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Suggest A Drill Press For Under $500

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Blackend

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Oct 21, 2009
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Location
Round Rock, Texas
Need a floor standing model, will use it mostly for drilling metal, thin sheet and tube, and other random automotive parts. Figure it will see some wood action too but that's easier than metal so it shouldn't matter much...right?

I've got around $500 to spend and would like to be able to walk in somewhere, purchase, and walk out. I'm less and less impressed with Craftsman, but it's mostly what I know...just need a good tool that will last a while and figured I'd ask the experts!

Been watching CL for a good used machine, but there's not much activity in Austin lately.


TIA,
Brian
 
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Krawlin98ZJ

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Jul 23, 2005
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NE Ohio
I would suggest watching craigslist for an older used american made drill press. I own a JET JDP-17MF which cost somewhere around $500 when I bought it a few years ago, I also have a Craftsman 150 from the 70's that I only paid $100 for. When comparing the two I would say the craftsman is just as good if not better than the JET and it cost at least $400 less. Now dont get me wrong, the JET is a great drill press (it will easily drill 1" holes through 5/8" flat stock) but the older models are a much better value.
 
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jmh21586

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Pine City, MN
I'm in the same boat. It's almost like CL knows that I'm looking for a drill press and thus none ever show up within a reasonable distance. Murphy's law I guess.
If I buy a new one it will be a Ridgid from HD. They're nice. My company has one in their shop and the shop guy likes it. I've never heard anything bad about them.
 
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CraftsmanOnCall

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Louisville, KY
Watch CraigsList for a used ShopSmith -- I spent $200 on a 1949 ShopSmith when I was shopping for a stand-up drill press. Best $200 I ever spent -- the ShopSmith lays down so you can use it as a horizontal drill press as well -- Many other uses too, plus the just don't build tools like that anymore.
 
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woody 73

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The Great State Up North
Hi,

I have a powermatic drill press and I love it the only problem is that $500.00 will not cover the cost of a new one. Sometimes you can get a great deal on a 3-phase drill press (I have heard of people replacing the motor for a single phase motor).

As the others have said Jet and Ridgid are good machines.

Good luck!
 
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Crizzle

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Dec 2, 2009
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506
Location
Indianapolis
I am in the same boat. watching watching watching for a drill press on CL. Nothing has popped in the last few weeks. :(

I really would like a Fisch DP2000, but they haven't been in stock at Amazon for a while. And no idea when they will be back in stock.
 
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tigmusky

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Dec 22, 2007
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forest lake minnesota
Hang tight. Don't be in a hurry! do the Cl waiting game something will pop. $500.00 for a new one at HD or northern..... you won't be happy with it. If your willing to up the ante, buy a mill its just a kick a$$ drill press.
 
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Mickey_D

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Sep 15, 2008
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Austin, TX
I used to have a Rigid and they are not bad, not great, and that was one of the older Taiwan models that were a lot nicer than the current chicom ones. Check out dallas.craigslist.org/tls . Looks like a coupld of decent ones and only a couple of hours from you.
 
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rsanter

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Dec 22, 2007
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visalia ca
a $500 budget gives you lots of options
also look at getting an older Mill
even a worn mill will make a great drill press and still give some additional abilities

bob
 
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B

Blackend

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Oct 21, 2009
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Location
Round Rock, Texas
blackice said:
I have a Ridgid from Home Depot, and I love it.....

http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hard...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
Click to expand...

Was looking at that one specifically...problem is I have a project that I would like to knock out this weekend with it and shipping wouldn't get it here in time...

CraftsmanOnCall said:
Watch CraigsList for a used ShopSmith -- I spent $200 on a 1949 ShopSmith when I was shopping for a stand-up drill press. Best $200 I ever spent -- the ShopSmith lays down so you can use it as a horizontal drill press as well -- Many other uses too, plus the just don't build tools like that anymore.
Click to expand...

This one is for sale locally: http://austin.craigslist.org/tls/1534263593.html
I just don't want to lose the floor space in my garage. I'm basically working out of 1 bay of my 3 car garage and with tools/welder/bench/engines/materials space is at a premium. That's why I was looking for a floor standing model

Mickey_D said:
I used to have a Rigid and they are not bad, not great, and that was one of the older Taiwan models that were a lot nicer than the current chicom ones. Check out dallas.craigslist.org/tls . Looks like a coupld of decent ones and only a couple of hours from you.
Click to expand...

