Drill Press

JDieseljoe69

JDieseljoe69

Full Throttle Tools
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Mar 16, 2010
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I am looking for a good drill press, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I want a nice heavy duty one that won't break after a few years of hard use!
Should I get a bench top or floor style?
What brand would you suggest?
Good place to buy one from?
Any suggestions on drill bits for hard steels and Titanium?
Where is a good place to get drill bits?
Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!
 
I use a small bench top Jet and a large floor model Shop Fox from Grizzly. Both see full time use and have held up fine. Jet is 20 years old and other one 13+.

If you do go to Grizzly, don't get the cheapest model. Step up to a better one.
 
Don,
Thanks! I was looking at the Jet JDP12, not sure if that is a descent model or not.
 
All the Jets are good, just need to pick the size you need. I have a smaller 10" bench top that I bought for folders, but it'll do anything a knife maker needs.
 
Don,
What kind of drill bits do you use? And where is a decent place to get them?
Thanks!
 
JDieseljoe69 said:
I am looking for a good drill press, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I want a nice heavy duty one that won't break after a few years of hard use!
Should I get a bench top or floor style?
What brand would you suggest?
Good place to buy one from?
Any suggestions on drill bits for hard steels and Titanium?
Where is a good place to get drill bits?
Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!
Click to expand...

My opinions

Brand doesn't' seem to matter a fiddle
Every drill press I've seen before really good or larger industrial machines is based on the same pattern and casting for the last 50 plus years.
You still have to go over them all and make sure it's made right and then set it up to run with the table true.


Either buy a used on Craigslist cheap, or at a store with a return policy that you like.

Look at the actual one you buy, make sure it runs and the spindle has no free play.

You can always change the arbour and chuck later
a nice keyless chuck is always a plus and I'd rather buy a cheaper drill press to have that keyless chuck added on later.


I wouldn't pay a nickel for gimmicks like laser sights on a drill press.
You're going to center punch the steel and make the point of the drill hit that punch mark.
A laser is just added BS


I'd much rather pay attention to:

The table moves up and down on a geared rack, some don't and it's a pain.

The drill press has 3 pulleys and can change speeds down to low speeds.
High speeds are for wood and I like using a drill press for holes saws, tapping and things where low speeds are better.

I'd much rather have a speed range from 25 to 1,500 instead of 200 to 3,500



That rpm digital readout is neat, but only if it can hit the rpms you need.



You are goig to use high speed steel HSS drills for most of what you do including titanium

Avoid drilling in hard steel, do it before you heat treat.
If you mess up and forget, you can use single poing solid carbide drills, but you will pay very much for them and runthe risk of breaking them very easily.


Fractional drills are common, but you will also need some letter and number drills.
A 1/4" pin will not fit into a 1/4" hole.

You need to oversize that hole about .002"

Department stores sell crappy tools and have high packaging costs.

find a machine tool supplier, or MRO supplier and get a catalogue


Or spend some time on ENCO website for tools.




Save the money on brand name high gimmick drill press and use the cash to get drills, keyless chucks and such
 
Last edited:
12345678910,
Thanks for the advice! I think I might find one on C-list then! Find some drills on Enco!
 
Oh man, you are way upstate.
I was going to offer up an old buffalo drill press I got for free, its just been collecting dust, but you're pretty far from me.
If you go to L.I. though, you can take it.
Just let me know.
 
I second what the gent in canada said about brands not meaning much anymore. All of the lower priced and entry level stuff is now made in mainland china and the quality can be horrible!

I purchased a Shop Fox 3/4 hp about 6-8 years ago and it is now developing Run out! I have a large 1 1-2 hp jet that seems fine. Runout is when you get wobble in the collet and the drill bit will wander.

TEST any used machines as well for runout because that may be why they want to get rid of it?
I am not sure of all of the correct terms here so perhaps the gent in Canada can explain Runout a little better for us?

If you do need or want to drill harden steel, Carbide drill bits are the key. HSS & Ti won't cut hardened steel.

Laurence
 
leifjl said:
Oh man, you are way upstate.
I was going to offer up an old buffalo drill press I got for free, its just been collecting dust, but you're pretty far from me.
If you go to L.I. though, you can take it.
Just let me know.
Click to expand...

