drill press recommendation?

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looking for a floor standing drill press to do thin gauge steel work <.049 would like to have a table with T slots and something that rotates. suggestions? brands to avoid? have around $600 to spend
Reply:i bought a jet from home depot.com it was $425.00 and free shippingworks great Attached Images
Reply:I recommend this one.  It looks like the one above.  I've had one in my shop for four years now and it works great.http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=39955Bob from Idaho
Reply:little leery of the harbor freight stuff, sometimes you get a good one and sometimes you get junk
Reply:Yeah, there's nothing worse than seeing a big hole in the box and hearing small parts rolling around inside the box as the fork lift lowers it on the back of your truck, that sucks.
Reply:I've bought 3 of the HF model #39955, to put on remote work jobsites, and have had nothing but good results, I've had chucks and chuck keys stolen, but never a problem with the drill presses themselves.jack
Reply:$600.00 you should be able to find a good old u.s.a. model If you have 3 phase power you can find some good deals.  check craig's list.   clauseing, rockwell, powermatic,drake,any old u.s. ones are good IMO.     Daye
Reply:The open (dry) tables are easy to clean, lot of the chips fall through or can be brushed off easy, you can use quite a range of clamps and vise grip clamps but if you use a ton of coolant or oil you got a mess everywhere. The closed (wet) tables hold chips bad, they're tuff to keep the slots cleaned out, you are limited to T-slot nut arrangement clamps but if you use coolant or a lot of lubricant they are the only way to go.
Reply:My table has the t slots but i've never used them. I either use a drill press vise or clamp it down with a large c clamp.
Reply:Look at your budget, and buy the biggest damn horsepower press you can afford.  Try to find one that is convertable from 110 to 220.  You might not have 220 in your shop now, but you'll love it when you get it.  The motor runs cooler, and seems(and I'm sayin' this with no proof) to run better with more torque.Look at the diameter of the upright column.  The larger the diameter, the more ridgid it's gonna be.The higher dollar you go, the more available speeds.  The lower the available speed below 200rpm the better, unless you plan to drill small holes or work with non ferrous materials, then you want a good high speed range.I bought a small benchtop style press years ago.  It's served me well, but I wish I had bought a bigger one at the time.  I guess it's all about what ya got in yer wallet.  Always seems to be a compromise.Try to at least get a 3/4horse, and go from there."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I have a drill press from TSC. It works great! BUT the one downfall it has is the quill can and will flex, and it has too much play in the quill. I have not looked into tightening lash as of yet, but will be doing that soon. I guess what I am saying in get a drill press with the largest diameter quill and check it for excessive lash.Here may be an option.http://grizzly.com/products/12-Speed...ll-Press/G7948Although I have no experience with Grizzly equipmentHope this helps.-----------------------------------------------------ThanksKenVan Ness BuildersboocrewproductionMidnight Haunters SocietyBeyond Midnight
Reply:When I bought my drillpress several years ago, the first thing I did was replace the chuck and key. The chuck that came on it had a key with a spring loaded pin on it so you had to use extra force pushing it in to tighten the chuck!  Everybody is worried about getting sued these days I guess. Buying just the key was not an option because everyone wants to sell you the key and the chuck as a package. The chuck and key were poor chinese quality anyway.
Reply:Brian,I tore my key apart and removed the pin and spring and threw them in the trash.Yea everyone is worried about getting sued. Because we are a sue happy society. Although while dealing with the general public for years, I can understand. Most people shouldn't have a drivers license let alone own power tools. Hence the extra safety. lol-----------------------------------------------------ThanksKenVan Ness BuildersboocrewproductionMidnight Haunters SocietyBeyond Midnight
Reply:I removed my pin also, but found that the fit between the key and the teeth was still too poor for good tightening.
Reply:I would have to agree 100% with tigmusky's suggestion. You can find a really nice, older, heavy duty, US made drill press on CL and with a bit of elbow grease, have it purring....they are much nicer than what you can buy today.
Reply:Originally Posted by kepeI would have to agree 100% with tigmusky's suggestion. You can find a really nice, older, heavy duty, US made drill press on CL and with a bit of elbow grease, have it purring....they are much nicer than what you can buy today.
Reply:Clausings are top shelf drill presses. If I were buying one drill press and wanted to get it for under $600, I'd be looking at earlier Delta or Buffalo drill presses. Delta's are everywhere, parts are all over ebay and you can turn it over to your kids, then the grandkids. Buffalo's are on ebay less frequently, but they are very high quality and parts are still available if needed.Ellis does make a nice drill press, but I think that one is beyond quasi's $600 price range.
Reply:I've had a Jet Drill Press, similiar to the one posted for about 8 yrs now, easy to change speeds, never had a problem, Father-in-law bought a Chicago about 20 yrs ago, dont know the model but it is well built, and I now have it also, never had a problem with it either. Neither is used for production line all day work, and once I got a chart on speeds and using correct drills, the work is alot easier. Burned a motor up once on a old bench mount I had and when I found out how much it is to replace a motor I backed off the grunt and push type operation to a more learned type. Whatever you pick it is how you use and abuse the thing. A top of the line machine will faulter under mis-use just as well as the cheepee will. Good luck on your choice.
Reply:JayRay, you are correct. There is nothing wrong with a Jet or a Chicago drill press, if used properly and within their means. On the other hand though, if I were needing to drill a rather large hole, and I didn't have a mill, I'd be leary of attempting it on the Chicago. I just wouldn't have enough confidence in it to take the risk. I might give it a shot in the Jet if I were more familiar with it, but I wouldn't hesitate doing it with well maintained Delta, Buffalo, Clausing, Powermatic, etc. That's what I was trying to get at
Reply:T slots are easy to clean are more versatile for clamping and you will wish you had them if you buy a press w/o. T nut kits are cheap as hell now and the different styles of clamps will make any job safer and faster in the long run. If youre even thinking of any production style drilling, you cant do without. Its a heavier table and just really the better way to go. Save and then spend the money.
Reply:I would certainly avoid Craftsman like the plague.  We had one where I used to work, rinky-dink belt, just plain junk.  My off-brand Chinese has worked quite well for about 30 years.  Had to put a belt on it once, and a couple of light bulbs.America Needs AMERICA'S Oil!!!"Global warming is the greatest scam in history ...There is no run away climate change. The impact of humans on climate is not catastrophic. Our planet is not in peril."--John Coleman, Founder of The Weather Channel
Reply:I recommend Jet and Grizzly, they work great, that is, if you want a stationary drill press.Midwest Metal ProductsMetal Wire Forming Fan Guards Delta-Larm
Reply:I use my Chicago to drill large SandD holes all the time.  I never have an issue.  In fact, the only holes it ever drills are large.  I pour it to it as well.  I have examined other mills such as Hitatchi, Delta, Rockewell and others and they are all made identical and from China.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT