first hole or bend.

I'd invest in maybe a decent set of forstner bits like Freud Diablo, or if you use it rarely then just get a cheap set from Harbor Freight. I bought a cheap harbor freight hole-saw set and spindle sander drill press set and those come in handy on those rare occasions. I just used a spindle sander in my drill press to cope and stick round mouldings. If you have a drill press table you can use a spindle sander attachment with fences and make yourself a mini jointer for delicate work pieces.

Remember that just because you spent $600 on the drill press doesn't mean you can't go over budget for you can get a sliding cross vice, Hold down clamp set, Laser, light, mobile base, mortising attachment, etc...

[George Gyulatyan]

Wish I had a $1000 budget for a drill press. I've been eyeing the Steel City 20520 17" press. Everyone seems to be raving about the 6" quill travel on that one. And I'd keep the $400 left over for other things

[John Coloccia]

You know, it's sad that I find it hard to recommend a drill press due to lack of quality and features. My vote goes for search craigslist and tool dealers looking for some nice old iron. The new Delta isn't too too terrible (the 18-900 I think), and the price is right. My next drill press like object will be a mill/drill...I tried to order one earlier this year and Grizzly was out of stock.

[Don Wacker]

You can spend alot of money on a drill press and still get junk, its hard to find a good one now days. Alot boast about long quill travel 6", doesnt do much good when it travels left and right / forward and back 1/8". Even the expensive PM2800 isnt all that great. Id look for real old or go PM or the new delta and stay away from all the cheaper ones. I had a shop fox and a griz prior to PM and they were both garbage in terms of drill press quality.

Don

[Steven Wayne]

My vote is for a used, small milling machine. In my experience it will do anything a drill press will do and a whole lot more. I have a full sized Bridgeport style mill. It is not just a metal working machine..