Radial Drill press - $65 (Barstow, CA)

I'd love to get my hands on one... it's just 2800 miles from my house - oh, and add a closed border crossing.
 
NC Rick said:
If I only had some room...
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While I can appreciate the lust for iron by the ton, I’m curious if you have a specific job in mind for this? I’m new to the radial drill press world and might not have thought the whole thing through as to ridigity. But I am finding the ability to wrangle large pieces onto the drill press a big plus. As a hobbyist it’s hard to find a radial arm drill that has that stout construction scaled down. I guess thats why most seem to use their mill instead.
 
Where a radial drill excels is to do holes waaaay out from the supports. A typical radial drill will drill a hole 20-22" from the column. Most mills (including a bridgeport #1) are limited to 16-18 inches maximum.

Super rigid support isn't required. It is only suitable for drilling and tapping, and most can only do a 3/4" standard drill, or a 1.5" annular cutter.
 
Dabbler said:
Where a radial drill excels is to do holes waaaay out from the supports. A typical radial drill will drill a hole 20-22" from the column. Most mills (including a bridgeport #1) are limited to 16-18 inches maximum.

Super rigid support isn't required. It is only suitable for drilling and tapping, and most can only do a 3/4" standard drill, or a 1.5" annular cutter.
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incorrect quotes... answer for @C-Bag
I have only had a chance to use one one time but have seen a huge one that was used in the manufacture of very large printing presses. The one I used had really nice rpm range, super smooth action and was easy to use even for "small" parts. I used it for some catwalk parts and just for a few holes but it was quiet, easy to bring into action and precise. Great auto down feed and rigidity that made a mockery of a 3/4" hole in steel. Yea, big and precise. I would use it for a lot but would need a BIG shop to justify it. Compare that to a shaper, which has a nostalgic draw for me but would pretty much sit unused. I do use my mill as a drill press but it won't do a 1.5" Hole and be happy about it. I use those size drills on my lathe often, usually and the most efficient way to loose material before using a boring operation because I can't run a 3" drill ;)

also, I am a machinery junkie and I perhaps enjoy and value manual precision machinery which can make and has made other amazing machines. I don't have interest in additive machining or really want CNC equipment. I think much to due to nostalgia. I'm not judging, I know I'm being silly but I find a machine like that heart warming and fascinating.
on the other hand, the small woodworking radial would likely not be very good at even making a 1/2" hole in a steel part since the downforce required would flex that a lot. For me it wouldn't really have utility. I do use my Taiwanese drill press a lot for small to medium holes (up to 1/2" or so). I gave a gear head solberga drill press to a friend because it took up to much space. I do get to use it occasionally and wish I would have had room for it. It's a sickness for sure.
 
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NC Rick said:
incorrect quotes... answer for @C-Bag
I have only had a chance to use one one time but have seen a huge one that was used in the manufacture of very large printing presses. The one I used had really nice rpm range, super smooth action and was easy to use even for "small" parts. I used it for some catwalk parts and just for a few holes but it was quiet, easy to bring into action and precise. Great auto down feed and rigidity that made a mockery of a 3/4" hole in steel. Yea, big and precise. I would use it for a lot but would need a BIG shop to justify it. Compare that to a shaper, which has a nostalgic draw for me but would pretty much sit unused. I do use my mill as a drill press but it won't do a 1.5" Hole and be happy about it. I use those size drills on my lathe often, usually and the most efficient way to loose material before using a boring operation because I can't run a 3" drill ;)

also, I am a machinery junkie and I perhaps enjoy and value manual precision machinery which can make and has made other amazing machines. I don't have interest in additive machining or really want CNC equipment. I think much to due to nostalgia. I'm not judging, I know I'm being silly but I find a machine like that heart warming and fascinating.
on the other hand, the small woodworking radial would likely not be very good at even making a 1/2" hole in a steel part since the downforce required would flex that a lot. For me it wouldn't really have utility. I do use my Taiwanese drill press a lot for small to medium holes (up to 1/2" or so). I gave a gear head solberga drill press to a friend because it took up to much space. I do get to use it occasionally and wish I would have had room for it. It's a sickness for sure.
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I share the sickness in almost the same way. But I only have 1/3 the room. I had been struggling with my old HD HF DP benchtop. Along came a Rockwell UniDrill a fellow member here was wanting rid of. It was right in my price range and looked to be in good shape. Lots of cast iron with a huge benchtop base. I’ve been working my way through it and in looking for info on it a link came up to a discussion on the not so friendly site. Of course they trashed it but I guess they had some points. I just did some 1/2” holes in 3/8” thick steel today and it did fine. It has a 15” varidrive head and my problem with it is it’s got the 1750rpm motor on it that goes from 450 to 4,700rpm! It has on the same dial for a 1050rpm motor 200 to 3100rpm which still kinda seems fast for steel.

With everything locked it feels pretty solid. But it literally has a ton of cast iron at the end of the 2‘ arm. So there is some sag. I feel like the speed thing is more problematic. I was drilling those 1/2” holes in two 36”L 3x3x3/8” angles that fit right on the huge table that would have been very squirrelly had I not had this DP. It’s not big boy radial arm drill but I’ve got an idea how to deal with the sag and keep my eye out for either a 1050 or even 850rpm motor.
 
Didn't really need one, but this came up on auction and got it for $500. Has about a 30 inch arm. Powered it with a VFD but only use the 4 gears and two speed motor. A 1 1/2 inch drill doesn't load it at all.



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