Yeah - I'm going to branch out my CL search. Shame, I was just up in Dallas over the holiday and didn't even think to look while I was there!

rsanter said:
a $500 budget gives you lots of options
also look at getting an older Mill
even a worn mill will make a great drill press and still give some additional abilities

bob
Click to expand...

tigmusky said:
Hang tight. Don't be in a hurry! do the Cl waiting game something will pop. $500.00 for a new one at HD or northern..... you won't be happy with it. If your willing to up the ante, buy a mill its just a kick a$$ drill press.
Click to expand...

Hahaa - funny you guys should mention, I just sold the mill we had and now have money for the drill press! Problem with the mill was the size...not bad when I had it at a partner's place with plenty of room and 3 phase power, but I didn't want to bring it down from Stillwater, OK to Austin, TX and then have to run 3 phase in my garage just for the occasional drilling I do for projects...plus lose the floor space!

Keep the suggestions coming guys - anybody had good experiences with some of the Craftsman models I could walk into Sears and buy this weekend or should I just come to terms with the potential of not working on my solid lifter conversion this weekend!?!?!?! :D :lol_hitti
 
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scottmlew

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Nov 24, 2008
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Forgive me if this is a stupid idea, but might you find a lower-end mill on CL that would serve as a fine drill press, and a low-precision mill for when you want to do such work?
 
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Blackend

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Oct 21, 2009
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Round Rock, Texas
Anybody have an educated opinion?

The older Delta or the pair of Rigid machines?


As I mentioned, I really want to work with the drill press this weekend if possible...
 
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Mickey_D

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Austin, TX
The Delta looks a little more substantial but seems to be priced a little high. Offer $250 and see what happens.
 
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nissan_crawler

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Wichita, KS
tigmusky said:
Hang tight. Don't be in a hurry! do the Cl waiting game something will pop. $500.00 for a new one at HD or northern..... you won't be happy with it. If your willing to up the ante, buy a mill its just a kick a$$ drill press.
Click to expand...

I'll argue that, I couldn't find one on CL for over a year here. I'm quite happy with mine, and it was less than $500.

http://www.redmondmachinery.com/browse.cfm/4,869.html
 
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trythis

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st louis
I have no confidence in the new delta or jet machines in the price range you are looking, or triple that really. The cranks are all plastic, the tables thin, the flat gear (rack) on the main post will not move if the table is loaded. The rack will stick in the bottom and bend when you try to rotate the table. These are "drill press shaped objects" It will be well worth your while to wait for the right press form the "70's or earlier.
If you are patient you can get a fantastic press that will be roughly equivalent to this:
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/3WRN7?Pid=search
for $500, or save a little more while you wait and it will be easier to buy one.

I paid $300 for an old powermatic variable speed. I had to make a few parts for it, but it was definitely worth the wait.
 
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sgrammel

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The 'couv
The one I have in my garage collecting dust
Misc


Portland, Oregon area
 
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nissan_crawler

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trythis said:
I have no confidence in the new delta or jet machines in the price range you are looking, or triple that really. The cranks are all plastic, the tables thin, the flat gear (rack) on the main post will not move if the table is loaded. The rack will stick in the bottom and bend when you try to rotate the table. These are "drill press shaped objects" It will be well worth your while to wait for the right press form the "70's or earlier.
If you are patient you can get a fantastic press that will be roughly equivalent to this:
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/3WRN7?Pid=search
for $500, or save a little more while you wait and it will be easier to buy one.

I paid $300 for an old powermatic variable speed. I had to make a few parts for it, but it was definitely worth the wait.
Click to expand...

I'll argue that. Mine is not plastic, the table is not thin, I have a 75# slide table, and a 10# vise on it, and it will still slide with an 8' stick of 1/4" wall 2x2. The rack has not stuck, and has not bent.

Yep, real thin table...

