Howdy, oh wise ones.
I am slowly building up my collection of tools and I think my next major purchase is likely to be a Drill Press. My shop is TINY and I need a benchtop model, but I don't like the dinky ones I see in the Borgs.
Suggestions?
Howdy, oh wise ones.
I am slowly building up my collection of tools and I think my next major purchase is likely to be a Drill Press. My shop is TINY and I need a benchtop model, but I don't like the dinky ones I see in the Borgs.
Suggestions?
Used Industrial. I really like the older machine shop drill presses. You can get 'em as old as made in the 1950's and still get a fabulous bullet proof machine. And they are cheap.
Mine is an old Walker Turner from the 50's I paid about a hundred bucks. Have used it so hard that I would have long since destroyed any wood working model short of PMs big industrial DPs.
A floor model takes just a little bit more room than a benchtop and sometimes less. If you're up for a benchtop: http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworki.../011192068.pdf
"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler
Wood magazine Nov. 2007 has a review of benchtop drill presses. They recommend the Delta dp350($240), the Grizzly g0485($190) and falling just behind those 2, the Ryobi dp121L($170) The Delta and the Ryobi are variable speed which is helpful. The only thing about the Ryobi that Wood mag. didnt like was the depth stop wouldnt hold fast.
I just picked up a Rikon 13" Benchtop at Woodcraft with 5/8" Chuck and 1/2 horse that will do everything I need. I got 10% off (floor model) which brought the price to $225 which I thought was a pretty good deal. When I got it home I realized there was no chuck key in the package, Woodcraft didn't have one so I went looking for one. In my journey I stopped at Harbor Freight and saw a 13" benchtop that looked exactly like the Rikon. This machine is a dead ringer and all indications are it is the same. $194. Might be worth a look.
I have this post on WoodCentral as well, and so far getting a floor model is the leading recommendation there. My plan is to build a mobile cabinet with storage on one side, and mounting tracks on the other side, for holding tall stock or an auxiliary table. That way I can get all my drill accessories out of my main tool locker (which is getting crowded), AND I'm getting more use out of the floor space.