Need advice on buying a used drill

[Matt Lau]

Dear Creekers,

I'm looking to buy a (used) benchtop drill press, and would like to know what you'd recommend.

Some criteria:
1. Must fit in my 97 corolla (I need to be able to move it).
2. Must let me use a Wagner Safety planer or Rogers sanding disk to thin veneers. Platform lift is nice
3. Relatively quiet, less vibration preferred
4. Minimal runout.
5. Mainly using this to build guitars

I've currently narrowed it to a Jet 13R (from the estate of a deceased machinist, likely made in Japan) or a Walker Turner 18" benchtop model (heavy, made in US, asking 4x the price of the Jet).

Any thoughts?

[Bill Ryall]

[disclaimer] I'm not familiar with the Jet, but if given a choice, assuming the overall condition is comparable, I'd lean heavily toward the Walker-Turner despite the increased cost. Old iron like that just doesn't die. Others may have different experiences, but I have not been overly impressed with the quality of much of the Jet stuff I have seen- it seems to be hit and miss, depending on the tool. (I have a Jet TS as the heart of my woodshop, and a Jet horizontal band saw in my welding shop. The TS isn't bad, but the BS is crap)

[Matt Lau]

Thanks!

I'll take a look at the Walker Turner first.

[John Coloccia]

Definitely try to get something with a REAL quill lock. That will come in handy with the Safe T Planer and you'll get better results with the reduced chatter. Do you own one of those already, BTW? They're no longer made. The guy making them retired. I wish I'd bought more cutters when I had the chance. The cheap, asian knockoff that's currently being made is not in the same league.