Harbor Freight drill press review?

[stephen4785]

Iv been looking for a new drill press and I was wondering about the harbor freight drill presses. Iv found a few links on google that say someone has read good reviews but I havent read any first hand accounts?
Thanks

 

[itsvegas]

you'd prob be better off trying to pick up something used.

 

[overdriv]

Go look at a Craftsman drill press, one of their bigger models. They are of decent quality import stuff. Look at it closely, then compare the HF to it. If the HF is a better made drill press, go for it. Otherwise, the Craftsman would be the minimum quality I'd go for, and it's not great.

 

[sscustom]

check out youtube theres a review on the benchtop hf drill

 

[Danglerb]

Depending on your area a used drill press may be the best option. Here in SoCal all of the larger "home" workshop items like a drill press, table saw, etc. are total dogs to sell at a yard sale, so pretty easy to pick one up cheap with a little patience.

 

[willf650]

I've bent the spindle on my harbor freight drill press. I would not buy another.

 

[1oldtimer]

money well spent on an older drill press. I bought my Craftsman floor model a few years ago for $100, it's from 1973 and even had a new motor....the only thing that's plastic is the belt cover. I can't say enough about old tools, but mine will outlast me.

 

[ToolTom]

I no longer buy anything from Harbor Freight although I do have a small drill press (Central Machinery) that I got from them and it has worked fine. Hasn't had a lot of use though.

 

[ajchien]

The cheapest HF 5 speed is going on sale this weekend for $39.99. Does that make it a good deal? Lol, I might have the need for a drill press like twice a year.

 

[Dog]

I have the 16 speed bench top HF drill press that I paid $179.00 for about 5 years ago. It is still working just fine.

Mine looks like this floor model but it is the bench top version. I would purchase another HF drill press without hesitation.


http://www.harborfreight.com/garage-shop/stationary-drill-press/16-speed-floor-drill-press-43378.html

 

[Gpgtp]

Decent for 40 dollars, especially for infrequent use.

 

[nissan_crawler]

I fried mine, it was $350 or so when I got it from there, lasted about 2 years before the bushings shelled in the motor.

The Jet one I replaced it with is 20x the drill press.

 

[evintho]

Craigslist. Get an older, high quality used one. They're everywhere on there!

 

[malibulvr]

My buddy is giving me one of the larger floor models from HF, I can't tell him no, lol. I would rather have an older one but free is free.

 

[92GreenYJ]

I have the 16 speed bench top HF drill press that I paid $179.00 for about 5 years ago. It is still working just fine.

Mine looks like this floor model but it is the bench top version. I would purchase another HF drill press without hesitation.


http://www.harborfreight.com/garage-shop/stationary-drill-press/16-speed-floor-drill-press-43378.html

I have this floor model. Been running it for a good 6 years now, mostly on steel up to a good 1/2" thick. A bit of wood and PVC and such here and there as well. It's held up very well for me. I would buy another.

 

[TireTracks]

The cheapest HF 5 speed is going on sale this weekend for $39.99. Does that make it a good deal? Lol, I might have the need for a drill press like twice a year.

My dad used one of those were he worked for a while. It would bog and stall with a 1/4" bit in wood.

 

[Tim338]

Don't do it. Buy a used "vintage" model. Or if you have to go the import route look for something made in Taiwan, it will be better quality than Made in China.

 

[gungatim]

I have the 16 speed bench top HF drill press that I paid $179.00 for about 5 years ago. It is still working just fine.

Mine looks like this floor model but it is the bench top version. I would purchase another HF drill press without hesitation.


http://www.harborfreight.com/garage-shop/stationary-drill-press/16-speed-floor-drill-press-43378.html

I have two, the floor model mentioned above in my metal shop and a bench top version in my wood shop. The benchtop is about 15 yrs. old (the old green color) but my floor model is identical to above. Iuse them hard, more than I probably should for an asian tool, but i've only had a couple problems.
1. on the bench model, the lightbulb socket broke.
2. on the floor model, all 3 plastic handlesbroke as well as the on/off switch.
I just put a narrow electrical box in place of the factory switch with a light switch and for handles, epoxied on some wood knobs.

other than that, they were well worth the money compared to buying a new name brand. I see used drill presses all the time but often broken castings or missing pieces make them less than desirable.

