Greetings,
Having a need to drill some stainless steel, I am looking for a small
drill
press. I have done some research and gather that bigger/more
sturdy/heavier
is better, but it costs more... so I'm concentrating on 12" bench-top
models,
and the arbitrary price limit is $200, although I would consider
raising it
if all that can be found under it is useless for drilling stainless
(up to
1" holes). Even in this reduced set, there are quite a few choices.
I have read the FAQ but it doesn't go into details of drill presses.
Before going on to specific brands and models, a general overview of
my
understanding of what I've learned over the last couple of days:
somebody
set me straight if I'm wrong!
o More power is better. Some drill presses under $200 have 2/3 HP
motors,
others have much less.
o More speeds is better. Particularly for large holes in tough
materials,
low speeds are important. Many less expensive units have 5 speeds, a
few
have 12 or 16 (1 versus 2 belts). None that I could find in that
price
range had variable speed. Some have a low speed of 540, others 280,
620,
500, etc... How important is it to concentrate on the lowest
possible
speeds for large holes in stainless steel?
o The downstroke is usually between 2.x to 3.x inches, is this
sufficient
for serious work? I presume that longer is better as long as the
machine
is built right and the drill bit does not wobble. Of course the
runout
number is something that I haven't seen in any description.
o Chuck capacity: bigger is better. The 1" bit I already have
requires 3/8
so I would say 1/2" is minimum (and common), 5/8 is better.
o Build quality and sturdiness: closer tolerances and better materials
are
of course better, but this is one that's hard to judge without
having
tried the different models. Fire away at the different models
below!
I presume the "heavy duty" models are better.
o Table size: bigger is better (?) table adjustments are nice, but the
more
adjustments the more the table can move when it's not supposed to if
not
built sturdily.
o Ease of moving belts: this is one that no manufacturer will tell you
about.
I have to depend on people's experiences, and I've already read that
some
are quite difficult to change. Fire away!
Other things I should consider?
I have gone by Sears and Home Depot, so the first two I have seen in
person.
Home Depot only had a couple of Ryobi (10" and 12": DP120) that seemed
quite
flimsy. The specs for the DP120 can be found he
http://www.ryobitools.com/product/pr...at=4&toolcat=7
I have also read an account of a Home Depot drill press falling
apart on first use. One good thing about this model is that it has 12
speeds
and a low speed of 280 RPMs. Opinions on this model?
The Sears one (Mfr number 21912, Sears #00921912000) seemed well made
and
looked suspiciously like some Central Machinery models available at
www.harborfreight.com. Can anyone confirm that Central Machinery
makes the
Craftsman drill presses? It can be found he
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...=00 921912000
Pluses: 2/3 hp motor and it seems well made. Minuses: only 5 speeds
and
lowest is 540 RPMs.
Other brands/models I found on the web:
Northern Industrial Tools BP-024: What they show here
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w... goryId=93622
looks good, but they don't tell you much. 16 speeds but no mention of
what
the speeds are. The shipping puts it at $220. It's heavier than
many.
At amazon.com 3 candidate models can be found he
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...320170-4640925
The Delta DP300 and DP350 are a little below and above the $200 mark,
but I
have read bad things about the quality of the Delta equipment. The
Fisch
Precision Tools DP2000 has one glowing review and fits the price limit
as
the shipping is included. The motor is kind of small (1/3hp) and the
lowest
speed is 500 (6 speeds). Does anyone have opinions on this model and
the
Deltas?
The Central Machinery 38142-6VGA available here
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=38142
looks really good: big motor, 16 speeds (240-3600: the biggest range I
found), chuck capacity to 5/8, "heavy duty", etc... Opinions?
At the moment, I'm leaning towards this one. Are there any show
stoppers here?
Anyone with direct experience?
Anyway, this is already getting too long without getting into more
brands/models. Does anyone have other recommendations?
I would also be grateful for pointers to lowest cost vendors. I have
checked
amazon/tooldigger, northerntool and harborfreight.
I would also be grateful for pointers to lowest cost vendors. I have
checked
amazon/tooldigger, northerntool and harborfreight.
Let the discussion begin!
Thanks.
A.