Do I really need that many options to drill holes?

[m1kemex]

I recently bought a Jet JPD-20MF on sale, which is basically the largest "regular" drill press you can get. Plus still have my old 13" taiwanese (5/8" capacity, 3/4HP) one that I bought when I was younger and just starting (my first stationary machine). And some cheapo 8", 5 speed, 1/3 HP mini...

I know I have some sentimental attachment to my stuff (like we all do around here) but objectively speaking, is there a reason to keep the smaller drill presses once I have a really decent one? I've always thought that the smaller one is a keeper; not because it's great, but because it weights like 16 Kg and I can take it with me wherever I need. Really, since I understand its limitations, and moderate my expectations accordingly, the mini DP is just a quantum leap from having to drill holes with a handheld drill. And, yeah, I kind of can do the same with the 13" one, but it's so heavy I have to take the head off, so it's far less convenient.

I don't need either the space or the money (considering the low resale price, I don't think I'm losing much), but I keep thinking that I should not keep tools that I don't really need. So what's your reasoning behind keeping several DPs?

P. S. I have other machinery, like milling machines and lathes. I've even got a magnetic drill...

 

[matthewsx]

Yes

 

[Jake M]

Personal opinion-

Too many tools, redundant tools, and unneeded tools is a very subjective subject. It can be a good thing, or it can be a hindrance. I've got a crappy (old name brand, but five o'clock Friday special, benchtop drill with more things wrong with it than I could list. But if you know it, you know what it does so that you can counter it, you can turn good work out of it pretty efficiently despite that. It's not going away when the new (proper, floor model) drill press comes. It won't get used as much for making stuff of course, (although it's possible in the end it might see MORE run time...) but having the second drill set up with a pilot drill, so that you can plow a real hole with the real drill press... A countersink so that you can knock a burr off of the first hole from the real drill press, then it'll sit flat for the second, third, whatever hole. Or a little sander drum in it. There's a thousand ways that even a hobbyist/diy shop can effectively use a larger and smaller drill press in the same shop with (some) real practicality.

When it comes to space, (you said you're good), complete different tooling sets (not here really), or moving heavily used stuff to worse locations to make it work... Yeah, it doesn't have to be the right answer, but me, knowing only what you just said- I'd keep the little one even if it was complete crap. You implied somewhat better than that. If you can keep one in "reasonably" close proximity to the other, I bet you'll find it quite handy, if not useful to have the pair.

Three of 'em? Well, there's a use case in production environments, and there's industrial equipment out there to proove it, but I seriously doubt that translates well into home hobby, repair, or light commercial. But two, I can easily see that.

 

[Eddyde]

I like to have at least 2 operational Drill Presses and the mill available at all times. But I could make do with one and the mill if space was super tight.
I usually leave one DP always set up with a countersink for quick hole deburring.

 

[woodchucker]

If one was a radial and one a standard I would say yes for sure.
Otherwise it would depend on how many ops you do. If you do a lot of tapping, then a tapping head may be a good dedicated use for one unit.

 

[Charles scozzari]

If like you said you have the room, as a back-up or if you have work jigged on one you have an option.

 

[rabler]

don't need either the space or the money (considering the low resale price, I don't think I'm losing much), but I keep thinking that I should not keep tools that I don't really need. So what's your reasoning behind keeping several DPs?

Besides money and space, an unused and redundant tool does add to clutter and requires some minimal cleaning and maintenance. If it is getting in the way of doing thing, than it probably should go.

I happen to not even have a DP in my machine shop. It's up in the wood shop, so I often use the mill for drilling. But I have 3 lathes (two of which are operational), two vertical mills, etc, and half a dozen corded hand drills plus a few cordless ones. So I'm not limiting my tool collection. At some point a small drill press may end up in the machine shop, just hasn't hit necessity. Certainly wouldn't get rid of one if I had it. On the other hand the duplicate arbor press, or the older unused MIG welder which has been replaced by a better one are both on the 'to be sold' list. Those are clutter in my mind. Personal choices ... sort of like how many pairs of socks do you need?

 

[C-Bag]

I don’t have any room so it’s all about how much space it takes up and how much I use it. My small import DP was my only DP for decades but I kept running into its limits. So when a Delta radial arm DP came up for sale here I jumped on it and the old DP was given to a neighbor and I’ve not missed it once. YMMV.

 

[coolidge]

If you have the space, yes for 2nd ops vs going back and forth between 1st and 2nd op setups.

 

[Charles scozzari]

Myself also. I found a RF radial arm that takes the load off my Bridgeport