Anyone know anything about drill presses?

[WallyKowalski]

I'm looking for a good drill press for a project i am working on. I will be drilling aluminum and steel, and will need to adhere to extremely tight tolerances, so the drill axis needs to be pretty tight with little to no play. I may use a bit to do some router type work so it needs to have a strong axis as well.

Since everything is **** made in china nowadays, does anyone have a recommendation for one? HF? craftsman? dewalt?

Or perhaps I should get one on CL used? if so, any brands to look for?

 

[Kensgarage]

You need to elaborate on "extremely tight tolerances".
Much of the time **** tolerances are due to a few simple problems. Garbage chucks and bits and poor holding of the work piece.
A good drill press vice, bits and chuck will work just fine when coupled with a cheapo press. Keep in ind the cost of each one of those items will close to the initial cost of the press. Get yourself 3/4 plus horsepower. Grizzyly and Jet have some that are fairly affordable.
This is decent for the $$. A guy in the shop across the way has it
http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-Speed-Heavy-Duty-Bench-Top-Drill-Press/G7943
Vice
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wilton-Cros...085933?hash=item4d3a72d4ed:g:uH8AAOSw5ZBWMKFs

Chuck
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JACOBS-MANU...098525?hash=item338411e99d:g:Uo4AAOSwA4dWLoiN

 

[ez-duzit]

I'm looking for a good drill press...and will need to adhere to extremely tight tolerances, so the drill axis needs to be pretty tight with little to no play. I may use a bit to do some router type work so it needs to have a strong axis as well.

Since everything is **** made in china nowadays, does anyone have a recommendation for one? HF? craftsman? dewalt?

Or perhaps I should get one on CL used? if so, any brands to look for?

You want a good drill press with tight tolerances. But you ask about HF?!

Look for an American made one, like an older Delta.

 

[WallyKowalski]

You want a good drill press with tight tolerances. But you ask about HF?!

Look for an American made one, like an older Delta.

Heh yeah since practically everything is made in china I asked about hf.

I am looking for the American made ones by delta but all I see around here are the made in Taiwan ones.

 

[WallyKowalski]

You need to elaborate on "extremely tight tolerances".
Much of the time **** tolerances are due to a few simple problems. Garbage chucks and bits and poor holding of the work piece.
A good drill press vice, bits and chuck will work just fine when coupled with a cheapo press. Keep in ind the cost of each one of those items will close to the initial cost of the press. Get yourself 3/4 plus horsepower. Grizzyly and Jet have some that are fairly affordable.
This is decent for the $$. A guy in the shop across the way has it
http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-Speed-Heavy-Duty-Bench-Top-Drill-Press/G7943
Vice
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wilton-Cros...085933?hash=item4d3a72d4ed:g:uH8AAOSw5ZBWMKFs

Chuck
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JACOBS-MANU...098525?hash=item338411e99d:g:Uo4AAOSwA4dWLoiN

Elaborating on tight tolerances: can't have wobbling bits/chucks. Need it really clean and plumb. May need to grind some uneven surfaces down so will need to sacrifice a bit towards the end to grind laterally, perpendicular to the bit.

Gonna bid on the eBay stuff

 

[Flivver250]

You can always find good used drill presses if you keep your eyes open for them. Lots of men bought them for their home use and never used them much. Their widows and children unload them for peanuts. Watch CL. Must agree it is puzzling you would write good and HF in the same sentence. Mutually exclusive verbiage.

 

[Tink]

I suppose he mentioned Harbor Freight because some of the things they sell are surprisingly good and even recommended for certain applications.
Depending on the scale and accuracy required, would he be better off with a mill? I know he didn't ask for advice on other options but wanted to put it out there.

 

[Kensgarage]

Elaborating on tight tolerances: can't have wobbling bits/chucks. Need it really clean and plumb. May need to grind some uneven surfaces down so will need to sacrifice a bit towards the end to grind laterally, perpendicular to the bit.

Gonna bid on the eBay stuff

You cant bid on a chuck until you know what machine you have and what type of chuck it uses. Slow down.

 

[rsanter]

Look at using a mill. You can sometimes buy a used mill in the price range of a high end drill press

Bob

 

[dr_clyde]

You are going to want a drill press that was intended for industrial use. My favorites are Clausing and Walker Turner. There are other good makers but they are much harder to find.

 

[sailah]

My Powermatic 1200 was purchased for $250. Spent some time going through it and replacing anything suspect (bearings). I added a VFD. It's a beast, as accurate as I want a drill press, anything requiring precision goes in the Bridgeport.

Your tooling also play a vital role. I usually try and drill with stubby drills on the press, either in a vise that's bolted to the T slots or with strap clamps. For precision holes I always drill undersize and then ream.

 

[exmaxima1]

You are going to want a drill press that was intended for industrial use. My favorites are Clausing and Walker Turner. There are other good makers but they are much harder to find.

I would add vintage Delta to the list. A DP-600 is widely available, and among the best presses ever made.

 

[Davefr]

Heh yeah since practically everything is made in china I asked about hf.

I am looking for the American made ones by delta but all I see around here are the made in Taiwan ones.

I wouldn't discount older name brand units made in Taiwan like Delta or Jet.

They're precise and offer many advantages like a 3 pulley 16 speed range, table rotate, table tilt and table lift.

You can also still get parts!!

A lot of precision comes from having a quality chuck that's properly installed along with quality bits and proper technique.

 

[spongerich]

You don't list your location, but here in the north east, I'd be looking for a 17" Delta.
Replace the bearings with the best you can find and install an Albrecht 1/2" keyless chuck.

What's your budget? Space constraints?

Around here, $750 buys a pretty nice Bridgeport if you're patient.

