Entry point for a drill press

[tearapin]

Currently, what is the entry point for a drill press? I was looking at the Home Depot Ryobi $150 one today. But thought it might just fall apart.

i would like to keep it under $200.
I am not opposed to watching Craigslist but only the Central Machinery Harbor Freight ones seem to come up.

 

[dr_clyde]

What are you drilling, how big of holes, how often are you doing it and what kind of tolerance do you want to keep?

 

[Stadger]

It seems that you are looking at bench top models. They all tend to be around $75 for the cheap oriental ones and about $150 for mediocre presses. Personally, They are too small for me. Entry level floor models are going to cost $400 or more to get a sturdy one.

 

[tearapin]

What are you drilling, how big of holes, how often are you doing it and what kind of tolerance do you want to keep?

Wood, plastic, occasionally steel. Holes up to about an inch. I bet I would use it once per month. Tolerance... I have been hand drilling so, not sure.

 

[MFolks]

Look at Sears,Home Depot,Lowes and Grizzly,for bench models. If you want a floor model,of course more $$$$.

 

[66Caprice]

Craigslist has them all the time.

 

[brownbagg]

i got a chinesse harbor freight stand up, not the best but it good for what i do, 27 years no problems.

 

[Magnum440d100]

i got a chinesse harbor freight stand up, not the best but it good for what i do, 27 years no problems.

Came to say the same. I got my Harbor Freight floor model a few years ago and it was used. The switch is broken (how it mounts) but it has worked every time I’ve needed it to

 

[techieman33]

I have the Wen 4214, if you keep an eye out they pop up on amazon warehouse deals around $200 regularly. It's gone through 3/4" thick mild steel with a 1/2" bit and didn't give me any problems.

I've used the 8" and 10" harbor freight drill presses. I wasn't impressed with either. They were both lacking in power. Both have stalled out trying to use a 1" spade bit. My Wen didn't even flinch.

 

[Norcal]

Look for a older domestic Delta/Rockwell, Powermatic, Wilton, drill press, leave the ChiCom **** in the scrapyard, have a Chicom Delta & hate it damn chuck keeps falling off.

 

[Lynden]

I have the Wen 4214, if you keep an eye out they pop up on amazon warehouse deals around $200 regularly.

I agree. The WEN 10" and 12" variable-speed drill presses consistently get good reviews. If you buy the drill press at HD, save the receipt and packaging. You can return it within 90 days if you don't like it.

 

[D45]

Craigslist

 

[ford33]

OP needs a location in the profile.
Craigslist.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I upgraded from a 20 yo Delta $60 benchtop DP to a HF $400 floor DP. The coupon knocked it down to $300. The difference was night and day for accuracy n rigidity. The benchtop was basically no different than hand drilling, except for the fact that I had to go to a specific spot to get limited capability.

 

[Doozer75]

Wood, plastic, occasionally steel. Holes up to about an inch. ...

Just to help manage your expectations,
drilling a 1" hole in steel will not happen
with an entry level drill press. That takes
a slow speed and a lot of torque and also
a good bit of downforce, and something
quite rigid. If a 1" hole in steel is something
you truly want to be able to do, that is a
whole different category of machine you
need to look at.

-Doozer

 

[Monza Harry]

9

Just to help manage your expectations,
drilling a 1" hole in steel will not happen
with an entry level drill press. That takes
a slow speed and a lot of torque and also
a good bit of downforce, and something
quite rigid. If a 1" hole in steel is something
you truly want to be able to do, that is a
whole different category of machine you
need to look at. Tru Dat +

-Doozer

You can make some of these do this, but on a good day it will be an exercise in frustration [step drilling, stalling, chuck falling off, as mentioned in a couple of other posts above, lots of drill re-sharpening & ???] and could very well end in breakage! I haven't broke my 9" Crappy Tire DP but I have had to fix my brothers [broke the splined driveshaft, I made it work but it is clearly back-up quality only now [while drilling a small hole (3/8" Dia. DP came with 5/8" chuck IIRC], he rarely uses it now. If you aren't skilled at sharpening drills this will all be worse, you will need excessive down pressure, that will aid the "Grabbing" as you break through, there will also be extra vibration and run-out, these all add much frustration to the job [chuck working it's way off grabbing etc.]. Harry

 

[zkling]

Years ago I was selling my old Delta 14" drill press, as I had upgraded to a Delta 17". So many people called and were upset that it had "Only" a 1/2" chuck on it.

