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Drill Press - Need your recommendations

Rafter-SRafter-S Member Posts: 2,173 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited September 2002 in General Discussion
I need to buy a table model drill press for my home shop and would like to keep the price under $200. I notice that Delta makes what looks like a pretty good one for under $150. I would really appreciate your recommendations as to make and model, and also where to buy.

There is always a wealth of experience in this forum.

Rafter-S
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Comments

  • SunraySunray Member Posts: 773 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What is it for? Just plain old drilling of wood and sometimes steel? Look for ease of changing speeds and east access to the belts. That sort of goes together though. Delta is a well known machine that I think comes with a good warrantee so it could well be the way to go. The price is within your budget and they are good machines.
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  • Rafter-SRafter-S Member Posts: 2,173 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just occasional drilling of wood and steel, nothing super heavy duty.
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  • tccoxtccox Member Posts: 7,379 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    harbor freight for about 60 bucks. Tom

    Those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who dont.
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  • ATFATF Member Posts: 11,683 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Harbor Frieght is a decent machine for around $50.00-$60.00 I've had mine a while and use it often.





    ATF
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  • LowriderLowrider Member Posts: 6,587
    edited November -1
    You can get a nice Craftsman for less than 200 samolians.

    Lord Lowrider the LoquaciousMember:Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets She was only a fisherman's daughter,But when she saw my rod she reeled.
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  • Harleeman1030Harleeman1030 Member Posts: 1,505 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    i have the 12 inch craftsman..
    3 years old no problems

    www.sears.com

    NRA MEMBER
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  • muleymuley Member Posts: 1,583 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'll add my voice to getting the Craftsman. I've had mine through three bird dogs and still going strong. Great guarantee too.

    muley

    **I love the smell of Hoppes #9 in the morning**
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  • bartobarto Member Posts: 4,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    i have to chime in here & say- in the future you will wish you had gotten a floor model. mucho easier to clean up after plus being more portable & freeing up bench space.
    not a heckuva lot of difference in price. jmho
    barto

    the hard stuff we do right away - the impossible takes a little longer
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  • TOOLS1TOOLS1 Member Posts: 6,133
    edited November -1
    My father bought a floor model over 20 years ago. It was an off brand bought at Tractor Supply. It served wery well and never gave any trouble. We had even drilled 1 1/4 inch holes in 1/2in plate.
    I sold it last summer at a garage sale. Did not want to but the man paid me more for it than a new one cost.
    TOOLS

    When I was a child, I thought as a child. But now that I am growen, I just wish I could act like a child and get away with it.
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  • TrinityScrimshawTrinityScrimshaw Member Posts: 9,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I jsut got a 9" Craftsman table mounted Drill press for around $79. It was on sale, and I used my Craftsman Tool Club membership to get an additional 10% off. It works fine, and seems to be all the drill press I will need to do small arms work, and other small odds & ends around the shop.

    Trinity +++

    "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it."(Proverbs 22:6)
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  • snarlgardsnarlgard Member Posts: 1,310 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    have to go with what some of the others said on here
    go for the floor model
    you will find that with a bench top drill press that there are things you would like to do that you don't have the depth of cut to do
    I have a brand new delta morticing attachment that i would love to use but i will have to wait untill i can get a floor model drill press
    doesn't cost that much more at harbor freight for a floor model

    SMILE...MAKE EM WONDER WHAT YOUR UP TO
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  • Rafter-SRafter-S Member Posts: 2,173 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Many thanks, guys. Your experience and comments are sincerely appreciated. You have convinced me to reconsider the floor models. Though they cost more, they do have several advantages.

    Thanks again,
    Rafter-S
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  • lokdok1lokdok1 Member Posts: 383 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Rafter,
    I have the harbor freight bench top model, I wish I would have gotten the floor model. Sometimes when I use a cross-vise there is no room on the bench model.

    If you don't know your rights, you dont't have any!
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  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bench or floor, look for a model that will allow you to ad thing like mortising bits. Not all will, but Delta will. Don't know about Craftsman.

    A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand
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  • TrinityScrimshawTrinityScrimshaw Member Posts: 9,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have to admit that a floor model is the best way to go, but I took a table top style because of space considerations. A small shop calls for small tools!

    Trinity +++

    "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it."(Proverbs 22:6)
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  • Judge DreadJudge Dread Member Posts: 2,372 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    www.smithy.com look at their mill machines , and look at it as an investment ,buy cheap waste money deep .......

    A good machine tool can pay itself in weeks ,there is a war comming you know!!!!!!!!

    Good training videos and good client service....

    Tell them Judge Dread recomended !!!!

    JD

    400 million cows can't be wrong ( EAT GRASS !!! )
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  • daddodaddo Member Posts: 3,408
    edited November -1
    Save yourself the frustration of buying one that is underpowered as it will stall and hangup constantly and really tick you off. Get at least a 1/2 hp motor and one with a throat depth minimum of 8 inches. I use the cheaper one for small things, but for building furniture and drilling metal, the big boy is the only one that does the job. May cost another $60.00, but it's worth it all the way!
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