Drill Press Recommendation

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I am a hobbyist and am looking to add a floor standing drill press to my home shop.  Most of the stuff I will be drilling will 1/2 inch or less mild steel.  Any recommendations on a drill press or things to look for when purchasing?Thanks,deere2210Lincoln 180c
Reply:I'm a hobbyist, too. I bought a cheap Chinese drill press and it's great.I'll duck for cover now.Scott
Reply:A quality chuck, easy belt adjustment, a sturdy table that adjusts smoothly and doesn't need a cheater pipe on the handle to lock it down tight. Make sure that at least one of the speeds is 500 rpm or slower.
Reply:1 ½ to 2 horse and everything tresi said. I like as slow as possible. Mine goes down to 140 rpm and I'd be tickled with slower yet, but I doubt that'll be a choice. I don't criticize the HF cheapos becuase I've got one setting out there now. It goes unused now but it performed well considering the price paid. Waiting for my son to get a shop built so we can haul it over there where it can be used for occassional non critical one-off projects of his.
Reply:I know this is probably a very impractical recommendation, but if you can score a "Geared Head Drilling Machine" second hand you will never be satisfied with a belt-driven drill press again.  I picked up a Wilton at salvage from the local university about 30 years ago and love it.  It has gear selected speeds of 120 to 3625 RPM for 60 Hz. input.  It has a built-in 3 phase motor, so I have to use my solid-state, variable speed phase converter that was already in place to drive the Bridgeport that I also got salvage from the university.  For those special situations, like the occasional large hole, I have further reduced the drilling speed by lowering the frequency out of the variable speed drive.OK, so it's not a trivial task to find a useable geared head drilling machine at a good price or to have a phase converter on hand.  My second recommendation would be to get a machine with a two-stage step pulley arrangement so you can get down to speeds lower than 500 RPM or so for those big holes that come up occasionally.  Since I'm too lazy to look up or calculate the proper speed for big holes, my rule of thumb is if I see the cutting oil smoke, I'm going too fast.  Makes those drills last much longer than when I was using my Jet with single-stage reduction, even with the most extreme pully ratio available.  Actually, I was on the verge of installing an 1125 RPM motor (still have the unused motor), but the need evaporated when I got the drilling machine.  I would highly recommend the low speed motor if you will be installing a new motor anyway.  I've never been unable to go fast enough, but very often was unable to go slow enough before getting the Wilton.I'm not sure I agree with Sandy's 1.5 or 2 Hp recommendation.  I did install a 1 Hp motor on my Jet, but I am sure that is overkill.  I think 3/4 Hp would be adequate for almost any home use.My Jet had a Morse taper spindle that I was annoyed with originally due to its length, but soon came to see the virtue in being able to switch between various tools and adapters.  Much more versatile than a threaded spindle or a short Jacobs taper spindle.Have fun.awrightLast edited by awright; 04-10-2007 at 03:14 AM.
Reply:I thought I was being smart when I bought the more expensive Craftsman floorstanding model. But it turns out that the Jet model is identical and a lot cheaper. My chuck is not true. The belts are hard to get tight enough to put pressure on large bits. The motor wants to do it, but the belts want to slide. Looking back, I have used the heck out of it, so I can't knock it. But if given the chance to re-spend my money, I would step it up to a better unit. Gear drive if I could find one. That way I can really hurt myself. heheLincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:I have a HF 1 hp floor model...it has done very well for me.MM175 MIGCutmaster 38 PlasmaCraftsman 30gal compressor4x6 HF bandsaw1hp HF floor drill pressRyobi Cutoff SawAssorted grindersNot enough time
Reply:Mine is the Ridgid from Home Depot, but looks pretty identical to the HF models.  I've been happy with it for almost 5 years now.
Reply:I've got the currently idle HF drill press, rated at 1 horse = pretty weak. Great if your previous drill press was non-existant but weak by comparison. I've got a newer sears model rated at 1 horse and it's darn strong compared to the HF model, rpm setting for rpm setting. Then the drill mill at 2 horse. Very sweet in the power area compared to either of the 1 horse models.
