Need help picking a drill press.

[Darren Fast]

Great choice. I was going to suggest this but then saw that you'd already purchased one. I'm just finishing up a bigger table for mine and then it will be perfect. Already is a joy to use.

[Peter Quadarella]

I'm pretty sure I'm going to purchase the Steel City one from my local Woodcraft within the next month or so.

My question is - when I purchase it, will they give me the one in the store, or a new, untouched one? Also, I noticed that the depth stop has some give in it - is that from wear (people playing with it) or is it just like that?

OK, one more question - how do you guys purchase and move these heavy things? Hand truck? The drill press isn't too bad, but once I start looking to get a bandsaw or something bigger...

[Jim O'Dell]

Peter, all I can say is have a friend to help, especially when assembling the DP! Getting that cast iron head up on top of that little pole is tough by yourself. I did it, but there were a couple of times I thought I was going to drop the thing! The bandsaw was much easier to walk off the pallet, IMHO. Jim.

[Peter Quadarella]

Thanks for the tip Jim - I undoubtedly would have tried it myself risking the same thing had you not warned me.

[Art Mann]

Please educate me! Every time one of these threads pops up, several people recommend buying a DP with a 6 inch throw. I have had a tabletop drill press for quite a while, and I have yet to encounter a need to drill 6 inches. I am planning to buy a new DP soon. Please tell me why I need that feature. It knocks out a whole bunch of otherwise nice machines.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Peter,

I just had a 630 lb. PM3520B lathe and 480 lb. B/S delivered to my shop. Both drivers used pallet jacks and placed them inside the garage door on my shop. Then I used a Little Giant ladder and a come-along and a chain hoist to remove them from the pallets. The lathe I slid the length of my shop on the pallet and then hoisted the bed up and bolted the legs on. Then I mounted the tailstock and tool rest.

The b/s I hoisted up, unbolted it from the pallet and kicked the pallets out from under it. Then I lowered it to the floor after bolting it's wheel assemby on it.

No lifting.

[Peter Quadarella]

OK, I guess I need to get a chain hoist then

Thanks a lot for the information, this is all quite new to me.

[John Thompson]

Please educate me! Every time one of these threads pops up, several people recommend buying a DP with a 6 inch throw. I have had a tabletop drill press for quite a while, and I have yet to encounter a need to drill 6 inches. I am planning to buy a new DP soon. Please tell me why I need that feature. It knocks out a whole bunch of otherwise nice machines.

You may never, Art. I have never had to go 6" in wood. I have gone over 4 1/2" quite a number of times as I build some pretty hefty work-benches for freinds and acquaintances that are willing to pay. I use a LV twin screw vise on the end and I have to drill through thick base legs with my design to allow the threaded screws to go through. I often go 4" on a top and would love to use the DP to drill dog holes in succession.

I do use it to go as deep as it will allow which is 3 3/4" and then have to finish with a hand-held brace and auger bit. So.. even though I have never needed 6" (YET)... I would love to have it for wood.

But... I could have used it quite often as I also do some metal working. I have been associated with re-building old American Muscle Cars for quite a number of year. Over 4" and sometimes even beyong 6" on certain frame rails is not that uncommon there and I have to take it to a local machine shop in those cases.

So... again, you may never need it and then again you just might someday. I see it even in an all wood scenario as "better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Regards...

Sarge..

[Dick Strauss]

More than 4" of drilling depth comes in real handy if you want to turn pens on a lathe and need to drill the bushing holes.

[Dick Strauss]

You need more than 4" of quill travel to drill the bushing holes for some pen blanks...


Dick