My Three Drill Presses.

[OldCarGuy]

One of the things I like about the old Delta DPs is the split head design. I think that the ability to take out the slop from the quill is very important for accuracy, but even more to avoid drill breakage with smaller sizes. Also, flip the castings and see how much ribbing / material they used to put at the time...

You really need to go very big (and expensive) to get something remotely resembling those features this days.

Both the Delta and Craftsman drill presses in their earlier years were made more industrial than the drill presses made to today. The Craftmans used a Jaciob's chuck and SKF bearings. Either one weights far more too. Weight alone equates to a sturdier machine...

 

[OldCarGuy]

I also had this Delta Floor Model Drill Press. The best thing about the drill press is that it had 7 Quill travel.

The shop where I purchased it from had a power feed added. And removed it. Consequently there was no counter spring or handle handle and bought as is. I purchased the spring and made a four legged handle as shown. . It had a #3 Morse Taper spindle and purchased a new adapter and Jacobs 5/8" Ball Bearing Super Chuck

I replaced the three-phase motor with a single phase 120 Volt along with a new pulley

Was a great machine and Sold it to a friend two years ago...

Fifteen years ago I drove by this Orbit Drill press on my way to work for three weeks. Feeling sorry it was being trashed by the weather. I stopped and took it for $50.00. After some cleaning it didn't look so bad.

The Orbit is a Taiwanese made,, copy of the Jet. It has 12 speeds with an extra pulley setup. The pulley was broken and added a new end section. Drilled and counter sunk on my K&T Rotary Head Mill. Repaired the down-feed handle and replaced the bearings. I had no intention of keeping it. and sold it to a member of from another site who lived near by...

The other drill press came for the ride when I picked up my G&E Shaper. It's an old Allen Drill Press and Tapping Machine. Once again I didn't want it nor needed it. But the folks at the University insisted that I take it...

This press must have weighted half a ton and built like a tank. Worked amazingly.. A cousin was visiting me a month later and talked him into putting it into his pickup. He has been using it in his machine shop ever since. Loves it!

 

[m1kemex]

The Orbit is a Taiwanese made,, copy of the Jet. It has 12 speeds with an extra pulley setup. The pulley was broken and added a new end section. Drilled and counter sunk on my K&T Rotary Head Mill. Repaired the down-feed handle and replaced the bearings. I had no intention of keeping it. and sold it to a member of from another site who lived near by...

I have one of these, but I purchased it new. I know it's not a "serious" machine like the one below, but it's a decent drill press, nonetheless. At least it's got a split head design, which seems to be too much to ask for many other models this days. I think I'm going to keep it until the day I'm gone because I doubt I'll ever need more machine to punch a random hole than this.

The other drill press came for the ride when I picked up my G&E Shaper. It's an old Allen Drill Press and Tapping Machine. Once again I didn't want it nor needed it. But the folks at the University insisted that I take it...

This press must have weighted half a ton and built like a tank. Worked amazingly.. A cousin was visiting me a month later and talked him into putting it into his pickup. He has been using it in his machine shop ever since. Loves it!

We don't have generous universities around here. I spotted one similar to this, but they are asking more than $1,000. Should I grab it?

Seems like much, but maybe not. It's got a dovetail knee, and that's something this days. I mean, they are now selling drill presses out of stamped steel...