Does anyone use an Oliver Drill Press

[Pen & Wrench]

I've got a small table top drill press and I've gotten to the point that I want to upgrade to a floor standing drill press that will drill wood or steel. I don't do lots of metal working but when I do, the drill press I have is grossly underpowered and won't turn slow enough for drilling much more than a quarter inch in steel. I'm in the middle of a project right now where I'm drilling wood, and I have to turn the table away, and use the base, and put my jig on a block, drill in as far as the drill press will go, then lift the jig up with the bit in the wood, slide a block under the jig and take another throw at it to get drilled a full 2 and a quarter inches, which isn't much but the drill press I have won't drill past about an inch and 3/4. I've looked around some and could probably use a Jet or possibly a Powermatic, but I'm not sure the Powermatic is all that good for metal drilling. If you can tell me how well a Powermatic drills steel, that would be helpful. Also, does anyone have experience with an Oliver 10063 Drill press? Based on what I can tell, the Oliver appears to be able to drill in wood, and do a pretty good job for what amount of steel drilling I intend to do. I probably won't drill larger than a half inch and possibly a 3/4 inch hole in steel, and it appears the Oliver would do that pretty well. I know there's probably other obvious choices, but this Oliver looks like it would be the last drill press I'll ever need, unless ya'll think I'm upgrading a bit too much. Thanks for your help.

 

[lardy1]

That's a lot of drill press. If the money isn't an object I don't think you'll be disappointed.

 

[RTM]

Most Oliver tools of the past have been well built beasts, with unobtainium parts being their only downfall. I’ve seen a TS, planer, and maybe a joiner, heavy as heck, and ran very smooth. If yours is that same vintage, my only concerns would be moving it, and spare or repair parts.

 

[lardy1]

In the late 80's I worked in a cabinet shop that had an old Oliver jointer with at least a six foot bed on it. After it was shut off it would continue to spin for quite some time. My only experience with anything Oliver and it was a favorable experience. Impressive machine.

 

[Nutria]

The ability to drill steel will be more about pulley speeds and motor HP than anything else.

 

[larry_g]

Most Oliver tools of the past have been well built beasts, with unobtainium parts being their only downfall. I’ve seen a TS, planer, and maybe a joiner, heavy as heck, and ran very smooth. If yours is that same vintage, my only concerns would be moving it, and spare or repair parts.

In the late 80's I worked in a cabinet shop that had an old Oliver jointer with at least a six foot bed on it. After it was shut off it would continue to spin for quite some time. My only experience with anything Oliver and it was a favorable experience. Impressive machine.

I think that you will find the DP the op is looking at is not the machine that Oliver is know for. The one that the OP is looking at is suspiciously import looking.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[RTM]

I think that you will find the DP the op is looking at is not the machine that Oliver is know for. The one that the OP is looking at is suspiciously import looking.

Yikes, you are right. That does look like cheap ****. Should have been suspicious with that model number.

 

[Steve_P]

That does look like the typical large import drill press. Saying that, I don't think the OP needs anything that big for what he says he wants to do.

I have a ~15 year old 3/4 HP Taiwan made Delta floor standing press, and it has no problem drilling a 7/8 hole with a bit in mild steel plate. Now if you have the $ and want to go big for whatever reason, fine. But I don't think you need a 1.5 HP for what your goals are.

 

[woody 73]

The post reply about pully speed hit the nail on the head.

I don't have an Oliver drill press, but I do have a variable Powermatic drill press. I can give you some helpful tips on that machine. For starters yes it will drill through metal, but not hardened metal, at least for me trying to drill through bed frame rails that **** is made out of indestructible rerolled railroad track steel. yes, it can be done, and I have done it, but the cost in drill bits is not worth it as me how I know this.

For wood my machine it is a beast for every kind of wood thrown at it. The problem lies in the fact that my slowest speed is 450rpm and that is too fast for drilling into some special metals.

I hope this helps you out been there done that.

Woody

 

[seber]

The post reply about pully speed hit the nail on the head.

I don't have an Oliver drill press, but I do have a variable Powermatic drill press. I can give you some helpful tips on that machine. For starters yes it will drill through metal, but not hardened metal, at least for me trying to drill through bed frame rails that **** is made out of indestructible rerolled railroad track steel. yes, it can be done, and I have done it, but the cost in drill bits is not worth it as me how I know this.

For wood my machine it is a beast for every kind of wood thrown at it. The problem lies in the fact that my slowest speed is 450rpm and that is too fast for drilling into some special metals.

I hope this helps you out been there done that.

Woody

I use carbide concrete drilling bits. Sharpen at 10 degrees and go slow or just spin it up and friction drill. I use the friction method for hardened M2 metal cutting circular saw blades to make knives without having to heat treat after.

 

[Maui]

Buy an older South Bend, Walker Turner, Delta, Sears Craftsman, or other vintage cast iron drill press that has the third pulley at the top of the column for speed reduction, and you will easily be able to drill those large diameter holes in steel plate. If you want to drill really big diameter holes in steel you can't beat an old camelback drill press.

 

[Pen & Wrench]

I've done some more looking, and it is true, the current Oliver drill press does appear to be an off shore model. If I were going to buy a drill press today, it would probably be between the Jet Equivalent, a JDP 20MF, also a horse and a half motor, and similar specs. However, the Oliver is stated to be 380 pounds, as compared to the Jet at 282. The Oliver is a third heavier, which might translate to a bit more stability, it looks like it has a wider and heavier base. My "local" dealer, 120 miles away sells Jet, Rikon and Powermatic, but they don't sell Oliver. Either brand is more than adequate for what I will use a drill press for. If I happen to run across a good used vintage drill press I'd probably buy it. But I may end up going with the local dealer and buying the new Jet model. I'm thinking parts and service might be better, the local dealer has a stellar reputation for service.

 

[Pen & Wrench]

Well yesterday I bought the Jet JDP20MF drill press, and set it up this morning. I think I'll be well pleased with it. The dealer I bought it from said they are pretty popular in their service area. So far I've only used a 7 mm brad point wood bit in it, but it drilled my pen blanks with no problem, and has enough quill travel to drill completely through a pen blank, which my previous table model could not do. I think I'll be pretty happy with this setup.