# Why do I need a drill press?



## Bamban (Dec 29, 2014)

A friend who is a machinist insisted that I buy a floor standing model drill press for my garage shop. I have a Bridgeport, what is the compelling reason why I need to buy a drill press?

Thank you.


----------



## Terrywerm (Dec 29, 2014)

A drill press is nice to have, but if you already have a vertical mill, there is no reason that you absolutely NEED to have a drill press. Personally, I like having both, but I could get by without the drill press if I had to. The only real advantage I can see with the floor model drill press is that you can get a greater distance between the spindle and the table with a drill press than with a mill, but just how often do you need that extra distance? Setups are generally faster with the drill press, too, but that's not really a deciding factor in my book.


----------



## darkzero (Dec 29, 2014)

For me it's convenience & quick to use. I've always wanted a better drill press even though I have a mill/drill but it's not on my short list. I just have a cheap little Craftsman benchtop drill press that doesn't have it's own spot in my garage. Still it's easier for me to pull it out, set on the bench, throw a drill bit in it, & drill the hole(s) that I need.

I do use my mill to just drill holes sometimes but I tend to find myself spending more time on setup. Like if I need to drill a through hole, then I need to grab a set of parallels or blocks to space it properly. And if the mill had some other tool in it then I'd have to change it out for a drill chuck. And after all that, I might end up trying to dial the part in as it's just a habit when working at the mill when I didn't need that precise of a hole anyway. Too much time wasted for a hole that I could have drilled quicker than installing a drill chuck in the mill. And sometimes I might have a part already setup in the mill too.


----------



## JimDawson (Dec 29, 2014)

With a mill I don't _need_ a drill press, but I use it a lot.  Mostly for deburing holes, I pretty much always have a countersink in the chuck.  It is also quick to setup to drill a hole or two.


----------



## astjp2 (Dec 29, 2014)

Its an expensive Awe s#it if you drill your mill table, its only awe crap if you do it to a drill press.  Tim


----------



## chuckorlando (Dec 29, 2014)

It is just easier to use the DP some times. If you are going to buy one, buy a decent one. I own a POS and it seems I dont like using it for that reason alone. Even if it was easier to set up in the DP it's faster to do on the mill. And thats all because my harbor freight special. So you dont need one, but if your gonna buy one, buy a decent one


----------



## chuckorlando (Dec 29, 2014)

And harbor freight may very well have some decent ones. I dont know. But the one I got is not among them


----------



## Mark in Indiana (Dec 29, 2014)

It depends on what your needs are. For me, I do a lot of woodworking. So having the capabilities to drill straight & consistent holes is a must. Even with a quill on your mill (which I don't have), it can be cumbersome using a mill for most drilling.

There are plenty of good, quality brand, used DPs for sale. In my part of the world, they generally go for 50$ - 300$, depending on condition, accessories, etc.


Edit: I have a 1948 Atlas No.74, 15" floor DP that is a staple in my shop.


----------



## Bamban (Dec 29, 2014)

To all responders, thank you. 

I think I will hold up in sourcing a DP. At least I will be getting more trigger time on the mill and getting my upper body work out for a bonus manually cranking on all axes. Will use the power feed when I am comfortable with what I am doing on the mill. That knee crank is wearing me out.... and the Y crank is harder to crank when the table is near either end of the travel.

On the other hand, I set up an alert on CL for DP, if a good one comes up for the right price I will snag it.


----------



## sd624 (Dec 29, 2014)

I haven't turn my drill press on in ten years. It just sits collecting dust. I just find using the mill much easier.


----------



## Terrywerm (Dec 29, 2014)

Bamban said:


> To all responders, thank you.
> 
> I think I will hold up in sourcing a DP. At least I will be getting more trigger time on the mill and getting my upper body work out for a bonus manually cranking on all axes. Will use the power feed when I am comfortable with what I am doing on the mill. That knee crank is wearing me out.... and the Y crank is harder to crank when the table is near either end of the travel.



