Do you keep your floor standing drill press in a corner?

[DennisDoesEverything]

I picked up a Central Machinery 20" 12 speed floor standing Harbor Freight drill press to replace my inadequate bench top model.

I'm undecided whether to put in the corner left of the bench grinder (moving the bench right), or to the right of the bench (where the wastebasket is in the second picture).

I had been using the old press on the right hand side of the workbench. However I'm noticing the floor standing press is so large, it might come far enough from the corner to have enough room on either side when situated at 45 degree angle.




BTW: it's possible this, their largest class of drill press, is being discontinued by Harbor Freight. There's an Inside Track Club coupon that has it deeply discounted for August 2024 - you can find if you google for it - yet at the same time the product page has been removed from harborfreight.com.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Where the waste basket is unless you want to open the garage door when drilling longer items

 

[PCustoms]

Where the waste basket is unless you want to open the garage door when drilling longer items

Good spot.

Location really depends what your drilling IMHO.

 

[DennisDoesEverything]

Difference between Facebook and forums: I posted this same thing to a Facebook garage organization group, and only got questions, "what is it?" "I don't even know what this is."

 

[strength_and_power]

Not sure if they make or if you can make a wheeled base for it with locking or leveling casters. Since you are replacing a bench top drill press, it sounds like you may be drilling bigger/longer pieces. Pick up some adjustable height roller supports and you got all your bases covered

 

[OccupantRJ]

Difference between Facebook and forums: I posted this same thing to a Facebook garage organization group, and only got questions, "what is it?" "I don't even know what this is."

I saw your post on the FB group, but it was after I posted here.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I refurbished my 20” Walker Turner drill press and moved it into position on the larger size HF dolly and left it on the dolly. No issues so far and it has been a few years.

 

[rsanter]

Where the waste basket it and pit it on wheels.
Put the waste basket on the base of the drill press.
After you use it a few times you may rethink the location but that’s the easiest to do now

 

[PCustoms]

 

[fteufert]

What rsanter said, I did just that. The can catches some of the flying chips too, and I move it if more room is needed

 

[Snip's]

Banana for scale?

 

[CraigStu]

Just last week I drilled a hole every 8" in a 6ft piece of 1/8x1 aluminum flat stock. It protects the edge of the fiberglass sheet I put over the 2x6s in our utility trailer. I could not have done that in the corner.

 

[cannuck]

Good points about locating drill press. My main one is 40YO Taiwan power feed so when I rebuilt shop it sits on a dedicated concrete poured block in the floor (so feed handle at my height). It is located on the back (North) wall beside the NE corner of my center (work) bay. Quill clears the drill and press tool shelf to the E so I can pick up long and heavy beams etc. with overhead crane and place them on table (when can't do job with mag drills). 20 ton hydraulic press is on other side of tool shelving and I have to drag it out a foot or so when feeding long stock for bending or straightening. With only 1,000 sq.ft. to play/wprk in it takes a lot of forethought to locate tools that work with full lengths to line up with lifting/positioning and doorways. I also put layout and welding tables as well as my 48" leaf brake, sheer and rolls on double locking wheels.

 

[johninct]

It is best to not put a drill press or say, a Bridgeport in a corner so you can get at stuff from all sides. With that said, who has the space to do that?

 

[LXCam]

I do too much fab work on long pieces. So I keep mine where I’m 10ft clear on both side that way all I need to do is walk it out from the wall I little bit. I’ve made the mistake of placing both a DP and a knee mill in the corner before. Live n learn.

But if you never use it for longer whatever’s that doesn’t matter.

 

[tarmy]

Yep….BUT…on castors. All my big tools can be moved for long/weird spacing needs.

 

[LXCam]

That’s not a bad idea at all tarmy.

 

[PoorUB]

Not sure if they make or if you can make a wheeled base for it with locking or leveling casters. Since you are replacing a bench top drill press, it sounds like you may be drilling bigger/longer pieces. Pick up some adjustable height roller supports and you got all your bases covered

I have a 600 pound Powermatic 1200 on wheels so I can move it out away from the wall. It shouldn't be difficult to find a wheeled base for a 200 pound import.

 

[liliysdad]

My Delta DP600 has been in the corner since I built my shop. It gets used nearly daily and I’ve yet to encounter a scenario where that placement has been an issue.

 

[jives]

I'm curious as to why the benchtop DP was inadequate. Was it too small to work on large pieces, or did it lack power, speed, or chuck size? If only a power/speed issue, slide the head down on the post and put it on a mobile cabinet, or keep full height like Tarmy's rig. Easy to move around, pull away from the wall if needed, and store all the DP stuff.

 

[finn]

Mine is about two feet away from the wall, to slow access to the water spigot on the wall behind the drill press, and about a foot outside the garage door.

It’s out of the way there, far enough away from everything to not be in the way, and relatively easy to move or rotate for better access without moving a bunch of junk first.

It sort of amazed me at how much more I use the drill press if it’s not tucked away.