 

[BigGarage]

Currently, what is the entry point for a drill press? I was looking at the Home Depot Ryobi $150 one today. But thought it might just fall apart.

i would like to keep it under $200.
I am not opposed to watching Craigslist but only the Central Machinery Harbor Freight ones seem to come up.

I just went out and looked at mine as I knew I bought it at Harbor Freight. It is a Central Machinery tabletop press. It has 16 speeds from 220 rpm to 3600 rpm. I cannot remember for certain but I think I paid $128 on sale for it and I've had it for about 20 years. I was building birdhouses at the time and needed to be able to drill straight down into a peaked roof to put in hangers.

I have used it on many materials including thinner steel, aluminum, copper and all types of wood. In my opinion, for the price I paid and for what I use it for it's the single best buy I ever made toolwise.

 

[BigGarage]

OP needs a location in the profile.
Craigslist.

Jeez, I thought they wanted the location of my garage when I signed up. I guess I'd better find out how to change it.

 

[rayra]

i got a chinesse harbor freight stand up, not the best but it good for what i do, 27 years no problems.

Half as many years and the same. I mostly use it for driving hole saws. Or when I want a good vertical alignment drilling thru a couple different parts. There's a little too much play in it for real precision.

I'd LIKE to have a good old floor-standing machine etc, but I have neither the room or the money for such.

 

[A**holes Garage]

Under $200 is pretty light duty and low use type units.

If you're a hobbyist it might work, but you'll find yourself tackling bigger holes, more power needs, etc.

Buy once, I bought the moderately priced Grizzly Bench top, on sale now. It has handled everything I've thrown at it over the years.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-12-Speed-Heavy-Duty-Benchtop-Drill-Press/G7943

 

[kbs2244]

Just remember the wood vs metal difference.
The entry level machines are set up for wood.
They spin far too fast for metal.

 

[Falcon67]

Have a nice 16" Cman - had it about 20 years. Good tool. But if you ever get a milling machine, your drill press can get kinda lonely.

 

[b7labelle]

I see drill presses all the time on Facebook marketplace, more than what gets posted on CL

 

[tonyciambrone]

As others said location in profile helps us out...

I got a 1940's Delta off CL for $100. Put a new cord/ switch in it because the old one was falling apart. So we're up to $130.

As far as drilling 1" holes in steel goes, I have done it tons of time just using a bimetal hole saw, slow speed, and tapmagic xtra-thick. Not a lot to it. Putting a 1" twist drill through something, ain't gonna happen.

 

[fire2892]

Face book, Craigslist, gov deals. Buy the biggest heaviest older American machine you can find, afford, and move. You won’t regret it. The speed selection and quality can’t be beat. I have a big powermatic I’m into for about 200 bucks and a 45 min ride to pick it up.

 

[Falcon67]

LOL, depends on your location. I almost never see a drill press on the local craigslist or FB Marketplace. If I did, this IS the land of "craigslist wishfull thinkers".

 

[trbomax]

Look for a older domestic Delta/Rockwell, Powermatic, Wilton, drill press, leave the ChiCom **** in the scrapyard, have a Chicom Delta & hate it damn chuck keeps falling off.

Clean the chuck bore and the spindle with lacquer thiner, then install the chuck with red loctite.You can squeeze out the excess loctite By putting down pressure on the spindle and leave it sit over nite.