Reply:Sandy, how can your HF with a 1 HP motor be weaker than your Craftsman with a 1 Hp motor at the same speed?  What happens?  Does the motor stall or does the spindle just stop turning while the motor spins on?  Either HF must be cheating on the motor rating or you have belt slip or some other problem in the HF drill press.Of course, we know there is a lot of fudging with power specs, but usually with shop vacuums or compressors where they claim a "peak horsepower," which is a fiction in itself (also sometimes referred to as "lying," of "fraud").  I'd be surprised to see a shop tool motor falsely spec'd, but I suppose anything is possible these days.  What does the nameplate of the HF motor actually say?I'd be surprised if 1 Hp was insufficient for a home drill press, properly used.  Possibly hogging out a large hole in hard steel could stall a 1 Hp motor, but I've never had a problem using proper speeds to preserve bits and using a series of drills, also to preserve bits.awright
Reply:A year ago  I was in the market to buy a new drill press. My bench model  lacked the power and capacity  for some new projects I was about to start. So I went to my local farm store and bought a Delta floor model. Delta was a common brand to see in machine shops, so I thought I was getting something good.  First project  was drilling 5/8" holes in 1/2" plate, drilled 1/8" pilot holes, then attempted 5/8" drill bit. First the  pulley on the spindle slipped, made repair ,then the belts would slip. When I finally nursed the bit through the plate I found that the bit would not clear the 1" hole in the center of the table.  I returned the press and got my money back.  I spent the next month looking for a good drill press at every retail store I could find. What I did find was that the head castings were the identical on similarly sized presses, just the paint and attachments were different.  In the end I found that a used  commercial model was better than a new retail model.
Reply:I have a Delta/Milwauki made in the late forties or fifties. Back when Delta made things right. I found it for 30 bucks. Bill
Reply:I could be wrong but I've heard from a few machinists that it is incorrect to pilot a hole first, then use a larger drill. Reason being, the next size larger bit can't drill from it's main point and this put undo stress on the sides of the tip. Can anyone else confirm this? I don't drill pilots any further and notice my tips don't smoke as much...even with the drill/tap oil.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Sandy, how can your HF with a 1 HP motor be weaker than your Craftsman with a 1 Hp motor at the same speed? What happens? Does the motor stall or does the spindle just stop turning while the motor spins on? Either HF must be cheating on the motor rating or you have belt slip or some other problem in the HF drill press.
Reply:Originally Posted by MicroZoneI could be wrong but I've heard from a few machinists that it is incorrect to pilot a hole first, then use a larger drill. Reason being, the next size larger bit can't drill from it's main point and this put undo stress on the sides of the tip. Can anyone else confirm this? I don't drill pilots any further and notice my tips don't smoke as much...even with the drill/tap oil.
Reply:Sandy, I'm not saying smoke is always bad.  I'm saying that it is a useful indicator to use when you are too lazy (as I usually am) to calculate or look up the proper cutting speed for your tools and materials.  And since I am almost never in a production situation, conserving tools is more important to me that maximizing throughput.Appropos pilot holes:  I agree that you can do damage to a large drill by  manually feeding too aggresively into a pilot hole.  The relatively easy advancement of the bit in a pilot hole can lead you to take too big a bite and break off the peripheral cutting edge.  But if fed properly and with the proper cutting speed I have had much better luck with using a series of drills for large holes.  This is particularly the case when using a hand-held drill with which it is difficult to manually maintain for long the pressure required to feed a large drill without a pilot hole.Excessive heat at the cutting edge is the major cause of bit wear and the combination of friction, shearing of the metal at the cutting edge, and distortion of the chip as it is bent out of the way of the advancing cutting edge are the main causes of heat.  Doing all these things across the full diameter of the drill has to generate significantly more heat at the tip of the drill compared with doing the same for only the outer 15 or 20 %. of the bit diameter.  Of course, all these factors are most severet at the outer edge because that is where the speed is greatest and the amount of material being removed is greatest per unit width of cutting edge.If we remove the factor of too aggressive feeding, i.e., taking too big a bite into the material, I don't see the logic of saying that the drill is somehow better off with the extra burden of taking out the central half or two-thirds of the hole at the same time it is taking out the outer half or one-third of the hole.  The absence of the core of the center of the hole also leaves more available space for the chip to flow out through.  The only advantage I can see is that the presence of the central part of the material being drilled out of the hole is going to resist too rapid a feed, but I'd rather limit the feed with better control and a proper cutting edge profile.Remember also that the center of the hole under the web of the drill is not actually cut out since there is no cutting edge there.  It is smashed out of the way by the web of the drill.  That's a lot of extra "work" for the drill to do in the hole and that center portion is pretty large for a large diameter bit.But my main motivation in drilling large holes in stages is that is is much easier at the cost of taking a little more time.awright
Reply:Have a Delta 16" floor model.....does the job,but not very well.....hard to get the belts tight enough..and vibration is noticeable. You get what you pay for I guess. Few of my buddies had very good luck at auctions, and landed a good industrial drill press with extras for alot less then I payed for mine. I would shop around....I personally would rather have a belt over gears...a little more forgiving at times....all depends on your application though...Last edited by radar18w; 04-14-2007 at 08:53 PM.
