It all depends if you want a machine to use, or to look at. If you want the most practical drill press you will ever have, buy a cheap mill-drill. Once you see what it's like to clamp your part in a solid vise and use X and Y cranks to move your part exactly under the spindle, you won't ever go back again. Plus, you can hold in a boring head with the drawbar.
And if you do want a traditional drill press, the Taiwanese good quality ones are fine machines. Buy a machine that has a removable chuck. Bring along a buddy who is a machinist, who has a mag stand with a dial test indicator, and indicate the inside of the spindle taper as you turn the spindle (by hand). If it isn't nearly perfect, walk.
On all drill presses, replace the chuck with a good quality one. I prefer Jacobs ball bearing keyed chucks, but the Albrecht and Rohm keyless work well too. Buying a top quality chuck will cost some do-re-mi but will seriously cut down on your drill runout.
There are lots of things that can be rebuilt on old drill presses. The hardest IMO is spline wear. When you're looking at a used DP, grab the spindle and rotate it sharply back and forth. If you hear looseness or a distinct slap, walk.
metalmagpie