One thing that will help you, not to mention that you will want one once you do get a drill press, is a drill press vise. You will still need to bring the table up to an appropriate height, and then use the quill (assuming your mill has one) to actually drill the hole. The drill press vise is easily held by hand and will relieve you from having to move the table in the X and Y axis just to line up and drill a hole. 

If your mill is like Mark's, and has no quill, then you might want to reconsider obtaining a drill press. My mill does have a quill, but I still place high value on my drill press. It is one of those Chinese models, but still gets the job done in great fashion and saves me tons of work setting up the mill just to drill some holes. 

Do I NEED the drill press?  No. 
Would I want to be without one? No. 
Would I go out of my way to get one? YES!


----------



## thomas s (Dec 29, 2014)

I have a Jet 16 mill/drill and a 1939 Walker Turner drill press for one hole I always go for the drill press much faster. thomas s


----------



## sk1nner (Dec 29, 2014)

I say wait until a deal you can't pass up comes along.  My small drill press was garbage picked, the switch had dirty contacts but after cleaning it is fine.  My bigger dp (15 walker turner) I got for  $25 at an estate sale.   Since you have a mill a dp is just a convenient thing to have around.  I do suggest getting a dp vise to hold work so you don't have to get the mill vise in perfect location.   Just leave the mill vise where it is and move the table so the vise is out of the way and use the dp vise


----------



## Shadowdog500 (Dec 29, 2014)

I was just without a drill press for about 6 months when the motor I'm my 30 year old one bit the dust.  I did all of my drilling on the mill during that time.  Drilling on the mill seemed to take a bit more setup so it wasn't as quick, and I was always concerned about drilling the table.  I was also a little concerned about saw dust getting in the ways which I hear isn't good for it .   The mill could never give me the height range that the drill press does.   It is also nice to have a dedicated machine just for drilling, so you can drill something while the mill is set up for something else.

I just bought a new drill press a couple weeks ago.   After looking for a while and reading a bunch of reviews I bought a porter Cable 12 speed 15" floor standing  drill press from lowes on sale for $319.  I couldn't be happier with the thing.  When I was putting it together I couldn't believe how well made it is.   I checked the runout with my dial indictator and the needle barley wiggled, so I tested it again with a 1/10,000 indicator and the runout was 0.0002".  I started to make a video review that I will post when I finish.   For my home shop it is perfect. It replaced a 13" drill press.

 I owned a crafstman drill press for 1 day about a month ago, but took it back after getting it home and trying to use it while it vibrated my work all over the table. 

Chris

[UPDATE]. Here is a short video of the first hole I drilled.  It is a #58 bit.  Note how smooth and quiet the drill press is.  This is part of the larger review video.
http://youtu.be/CwNcd1DgHzQ


----------



## furpo (Dec 29, 2014)

Didn't I read some where that a Series 1 BP is quite limited on how big of a drill bit it is rated for?
Or am I wrong?


----------



## zmotorsports (Dec 29, 2014)

There's really no reason to have a drill press if you have a BP milling machine.  I have a 20" floor standing model drill press that I purchased a few years back when I upgraded from my 15" floor model.  I had a benchtop milling machine and the drill press was a lot faster and more convenient at the time.

Now with my BP clone I still find myself using the drill press a lot.  I don't think it is something that I am going to get rid of, ever.


----------



## Eddyde (Dec 29, 2014)

I have three drill presses, while it may seem a bit excessive, it is a great convenience. One is a 15" Rockwell floor press, I use it for special situations that I can leave setup for a while if necessary. The other floor type, a 15" Delta has foot pedal operated quill, that one I use for random quick use, as the foot pedal means I can often simply hold the work with both hands and safely drill it without having to clamp it down.
The third is a 15" Atlas bench type that I leave set up with a tapping head. I feel the drill presses take up relatively little space for their shop value, so I'm not planning to let any of them go anytime soon.