DSC00792.jpg
 
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krooser

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Waupaca, Wisconsin
I paid $160.00 for my 40's vintage Delta-Rockwell... made in Pittsburg, PA. Weighs somewhere north of 300#'s... look at mine then look at the typical Jet/C-Man/HF/Chi-Com stuff and it looks like a 747 parked next to a hang glider...

Don't forget Ebay and local industrial auctions and used industrial equipment dealers...
 
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nissan_crawler

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used equipment is hard to come by in some areas, and it sounds like his is one. Mine is, also.

finding an older american drill press with a 1+hp motor, large table, and goes down to 150 rpm might show up once in 5 years.
 
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B

Blackend

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Oct 21, 2009
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Round Rock, Texas
nissan_crawler said:
used equipment is hard to come by in some areas, and it sounds like his is one. Mine is, also.

finding an older american drill press with a 1+hp motor, large table, and goes down to 150 rpm might show up once in 5 years.
Click to expand...


My area is like that - you won't see anything for months and all of a sudden a shop closes and they sell great tools on the cheap! I couldn't wait (well, didn't want to!) and bought the Jet yesterday. Does exactly what I need it for, worked like a champ today. 1 solid lifter almost done, only 23 more to go! :lol_hitti
 
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krooser

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nissan_crawler said:
I'll argue that. Mine is not plastic, the table is not thin, I have a 75# slide table, and a 10# vise on it, and it will still slide with an 8' stick of 1/4" wall 2x2. The rack has not stuck, and has not bent.

Yep, real thin table...

DSC00792.jpg
Click to expand...

That table IS a little bigger than the normal "Chinese" press but look at this one...

100_0764.jpg


100_0770.jpg


100_0768.jpg


Five speeds on the pulley and a four speed gear box on the motor...

This was a $160.00 FleaBay find... there are lots more out there.

I had a Taiwan drill press for 10 years or so... the table to spindle bracket broke twice (bad castings) and the chuck was junk... working on this machine is a night and day difference... I could put an engine block on the table and feel confident it would hold.

I've found that buying these old machines allows you to really do better work than you can do on a cheap machine... my mill is a WWII-vintage ex-US Navy piece and I have other older machines that were all great deals and cheaper than buying "hobby" machines.
 
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TheGrooveking

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An alternate reality in a parallel universe.
If you can find an old / used Clausing you'll be getting the best you can. Many are 3 phase as that they were reversable, but you can always get a new 220 volt single phase motor. Clausings are some of the stoughtest drill presses made and many machine shops/tool & die shops and mold shops who are closing would be selling them.

TheGrooveking
 
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Mickey_D

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Austin, TX
I will second a Clausing. I watched CL for four years here before one showed up, but it was a trap. I had to buy a whole shop full of equipment just to get the drill press, but it is a nice 15" 6' variable speed model. Very smooth and this is the first reeves drive that I have had that does not howl like a banshee. Old Powermatics and US Deltas are also nice, so don't rule one of them out either.
 
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nissan_crawler

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krooser said:
That table IS a little bigger than the normal "Chinese" press but look at this one...
Five speeds on the pulley and a four speed gear box on the motor...

This was a $160.00 FleaBay find... there are lots more out there.

I had a Taiwan drill press for 10 years or so... the table to spindle bracket broke twice (bad castings) and the chuck was junk... working on this machine is a night and day difference... I could put an engine block on the table and feel confident it would hold.

I've found that buying these old machines allows you to really do better work than you can do on a cheap machine... my mill is a WWII-vintage ex-US Navy piece and I have other older machines that were all great deals and cheaper than buying "hobby" machines.
Click to expand...

Umm, that table isn't any thicker than what I have, looks like a tossup to me. Also, what size is that motor?

Great if you can find one local, here, you can't. It just doesn't happen, same with toolboxes and such. Not only that, but I've never seen an older drill press on craigslist or such here that would go under 200 rpm, almost all were 5 or 10 speeds.

If you can find used quality machines in your local area, great. My point is, so many people on this board don't understand that it is an option at all in some areas. you might wait ten years here for something like that, meanwhile, that's a lot of holes not getting drilled.

Lathes? good luck. hardly ever on here, and they sell for $1500 and up, usually without tooling.
 
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