I truly appreciate the offer, Long Island is 6-7hrs away from where I am in New York.
 
JDieseljoe69 said:
Don,
What kind of drill bits do you use? And where is a decent place to get them?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

I use cobalt screw machine bits from MSC. They are shorter and don't flex as much.

Also, with these import machines, brand does matter, to a degree. For example a Taiwan machine will be better than a China made. Even though they look similar. ;)
 
Don Hanson III said:
I use cobalt screw machine bits from MSC. They are shorter and don't flex as much.

Also, with these import machines, brand does matter, to a degree. For example a Taiwan machine will be better than a China made. Even though they look the similar. ;)
Click to expand...

Agreed, but the China made ones are also branded as Taiwan made = How can you really know ?

Make sure it's either cheap enough you can fix it, or the store has a good return policy.
 
Look on Craigslist for an old working Craftsman or Companion drill press from the 1940s. Craftsman is better for use of ball bearings rather than sleeve bearings in the Companion. You should be able to find something reasonably nearby for $60 - $80. Both are cheaper than an import and obviously more durable. They're about 70 lbs without motor, 100 lbs with. I'm hoping to bring home a paid-for 1940 Companion tomorrow.
 
12345678910 said:
Agreed, but the China made ones are also branded as Taiwan made = How can you really know ?

Make sure it's either cheap enough you can fix it, or the store has a good return policy.
Click to expand...
The reputable companies like Jet and Grizzly will not sell China made machines labeled Taiwan made. But even Grizzly's China made stuff is better than other China made stuff. They can order the quality and price point they want in a machine that looks the same.

Parts availability is just another good reason to go with Jet or Grizzly.
 
If I were shopping used, I would take my magnetic base dial indicator to test run-out. Run-out might be described as what would happen if you put an imaginary super straight sharp pencil in the drill chuck, and ran the drill press with the pencil against a piece of paper. If the pencil draws a circle or an oval, the bearings have slop and are causing run-out. If the pencil spins right on it's tip, the bearings are tight and in good shape. But no such imaginary pencil exists.

To measure run-out, you can put a precision ground rod in the chuck, stick the base to the table, put the tip of the indicator square against the rod, and rotate the motor by hand. The dial on the indicator shouldn't move much as the rod rotates. I would love a Starrett indicator, but just use one from Harbor Freight. The magnetic base is about $11 USD, and the indicator is about $12. I use their transfer punches ($10) as the precision ground rod. All those tools come in handy for other things like squaring up the table: instead of rotating, just pull the chuck up and down, and watch for deflection.
 
Craigslist can be your friend! I found a 1972 Craftsman Floor Standing model that is cast iron everything! My only regret is that the table does not crank up and down. I have to maneuver
it by hand and that is a bit awkward at times. Can a non cranked table be trtro-fitted w/a crank? Guess I'll have to look into it!
 
Don Hanson III said:
The reputable companies like Jet and Grizzly will not sell China made machines labeled Taiwan made. But even Grizzly's China made stuff is better than other China made stuff. They can order the quality and price point they want in a machine that looks the same.

Parts availability is just another good reason to go with Jet or Grizzly.
Click to expand...

I agree Grizzly has great support on manuals and parts.
They are who I call for parts on my Canadian purchased machines.
 
PaMtnBkr said:
Craigslist can be your friend! I found a 1972 Craftsman Floor Standing model that is cast iron everything! My only regret is that the table does not crank up and down. I have to maneuver
it by hand and that is a bit awkward at times. Can a non cranked table be trtro-fitted w/a crank? Guess I'll have to look into it!
Click to expand...

Let us know what you find out!
My father-in-law has one of those in his garage. I don't think he's ever used it. It was his father's - and Grandpa loved to tinker.
I've been contemplating heaving it into the wagon and bringing it to the house, but don't want to bother if it isn't going to be up to snuff.
If I can add a crank and verify that runout isn't bad, it could be worthwhile.
 
Older US or Euro made machines are the best it they are worn out.
We have fewer/poorer choices when looking for new these days.
 
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