# How Many Drill Presses Does One Man Need?



## louosten (Oct 12, 2015)

Gentlemen;

During my Atlas 10F lathe rebuilding exercises...I really wanted to get an old Atlas drill press to rebuild as a companion tool (I already had a Craftsman 10" bench-top drill press). Well, I saw this old Champion drill press ('50s vintage) on Ebay about a year ago at the right price and won that. Everything's going well, then I see an old W-T Driver model D925 bench-top drill press ('39 vintage) on my local CL, and won that. Still don't have an Atlas, but I'm about 400 lbs. heavier...should I stop, or keep going... you know, for the ultimate prize?


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## oldboy1950 (Oct 12, 2015)

as they say keep your eyes on the prize !
not that i NEED another drill press but i have seen a few older gems on cl that are tugging at my heart strings and wallet.
Dan


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## Eddyde (Oct 12, 2015)

I've got three, seems just about right.


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## hermetic (Oct 12, 2015)

I have a three phase Grafton bench model on a stand, a 1970's taiwan  floor standing, a modern 1/2 chinese I found unused in a skip, and an Alfred Herbert precision high speed bench top. The rule I stick to is this, if it is a good machine, and is costing less than it is worth, buy it! If nothing else it will make the estate sale more interesting;-)
Phil


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## alloy (Oct 12, 2015)

I say keep going.  You can never have enough tools.   

I have 3 milling machines and I'm always looking for more deals


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## JimDawson (Oct 12, 2015)

alloy said:


> I say keep going.  You can never have enough tools.
> 
> I have 3 milling machines and I'm always looking for more deals



I think we could squeeze one more of your mills into my shop


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## alloy (Oct 12, 2015)

Well I need to keep the Bridgeport at home,  but I'll start looking for another mill to fill that empty space you have.

 Gotta go. Have to get on CL now.  Probably should call Uhaul and get a trailer  reserved to move my new mill


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## ogberi (Oct 12, 2015)

I think three, maybe four is good.  A nice high quality floor standing, a nice bench model, and a small high speed precision machine.  Maybe a serviceable but crunky floor or bench machine that 'anybody else' can use, so they don't drill a hole in the table of your nice machines.  As for drill press vises, you can't have too many, within reason.


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## pgmrdan (Oct 13, 2015)

Three or four!!!  I've got some catching up to do.

I just bought my second drill press about 10 days ago and it's a project that hasn't started yet.  I'll have to go to more auctions.


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## CluelessNewB (Oct 13, 2015)

6, that's what I am currently telling my wife.  I have 5 right now.


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## Tony Wells (Oct 13, 2015)

No one really knows........that number has yet to be reached.


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## pgmrdan (Oct 13, 2015)

Rich,

So are you saying that in general take whatever number of drill presses you have now and add 1 to it and that's the answer?  I think I can apply that to other machinery too.  I like that.


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## CluelessNewB (Oct 13, 2015)

pgmrdan said:


> Rich,
> 
> So are you saying that in general take whatever number of drill presses you have now and add 1 to it and that's the answer?  I think I can apply that to other machinery too.  I like that.


Yup!   It works for any other tool.  For bench grinders my current number is 7


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## chips&more (Oct 13, 2015)

I think two is enough. One for each hand.


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## pgmrdan (Oct 13, 2015)

Nah, two hands means two is the minimum number of drill presses.


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## Eddyde (Oct 13, 2015)

How Many Drill Presses Does One Man Need, before you can call him a man? The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind, the answer is blowin' in the wind...


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## alloy (Oct 13, 2015)

pgmrdan said:


> Rich,
> 
> So are you saying that in general take whatever number of drill presses you have now and add 1 to it and that's the answer?  I think I can apply that to other machinery too.  I like that.



OK since this can be applied to other machinery I have 3 mills and one lathe.  But, do I need even numbers of each?  Adding them up I have 4, but separately I have uneven numbers. 

Does this mean I need to buy 2 more lathes?  That would make 6 total, but if I need even numbers of each do I need to buy 1 more mill and 3 lathes???

This it quite a delema for me.  I'm not sure if Jim has that much room


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## kd4gij (Oct 13, 2015)

One can never have enough of any tool.


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## kd4gij (Oct 13, 2015)

louosten said:


> Gentlemen;
> 
> During my Atlas 10F lathe rebuilding exercises...I really wanted to get an old Atlas drill press to rebuild as a companion tool (I already had a Craftsman 10" bench-top drill press). Well, I saw this old Champion drill press ('50s vintage) on Ebay about a year ago at the right price and won that. Everything's going well, then I see an old W-T Driver model D925 bench-top drill press ('39 vintage) on my local CL, and won that. Still don't have an Atlas, but I'm about 400 lbs. heavier*...should I stop, or keep going... you know, for the ultimate prize? *





As the old football coach used to say { keep running that play till you get it right }


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## brav65 (Oct 13, 2015)

I believe that tools are like heard animals, they perform best when surrounded by a large group.  I don't believe that there is an exact number, it just has to feel right...


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## schor (Oct 13, 2015)

I have 2 main drill presses, but there are almost always 4-5 presses in my shop at any one time. I buy them, spruce them up and sell them, keeping the ones that are better than my current ones. 

2 main presses would be a floor and a benchtop, you want something that will get low enough speeds to use on metal. Floor model would be the heavy duty one and benchtop for lighter work. 2 presses for 2 setups seems to cover most needs if your doing semi production.

All that said, I see no reason to have many more presses if you have the room and the need/want. A friend of mine has 14, he uses them but mostly it's just an obsession he has with old iron.


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## dave2176 (Oct 13, 2015)

Once when I was buying a tool my wife said, "Do you need two so one can be lost and one can be found?" I think that could apply here. Two floor, two benchtop, two miniature high precision. What other style? Or maybe it applies to two of each brand?
Dave


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## spongerich (Oct 14, 2015)

I only have 2, a Delta 17" and a Rockwell radial model, but I do have 5 milling machines at the moment.    2 came from a recent auction and will be looking for new homes once they're all cleaned up and any necessary repairs are made, but right now my shop looks like a home for itinerant milling machines.


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## GK1918 (Oct 14, 2015)

We have four, but this heavy 1920 Avey is the smoothest, quietest ever.  Flat belt.


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## jim18655 (Oct 14, 2015)

One more than you have. Or "How many drills in a box?" hate to see you wasting time changing bits.


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## mzayd3 (Oct 14, 2015)

How many licks to the center of a tootsie pop?  The world may never know...


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