Bench Top vs Floor Standing Drill Press

Posted by 141drew Posted onSep 8, 2020 at 12:05 PM and filed under Reviews & Features
Updated onUpdated on May 20, 2021 at 6:06 PM

I have a vintage Craftsman drill press that I use daily and love. However, I was recently browsing the gallery on The Garage Journal forum and ran across this idea. And you know what? He’s right.

It’s kind of crazy this has never really occurred to me. When searching for my floor standing drill press, I just HAD to have all that capacity that I’ve never, ever used. That gorgeous old Craftsman pedestal and that long machined pipe are really just huge wastes of space that could be replaced with plenty of storage for things like drill bits, vices, etc…

Anyway… This got me thinking – Who uses the capacity of a floor stander and what’s your most common example of that usage?

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Corndoggeh

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I bought a floor standing, which I use rhe max capacity more often for woodworking than for anything else when getting a straight hole is critical.
 
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Modern Jess

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Also wanted to mention that most bench-top drill presses are decidedly lightweight -- typically with smaller motors and shorter swing. You've got to go back more than a few decades to get one with enough power and size (and sheer mass) to be a good drill press.

The one in the photo above is a 1965 Powermatic 1150 with variable speed, and a VFD to slow it down even further. Perfect for boring big holes in steel.
 
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rlitman

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Modern Jess said:
Also wanted to mention that most bench-top drill presses are decidedly lightweight -- typically with smaller motors and shorter swing. You've got to go back more than a few decades to get one with enough power and size (and sheer mass) to be a good drill press...
Click to expand...

Well, there is that. It's easy to find a sturdy floor standing drill press. Not so easy to find something good in a bench model, but they do exist.

For my part, I have my pneumatic paint shaker mounted to the floor plate of my drill press. I suppose I could have bolted it to the floor and put my press on the counter. It would be easy to band saw off the column and turn my floor stander into a nice benchtop too.
 
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Ryan

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Modern Jess said:
Also wanted to mention that most bench-top drill presses are decidedly lightweight -- typically with smaller motors and shorter swing. You've got to go back more than a few decades to get one with enough power and size (and sheer mass) to be a good drill press.

The one in the photo above is a 1965 Powermatic 1150 with variable speed, and a VFD to slow it down even further. Perfect for boring big holes in steel.
Click to expand...

I wasn't aware that anyone made a drill press after 1960 or so. :)
 
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Cwalling2

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That's beautiful woodwork framing that tool chest. An easy alternative is to use the rolling cabinet from Sam's. It has a nice hardwood top already, great wheels, and the model online has a lot of drawers.
 
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Packard V8

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Modern Jess said:
Also wanted to mention that most bench-top drill presses are decidedly lightweight -- typically with smaller motors and shorter swing. You've got to go back more than a few decades to get one with enough power and size (and sheer mass) to be a good drill press.
Click to expand...
For true, if one is only looking at recent big box Chicom DPs. Fortunately, the good old stuff never wears out. With a bit of patience, one can always find a USA 14" Delta, Atlas, Craftsman, Powermatic, Walker-Turner, et al, the same head, motor and column whether bench or floor. Those with which I'm familiar certainly are.

jack vines
 
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JebNY

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Not a new idea for me. I did this with my bench drill press soon after I bought it 45+ years ago. The floor and bench drill press unit were identical except for the post and the size of the bottom plate (and price). I had a metal cabinet with drawers about 20"X30" that I mounted permanently on a roller base That was cut down from some other use (auction buy as was the cabinet), put a plywood top on and bolted on the drill press. All the extra chucks, bits and such are stored below. Mine has a door to cover up the drawers and cubby holes to make a nice neat storage area.
 
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softailgarage

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JebNY said:
Not a new idea for me. I did this with my bench drill press soon after I bought it 45+ years ago. The floor and bench drill press unit were identical except for the post and the size of the bottom plate (and price). I had a metal cabinet with drawers about 20"X30" that I mounted permanently on a roller base That was cut down from some other use (auction buy as was the cabinet), put a plywood top on and bolted on the drill press. All the extra chucks, bits and such are stored below. Mine has a door to cover up the drawers and cubby holes to make a nice neat storage area.
Click to expand...

:needpics:
 
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PureLeaf

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Ryan, I've seen you post pictures of your 1950s craftsman standing drill press before. There also exists a table top version of that model too. Ask your buddy Aussie buddy Gareth about them, he's probably got 1 or two.

The table top version of the 50's craftsman drill has a smaller base, so it weighs a bit less. Most of the motors are 1/3 hp instead of 1/2 or 3/4 hp on the standing models. Otherwise they're identical.
 
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Ryan

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PureLeaf said:
Ryan, I've seen you post pictures of your 1950s craftsman standing drill press before. There also exists a table top version of that model too. Ask your buddy Aussie buddy Gareth about them, he's probably got 1 or two.

The table top version of the 50's craftsman drill has a smaller base, so it weighs a bit less. Most of the motors are 1/3 hp instead of 1/2 or 3/4 hp on the standing models. Otherwise they're identical.
Click to expand...

Yep... I've even seen people cut down floor standers into table toppers... Not something I would do, but it is an option.
 
