What drill press are you using?

D

Datsun

Joined
Apr 28, 2007
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9
I've been searching for a drill press and found the G7943 12 Speed Heavy-Duty Bench I like what I see as speed ranges and motor size. But I was wondering what everyone is using or would recommend. Sometimes I feel like buying a cheap drill press like a used one on craigslist or a harbor freight one. But I have wasted alot of time and money on cheap tools.
Thanks In advance.
Tod

grizzly.jpg


# Motor: 3/4 HP, 110V
# Overall height: 38"
# Spindle travel: 3-1/4"
# Number of speeds: 12
# Drill chuck: 1/8" - 5/8"
# Spindle taper: MT #2
# Range of speeds: 140, 260, 320, 380, 480, 540, 980, 1160, 1510, 1650, 2180, 3050 RPM
 
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I'm using a cheap little Lowe's bench-top drill press. It works ok, but I would love to have more mass, power, and precision, as well as more speed options. If you can do it, go heavier duty. I've had trouble with the trueness of my table, but I get by.

--nathan
 
I have been using the Grizzly G0463 mill/drill for over a year now. It's a huge step up from my old Delta drill press. The speed goes down very low for drilling steel w/o smoking your bits. It has plenty of power also. A couple days ago I drilled a 1" hole 2.5" deep through heat treated 4140.

g0463.jpg
 
I use a 3hp vertical mill. Works great as a super accurate drill press. Plus you have the advantage of being able to use it as a mill. I will never be without one again.....
 
We have a small table top drill press or two that are ok for some rough stuff, but just won't go slow enough for some jobs. For our serious drilling we have an old floor model Craftsman that can get down real slow and is as smooth as butter. We looked into getting another, but the Craftsman drill presses have changed a good bit in the last 30 years and we are still looking. Power isn't something I really get excited about in a drill press. I like to keep the belts kind of loose and don't push the drill. Bits last longer and less chance of something getting slung around if it gets loose. I like the looks of the Grizzly and might have to check it out.
 
I've got two three cheapies.a couple 8" and a 12" table.they're all great for nothing important :) i've shimmed my tables to be very close to square.but for any critical drilling like pivot holes,bearing races ect i use my trusty 'ol mill/drill.for building folders your best bet is to invest in a mill or mill/drill.even a harbor freight mini mill would be better as you can machine an alu table square to the cutter for accurate drilling.or properly tram it.
 
An 8 inch Delta- cheap, for the last 20 years. Works just fine in the confined quarters of a small shop.
 
HF 1.5hp 12-speed (#39955) for past 3-years. BIG and cheap. Table could be better. Not exactly like the one shown in the picture. Since mine, the handles have changed from steel with yellow nobs to the goofy plastic starfish shown.

39955.jpg


Erin
 
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I just got a 0.75 hp floor standing model, it you have the room it is nice to have. I did not realize how much easier it would be.
 
It has been so many years since I haven't had a mill to use that I can only remember how much my knifemaking improved overnight with the use of a mill. There are many affordable usable mills out there especially on ebay that for the price of a drill press you can upgrade to a table top mill with an x y table that will make life a lot better.
Most of your imports run so far out of round that it only makes a sloppy hole at best, even with the best drills.
Back to the original question: I had a setup of 5 craftman small drill presses set up in
a line with applications set for different size drills. Variable speed is practically a must.

John The difference between a $200 knife and a $300 knife is $5.
 
I've been using that Grizzly for 4 or so years Datsun, and have no complaints. I chose it because of the bench models I saw it had the thickest post, and the heaviest motor. The time has come for me to get a hand chuck for it though. Other than that, no complaints at all. I had a harbor freight before this and the motor blew after 6 weeks.

100_9470Medium-vi.jpg
 
I have a 3/4 horse jet freestanding drill press, It works good. I goes from 200-3600 rpm so it has a pretty good range.
 
Thats a whole other issue!! i have a rohm keylless for the mill and it just rocks!! after using it i hate chuck keys :D guess i'm spoiled.
 
I have a couple $49 wonders, a Cincinatti camelback and aTurner Turret 4 position machine. Plus several post drill I play around with.
 

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Burgess, do yourself a favor and get a nice mid sized milling machine, even if you have to wait a little while to save up the bucks. You'll never regret it!!!
 
Fiddle back how is the runout. Do you have any problems with those small pins you use on your knifes.
 
Datsun said:
Fiddle back how is the run out. Do you have any problems with those small pins you use on your knifes.
Click to expand...

Datsun My HF DP looks exactly like that Grizzly but has
1/2 Hp, not 3/4 250-3350 RPM's JT-2
I took it to MTT class and checked the run-out.
My dial indicator has .0005 index.
The arbor by itself had a run out of about .0020
The needle did not reach 0.0020, it's probably about 0.0018
I chucked up a precision dowel and the chuck's run-out
was alittle under 0.0035.
I think for an 89.99 Drill press that's not too bad.
 
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