Topic: Drill press

[CaféElite]

Looking for your guys opinion on a drill press. What do you guys think is the best for the money?

Would like multi speed and floor mounted unless you can give me a reason for a table mount...

[tramp]

save your money and buy a good old one in good shape
the new ones are all from china

[SD750F]

And spend the money to get one with an electronic speed control. It will be one of the only ones that can dial a slow enough speed for an auto-tapping attachment.

Scott

[bunghole]

I bought one of those Lowe's brand (Delta maybe?) and I got it specifically because it had a variable speed and went slow enough for drilling steel without having to worry too much about heat.  Anyhoo, the first week I had it, one of the plastic belt pulleys broke and now I don't have the slowest speed anymore. 

I'm with tramp on getting a good used one.

Also, I got a bench mount and I haven't regretted that aspect of it.  Saves a little floorspace and is easier to move.  Usually cheaper too.

[Steve F]

Look for buying a good DELTA or AVEY.  They're built like a battle ship...at least the old ones are.  If you can't find anything like that, take a close look at the drive, and plastic is out in that area, and aluminum pulleys are iffy.  Something in the 1 to 2 hp range would be really good.  Electronic speed controls are nice if you don't overload or stall it.  A 1/2" chuck is a must.
my $.02 worth

[fuzzybutt]

i have that delta benchtop one, had it 6 years now. mine has metal pulleys though.

[333]

I'm definitely into the older tools.  My 1950s Craftsman is still running strong, with the original belt and all.  As for the floor/bench issue, I'd say go with the one that you have the space for.  You'll give up bench space or floor space.  Choose what you'll miss the least.

[mark]

save your money and buy a good old one in good shape
the new ones are all from china

+1  
found a 30 year old Sears machine that looked like it just came out of the box - at a yard sale for $125 .
tag says U.S.A.
dam it's heavy.

 

[eldar]

Check around for farm auctions. You can find old ones there usually. Farm I used to live on had an old press. EVERYTHING except the belt was steel or iron. It had NO guards or covers or any of the sissy safety stuff!
Thing would chew through plow blades and anything else we put under it. Had to be at least 50+ years old.

[Artfrombama]

My favorite is a Clausing variable speed.
Almost as important as the machine itself is having a quality vise unless you like trips to the emergency room.

[bunghole]

My favorite is a Clausing variable speed.
Almost as important as the machine itself is having a quality vise unless you like trips to the emergency room.

I don't intend to hijack, but I'd like to hear more about press vises.  I've seem some that are ridiculously pricey and others that are really cheap.  What constitutes the difference?  And are there any must-have features when shopping?

Thanks!

[Artfrombama]

My favorite is a Clausing variable speed.
Almost as important as the machine itself is having a quality vise unless you like trips to the emergency room.

I don't intend to hijack, but I'd like to hear more about press vises.  I've seem some that are ridiculously pricey and others that are really cheap.  What constitutes the difference?  And are there any must-have features when shopping?

Thanks!

You get what you pay for.
You want a vise that the jaws stay parallel as you tighten them on the part and can be clamped down with clamps in the "T" slots of the drill press table.
On more than one occasion I've had to turn the vise on it's side to hold odd-shaped pieces so a vise with flat sides is nice to have.
A set of hardened parallels is nice to have to keep your work level and to keep from drilling through your vise or table.
For most of us that may use a machine like a drill press maybe once or twice a week the cheap stuff is fine. A 4" or 6" vise is perfect for most of us, the quick release is nice to have.
Always position the vise so it can't rise and rotate when the drill starts to break through and grabs. Do this by either clamping the vise to the table or position your work or the vise so that it's aganst the drill press mast.
When you feel the drill start to break through the work, slow the feed way down to prevent the drill grabbing the work and rotating.


Search Dayton, Enco, Grangers, and our ol' pal eBay.

[Soos]

And spend the money to get one with an electronic speed control. It will be one of the only ones that can dial a slow enough speed for an auto-tapping attachment.

Scott

You're kidding right?

Tapping attachments can tap up to 2000 rpm(ok good ones can) too bad most taps can't take that kind of rpm's though.

Self reversing ones are the ones to get if you buy one.


l8r

[SD750F]

I have a self reversing tapping attachement. And I use it for soft metal (aluminum) and plastics. So slow speed is required. Especially for taps <1/4. Most of my stuff is 6-32, 4-40, and 2-56! So I was expressing my opinion for the WIDEST range of use. So that is why I suggested one with an electronic speed control.