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JebNY

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Not a great picture but here it is. Not an expensive drill press even way back in the 70s when I bought it but it has done well for me. Came with a 3/4" chuck that had about 1/32 wobble in the end so I put a good 1/2' chuck in and the rest was good. I still get the big chuck out once in awhile when I need a really large bit.

DrillPress.jpeg
 
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Iadrang

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Just build the cabinet a little higher so you can roll it up to the post, you could ever notch it. It would be a shame to shorten it. I have a early power attic and a old Walker Turner from a WWII defense plant.
 
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dutchgray

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If you want a good heavy pillar drill you have to go old, if you want a really good one then get a British one, no third pully for slow speeds, they fitted a set of back gears in an oil bath instead for low range so you can get lots of torque out of it and you can keep the main drive belt loose enough you can jump it over the pulleys to change the main speeds, tube columns are a bit light so they often used solid bar, 2 3/4" solid column is nice and heavy, they used the same heads and tables on the floor or bench model, only the base might be different.
The good Taiwanese ones are fine but they don't compare well against one of the better British drills.
There must be a reason why some people pay ~£750 for a good used Fobco 7/8 or 10/8.

This isn't even getting into proper industrial spec equipment.
 
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lardy1

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One of the few things in my shop that isn't mobile. I didn't think the storage through and just made three deep drawers. It works for me.


yoda.jpg
 
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Jim C.

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I very recently came across a pretty nice 1948 Craftsman floor standing model. I was more than just a little bit happy to get it, particularly since it was a floor standing model. I love to overbuild everything, and when I’m woodworking, adding dowels to the corners of boxes, furniture, etc. for strength is pretty common. A couple days ago, I used the floor model to dowel the corners of several bee hive boxes.

For years I’d been using this 1959 Delta bench top radial drill press. By swinging the table out of the way and extending the head out past the legs/base, I essentially had a floor standing model. But, then I’d need to elevate my workpiece because there was no table. Then I had to make a temporary bench or base to get my workpiece high enough you reach the drill. It worked but it wasn’t really convenient and was sort of a PITA to set up. Unless I needed perfect, straight up and down holes, I’d just bore the holes with a hand held drill. Now with that floor standing model, I just lower the table and start drilling. I do like the full length capacity of a floor standing drill press.

Jim C.
 

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PureLeaf

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Ryan said:
Yep... I've even seen people cut down floor standers into table toppers... Not something I would do, but it is an option.
Click to expand...

That was my point, its not worth it to chop down a nice floor stander. Once you make that cut you can't go back either, the center column is too precise a diameter to replace with basic fence post stock etc.

Best off just finding a table top model.
 
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darkzero

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Ryan said:
Yep... I've even seen people cut down floor standers into table toppers... Not something I would do, but it is an option.
Click to expand...
Not quite the same but I did something similar. I shortened my benchtop DP. I didn't need the height & portability was more important to me. Reason being I don't have much room in my garage so I put it away when not needed. I did make an adapter to bolt the piece of the column I cut off back on if needed which will probably be never. It's just a cheap WEN DP so I didn't mind cutting it.


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gahrajmahal

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DE9F16BD-2F30-4C86-95B0-25A0EE2AF0E7.jpg

This is what I intend to build for my floor mount drill press. Hopefully this winter.

64EFABEB-49DF-4A52-9D99-4E8F92387162.jpg

Several years ago I was reading a thread titled “what’s in your corners”

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187540&highlight=What%92s+corners

That discussed how to best utilize the space in your garage corners. There are many threads on that subject now.

Pinterest has some good links and a general google search will come up with many photos for drill press cabinets, table hacks and fixtures
 
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HoosierBuddy

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I have both.

I have a 1980's Craftsman bench top drill press mounted to the workbench in my garage.

I have a 1953 Powermatic 1150 (freestanding) in my barn. This powermatic was apparently built "special" by PM with an extra tall column (about 8 feet tall). It includes an elevator for the table and a custom elevator for the head. Since making the video below, I also added a "milling" style table to it.

If I just need a hole, I use the craftsman. If I need a precise hole a use the Powermatic. Also the powermatic (of course) gets the not for larger or deeper holes.

Here's a link to a video I made on the PM a while back. It's a cool old machine


Phil
 
V

Vintage Veloce

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I bought this Dewalt planer stand (DW7350) that has worked fine.

It has a front wheel that goes up and down with a foot pedal so you can roll it around, but is very stable with that wheel in the up position.
(I did add some higher leveling feet.)

It occurs to me that it is probably easier to level a table top drill press because the table would have a larger base.

Oh, and I added the big cutoff paddle switch.
View media item 106514
 

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y'sguy

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I too, thought I needed a full standing DP in vintage mode and searched around for a long time for one that I thought was worth my money. Never found one close enough or cheap enough. Then last week or so I came across this craftsman bench top. Listed as an ocilating sander? on Clist for 50 bucks with the lower cabinet.
I though at the time I would toss the under cabinet in the trash but I have been wondering about using it.
What I have decided is the bench top WILL probably work out great after all. It has a bunch of range for my needs. The jury is still out on cabinet usage. I like lots of clean floor space and I have a 18 foot steel bench top this can go on with room to spare.
I am restoring it as we speak and it's been coming together nicely. If you find FrankLee on this here GJ he has assembled quite a bit of helpful and useful info on the Craftsman DP's.