Reply:I watched the auctions and purchased a Rockwell 15inch floor standing Variable Speed drill press years ago and did a full tear down restoration. I put it back together with a GE single phase 2 hp motor which works great.  You can often pick up the 3-phase Rockwell's at good prices because most home shops guys won't bid on them because of the 3-phase motor.  It is so simple to swap out the motors that it makes them a great deal. Mine is very accurate and had less than 2 thousandths run out on the original quill when I fired it up.This one will be able to be handed down to my son's son someday.  There are plenty out there to be had for less than $200.00 throw in a $50.00 single phase motor and your set for life. Also, a lot of guys shy away from the variable speeds because they think they can't find the belts....wrong, several companies still make belts for the old Rockwells.Michael
Reply:A couple of guys have commented on problems with recent Delta products.  I don't know for sure, but it seems to me that the items being sold under the Delta name today have nothing to do with the excellent old Delta-Rockwell product line.  I'm guessing that the sucessors of the old Delta either abandoned the name or sold it to someone intending to sell cheap stuff under the respected brand name.  Recent Delta brand tools look to me to be about the same as the rest of the low to moderate quality stuff coming out of Asia today.If you want the old Delta-Rockwell quality - and it was good stuff - buy used tools at auction or from used machinery stores.  My dad bought a Delta table saw/jointer in the '50s and my brother-in-law still uses it.  And I got a lot of good use out of my Rockwell vertical mill until a used Bridgeport relegated it to backup duty.I'm a little surprised to see radar18w preferring belts over gears in a drill press.  I have never had a bit of trouble with my Wilton Geared Head Drilling Machine bought used at an advanced age (of the drill, not me) for about $300, as I recall, shifting speeds is much quicker and easier than changing pulley steps, no belt slippage, extremely wide speed range compared to any single stage step pulley arrangement, etc., etc.  Changing speeds is as simple as shifting gears in your car.  They are going to have to pry my Wilton out of my cold, dead fingers.awrightLast edited by awright; 04-15-2007 at 03:41 AM.
Reply:I'll agree the older deltas are just about bullet proof. I got one of the last of the good ones. There's a reason some people like belts. Never tighten the belts more than you can hold back if the bit binds up or grabs. Of course you should have the work clamped but there's always things that just don't fit the vice or clamps. Keep the work to the left of you so it spins into the waalor drill press instead you if you get surprised.
Reply:Tresi said it exactly....a little more forgiving at times....securing the work to my satisfaction was not always possible with certain jobs....that is why I like belt....just my application, they worked better(machine shop boughtimport clamps).....gear selection vs. pulley/belts.....yeh, you got a point there...
Reply:I have been in the market for a drill press. I have been looking at new/import models, but after reading these post I think I have decided on finding a older better built unit. I found a rockwell 3 phase for 400. Is this a good deal or not? I know some said they can be found very cheap, but i dont know what there definition of cheap is, since this machine would probaly cost thousands new. If i do decide to buy this machine, yall say the motor can be changed out for single phase power? I would definately have to do this since it would be in my garage. Sorry if i hi-jacked your post deere 2210, but I am also in a similar situation like you. Thanks in advance, Nick.Nick
Reply:Depends.  What size?  Variable speed or step-pulley speed change?  They made several different models and sizes over the years.  However, the last Delta drill press I bought was purchased over 20 years ago, so I'm not much of a judge of current values.  I think I paid about $200 for a variable speed 17" back then, but I had to replace the drive belt and one pulley and mount a motor.  Never actually got it running because I then got the Wilton Gared Head Drilling Machine that fulfills all my drilling dreams.  Bought them both from the nearby university.I hate to sound like a broken record (wow! that's becoming an obsolete term, isn't it?), but before you run out to buy a new motor, see if you can find a used VFD to drive the existing motor (assuming that the motor is OK).  A decade ago I picked up several 1HP VFDs for either $65 or $85 each (I don't remember or have records) at an electronics salvage store.  You will have difficulty matching that today, but you may find one that costs only a little more than the cost of a new 1 Hp(?) single-phase motor.  A VFD will give you MUCH more capability (i.e., ability to go to very low spindle speeds for special tasks) than a new single-phase motor AND will allow you to power other 3-phase machines that you come across in auctions or used machinery stores.You'll probably never wear out a new motor that you buy for your drill press, but a 3-phase motor is inherently more reliable than a single phase motor because there is no centrifugal switch, start windings, or capacitors to fail.awrightLast edited by awright; 04-16-2007 at 04:05 AM.
