Drill Press Recommendations

[Andy Harris]

I'm thinking of adding a drill press to my equipment.  It would not be used all the time and so don't need anything industrial.  Just something for the hobbyist really.

Any recommendations greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Andy

[Neil H Boyd]

I have a jet drill press it has large square table

[Don Foley]

Andy,

I rarely use my drill press and therefore decided not to spend a lot of money.  I bought a Craftsman tabletop model.  After getting tired of moving it to and from the workbench and using clamps to secure it I built a cart for it.  The cart has the drill press on one side and the hollow chisel mortiser on the opposite.  Plus drawers and a shelf to store bits and accessories.  this setup has worked great for me, the only drawback not being able to accommodate larger pieces like a floor model would.

Don

[mike]

I just picked up a Harbor Freight 8" drill press. It is better than the one I had (I didn't have one), but for around $45, I can't complain too much. I am a hobbyist, not a professional, so I think that it will meet my needs.

[Daniel Morgan]

I recently picked up a Shop Fox W1668 off C.L. for $200.

Shop Fox makes good quality drill presses for casual use, Grizzly as well.

The neat thing about this model is it will function as a spindle sander as well.

For about the same money they make a radial drill press (model W1669) that gives you a 17" center capacity. I believe Grizzly sells the same presses under their label as well.

I'm not a H.F. hater but if you save your pennies the quality will be appreciated. My drill press runs smooth and true and much more accurately than what you get at H.F.

[James Vassil]

I've had a Delta 12 inch tabletop drill press for quite a few years. The first thing I did was build a wide table with an adjustable fence for it (Woodsmith magazine, issue 54). It has a slide out insert for lowering a drum sander slightly below the table. I also bought a mortising attachment for it. Oh, and I occasionally drill holes with it too, lol !

[mike]

Update to my previous post- HF 8" drill press being returned. Plastic depth stop broke.

[Troy]

Howdy Andy,

Here's the Grizzly model I picked a couple of years ago: 12 Speed Drill Press. I've used it for drilling through steel, aluminum, and wood, and it's never disappointed. It has a lot of power and is very nice to work with. Before I bought it I was thinking more about purchasing a Delta model instead (my Father is a retired machinist and he thinks highly of that brand). But after working with the Grizzly press all this time, I find it's perfect for hobbyists and DiYers.

--

Cheers

[mike]

I returned the 8" drill press yesterday to Harbor Freight and went ahead and picked up the 10" model. It seems like a better unit and I think it will more than meet my needs. I'm not machining parts for the space program- just odd jobs here and there and hobbyist woodworking.

I'm not a big fan of HF. This is my biggest purchase there, and I can't think of any other big items that I need that I plan on getting there. If I could have found a decent used model locally I would have gone with it.

On a side note: I do occasionally buy tools for my 7 year old son there. He's actually got a decent little tool box that's filled with freebies and tools that we've bought with their coupons. I've probably spent around $20 on it and just about everything is adequate for light use and a few of the tools are surprisingly good. I plan on buying him a good set when he he's older, but these should last until then.

[Philip Miller]

I did a lot of research on this for my shop. If you want a powerful drill that is easy to change speeds on this is the one to get. You also have a large working surface. I would totally recommend getting the Jet JDP-17 3/4 hp Drill Press

[David Dean]

Well Andy I would go with a skil its a $ 150.00 and I use it on all my dresser's.

[Scott Gala]

I don"t use my drill press that much as well. So I bought a RYOBI tables top model. It does everything I want it to do.

[Chris Jaeger]

I wanted a drill press also but only needed it for one project. So I researched and bought a Sears Sears bench top drill press. I too am a hobbyist and didn't really need one. I'm not a fan of cheap tools and I've always had good luck with Craftsman power tools. After I bought it I use it a lot more than I thought I would. It was a good investment.