----------



## xalky (Dec 29, 2014)

furpo said:


> Didn't I read some where that a Series 1 BP is quite limited on how big of a drill bit it is rated for?
> Or am I wrong?


A bridgeport will out drill all but the biggest of drill presses, diameter wise. I haven't found the limit to it yet. )

A drill press is nice to have but not really necessary if you already have a mill with decent quill travel. The drill press is quicker for those quick holes that really don't have to be all that precise.


----------



## 18w (Dec 29, 2014)

furpo said:


> Didn't I read some where that a Series 1 BP is quite limited on how big of a drill bit it is rated for?
> Or am I wrong?


The limit on Bridgeport drilling capacity you have heard about applies to the auto down feed. It was designed for boring which uses much less downfeed pressure. The quill feed will not stand the loads large drill bits impart on the gears, Bridgeport put a limit of 3/8 diameter when using the quill feed as I recall.

Darrell


----------



## Dave Smith (Dec 29, 2014)

well the first good reason to have a drill press is---because your good machinist friend  told you to get one--he -seen that you needed to stop using your nice mill for simple drilling -----the nice milling machine should be used for the precision work it was designed for------I have many more reasons also along with the many replies you have gotten from other members-----convenience of having DPs in several areas of your shop (some shops have three or even more---I have 5 floor models and 4 or 5 bench models)--NOT that ANYONE should have that many--I just do------if you have nice long drills with MT shanks the mill wouldn't handle these as well as a DP-------I have used small drum sanders in my DPs for deburring metal--not many machinists would like the grit on their mill--most wouldn't even want the wood dust and  chips either-------you can move the DPs easier and having benchtop DPs on your workbench is much handier than taking each project to your mill for quick use-----I have many more whys -------but after looking at the first pictures that I am including of some of my DPs----you can decide if you would really use your mill for holding handy tools and stuff ???----I think not------:nervous::nono:---Dave


----------



## Smithdoor (Dec 29, 2014)

I have work in shops that did not have a drill press I use the Bridgeport for drill press
Even in the shop I have today does not have a drill press. I just do not have the space for a drill press
The times you need a drill press if more than one person is working in the shop and you do not want to buy a mill for a few holes. [
Some time for a tall parts. 
Other times when had other working for me then did not know any thing about a mill so drill press was safer to use and low cost.
Saving floor space over have a lot of mills

Dave



Bamban said:


> A friend who is a machinist insisted that I buy a floor standing model drill press for my garage shop. I have a Bridgeport, what is the compelling reason why I need to buy a drill press?
> 
> Thank you.


----------



## Bill Gruby (Dec 29, 2014)

To put it another way, most Hobby machinists have the Drill Press before the Milling Machine. Once they have the Milling Machine the Drill Press takes a back seat. Mine came first and was used a lot, now with the Mill, not as much.

 "Billy G"


----------



## astjp2 (Dec 29, 2014)

I can set up a drill fixture in a drill press, drill 50-60 assemblies and still have the mill available.  I really need a large one to do large holes, my little one only has a 1/4" chuck.  Great for #53 drill bits, not so good for 1/2" holes.....Tim


----------



## rmack898 (Dec 29, 2014)

The first stationary machine tool I ever bought was the green HF 16-speed floor stand model for $169 about 35 years ago. I still have that drill press and it is my "go to" machine when I need to put a hole in something quick.

I have 3 other drill presses that go from the little Craftsman bench top to a 3500# DoAll articulating drill press with pneumatic positioning, power down feed, and tapping. 

They all serve a purpose and I wouldn't want to be without them. The Craftsman usually has a 1/8" drill in it and I use it mostly for putting screw or rivet holes in sheet aluminum. The walker Turner gets used when the HF Greenie is set up for a special job or other wise tied up. The HF Greeenie is pretty much my go to drill for anything 3/8" or less. The DoAll can punch a 1-1/2" hole in a 3" piece of steel without a pilot hole. It has power down feed and a built in tapping function. I use it a lot with hole saws in aluminum plate and for notching tubing.

