Drill Press Recommendations?

[rbattelle]

I'm looking to buy a drill press (floor model, not a benchtop). I'll use it for everything from woodworking to metalworking. I'd like to spend less than $500, but want to get the most value for my buck.



Any recommendations/things to watch for?

 

[lil red cummins]

the last good true floor model with a full column that i recall, is a craftsman. we have 2 at our shop that are used regularly. one is about 20 years old, the other is around 40 and is my favorite. not sure if they are full column still or not. a lot of the import copies dont have a full travel column. you cant lower the table down below approximately 24".



Delta and Rockwell were once good models also. not sure how they are now.



Powermatic and Wilton make some fine models, although you may not find them below $500.



have you checked ebay?



good luck



jim

 

[1stgen4evr]

drill presses

I have a powermatic with varable speed. It was a perfect machine till a dummy bent the quill. It was fast enough for woodworking and slow enough to do some pretty heavy drilling in metal. I would check out used but some of the imports are very functional. The mid size jet or grizzle.



James



PS

After nearly ripping my arm off once, I have the following absolute rule. "If I can't clamp it, I can't drill it". Never hold anything in your hand when drilling.

 

[rbattelle]

I looked at a Craftsman model, but felt the quality was poor compared with other manufacturers in the same price class. The column was thin, table was thin, and the unit was very lightweight.



I think I narrowed it down to these 2 models:

Jet model JDP-17MF



Delta DP-400



I'm a little reluctant to go the Ebay route. I want to buy an affordable press that will last 20 or 30 years.

 

[KBennett]

I have a Chinese model very similar to the Jet if not the same. It works OK for the $$ spent. My wife paid $100 for it at Big Lots for my birthday a few years back. It has a lot of speed adjustments although I wish it was easier to adjust. To get anything better I would probably go down the road of one of those mini mills. Here is another place you may want to check out: Harbor Freight

 

[Paychk]

Originally posted by rbattelle

I'm a little reluctant to go the Ebay route. I want to buy an affordable press that will last 20 or 30 years.

Thats why you look for one of these from a private party, they come in single phase models and will outlast most any thing built now a days.



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3806497973&category=12579

 

[krs]

I've got a Clausing variable that I bought in ebay - a 20" floor model, but I paid a lot more that your limit.



I think that the only place you can get a usable reasonably accurate press for $500. is the biggest Harbor Frieght model that goes for $400. + except on sale when they drop $100. off the price.

 

[rbattelle]

Perhaps my requirements are conflicting, and I can't get a good press for under $500. I was thinking about the Delta DP400 ($299 at Lowes). With tools I am a firm believer that you "get what you pay for", so at $299 the quality of that press isn't going to be very good? On the other hand, I won't be doing any production work with it, just some occasional light woodworking and metal drilling.

 

[krs]

Look under the covers of most of them and you'll find China or Taiwan. I'm not positive about Delta but I am about Rigid, Craftsman, and a bunch of other once proud U. S. makers being oriental made now. So you might as well go to the source and save bucks. Jet and Grizzly and the like are pretty much all the same with different colors and higher prices. Again with HF, they've got a floor model that's usually $179. but often goes out at $129. that is as good as any of them except it's not painted. So paint it and away you go.

 

[rbattelle]

I was at HF this morning and they have a model in the same class as the DP400 for $20 less. It's a little bigger, but smaller capacity (I think it was a 13 inch model), but it had 16 speeds (the Delta has only 12). They wanted $279.



I couldn't bring myself to buy it. If something breaks on the Delta, I can call them and get a replacement. If the HF special "Central Machinery" breaks, I'm done for.



I've pretty much decided to go with the DP-400 from Delta. Many thanks for all the advice!!

 

[krs]

OK. But you can take almost anything back to HF and they'll replace it. Not sure about a DP, but they also have a lifetime warranty they'll sell with it.



You'd be surprised at how well HF stuff performs now - far cry from their entry into US marketplace.