 

[RMERR]

I just moved my floor press maybe 3 months ago. It was at the corner junction of a couple work benches. I moved it to the opposite end of one bench where it's now close to the center of the room. The problem wasn't just the size of the work piece itself, but having room for a platform or shop lift to hold and level the piece as well. Recently drilled 8 1/2" holes in a piece of 9' long 2" square tubing, couldn't have done it in it's old location. Should have moved it long ago.

 

[Jgaz]

My Grizzly drill press is mounted to a Shop Fox mobile base. Stable in use but easy to move.
If my shop space was larger I would probably mount it permanently in a spot that allowed lots of space on both sides.

I do however, really like the cabinet @tarmy built around his floor model machine

 

[captaindiode]

These are a pretty good bang for the buck for a mobile base. I just helped my brother put one under a jointer and it works well.

Amazon.com

 

[u2slow]

I need space around my 20" Delta. It has moved around the shop over the years; usually stood by itself, or sticking out from the rest of the clutter.

The last couple of years it's been in its tightest spot. It has a lathe and toolbox flanking it on either side, but I spaced it off the wall so it's work table sticks out past them. The space behind the press I'm going to build a small shelving unit for tooling.

 

[txvwnut]

Mine sits in the middle of the floor. One of these days it’ll find a spot more suited for it, probably at the end of a bench.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Here’s mine and the thread I made about it

Floor mount Drill press Mobile Cart In Progress

You all might have seen this Image floating around the interwebs: And thought I should build something like that for my shop. I also followed along with Ryan's Musings for the best tool storage to use in his Hawaii shop. I wanted to move all of my drill bits into the drill press cart to...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[PoorUB]

I'm curious as to why the benchtop DP was inadequate. Was it too small to work on large pieces, or did it lack power, speed, or chuck size? If only a power/speed issue, slide the head down on the post and put it on a mobile cabinet, or keep full height like Tarmy's rig. Easy to move around, pull away from the wall if needed, and store all the DP stuff.

I had a benchtop. I do a fair amount of metal working and found it to be low powered, not very rigid so woefully inadequate for my needs. I could drill a 1/2" diameter hole in steel and see the table bend down.

I worked at a machine shop and we had a 2 HP, gear head drill press that had to weigh 800 pounds. It ruined me for lesser machines.

Once you use a high quality drill press most hobbist machines are inadequate.

 

[nadogail]

My Drill Press is on wheels because my shop is small.

 

[mikedodge]

My drill press is on a stand in the middle of a wall beside radial arm saw. Corner would only work if you're only regularely drilling something short or near the end.

 

[Jackfre]

I have the 16 1/2” Delta upright. It is in the corner or the garage next to the OH door. For occasional use on short stuff it is fine. If I have a longer piece it is not a problem pulling it forward 2’ to clear the door frame. If I had the space I’d get it out of there, but it is what it is.

 

[goldtang]

Bench drill lives in the corner of the shed but is on a stand with wheels also make cleaning up a lot easier

 

[cmandp]

I think everyone has covered this. But I agree don't put it in the corner or make it so you can move it out of the corner.

Ideally it would be in the middle of a wall have at least have a few feet left and right and be out from the wall at least 1ft from the rearmost part of the machine. I like room behind so I can brace longer parts against the column while drilling and you need the room left and right for long parts to hang off the table .

 

[racecougar]

No, no, no. The cudgel goes in the corner. The drill press has to be at least 4-1/2' away.

 

[Lynden]

I like this mobile base from ShopNotes magazine.

 

[gahrajmahal]

I like this mobile base from ShopNotes magazine.

That is what mine is based on. The drawers of mine have wheels for those rare jobs that require full height drilling

 

[driftpin]

Mine is in the middle of the space between 2 OH garage doors. I don't use my garage for parking, it's filled with tools. One bay has a Handi-Lift for motorcycle work.

I store legs of a cherry-picker on a bracket at the space between the 2 OH doors. Part of the bracket is a vintage school bell, with a spring-loaded striker. I call it the 'pizza bell,' because out 2 young grandchildren get to pull it to let us know they want a pizza for a meal.



BORA is another vendor of adjustable caster wheels, rated for different weights and sizes. I have one for a blast cabinet, and it works well. https://boratool.com/products/mobile-bases.html



I made a screen from fine SS material to prevent the media from 'fogging' the glass.





Here is a way I have lighting in a garage bay, just below the OH door. I use the OH door track to attach 1 X 4's across the bay, just below the door, so that open or closed, I have plenty of light. I used Costco FEIT 4' luminaires and they do a decent job for my needs.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I refurbished my drill press a few years ago and transported it into position on the larger HF dolly, and just left it on it so it can pull outward as needed.

 

[Chaznsc]

Only when it misbehaves….

 

[Notgrownup]

Difference between Facebook and forums: I posted this same thing to a Facebook garage organization group, and only got questions, "what is it?" "I don't even know what this is."

we’re Smartasses, they’re dumbasses.. lol