I have a BP and very seldom use it for drilling holes unless I need to use the bolt hole circle function on the DRO.

I think a drill press belongs in every home shop.


----------



## darkzero (Dec 29, 2014)

And if you need to drill multiple small holes & countersink, one of these comes in pretty handy.


----------



## kd4gij (Dec 29, 2014)

Come on guys. One can't have to many tools. Every machine shop should have at least 1 large floor model drill press.


----------



## Round in circles (Dec 29, 2014)

I'd love a milling machine ..  But at my age can I justify buying one??? :lmao:

I have a very very cheap first wave imported Chinese table top drill press that is over 33 year old. 
 It has a reasonable vice & six speeds  , what I really find useful is the speed at which I can tilt the table to cut holes in at an angle on flat plate , bar , blocks etc . the vice clamps to the table very quickly ..I rarely drill a hole free hand  or that is not dot punched these days .
 There is only one mark on the table and two on the vice which were put there by my son when he was a 16 year old ( Now 33 )0 I chased the little sod round the farm for a good half hour with a bit of rope till I caught him  when he said , "So what ...it's only a drill press. "  ( evidently the seat of learning exercise works well for whenever we've spoken over the phone or he has come to visit us he usually says , "Any more holes in table dad ?"  

 I purchased a set of " Blacksmiths twist drills  " , for those not familiar with they term , they are a set eight twist drills all over 1/2 " dia. up to 1 & 1/ 4 " that have turned down shanks so that they will fit into a half inch ( 13 mm ) chuck .

 Now I own an old antique lathe , I've managed to score a few of the larger size drills at garage sales etc for friends and turned the shanks down myself


----------



## Dave Smith (Dec 29, 2014)

Round in circles said:


> I'd love a milling machine ..  But at my age can I justify buying one??? :lmao:
> 
> I have a very very cheap first wave imported Chinese table top drill press that is over 33 year old.
> It has a reasonable vice but what I really find usefull is the speed at which I can tilt the table to out holes in at an angle of flat plate , bar , blocks etc .
> ...




Age doesn't really matter about justifying buying a milling machine-- as much as-- if you have a need or desire to get one. they do cost more than a drill press but if you look around with the desire to have one--then one may come across your path for a song----many of us members are over 70 and still adding to our shops---you are not that old yet to work in your shop are you ?-----well milling machines are very fun and rewarding to have--just like drill presses-------Dave)


----------



## Shadowdog500 (Dec 29, 2014)

rmack898 said:


> The first stationary machine tool I ever bought was the green HF 16-speed floor stand model for $169 about 35 years ago.



Rmack,

My Central Machenery drill press with the smoked motor was the table version of your green 35 year old HF one.  I bought it 30 years ago at the Farm and Family Center that was in Millville back then.  I also bought the full height one like yours but sold it to a friend when I moved out of a shop we shared and didn't have a place to store it.

When the vibration started  this spring I pulled the motor apart to find that the bearings were not sealed and the grease had dried out.  One of the end cap bearing holders had cracked and the armature was badly deformed and was blue from overheating.   If I would have pulled mine apart and relubed or replaced the bearings before this happened I may still be using it today.  

Dont know now if you lubed your bearings but you may want to think about it.

Chris.


----------



## silence dogood (Dec 30, 2014)

The first drill press that I got about 35 years ago is a little 5 speed Foremost.  It's HF quality and I paid nothing for it. One time I had to replace the strings and pinblock on a grand piano.  After shaping and fitting the wood pinblock to the harp(cast iron frame), I had to drill some 220 holes that had to be canted at an angle about 10 degrees while the pinblock in the harp.  I made a special canted base that was mounted to the original base which was turned 180 degrees so the bases faced back. Then I lowered the head on the column  about 12" because the bit had to go about 4" below the bases. I was able to drill all 220 holes within  specs. I now have a 10" 12 speed bench  and a LMS mini mill.  I still got that little bugger even though I don't use much. But it has served me well. Mark


----------



## fastback (Dec 30, 2014)

I also own a number of drill presses, 5 in all, and all are bench top models.  I don't have a lot of room in the machine shop, so I have a smaller 10 inch Delta DP there.  It only has a 2.5 inch depth for the quill, but I still find it handy to have around.  Most of the time I have it set up for a counter sink.  I really like having a drill press available.

