drill presses

[IRISH PRAIRIE ROOSTER (Guest)]

hello everyone

i am thinking about buying a drill press and would like to know what other people have and how they like them? i have been looking at the delta and the jet. i want something that will last me and that i will not have trouble with. i do not have plans at the present time for a lot of use. i just do not want to say down the line "boy i wish i would have spent another $100.00"

thank you

ipr

[David Yoho]

ipr,

I suppose this falls into the same catagory as several other tool purchases - it depends on what you're planning to do with it or the type of work you'll be doing.

I have been building furniture and cabinetry for over 15 years now and I've gotten by just fine with a Delta 12 inch benchtop model. The reason I like this drill press is that it saves floor space being able to place it on my large bench surface. It's also got enough power to do all I've ever needed to do with one.

If your need dictates and your budget will allow the purchase of a larger drill press, then I'd say shop around and compare features and prices. You may be one of those folks whose needs truely dictate having a floor model but it also may be possible that something smaller would be all you would need. It's not always possible to know what your needs will be later on. As long as you buy a quality brand machine, it should serve you well. If you buy a benchtop unit and find later on that you need a larger drill press, there should be no problem selling it to help finance the new one.

This may have given you more to think about than really answering your question. I'm just trying to say that not all woodworkers really need a floor model drill press to produce quality results.

Hope this helps,

David

[Johanna]

I have had a Jet drill press (benchtop) for 5 years that has certainly served me well. It has a 14" head that appears to be exactly like the 14" floor model.

I am about to contact Jet to see if I can buy a floor lenghth column (and perhaps the base is different) to convert it to a floor machine. My bench is too high for it, so I have to stand on my dad's old wooden toolbox to see what I'm drilling.

The moral of that story is that you need to decide between floor and bench models.

Johanna

[barbsiddiqui]

Irish- I'm not a professional woodworker, so mine isn't under constant use, but I bought an inexpensive Grizzly floor stand model, the 5-speed radial drill press, and it has done fine for everything I've needed. Criticisms of it are that the quill travel should be more than its 3 1/4", but raising and lowering the table rectifies that when needed, and of course, runout, which so far hasn't been a problem. I went for a floor model because its footprint is only 12x16" and my bench space is at a premium. I plan also to build a roll-out cabinet underneath it for storage of bits and necessities. One thing I'd advise, no matter what you buy, is to get a radial head...it's surprising how often I need to drill holes in wood at an angle, much simplified by the radial press. And speeds...I was advised by professionals that more speeds just mean unneccesary belt changes, which is a pain. Five speeds is plenty for woodworking, as Forstner bits and circle cutters all require very low speed. -Just one opinion. Barb S.

[Linda (Guest)]

I have a JET floor model and I love it. Until the first week of March, JET is offering a Gold Series deal that includes a mortising attachment and bits free with the purchase of one of their 17" models. Check out www.jettools.com to see what it's about and to find a dealer in your area.

Good luck.