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Drill Press

Marlin Adams

Marlin Adams

Joined
Dec 26, 2018
Messages
14
Likes
2
Location
Rockwall,Texas
Since I have a small shop basically a 10'x16' I am limited on space for power tools. I have a R4516 job site tablesaw on roll around stand and a small wen 9 inch bandsaw did have a 8 inch drill press untill it died (12 yrs old HF one). I do have a wen 13 inch planner but planning on later to build a fliptop workbench to put it and a small jointer on it.
I was wondering what is the smallest drill press I would need for pens and other small projects I am wanting to do or what do some of you have?
 
Marlin, do you have the space for a Shopsmith? They can be had pretty cheap on the used market, and make for a good drill press. Just throwing it out there for your consideration.
 
I currently do not have a drill press--but I do make pens. The problem with smaller drill presses for pens is the drilling depth capacity (depending on the pen style you're making).

When I make pens, I drill on the lathe--it takes a bit of planning, especially if you're cutting your own pen blanks. Pen jaws (or pin jaws) are very helpful. I don't do production work (pens are gifts, as are most any other items I make)--but when I feel like it, I will just set up my chuck and pre-drill several pen blanks, and store the drilled blanks away for future use. I find the pen mill works just fine in the lathe.

I think the only thing capability that a drill press would give me is drilling holes that are truly perpendicular to flat wood--and I don't find the need to do that.
 
I was handed down my wife's grandpas drill press. It's an old one but worked fine until I bought a jig for my pen blanks. As mentioned, you'll need one that has some pretty good adjustment for the table to lower enough should you have or add a pen jig. I have a lathe chuck and have used it a couple times but not for pen blanks. The reason I haven't tried drilling my blanks on the lathe is the issue of getting the blank perfectly mounted so I can get a straight hole. You may be able to save room and money if you can drill on the lathe. I bought a new drill press as pens aren't the only thing I drill and I needed more clearance from my old press.
 
I am not real cramped for room. My shop is about 16 x 22. I have a floor model drill press, an old Enco, mounted on casters so it can be moved around. I drill big stuff on the drill press, and little stuff on the lathe. If I need to drill out a poplar turning blank, with a 1.5 inch forstner, I go straight to the drill press. For drilling a 1/4 inch dowel lengthwise, the lathe.
 
Find an old Delta or Walker Turner bench top model. They are better built and have a legit 1/2 (or whatever the hp is) hp motor compared to the new motors which “claim” 1/2 hp but aren’t.

You will get a better machine for the same money as a new one.
 
I have a Delta benchtop DP. It is a bit short for some blanks but I drill to the limit, crank up the table, insert the bit and finish drilling. I use a HF machinists vise for drilling. Photo attached. I tried drilling on the lathe but takes too long. If the blank isn't square, then you have to turn it round and change everything to drill. The only way I would do that is if I was doing a bunch of pens that had the same blank.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20171118_060456492_HDR.jpg
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well when I first bought the harbor freight drill press I went thru 3 of them because each one had a slight wobble to them. Other words I use a 1/4 drill bit and the hole it drill was slightly larger than the bit. And it happen be be a problem on 3 of their drill press I bought then exchange because of the wobble. I ended up having to use a drill bit smaller than what I needed like for a 1/4 inch I used a 15/64th and it work. A friend has a general 8 inch and I tested it and wow no wobble :). Plus the harbor freight was a 8inch and I would really like to get a 13 inch.

A 13 inch would be a little heavier so having to exchange it would be a pain :) Plus I am still kicking around the ideal of a benchtop or floor model.
 
Back in the 90s I bought a Craftsman Radial Drill press with the dreams of flexibility for some day making a chair plus I loved the look of them when I saw them in Sears as a kid.

It worked well if precision wasn’t No 1. When I tried drilling pen blanks I couldn’t get it right no matter how I tried. As a kid the first tool to could use with my grandfather was his Craftsman DP from the 50s. One came up locally so I bought it. Straight holes and a real 1/2 hp motor.

I’m a big proponent of modern tools like a lathe but for a DP or Jointer or other machine that is the same today as 50 yrs ago older is better.

This is just my opinion and everyone is different. I don’t mind restoring an old tool, some don’t and that’s fine. Some like new but old can be a very cost effective solution.
 
Don Jarvie said:
Back in the 90s I bought a Craftsman Radial Drill press with the dreams of flexibility for some day making a chair plus I loved the look of them when I saw them in Sears as a kid.

It worked well if precision wasn’t No 1. When I tried drilling pen blanks I couldn’t get it right no matter how I tried. As a kid the first tool to could use with my grandfather was his Craftsman DP from the 50s. One came up locally so I bought it. Straight holes and a real 1/2 hp motor.

I’m a big proponent of modern tools like a lathe but for a DP or Jointer or other machine that is the same today as 50 yrs ago older is better.

This is just my opinion and everyone is different. I don’t mind restoring an old tool, some don’t and that’s fine. Some like new but old can be a very cost effective solution.
Click to expand...

Yea I been looking for a good used drill press and in my area without having to have one shipped well the quality been kinda of iffy on the ones I been looking at or they been priced kinda high.
 
My thinking on a full size drill press is that the full height and half height (a.k.a bench top) take the same amount of space in the shop, it's just that the bench top also takes up space on a bench.
 
Have a Jet floor model (JDP-17 stk# 716300). Best thing like about it and reason I went with this one is the 5" quill travel. Paid $609.oo for it --- free ship and no tax.
 
Long quill travel along with a floor model which allows longer pieces to be mounted for drilling is a big plus. A bench mount drill press has limitations that are difficult to work around when you have larger pieces to work with.
 
Well a friend of mine upgraded his drill press from a 8 inch to a 17 inch so he gonna let me use his 8 inch right now. I am needing a jointer for some projects I want to do down the road so saving money for one right now. But I am got my mind set on a floor model since I am rearranging my shop storage solutions for more floor space.
 
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