Paul


----------



## george wilson (Dec 30, 2014)

I still have my 1963 Craftsman drill press. It is so much faster to use than setting up my mill for drilling.Mine has the original hi-lo speed attachment I bought this from new. My first machine purchase.

When using the power downfeed in a BP,the max drill size is 3/8". By hand,you can drill much larger holes with a BP.


----------



## wawoodman (Dec 30, 2014)

I have two, a 40’s era Delta 17”, and a 50’s DP220 with the foot feed. I can't imagine NOT having them. Much faster then setting up the mill.


----------



## samthedog (Dec 30, 2014)

I believe that having a drill press is a justifiable luxury. Many times milling jobs take a few days to a few weeks and to avoid having to ruin the set+up just to drill a hole, the drill press is used. I personally have 2 drill presses. The first is a bench model for smaller, finer drilling operations when I don't need a lot of grunt.




When I need to do some heavy duty drilling and need a lot of space, I use the Arboga. The reason why the Arboga is not my go-to drill is because my little Ixion is so quiet and smooth that I get a better feel for what is happening. The downside is that it's speed range is on the high side so The Arboga compliments it quite nicely.

Paul.


----------



## gr8legs (Dec 31, 2014)

I have both a mill and a drill press. (Actually two drill presses but one pretty much lives with a countersink in it full time).

I use the precision measurement/positioning capability of the mill to spot pilot holes with a center drill, then do the actual drilling on the drill press. This uses just one tool holder on the mill and maintains the Z-Axis calibration. (Tool holder / collet combination on my Hurco with Kwik-Switch tool holders is about $100 a pop.)

It's faster / easier to switch drill bits and adjust the table height on the drill press when doing different size through-holes.

If I'm doing blind holes then I do them entirely on the mill - better / more accurate depth and feed speed control.

I had a drill press before I got the mill so it became a habit. Also, for holes in sheet goods (especially holes >1/2" diameter) that don't have to be 'dead nuts' accurate I whomp them out on the ironworker after spotting the locations with the mill. 

Stu


----------



## JPigg55 (Dec 31, 2014)

Best reason to have a drill press is Murphy and his pecky law, IMHO.
You can bet your bippy that one day you'll need to do some drilling at the same time you have a project set up, clamped down, and started on your mill.
So ask yourself, "Would I rather spend a couple hundred on a cheap drill press or go through a project set-up again that may induce errevokable errors ?"


----------



## SE18 (Dec 31, 2014)

I have a mill and drill press and used to use the mill for milling and the drill press for drilling, but more and more I'm not using the drill press (Harbor Freight) as I'm finding that the mill has a lot more torque for drilling and the vise with X/Y axis makes holding stuff and moving it around much better (granted, you can get that setup with a Drill press but I don't have that). I can see the utility of a big floor model DP since my mill only has so much Z movement, but if I have a long object, I usually can fit it to the lathe


----------



## gi_984 (Feb 12, 2015)

My opinion:  every shop should have a drill press.  Get as good as funds allow.  I started out with a Clausing 15 inch variable speed.  Upgraded to a geared head Solberga when a deal came along. It will put inch holes in plate steel without difficulty.  So buy what you can and upgrade when possible just like all of our tool/tooling.  
Just as others have said the drill press is fast and easy to put a quick hole in something or for deburring/countersinking.  I still drill occasionally on the Bridgeport.  Usually when I have a part indicated in and set up and don't want to take it out to drill a hole or two before returning it to the mill.
Got to agree about getting a GOOD drill press vise.  Started out with a old US made Craftsman that is adjustable for angle.  Not enough mass or rigidity.  Got a 6 inch Heinrich and it is akin to what a Kurt AngleLock is to a mill.