Scott

And spend the money to get one with an electronic speed control. It will be one of the only ones that can dial a slow enough speed for an auto-tapping attachment.

Scott

You're kidding right?

Tapping attachments can tap up to 2000 rpm(ok good ones can) too bad most taps can't take that kind of rpm's though.

Self reversing ones are the ones to get if you buy one.


l8r

[dpen]

I have a drill press I scrounged from my dad when it looked like he was going to hurt himself (87 yo)
  big heavy steel thing with six double sets of pulleys - to change speeds you have to move the belt to different pulleys
  goes well with the circa 1950 "Hercus" lathe I took as well

[Soos]

Odd....

Most metals I tap are really exotic stainless steels, but when I tap aluminum 700-1500 rpm works great. Depending on the type of aluminum.
Could be the cutting fluids I have access to.(and tap profiles?)
With the aluminum tapmatic cutting fluid tapping aluminum with a 1/4-20 tap 1200rpm is no prob.
Now tapping a solid stellite casting...50 rpm is pushing it. No matter what the tapping fluid used.
Pure nickel taps NASTY on it's own, but the right fluid, and it taps fine at 500rpm.

One tip to tapping aluminum, polish the flutes if you can, the aluminum will not stick as well.
But thats an art in itself, as you can bugger the tap in the process dulling the cutting edges.


l8r.

[peten]

try finding a walker-turner.  we've had one for decades.  no fancy stuff on it but a decent vise, and the thing is indestructible.  dad had it in his shop (bought it used) and it's survived fifteen years in our cycle shop.  unless you're doing a lot of tapping or production work I wouldn't bother with these attachments, or if you really want them.

just my two cents'....

[Uncle Ernie]

We have something called "Tru-Drill".  Recently converted from steam power to electricity, I think.  You change speeds by moving the belts around, but I never do.  Same speed for granite, marble, wood, and steel.  For somethings I keep a spray bottle of water, sometimes 3-in-1 oil.
I buy bits by the dozen...

   

[754]

Soos, you are a speed tapping maniac..

 I feel so unworthy.. my drill press/tapper.....only taps about 200 pcs an hour of 5/16 thread x .800 long workpieces...

[dustyc]

I've got a Delta -sounds like what Fuzzy has and it's served me well for light fabrication.  I built a bench just for it and made it with casters on the back so I can roll it around.  I just use the Delta vice, nothing fancy and it works for my purposes. 

One of the best things I've bought is a Drill Doctor bit sharpener.  I can't tell you how happy that thing has made me.  Always having a sharp bit and the ability to accurately sharpen your bits is great.

[Soos]

One of the best things I've bought is a Drill Doctor bit sharpener.  I can't tell you how happy that thing has made me.  Always having a sharp bit and the ability to accurately sharpen your bits is great.

+1!!
If you don't know or want to learn how to shgarpen drill bits, this is probably the best $$ investment for a home drill press, besides a good set of drill bits.
If you pretty much never plan on drilling unusual or really hard metals most sets are ok.
If you want to do a lot of rotor hole patterns, I would choose cobalt drill bits.

Don't forget that coated drill bits are great.
But once you sharpen them you loose some of the coating on your cutting edge.
Some coatings are great for aluminum though, helps keep it from sticking to the flutes of the drill.






And yes i am a tappin' fool, but having a $3000 tapping head and a 250,000$ cnc to use it on helps to.
Too bad i can't park that baby in my garage though.
Work might think somethings up if it were missing anyways.
 

l8r

[754]

Ah, I thought we were talking abut small drills..

 We have a Giddings & Lewis at work.. CNC drill.. with 40 ft  of travel..

[Soos]

Yeah mine's a baby.
Only a few foot of travel in any axis.


Gotta love a good G&L though.


l8r

[Soos]

Ah, I thought we were talking abut small drills..

 

get a few beers in me and i miss the small details sometimes...

l8r

[DarkRider]

Not sure what brand it is...all i know is that its some cheep press that my dad bought years ago from a garage sale. Seems to be sturdy enough and has the variable speed pulleys as well that are made out of steel. Its worked perfectly fine for everything i have ever used it for but its also sat in the basement of the new house for the past 3 years unused..one day it will make its way out to the garage same with the old black and decker bench grinder.