 

[larry_g]

I always post the above vid for those who want to put a side load on a drill chuck. Even a sanding drum will unseat a taper mount chuck.

I will echo RSANTER and suggest a mill, even a mill/drill. In the machining world drill presses are not thought of as precision machines and the drilled hole is not a precision hole. It is a matter of perspective. So when you talk of "extremely tight tolerances" What exactly do you have in mind, hole size, location, roundness, perpendicularity, or something else. Are we talking a few thousands or a couple tenths or just something better than a hand drill?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Dave455]

Since everything is **** made in china nowadays, does anyone have a recommendation for one? HF? craftsman? dewalt?

Or perhaps I should get one on CL used? if so, any brands to look for?

I'm pleased to say that not everything is Chinese ****, especially where machine tools are concerned wher the crappy ones just won't cut it!

The problem is, that many of the decent ones are geared towards industrial use, with price tags to match!

I know little about U.S. makers, but you can still go out and buy British made machines thst will do all you need! Consider also, the variety of European made tools. German stuff is priced on a par with British made, but I've seen Spanish and Czech machines that are all perfectly serviceable!

Personally, I'd buy the best used machine I could afford!

 

[zkling]

Does anyone know how to use the search function? Why do I doubt you are working on "extremely tight tolerances" yet you don't know what type of machine you need. :

 

[Thumper68]

Sounds more like you need a mill/drill and not a drill press.

I would personally wait around to find a good USA made machine, but if you need it now...


Here is one that will do everything that you want.
http://grizzly.com/products/Mill-Drill/G0758

 

[c39er]

Does anyone know how to use the serch function?

For a good start... spelling

 

[dr_clyde]

I will admit it is much easier to use google with some keywords than our search function. That said, I would be ok with seeing less threads about:

Which drill press?

Which cheap *** MIG welder will still weld anything?

HF vs SO?

Drill bits to last forever and never need sharpening even in super hard unobtanium with no oil or proper speeds?

I realize this is a hobby level forum, but come on guys. This stuff gets discussed with annoying frequency.

Edit: Not picking on OP, but this is one of those discussions that we get probably every other day.

 

[nickelmore]

Look at using a mill. You can sometimes buy a used mill in the price range of a high end drill press

Bob

X2 Don't know how much "router" work you are looking at or tolerances, but I would lean towards a used mill.

 

[Thumper68]

Does anyone know how to use the serch function?

I will admit it is much easier to use google with some keywords than our search function. That said, I would be ok with seeing less threads about:

Which drill press?

Which cheap *** MIG welder will still weld anything?

HF vs SO?

Drill bits to last forever and never need sharpening even in super hard unobtanium with no oil or proper speeds?

I realize this is a hobby level forum, but come on guys. This stuff gets discussed with annoying frequency.

Edit: Not picking on OP, but this is one of those discussions that we get probably every other day.

No offense but I have seen it many times here and on other fourms where someone will search and then add to a old thread and get blasted for posting in a old thread as well.

I guess I guess there is no winning.....

 

[dr_clyde]

I have no issue with adding to an old thread. I honestly only will click on the repeat threads if the title has something interesting that implies its not just more of the same.

 

[zkling]

I have no issue with adding to an old thread. I honestly only will click on the repeat threads if the title has something interesting that implies its not just more of the same.

Agreed, especially if it actually contributes to the information in the thread. Then there are those that bump a 5 year old thread and give a suggestion typically after the OP has made a purchase selection.

Had the OP started a this drill press vs this drill press thread that would be one thing, showing that he or she had done some background research, but that is not the case here.

Additionally the verbage the OP uses throws me in a loop and signifies that he or she has little clue of what they need. Grind perpendicular? Router, etc.

"Elaborating on tight tolerances: can't have wobbling bits/chucks. Need it really clean and plumb. May need to grind some uneven surfaces down so will need to sacrifice a bit towards the end to grind laterally, perpendicular to the bit."

:

 

[ez-duzit]

A mill is good to have. But you still need a drill press.

 

[zkling]

I will admit it is much easier to use google with some keywords than our search function. That said, I would be ok with seeing less threads about:

Which drill press?

Which cheap *** MIG welder will still weld anything?

HF vs SO?

Drill bits to last forever and never need sharpening even in super hard unobtanium with no oil or proper speeds?

I realize this is a hobby level forum, but come on guys. This stuff gets discussed with annoying frequency.

Edit: Not picking on OP, but this is one of those discussions that we get probably every other day.

My thoughts exactly Let's not forget the air compressor threads.

 

[zkling]

For a good start... spelling

Sorry, multitasking.

 

[bczygan]

Mill.

Drill close and ream the holes.

Get some gauges to check. What kind of fit do you need?

Just don't get reamed when you buy the mill.

Bill

 

[Nor'Easter]

You don't list your location, but here in the north east, I'd be looking for a 17" Delta.
Replace the bearings with the best you can find and install an Albrecht 1/2" keyless chuck.

What's your budget? Space constraints?

Around here, $750 buys a pretty nice Bridgeport if you're patient.

If you can find me links for BPs in good working order for $750, I will buy every single one you post.

 

[Kensgarage]

Here

 

[spongerich]

If you can find me links for BPs in good working order for $750, I will buy every single one you post.

I went to an auction outside Scranton PA about 2 weeks ago.
They sold a decent Bridgeport for $450. Wasn't even the basement or anything.

There were a couple on North Jersey craigslist over the summer for $700-800.
If my shop weren't upstairs in my rickety old barn, I'd have brought one home already.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Older (pre Grizzley) South Bend Lathe drill presses are fairly nice, buy difficult to find, especially if not looking.. but can be had..