Here is the before,
just after I unloaded it.


And AFTER I finished the overhaul.
I plan on mounting a single glide drawer under the bench top to handle all the bits and accessories.

 
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R

rharman

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gahrajmahal said:
DE9F16BD-2F30-4C86-95B0-25A0EE2AF0E7.jpg

This is what I intend to build for my floor mount drill press. Hopefully this winter.

64EFABEB-49DF-4A52-9D99-4E8F92387162.jpg

Several years ago I was reading a thread titled “what’s in your corners”

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187540&highlight=What%92s+corners

That discussed how to best utilize the space in your garage corners. There are many threads on that subject now.

Pinterest has some good links and a general google search will come up with many photos for drill press cabinets, table hacks and fixtures
Click to expand...

In lieu of building a cabinet like that, I put a HF side cabinet on a wheeled base and park it under the DP table. If I need to lower the table more than normal, it just rolls out of the way. Works great.
 
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Cleave

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I have an old, rock solid Delta Homecraft 11" bench mount DP. Its on a small table I built that is bolted to the wall, along with a Wissota 7" bench grinder, and a pile of random stuff... Underneath the table is a miter saw I hardly ever pull out... Someday once I get a proper workshop building built, I'd love to have a toolbox down there with a lot of shallow drawers for a lot of the machinist tools and cutters.
I've felt restricted on table width a lot more often than on table height.

For situations where the column isn't long enough, I have a really old lathe, with a couple free kitchen cabinets under it.
 
F

Falcon67

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Not quite the same but I did something similar. I shortened my benchtop DP. I didn't need the height & portability was more important to me. Reason being I don't have much room in my garage so I put it away when not needed. I did make an adapter to bolt the piece of the column I cut off back on if needed which will probably be never. It's just a cheap WEN DP so I didn't mind cutting it.
Click to expand...

I have a full size floor model 15 speed C-man unit that I've been thinking about doing same. The post re-connector is a nice hack. The square column mill is on a mobile home brew stand, I just don't move it LOL. I should have designed a tool chest into that one. hindsite and all that. I keep waffling on cutting down the DP. It's way more powerful than buying a bitty bench top unit for sure. And it is pinched into a hole between the mill and the welder, so moving it out somewhere might make it feel useful. I have several extra sets of bits, so storing those in a chest under would be handy instead of hung here or in that cabinet over there..
 
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pelletman

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I have used a tall drill press to drill holes at the angle needed for a 50ish inch high wheel bicycle rim in the past, don't think I took any pictures... This looks like a great idea though as 99% of the time you don't need that capacity
 
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A

alfazer

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Here's my setup. I had the floor standing drill but rarely needed it; a bench top would suit me 95% of the time. I also got fed up cleaning metal and wood chip from behind and around the drill on the floor.

So I built a worktop with a removable piece at the drill. The worktop is supported on 2" angle iron wall brackets that I made. Two of the brackets are spaced so they support the removable piece. You'll see the drill sits on a wood and steel arrangement to lift the whole thing a little higher. (I intend to make a better looking one sometime.)

I'm 6'2" so it suits me better and also gives more clearance for the swing handle that raises the table. There are adjustable skid feet so I can pull the whole machine out from the bench if needed.
 

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13mo

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I have a floor model 20" Clausing. They make them in both floor model as well as two shorter versions designed to be bolted to a steel table, generally in a ganged arrangement. I have used the added capacity of the floor model's taller column for woodworking when I am drilling into the end of something or into an already assembled part, but generally I am drilling into something less than 2" thick and the table is all of the way up.
 
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-Brent-

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attachment.php


For small shops or those wanting to utilize space, you can't go wrong with benchtop drill presses on toolbox bases.

Mine houses so much drill-specific tools and tooling that it's very sturdy.
 

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magnusk750

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I perhaps never use use the capacity of a floor standing dp, but, if it's bolted to the floor it stands still, and I suppose also better control when there's not a cabinet below.

Here's my Arboga, probably 1950s.

View media item 103915
 
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takai

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I did a bit of a hybrid job on my floor standing drill press:
20180826033944-46c88a42-xl.jpg


Basically built a cabinet that can be lifted off the base and stored all the bits and stuff in there. Its not as storage friendly as the bigger cabinets (or my new mill cabinet), but it was very workable, especially when i needed to drill longer things.

However, even with that setup i eventually replaced it with this:
20200413033632-3b661d24-xl.jpg
 
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mcmlvif100

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-Brent- said:
For small shops or those wanting to utilize space, you can't go wrong with bench top drill presses on toolbox bases.
Click to expand...

I went with this approach for my Craftsman bench top model although mine uses a Craftsman base instead of a toolbox. It's on casters so I can easily move it around.

Also have an old (1955) Delta Rockwell floor model that I bought from the original owner's estate. Spent it's entire life in his basement woodworking shop.
 

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