Adequate Hobbyist Drill Press?

[MaverickNH]

Except that is not exactly what happened.

The Op MaverickNH actually bought a new $215 Wen benchtop drill press as a new to drill presses buyer .

We are still hoping to hear how he likes it.

I like it!

I bolted it down to a workbench, shimmed level. The only challenges I’ve found:
1. Positioning work pieces is tricky, as engaging the table lock levels the table and raises it a bit at the work point.
2. Drill press vices, unlike mill vices, have a gap at the back, just before the stationary jaw. That seems to complicate some work mounting.

These are things for me to learn, not equipment shortcomings.

 

[455dan]

Good to hear it is working well.

I don't like those vices either. My X Y vice is not quite as bad as my old DP vice but why cut out the area below the face invariably moves the piece out of position and if thin may or may not jam square. I keep some wood spacers around but...

 

[jwmay]

Except that is not exactly what happened.

The Op MaverickNH actually bought a new $215 Wen benchtop drill press as a new to drill presses buyer .

We are still hoping to hear how he likes it.



He reignited my interest in upsizing my decades old well used abused and modified desktop drill press, since I had upsized jobs that would require a larger press, which led to the Arboga gear head power feed press - thanks to members advice here.

I absolutely Dig this drill press added adjustable speed with the phase converter. Glad I dropped my HF ambitions. The aluminum castings and .060" wall main tube was the final straw.

The Aboga came in handy annular cutter drilling new holes in my backhoes new hydraulic thumb addition. Next modifying a 12" bucket for trenching conduit for a Hybrid solar and battery back up I am installing.

ps. I haven't even used the small press since the Arboga arrived

Don’t forget the pages long argument at least a pair of us had while responding to different posters in the thread! There’s got to be a lesson in that too, right? Lol

Glad to hear both the OP and the “hijacker” are loving their equipment. Drill presses are a darn handy tool to have around!

 

[C-Bag]

Don’t forget the pages long argument at least a pair of us had while responding to different posters in the thread! There’s got to be a lesson in that too, right? Lol

Glad to hear both the OP and the “hijacker” are loving their equipment. Drill presses are a darn handy tool to have around!

All those who wander are not lost! Sometimes it seems irrelevant but the uses and needs for a drill press are as varied as the users. So hard and fast rules are subject to interpretation. I’m glad the OP popped back in with his final assessment.

 

[455dan]

Don’t forget the pages long argument at least a pair of us had while responding to different posters in the thread! There’s got to be a lesson in that too, right? Lol

Glad to hear both the OP and the “hijacker” are loving their equipment. Drill presses are a darn handy tool to have around!

Maybe another member 'In Search Of' drill press will show up and take us for another adventure.

 

[Ultradog MN]

All those who wander are not lost! Sometimes it seems irrelevant but the uses and needs for a drill press are as varied as the users. So hard and fast rules are subject to interpretation.

If you are a woodworker, almost any DP will do the job. For drilling metal - and this is a metal working forum after all - there is at least ONE hard and fast rule. That rule is slow speed.
You can "get by" with a cheap DP If you only drill really thin steel or only drill brass and aluminum.
But if you are serious about drilling holes in steel you need to get a serious drill press. @455dan bought a Real metal working DP and I doubt he regrets it.

 

[Growley Monster]

What makes for an adequate hobbyist Drill Press to add to a LMS Mini Mill and Mini Lathe? I’ll start with a budget example from Harbor Freight, on clearance for $209. Where would the machine be limiting or inadequate? I have no particular aspirations in mind - just making tooling and fixtures, small engine models, etc. I’d like to buy “adequate” first and upgrade if needed, but not regret a bad purchase.

13 in. 16 Speed Drill Press

Amazing deals on this 13In 16 Speed Drill Press at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

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I have their benchtop two-speed and it makes hole. Runout is as to be expected. Chuck holds good but the shank absolutely will not stay in the spindle with any sort of side loading for very long. Price was dead right. The thing is, I really don't use a drill press much. My Chinese mini mill is my go-er to-er for making holes. It might be only so-so for milling, but it is a great drill press. I have a couple of jacobs chucks with R8 shanks and with decent bits it makes pretty good holes. Nice work table with lots of clamping and positioning options. If I want another hole centered 1.375" to the right and .125" back, why, that's easy sneezy. For higher accuracy and for the most common size bits I have a set of collets but the standard chuck is nearly always good enough.

The machine you are looking at I am sure is a decent one for the home workshop, much better than my smaller one, but if you have a mill, I suggest you save your money and get a standard keyed jacobs style chuck that you can secure with the drawbar in your mill. You have better uses for what the drill press costs. Just my opinion. Your mill will make great holes with repeatable accuracy once you are dialed in for the first hole in a part.

 

[m1kemex]

The thing is, I really don't use a drill press much. My Chinese mini mill is my go-er to-er for making holes. It might be only so-so for milling, but it is a great drill press (...) I suggest you save your money and get a standard keyed jacobs style chuck that you can secure with the drawbar in your mill. You have better uses for what the drill press costs. Just my opinion. Your mill will make great holes with repeatable accuracy once you are dialed in for the first hole in a part.

Wear is a problem. In my opinion, a precision tool should not be worn out with mundane tasks. I've got a couple of mills (floor / large), a round column mill drill, a magnetic drill... and I still have a drill press. Actually, three of them at the moment.

It's not so much that I *need* them, as much as the convenience of having them. I'm about to drill a few thousands of holes in plywood for several drawers I'm making for a tool cabinet. No way I'd be doing that in the mill for several reasons. I already mentioned wear, but another is that wood doesn't play nice with oil. The "mid" DP I have, I've never used it with coolant or anything like that, so it's not oily. It's perfectly fine for woodwork. I'd need to clean the mill really well to put wood in there. Plus clean the sawdust afterwards...