----------



## Dan_S (Feb 12, 2015)

One thing I haven't seen anyone mention, is that a drill presses has a much larger spindle to table distance. A BP size machine maxes out at 18". My 17" floor model jet DP goes up to 29-1/8" , and its over 36" if I swing the table out of the way and set the work on the base. All that extra capacity lets you do stuff like Keith Fenner is doing at the beginning of this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UObRO4eQJZo

if you are using a BP style machine you have to start doing stuff like clamping to the table edge, and then rotating the turret & extending the ram.

Another thing to consider is what you are drilling. I do a lot of woodworking, and I don't want sawdust anywhere close to oiled machine ways. 

The other main benefit of a drill press, is that the bearings are cheap, and easy to replace, so if you abuse them it's not as big of a worry.


----------



## kwoodhands (Feb 13, 2015)

Bamban said:


> A friend who is a machinist insisted that I buy a floor standing model drill press for my garage shop. I have a Bridgeport, what is the compelling reason why I need to buy a drill press?
> 
> Thank you.



You do not need a drill press .I have a mill and two drill presses.The older Craftsmen has the threaded rod fine adjustment which I like. Also has a lever for the quill lock.This machine is probably at least 75 years old and has almost no runout.
Cast iron,3/4 hp but no rack for table height adjustment.I unlock the table yoke and lift or push the table for height adjustment. Probably weighs 125 lbs or so,a lot for a bench top machine.
The other DP is a Delta ,I got it brand new ,still in the box for $100.00 This machine went for $350.00 at the time.Hardware store near me went out of business and liquadated all their stock,including a few machine tools.
The quill lock and the height adjustment are a PITA.You can lock the quill with the dial for height .No way can you accurately hold the quill at an exact height,or even move it a small amount.For wood working it is okay. The table height adjusts with the crank and rack.Speeds are easy enough to change,jack shaft puts tension on the belts.The older Craftsmen is time consuming to change speeds.The motor slides on two solid round bars. Two set screws have to loosen,move the motor to get slack in the belt.Then pull the motor forward and retighten the screws.Not difficult but takes several minutes .
In your case I would not bother with a DP unless you actually hd a pressing need for a separate machine.

mike


----------



## Mark in Indiana (Feb 13, 2015)

An advantage of having a separate drill press is if you have a job set up in your mill (some jobs can be set up for a few days in mine), you need to drill some quick holes that take more accuracy than a hand drill in another job.


----------



## JimDawson (Feb 13, 2015)

Do I need a drill press?  No, but it is very handy to have.  I normally use mine for countersinking/deburing holes.  I keep a countersink in the chuck almost all the time.  I can't remember the last time I actually used it to drill a hole.  I put a foot switch on it for more convenient operation.


----------



## The Liberal Arts Garage (Feb 13, 2015)

Dan_S said:


> One thing I haven't seen anyone mention, is that a drill presses has a much larger spindle to table distance. A BP size machine maxes out at 18". My 17" floor model jet DP goes up to 29-1/8" , and its over 36" if I swing the table out of the way and set the work on the base. All that extra capacity lets you do stuff like Keith Fenner is doing at the beginning of this video.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UObRO4eQJZo
> 
> ...


      A drill press good enough for cheesy work ,neither clean nor accurate,
can be found for25$ , and probably could be traded in (as I did for 10$ more)
A real dirty but accurate one; don't  get in the habit of abusing your mill for 
work that doesn't need one.  ........BLJHB.