Reply:Trailgoose400 is probably not a bad deal for the drill press if it's a variable speed model. If its a step pulley then you would be on the high end. I am assuming it is a 15 incher as opposed to a 17 incher.  I will agree with awright some (not all) having a VFD is ok for running your equipment but unless its a rotary then it is not as efficient (IMO) as converting to a single phase motor and I doubt you can get one for the same money. I have heard horror storys from guys that used static converters  New 5hp rotary's run in the mid $300s on up.  The motors on these old drills (I have two) are typical 5/8 inch shaft with C56 frame that mount right up to drill.  You can put a GE, Leeson etc motor on them (rewire the switch) and your set to go.Here's information on converters http://www.deselectric.com .Rockwell did make a few 110v units but they are hard to find and when they come up on auction they bring top dollar because everyone and their uncle wants them because they can run them at the house. I purchased my last Rockwell 15-665 (1968 manufacture date) unit for $170.00 and put another $45 in it for a GE motor (my older drill has a Leeson motor) and they both run great but you have to be patient on your search.Michael
Reply:Michael, can you elaborate a little on your preference for a rotary converter to an electronic VFD?  I don't understand your comment about relative efficiency of the two types.  If you are referring to power out/power in efficiency, I can't imagine that being a significant issue for a home shop drill press used for perhaps a few hours a week if you are really a dedicated home machinist and perhaps a few hours a month for most hobbiests.  The actual energy savings (if there is any at all, which I am not convinced of) would be negligible.But I'm not sure you are referring to energy efficiency, so please clarify.  If you mean something else by efficiency, I'm having difficulty imagining what it is.  Are you referring to cost?  I've never had any performance issues.One thing that drove me to get a phase converter was the fact that the motors on my Bridgeport Mill and on the Wilton Geared Head Drilling Machine are built in and there is simply no possibility of substituting a stock GE, Leeson, or Dayton motor.  This was after I had changed the motor on my first milling machine, a Rockwell vertical, to single phase.  Forced into getting a phase converter, I opted for the VFD to get the infinitely variable speed capability.  Unless I am missing something, you cannot get variable speed capability out of a rotary converter.My preference for a VFD is completely related to the advantage of being able to dial in any speed you want.  Less important when you have a variable speed pully drill press, but even with those I believe you have a minimum spindle speed that is too fast for larger drills or for hole saws if you are using a fixed speed 1725 RPM motor.What horror stories have you heard from users of static converters?  I've been using one for perhaps 30 or more years (don't remember exactly when I got it) with complete satisfaction and no horror stories whatsoever.  Granted, ideally special "inverter duty" motors with special insulation would be used, but none of my tools have such motors and I've never had a problem.  The potential problem is related to bearing erosion and insulation breakdown due to the fast rise time transients produced by static converters, but I haven't had a problem with my DoAll 26" bandsaw, Bridgeport mill, bench grinder, lathe, Geared Head Drilling Machine, or high volume blower powered for many years by my VFD.The only horror story I have related to electronic drives was in my relatively new, high efficiency, front-loading Frigidaire clothes washer that uses an electronically driven switched-reluctance motor in lieu of a transmission.  The motor failed after a couple of years and I found that the ball bearings were completely eroded by the transient currents capacitively coupled from the windings to ground.  The manufacturer refused to acknowledge the design defect and offered me a warranty repair that would have cost more than the replacement motor that I installed.  Considering the nature of the failure, I first tried filtering, but couldn't reduce the magnitude of the transient currents to ground, so I ended up lifting the ground on the motor, which seems to have worked.  I also marked the motor with a warning that it was ungrounded and hung a big sign on the access panel to warn possible future repairmen that it was ungrounded.  But I digress.awrightLast edited by awright; 04-17-2007 at 02:50 PM.Awright,the efficiency that I was referring to is that static phase converters (we may have terminology miscommunication here) is really only used for getting the 3-phase motor started and then it drops out and operates the motor using single phase power which gets you only 1/2 to 2/3 of the power rating of the motor. Its hard on 3-phase motors and stories I've heard have to do with burning up the motors since their electrical efficiency is being robbed. I'm not an electrical engineer but my faint understanding is that when operated with the static converter its kind of like the motor is not fireing on all cylinders.  When used with a rotary converter the converter is actually producing 3-phase power to drive the motor. As long as you have the right sized rotary converter then your 3-phase motor runs at 100% efficiency.  Now,  maybe I misunderstood the meaning of VFD.....which could be true.  