Drill Press

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disturbedreaper

Joined
Mar 25, 2012
Messages
17
Hello everyone I'm here once again to extract knowledge from all of you. I bought a drill press because I need one. The problem I didn't spend a lot of money on it and its is cheap. I think it's possible to put some effort into it to make it decent but I don't think it's worth it. So the problem is the table flexes when you push down with the bit. What would be a good drill press to look at for a cheap price range(I'm a student) would an hf be more solid? I know it won't last too long but my hope is just to last me until I have some disposable income. I know there was a thread similar to this a while back but I couldn't find it, sorry if this is very repetitive. Thanks in advance.
 
I know it may not be a perfect answer but could you get some wood blocks and put under the table to keep it steady. Ive got a craftsman bench type and it does the same thing. Its going to get replaced once I have the money myself.
 
Yea I was thinking that, but if there is a better quality press in the same price range (120-150) I can still return this one I think but if not I'll start rigging things up and won't I lose the ability to adjust the table? Thank you for the advice I might mess with it tonight or tomorrow and see if i like it.
 
I got my Craftsman 1945 Industrial floor model with the slow speed pulley for $120. Keep an eye on CL or something similar because the older drills pop up all the time and nothing beats them. Also look at Atlas, Delta, Walker Turner and the like. The only thing I dont like is what a pain it is to change the pulleys.
 
Place a jack under the table so you can better support it. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just something that has a bit of adjustment capability.

A block of 2x4 lumber with a large nut and bolt that you can raise up after you've adjusted the table height to where you need it.
 
Return it and try for a better one. For $120 you should be able to find one where the table won't flex. Frank
 
I bought a Delta floor drill press probably 15 years ago. I thought it was a "decent" drill press until I was drilling some large holes in some 4" square steel. When I went to tap the holes, it was obvious that the table had flexed while I was drilling.

I found this Buffalo 22" drill press for sale at a used machinery place for $350, and jumped on it:

DSCN1372.jpg
 
i skipped the drill press all together. got a mini mill and have not looked back about the only thing thats hard to do on the mini mill is holes in long blocks for hidden tang knives.

yes i know that its a little bit of $ to lay out at one time but its a double duty tool. my take was i will need both and you cant mill with a drill but you can drill with a mill (and do it better then most drills)
 
What sort of space do you have for the drill press? I'm assuming in that price range you want a table top model, right?

The one I use cost me $30 at a Sears "Sidewalk Sale". It's a Companion brand, and it's worth every penny of $30, but the reality is I need an upgrade too. I'm looking at the options, and am leaning toward a free standing model. The main reason isn't table flex (I don't think the Companion is prone to that problem). My biggest problem is that in order to drill into anything more than about 3 inches thick (e.g. a block of stabilized wood), I have to swing the table completely out of the way and put the work piece on blocks of wood.

The point of all this rambling is to suggest that you think through what you need the drill press to do and determine how large it must be first (or, if money is truly the largest factor, what you are willing to put up with to have a cheap drill press).

The HF models I've been looking out seem stout enough on the showroom floor, but the only way to know for sure is to take it to the shop and start punching holes in things (like 1.5 inch blocks of steel, such as you might do when constructing a grinder tooling arm).

One good thing about HF is you can try the tool out for some time and take it back if it isn't meeting your requirements. So far the HF power tools I've bought have been adequate. I have not yet tried one of their larger drill presses though.
 
I see that central NJ Craigslist does not turn up a lot of drill presses right now. However, I see that Ebay may be a better option for you. Try looking within 200mi. (or however far you'd travel) of your zip code. Then limit your search to your price range, or stretch it just a bit. Then limit it further to "used." Looks like central NJ is a much better place than say, where I live, to buy used machines at good prices on Fleabay...

I'd take your new floppy press back and spend a week or three looking around you on the net for a good deal on a used REAL press.
 
Thanks for the advice guy you always come though! I have been looking on craigslist for a long time but I haven't really looked at ebay I'll defiantly check. I think if I can't find anything soon ill just keep this one and get it to work I only have a few weeks before I need to go back to school and sadly they don't take kindly to belt grinders and drill presses in dorm rooms.
 
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