Drill press?

[Earl McLain]

A few folks mentioned Craigslist and other used sources. I'd agree that a drill press is relatively low priority compared to many other tools, but if you stumble on a deal--take it. Bought my first DP before i had some other essentials covered, it was a 13" Chicago "benchtop" that had spent some years in a machine shop. Built in 1980 (old Harbor Freight?). Paid $80, used it way more than i thought i would, drilled true holes. Used it for 3 years and sold it this fall for $150 after i got a 17" Delta for $300. No question the Delta was a huge step up, but with the exception of the project i was working on when i bought it--that 13" would have satisfied 95% of my needs for the rest of my life. The Delta will probably handle 98%. A 20" Powermatic 1200 would probably handle 99%. That last 1%...i think i'll pass on those projects!!

earl

[Jack Hubbard]

Thanks everyone for your advice and input. I can already tell joining Saw Mill Creek was a good idea and will be an invaluable resource. After considering all your comments and doing some more research I think I will invest in a bench top press. I already have a table saw and some of the other tools you all have recommended as a higher priority so I think a drill press will be a good addition. Especially considering I've learned over the past few days than hand drilling perfect holes isn't exactly my strong suit. Thanks again everyone for your advice. Cheers.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Thanks everyone for your advice and input. I can already tell joining Saw Mill Creek was a good idea and will be an invaluable resource. After considering all your comments and doing some more research I think I will invest in a bench top press. I already have a table saw and some of the other tools you all have recommended as a higher priority so I think a drill press will be a good addition. Especially considering I've learned over the past few days than hand drilling perfect holes isn't exactly my strong suit. Thanks again everyone for your advice. Cheers.

Jack - that's great. Good luck - keep in touch.

In terms of "an invaluable resource", would you be willing to dial that back to, say, a lousy 6 bucks resource? That will help keep the lights on, and make you An Esteemed Contributor.

[Thomas Canfield]

I find that I use my drill press a lot and have upgraded from a 12" benchtop, to a 16.5" floor to a 17" floor, all Delta and new. Doing it again, I would suggest going used and buy the best quality one can get and plan to upgrade if you do not find the one you want at first. A drill press table with fence and some hold downs are important also. I used my drill press last couple of weeks drilling over 400 little 1/8" D holes in crosses and also using a 3-1/8" Forstner bit to make a flat spot on several bowl blanks. Getting a wide range of speeds and also a long quill travel are important, and not found on the smaller bench top units. All that said, a drill press is important to me and was one of my first major purchases (and one of the cheapest), but definitely not the last.

[Brian W Smith]

Benchtops have their place.......you are already finding one.They are usually an inexpensive way to see how it'll interface with your shops work profile.Now,let's say you love it and are ready to invest in that big 20"er or whatever?Don't think that you have to necessarily get rid of the benchtop.They are very useful for second ops(countersinking)......they can be used as a poor man's tapping machine.......the really cheap ones make pretty good paint stir'ers.

DP's are an excellent example of equipment that you need to watch for.Meaning,you know there's going to probably be a "need" for one down the rd at some point.So,educate yourself on them(we're a WT shop),and keep an eye out for a nice used pce,hopefully on the cheaper side.

[Ole Anderson]

I have a 30 year old floor model single belt 15" Craftsman that I consider invaluable. Not much to add to what has already been said, so I will just say Welcome to the Creek!

[David C. Roseman]

Thanks everyone for your advice and input. I can already tell joining Saw Mill Creek was a good idea and will be an invaluable resource. After considering all your comments and doing some more research I think I will invest in a bench top press. I already have a table saw and some of the other tools you all have recommended as a higher priority so I think a drill press will be a good addition. Especially considering I've learned over the past few days than hand drilling perfect holes isn't exactly my strong suit. Thanks again everyone for your advice. Cheers.

Welcome, Jack. I'll add my two cents. A benchtop DP is a fine way to go. Be sure to kick the tires, though, on whatever bench or floor model you look at, as some of the cheaper ones, at HF and the big box stores, can have so much runout and slop in the quill and spindle assembly that you'll end up being frustrated trying to drill round holes in anything but soft wood. Also, if you have the floor space, consider a floor model, which will be more versatile for you in the long run. Don't think you need to spend a lot to get something worthwhile. Mike Schuch in post #7 mentioned the HF 17" DP. http://www.harborfreight.com/16-spee...ess-43389.html I already have a nice floor-standing DP, but last year I was doing a production run of some things that required switching back and forth between jigs on my DP. Was thinking how handy it would be to have a second DP. I happened to have 25% HF coupon, and saw the HF 17" DP on sale. Ran out and picked one up for around $290, which would have been worth it to me if I rarely even had another use for it. I've been amazed at how powerful, quiet and accurate it's proven to be. I notice the reviews on the HF website seem to be decent as well. I'd avoid the small HF benchtop models. YMMV

BTW, here's a quick "down and dirty" way to check for slop in the quill and spindle assemblies when you're looking at inexpensive DPs. Lower the spindle to near the bottom of its travel, then with your other hand trying wiggling it back and forth. The more wiggle, the more slop to affect the accuracy of your drilling.

[Brian Tymchak]

Late to the party as usual - Welcome Jack!

I have a Jet 12" benchtop (JDP-12) that does almost everything I want (just a home hobbyist at this point.) One drawback that I've bumped into though - there have been times when I want to use a larger bit. My Jet only throttles down to about 550 rpm, which is a little high sometimes particularly in hard woods. I can still get the job done usually without burning the wood, but I have to take extra special care and time to keep the bit cool. I don't know of any benchtop that will get down to 200-250 rpm that I would like to have for large bits.

[glenn bradley]

Welcome! I would be one of those guys that uses a drill press often. I also would caution you on running out and getting one before you get a little further down the road. If my woodworking interests would have taken a different path I might use a DP but seldom. Even though I have a DP and used to have a couple, I often find that something like this serves me well in many situations. I have the "Standard V-DrillGuide® - STD1000DGNP"

[Mark Carlson]

I use my drill press all the time. Started with a bench top and then moved to a General 34-01. I had an ebay alert setup for Generals and I just got an alert for one in RI. I'd buy that if I was any where near RI and didnt already have one.

~mark

[Rick Potter]

I used to use my drill press as a spindle sander quite a bit. Check you tube for some ideas.

[Scott Vigder]

Dunno if I could personally go with a craftsman, but in general, I have often thought about getting a second DP - small, bench-top, to sit right behind me when I am at my workbench.

I bought that same Craftsman a year ago. It works great for furniture projects.

[Gary Herrmann]

I went quite awhile without a DP. If you're gonna be a power tool woodworker, start with a TS or BS. A hand drill and a square will work for a long time.

When it comes to a DP, as with most tools - I'd recommend a used floor model over a new bench model. If you feel you really need a DP, tell us what your uses will be, and you'll get plenty of good advice here.

[Kent A Bathurst]

............I have often thought about getting a second DP - small, bench-top, to sit right behind me when I am at my workbench.........

Sorry to quote myself.............

Sheer coincidence. Just connected with a guy from C/L. He has a Rockwell 11-280 benchtop radial DP. Wants to trade for a GPS. Strange set of circumstances over 18 months left me with three in as-new condition. No one I know wants one.

So - am making arrangements for inspection and a trade. And - a radial?? That oughta be cool.

[Rick Potter]

Kent,

If that is the lightweight bench top radial, you might want to check it for flex. I had the Delta version about 20 years ago, and got rid of it for that reason. Drilling larger holes puts a lot of pressure on the head, and the tubes flex.