----------



## Fabrickator (Feb 13, 2015)

I bought a floor standing drill press for my very first piece of new machine shop equipment back in 1973.  I still have it and use it all the time so I figure it was a great investment for the $129 I paid for it.  It's a 12-speed, 1/2hp model and it was some of the first Taiwan tools sold in our area. All I've ever done is change the belts a few times, it still has the same spindle bearings, chuck and motor.


----------



## David S (Feb 13, 2015)

Yikes if I didn't have my drill press...I wouldn't have a mill. 

David


----------



## kd4gij (Feb 13, 2015)

_*Why do I need a drill press?*_


  The answer is very simple.  You don't have one. Nuf said. :roflmao:


----------



## scwhite (May 6, 2017)

Bamban said:


> A friend who is a machinist insisted that I buy a floor standing model drill press for my garage shop. I have a Bridgeport, what is the compelling reason why I need to buy a drill press?
> 
> Thank you.


A good drill press is good to have you have a # 2
Or # 3 MT  in a good drill press the bigger ones will have a # 4 MT & you can buy some good drill bits with the #2 MT & #3 MT . You can use
Some MT sleeves . And get you a drift pin to fit the
Quil . A good vice and some table clamps .
   Some good C- Clamps . With the table that will tilt
Left to right at any degree from zero to ninety degrees . And the table will swing completely around out of the way and now you have four foot or more to the base which also has T- slots to clamp big work
In . Such as a engine block .  Man a drill press is
Endless to what you can do in one very fast .
      You can drill bigger holes quicker in a drill press
Just make sure you don't buy one to small .
    And make sure you get one with a slow RPM
Below 40 would be good 30 even better .
    Geared head is better than belts . 
You can drill  circles around a Bridgeport mill 
And you don't tie up your milling machine with a bunch of drilling .
    I could go on and on .


----------



## coherent (May 7, 2017)

I have a tapping head for my drill press which I use fairly often. My mill is CNC, so having a drill press for quick and simple use for drilling and deburring is a must as far as I'm concerned.


----------



## Silverbullet (May 7, 2017)

I have 4 and wouldn't mind have a 4 gang press and a turret model too. My biggest is a 20" Rockwell delta w, walker Turner power feed . Enco 12 speed, walker Turner bench model w ship wheel . Also Milwaukee magnet drill , about the most used one of all. One isn't enough but a dozen may be. Yes I too have tapping heads , even used for polishing the bores on small engines with honing stones.


----------



## Old junk (May 8, 2017)

two words quick & easy


----------



## Buffalo20 (May 8, 2017)

I have 4 drill press in the shop, along with 4 milling machines, I use them all constantly. I've never drilled a hole, for the sake of that hole, on a milling machine. If the parts already in the mill and needs a hole, thats a different story.


----------



## martik777 (May 9, 2017)

I rarely use my mill for drilling. In fact I do not even have a chuck for it, I use ER collets. 

The DP has much better tactile feedback and is faster to setup.


----------



## wawoodman (May 9, 2017)

Without a drill press, how are you going to send pieces of sheet metal spinning across the room?


----------



## Wreck™Wreck (Jun 2, 2017)

You may need to drill holes in a part that will not fit in a mill that you have.

Today I drilled and tapped an M12 X 1.75 hole in a 35" dia X 1 1/2" thick aluminum disk with a 1940's era radial drill press for a lifting eye bolt. 1 hole in 1 part, it would be very silly to tie up a mill for such a purpose would it not?


----------



## DHarris (Jun 2, 2017)

Holy Carp Wreck Wreck - that's one serious "drill press" !!


----------



## Wreck™Wreck (Jun 2, 2017)

DHarris said:


> Holy Carp Wreck Wreck - that's one serious "drill press" !!


One of the most unpleasant machines that I have ever used, loud, cumbersome in every way, every single data plate that tells one what any of the 16 levers and hand wheels do is unreadable.

On the plus side it will push a 1 1/2" drill through steel without a pilot hole located 48" from the column, ensure that the part is securely clamped down however when doing so.

This part has to go in a lathe, the eye bolt will make loading easier.


----------

