Nova Viking

[George Yetka]

Benchtop could be useful but not as useful as a floorstanding. I watched a video from Bent on youtube this morning he was complaining that he bought this drill and put a woodpecker table on it leaving him very little travel to use.

[Jim Becker]

Benchtop could be useful but not as useful as a floorstanding. I watched a video from Bent on youtube this morning he was complaining that he bought this drill and put a woodpecker table on it leaving him very little travel to use.

To be clear, Jason said it was an absolutely excellent tool but he just doesn't use it enough to justify keeping it in his shop and taking up the cabinet space. But yea, the woodpecker table (which he also indicated was excellent) was best suited to a floor drill press for the reason you mention...the drawer unit compromises how thick the thing that shall get poked with holes can be.

Now when I consider my own drill press needs, and I was actually doing that yesterday when I did some minor rearrangement after completing my Systainer storage cabinets, I really don't need a floor DP for the things I typically use it for. I'd love to get the Nova for sure, but the only thing that keeps me from doing so is 1) limited drilling activity in my shop and 2) the old Jet 17" (only remaining tool from my initial shop setup) is, um...paid for. And I have the Rockler drill guide for poking holes in things that are larger than a DP can do should I need to do that.

[Larry Frank]

I had a jet 17" and got rid of it due to quill slop.

I have Voyager version which I love. The Viking looks nice for a smaller shop. After using mine for several years, I love the ability to easily change speeds. I could not go back to belts or a mechanical variable speed.

I am really perplexed by the comment about the Viking looking like a generic Asian model. I have never seen anything like it.

The issue of replacement parts for the electronics is not an issue for me in my lifetime. Teknatool is using this same design in many tools and I doubt there will be an issue. The same parts issues comes up with most tools. Finding parts for older tools can be difficult no matter how they are made.

[Bill Dufour]

How much quill stroke does it have? Is that any different from the floor model.
Bill D