"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...
I'll go even further than that -- go for something with a reasonable
number
of speeds (like 5), and don't get sucked into thinking more speeds is
better. I bought a Jet 17" drill press which has 12 speeds, selected by
changing two belts (there's an idler shaft between the motor and the
quill). It's a pain in the neck to move the belts, and you have to look
up
on a little chart which combination of pulleys give you the desired speed.

A normal 5-speed single-belt system spanning the same range of speeds is
just as useful and a lot easier to use. There's no speed setting chart;
if
it's too fast, move the belt up. If it's too slow, move it down. Simple.
Even I can figure it out. I can't think of any job where 900 RPM wouldn't
be just as good as 840 or 1065 RPM.

Thank you for pointing out what I left out, the single belt, 4 or 5 speed
models.