Replies

1. 
   oldusty | Jun 10, 2007 05:54pm | #1

    Hi Chris ,

                 I bought a used Delta radial DP many years ago and have gotten good service from it . The radial DP is a true wood workers tool and can do many tasks that a standard DP can't .

         I have no personal experience with the brands you are considering , but from the looks they are very similar to the Delta and each other and imo you won't go too far wrong with either one .If one has a larger chuck than the other go with that one, imo .

      Or maybe whichever source is closer or has given you better service in the past or go for price at that point . You won't regret having this tool and soon you will invent tasks to perform just to use it , just because you can .

                      good       luck           dusty

2. 
   hammer1 | Jun 10, 2007 06:10pm | #2

   I have an older Rockwell radial drill press. As far as accuracy goes, it's fine for woodworking. The most useable feature is the distance from the quill to the post. At times, I have laid it on it's side for horizontal boring. I can't say I find a lot of use for the radial feature. Many angled holes have to be done with an elevated table since the drill doesn't tip back and forth. I have also spun the head so I could work on large pieces like lamp posts that are on the floor. 90% of the time, I just use it like an ordinary drill press.

   I can't comment on the various modern brands. The features of the radial drill are useful but only in limited applications, at least for me. There aren't many times that I need a hole bored on a left or right angle. Things like coat racks need a front to back angle, not side to side. The farther you stretch out the drill, the less accurate it is. It has limited power for things like drum sanders and the quill travel is short. If mine quit working, I'm not sure I would be anxious to replace it with another radial. I think it's better to look at what type of work you actually do, rather than thinking about what you might do. In the world of drill presses, the radials are fairly inexpensive. You sacrifice some accuracy for the adjustability, the question is, do you need the adjustability.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

1. 
   CarvinChris | Jun 10, 2007 06:39pm | #3

   Thank you Hammer1 and to you too oldusty for your inputs. I do have use(s) for a radial DP in both my woodcarvings and other odds and ends projects I do. The Griz is 3 hrs from the house, the Rikon 1/2 hr. Both can be bought on sale. The Griz is a little beefier than the Rikon, I"m a little leery on the Rikon as I have a Rikon 18" bandsaw that is an excellent machine but due to bonehead engineering has caused me some fiddling time to dial the machine to its full potential.

   Ahhh... decisions, decisions... Thanks again, Chris.

1. 
   AlanTurner | Jun 11, 2007 04:18am | #4

   We have a Delta (branded Walker Turner) radial drill press, and love it. It will do much that a standard DP won't. For example, when using a tenon cutter to form a tenon on the end of a leg, the radial will swing out and hang over the side of the table, which lets you attach a simple right angle jig, brace the stock down to the floor with scrap, and accurately create tenons. Ours, made between 1960 and 1966, has a 6" throw, and the cool Deco cast iron base. It was not terribly expensive and was well worth the investment. I have never used a newer one, but weight is an advantage, I would think. Ours is about 800 lbs. or so. There is a lot of stress on the arm when the head is well extended.Alan

   http://www.alanturnerfurnituremaker.com

1. 
   CarvinChris | Jun 11, 2007 04:30am | #5

   Thanks, Alan, for your input. At 800# that machine must be a beast, I assume its a floor model, which is what I'm figuring on.

   Thanks again, Chris.

1. 
   byhammerandhand | Jun 11, 2007 08:11pm | #6

   I have a Grizzly that I have been disappointed in. I would not buy it again. Significant run out in the spindle, the table has problems staying in position (locked down with one bolt; a sandpaper spacer has helped), a bolt that was threaded less than 3/8" into a casting chipped out around the rim, and let's just say I had a nightmare with getting parts. To paraphrase someone else, "If you're looking for a $300 difference, don't look for one thing, but 30 $10 differences."

2. 
   CarvinChris | Jun 12, 2007 01:55am | #7

   Interesting points to keep in mind. Thanks H-in-H. As much as Grizzly imports some good products, I would still want to see them first hand before I buy.

   Thanks again,

   Chris.

3. 
   mvflaim | Jun 12, 2007 02:04am | #8

   I have a bench top Craftsman radial drill press that came in handy when I made a set of Windsor chairs a couple of years ago. It's accurately aligned  and is a good quality machine. Unfortunately, Craftsman doesn't sell it anymore and I don't know who the original maker was. It could have been Emerson Electric but I'm not sure.

   mike

    

1. 
   CarvinChris | Jun 12, 2007 04:23am | #9

   Thanks Mike, good information if I happen to stumble across one at the right price in the used equipment sites or ads in the paper.

   Thanks again, Chris.

4. 
   Dunc1 | Jun 12, 2007 06:49pm | #10

   I suspect that I have the same - or similar - model as hammer1.

   Bought in 1974/5 and still going strong. I added an additional pair of counter-shafts with a 5:1 speed reduction. Have used it to drill 1" diameter holes in 1/2" thick mild steel plate.

   When the V-belt broke after a couple of decades I switched to the link style.

   Came with an auxiliary table that I long ago replaced with a ShopNotes or similar build-it-yourself design.

   Suggest you get a dial indicator setup to reset the drill perpendicular to the table after tilting the radial head assembly. Mine had an index pin that worked well initially but long use has taken its toll.

   Reservations:
   1. the JT33 mount for the chuck could be a bit more chunky but it has done a lot of heavy work without complaint.
   2. One I have is a bench model. Today, I would go with a floor model but that option was not available then.

1. 
   CarvinChris | Jun 13, 2007 03:59am | #11

   Hey, thanks for the info. If I could find one of those old Rockwells for the right price, I wouldn't hesitate to aquire it, preferably a floor model. I can remember a neighbor where I grew up had Rockwell/Delta equipment, they were fine machines.

   Thanks again, Chris.