I would definitely reccomend the HF drill presses, in my opinion a good buy.

 

[Davefr]

Don't do it. Buy a used "vintage" model. Or if you have to go the import route look for something made in Taiwan, it will be better quality than Made in China.

Good advise but comes with some caveats:

1. Makes sure it's 15 speeds if you plan to work with metal. (these older 4-5 speed DP's are worthless unless you're strictly a woodworker)
2. Make sure it has a table elevation feature unless it's one of those little "toy" benchtop units.
3. Make sure the table has a tilt feature.
4. Go over any used unit with a fine tooth comb. Bent spindles and bad runout issues can translate into parts that are very hard to find or even obsolete.

 

[Vinko]

I picked up one yesterday. Returning it today. Man can't even drill a 2x4 -- spindle is bent -- it's comical. Moving all over the place.

 

[gungatim]

I have the 16 speed bench top HF drill press that I paid $179.00 for about 5 years ago. It is still working just fine.

Mine looks like this floor model but it is the bench top version. I would purchase another HF drill press without hesitation.


http://www.harborfreight.com/garage-shop/stationary-drill-press/16-speed-floor-drill-press-43378.html

have the same one as well as the benchtop version. going strong for over 10 yrs. and just finished milling my 2nd 80% AR lower receiver the other day on it. works as well as any drill press I have ever used. remember, drill presses are pretty complicated machines (not). the ONLY thing I can complain about is the cheap plastic knobs on the handles breaking immediately. some nice hardwood on the lathe made that a non-issue though.

 

[oldldh]

I have this one...

It has drilled all the holes I've asked it to...

Remember what it is/what it's capable of/the results expected/etc...

And you'll be OK...

I bought mine for $ 47.50...

 

[BK13]

Just for S&Gs, everyone who is saying the HF unit isn't good enough, at what price level is a drill press worthy of attention? I plan on using it for both (relatively small amount) steel fab work and woodworking... brands I should be looking at (assume I don't know anything about drill presses and fear getting burned by a clapped out used one)

 

[Vinko]

Just for S&Gs, everyone who is saying the HF unit isn't good enough, at what price level is a drill press worthy of attention? I plan on using it for both (relatively small amount) steel fab work and woodworking... brands I should be looking at (assume I don't know anything about drill presses and fear getting burned by a clapped out used one)

Can't answer that -- but maybe I just got a bad unit from HF. I took a video and I'll post it here. Maybe not the greatest video but it's obvious you couldn't drill with any sort of precision (because the taper wasn't straight) an 1/8" hole. I know a guy who spent about $400 on an HF press (can't remember the model) and swears by it so maybe it's luck of the draw.

Having said that, I have a Jet drill press (older Japanese model) that's OK. And got a Palmgren (seems a few steps above HF) that's OK too. So far.

 

[uart]

Can't answer that -- but maybe I just got a bad unit from HF. I took a video and I'll post it here. Maybe not the greatest video but it's obvious you couldn't drill with any sort of precision (because the taper wasn't straight) an 1/8" hole.

Yeah post up the video Vinko, I'd be interested to take a look.

BTW. Does it wobble (run out) at the taper itself, or is it only below the chuck that you notice it. If it's only below the chuck then it might just be that the chuck has been put on a little bit "cocked".

 

[Vinko]

Yeah post up the video Vinko, I'd be interested to take a look.

BTW. Does it wobble (run out) at the taper itself, or is it only below the chuck that you notice it. If it's only below the chuck then it might just be that the chuck has been put on a little bit "cocked".

At the taper itself. We had planned on putting a nice Jacobs chuck on it.

Do you know a good site to post the vid other than youtube? Don't want to have to sign up for an account but I guess it's easy enough. Was looking for a place for video that's the equivalent of freeimagehosting.com

 

[uart]

Do you know a good site to post the vid other than youtube?

Do you have a gmail account. If so, you can just log in to google drive ( https://www.google.com/drive/ ) and upload whatever you want and share a link to it. That's probably the most "ad free" way to go.

Otherwise there are other free video hosting sites that don't require an account, but I think most of them are fairly ad heavy. I think TinyPic lets you upload pictures and videos.