Static converters are easy to hook up and understand but hard on motors where rotarys are a little more complicated but have greater efficiency ....and cost more too.  For a home shop who is not putting a Bridgeport or K&T machine to use then investing in phase converters is a lot of hassle and expense in my opinioin when you can very easily swap out the motor especially when we are talking about a drill press only. Now, if he buys a small K&T mill or Bridgeport then it might be worth investing in converters to drive his machine shop but I don't think that is what he is asking about. I think he originally was asking about a floor standing drill press and what he should buy when others chimed in about chinese models and how the newer Deltas are not as robust.  All I was pointing out was for him to not discount the older Rockwell 15 and 17 inch drill presses because they might have 3-phase motors because they can easily be swapped out with a single phase so that you can run it in your garage.  We could go on and on about what is ultimately better at which point I would say call TXU and have them drop the 3rd leg to your house and convert to 3-phase power all around or rent a building that has 3-phase power.I was trying to offer up a simple, easy option for a hobbyist to be able to use a piece of equipment that is normally used in a production environment. I was not trying to play down or knock VFD's as an option or to get into a debate on whether or not converter technology is worthwhile.  It really all depends on your situation and amount of equipment you plan on driving.The shop I am building in my backyard (36 x 40) will have 3-phase power only because I am going to pay extra for it (even though the 3rd leg is readily available on the pole).  If TXU changes their mind and balks then I will be putting in one expensive Rotary converter.  So it all depends....I'm just offering advice to a hobbyist based my personal experience.Michael
Reply:Hi Michael:Please don't feel that I am on the attack or trying to prevail in an argument.  I am only trying to get clarity between us and others following this thread regarding the options available and trying to contribute my experience.  I also hope that you don't feel that the discussion is spinning into something much bigger than you originally intended.Any use by me of the term "static converter" was erroneous.  I try to use the term VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) or the identical VSD (Variable Speed Drive) in preference to "static converter."  I slipped if I used the term "static converter" earlier in this discussion.So, let me clarify that I agree fully with you that it is undesirable to use a simple capacitive/time delay relay device to run machinery with 3-phase motors.  You run a distinct risk of damaging the motor by overloading it since it can't produce anywhere near rated power that way.  You are basically running the motor as a single phase motor with a little boost to the other phase by a capacitor.    Not a good idea.However, all of my discussion was intended to apply to VFDs which are a totally different animal.  A VFD or VSD takes incoming line power, rectifies it, stores the energy on a capacitor bank, and chops up the stored energy into three-phase power of the desired frequency that is applied to the motor.  The VFD contains a lot of sophisticated electronics and power semiconductors to synthesize three-phase power from the incoming power, which may be single or three phase, depending upon the application and the capability of the VFD to handle single phase power.The synthesized three-phase power can be at any frequency, since it is created inside the VFD and is totally independent of the incoming power frequency.  The voltage is adjusted by the VFD to correspond to the frequency selected by the operator to avoid magnetically saturating the motor.  This is satisfactory for most machine tool type loads.The quality of the synthesized three-phase power varies from relatively crude, but still very useful delayed square waves to very good quality sine waves (when averaged by the motor).  I think my unit produces the delayed square waves, but have had no problems.  By delayed square wave, I mean a square wave with dead time inserted between positive and negative half cycles to come closer to a sine wave than would a true square wave.  It's all in the math, but it works, somewhat.Anyway, please do not feel attacked.  I think we did have a misunderstanding and I apologize for my sloppy terminology.awright
Reply:Awright....everythings "allright".  I appreciate the information I learned quite a bit from the thread and picked up some good ideas and options for my shop.  I am hoping to purchase a small K&T Horizontal mill with a vertical attachment for my shop, that along with a nice lathe so I will be considering some different power options in the near future.  Thanks for taking the time to explain everything as we all have opportunities for learning here.Thanks again,Michael
Reply:I purchased the 12 speed floor dirll press from HF- tghe one that lists for ~$459, when it was on sale for $339 and used a 20% off coupon for it.  Out the door for $285.This was the best money I had spent in a while - I drill a lot in 1/4" mild steel and it's got the grunt for it.Wish I had bought it 3 years earlier when I was drilling holes in the uprights for an auto rotisserie....(had to borrow my dad's 13" Ryobi Bench Drill Press 'cause my cheapo couldn't cut it (HF bench drill press - great for wood but not much else!)