Drill press

[Stanley Cox]

I need to upgrade my drill press from a Delta 8" to a floor model 15" or larger. Been looking at a Delta 15" and Sears 15". Both seem about equal in quality and price. What do you builders recomend?
Thanks in advance,

Stanley

ps Need to hog out the inside of the back,getting behind.

[Hans]

Look into a good radial drill press.

[james condino]

Hold out for a nice old Walker Turner. It may take a bit to find one, but they are worth the wait.

j.
www.condino.com

[John Bertotti]

Hans do you have a picture of a good radial drill press, or a name?

[bienkow1]

I am not a luthier by any means, but I do work in a rotary tool and die shop. Carlton is a trusted name in radial drills. Cincinnati as well, but may be harder to come by.

[mythicfish]

<Hold out for a nice old Walker Turner. It may take a bit to find one, but they are worth the wait.>

You might be applying for Social Security benefits before you find someone willing to part with one.

[Hans]

John, I've had this old Sears for years. Works, but Grizzly has a monster that I drool over. Model G9969 45" swing, and 500 lbs...

[John Bertotti]

Thanks I will check it out. I remember this coming up a few years ago and I have been keeping an eye out for an old milling machine like some one posted. I steer clear of my little table top drill press for anything that needs any kind of accuracy because it can't do it.


This Grizzly??


Is it just the large diameter capabilities you like?

[Paul Hostetter]

Two details of drill presses to consider:

1) a table that raises and lowers with a crank, rather than brute force.

2) a forward and reverse switch for the motor. I don't use it often, but having the arbor turn either direction with the flip of a switch has been a real boon enough times to more than justify the time and expense of putting one on it. I doubt it's a feature you'll find on a regular product, but it's not hard to install.

Mine's a Wilton, it's a solid item that has been doing very well for me for more than 30 years now.

[Hans]

John, that's it. I like the large swing of radials...you can chuck a drum sander and sand the rib/top assembly, and you can drill at any angle to 45, you can rough out necks with a drum sander chucked. They are much more versitile than machinist's drill presses. I'd say at 500+ lbs this one is accurate. Mount a large table to the base and you are all set.

[Mteresko]

Two details of drill presses to consider:

1) a table that raises and lowers with a crank, rather than brute force.

I found a Walker Turner on ebay a year or two ago. Its a very nice machine except for the table lift issue (no crank). We resolved it by sticking a bottle jack underneath, not very elegant but effective.

[carlnut]

I do wood work of all kinds, especially furniture and wooden toys. I have found that you are better off to find a good used older American made tools that the new imports. The tolerences are usually much tighter on the American made tools.You can find them on ebay, at yard sales, flea markets, car show swap meets, etc. If you are buying a drill press, It is preferable to run it and be sure the spindle is not bent.If you can't run it, at least take the belt off and spin it around and watch the chuck.Also, Delta, Walker Turner, Craftsman,Atlas, or other brands are out there with jointers, band saws,table saws available.

[John Bertotti]

Thank you Hans, some points I hadn't considered.

[Stanley Cox]

Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas Folks. Now I have several things to consider instead of 2 or 3.

Thanks for sharing your info.

Stanley

[Hans]

Much as I hate to buy imported tools (most modern "US" tools are import anyway), modern imports are accruate tools. I have had a Rexon table saw for years and guess what? Rexon made the Powermatic saw and they are exactly the same. The companies that make Grizzly have made some very nice tools. If you can find an old tool, by all means get it, but be aware that you may be sinking a few $$$ and a lot of time to restore it to working order.