Your Thoughts on Drill Presses for Woodworking
The next tool on my list to get for woodworking is a drill press. I have read the FWW review they did in 2015 (Sep/Oct issue). The Delta 18-900L came out as best overall amongst the ones tested. I am ok with the price for it ($2Kish).
I am torn between a floor standing model vs. table top model. My needs for drilling aren’t complex as a hobby woodworker. Any thoughts on what drill you would go buy if you needed a new one? Free standing vs. table top? I see pros and cons to each.
The only hands on experience I have is the one I used in a woodworking class this past fall and it was a Powermatic – I liked it. Then again, seeing as all I have is a cordless drill and an egg beater drill, I probably would like any of them.
Many thanks for your input.
Replies
I bought a new one a couple years ago. The Nova Voyager DVR. Floor model. I had a benchtop DP many years ago, and unless I was really pressed for space, I wouldn't consider one over a full size machine.
I don't know anything about that Delta. But I've had bad experiences with a couple of their tools, and I wouldn't touch a Delta anything. They've been sold, sold, and resold. They were once excellent, but really aren't anymore.
I had a Ridgid floor standing DP, and it was fine. But I hated, hated, moving the belts to change speeds. Mostly I didn't, and ran bits at the wrong speed. Yeah, it was lazy. But with the DVR I just turn a dial. It's got a deeper reach, and much longer quill travel than the Rigid. If you haven't made up your mind, check out the Nova.
My thoughts on drill presses are this. People worry too much.
So long as the machine drills a straight true hole, that's it.
A reasonable amount of quill travel is important.
EVERY machine out there needs a woodworking table bought or built to use it efficiently.
As far as the electronics on some newer models, IMO it's not necessary for the average user. Most people never change the speed on their current DP now, as was mentioned.
2k is far too much for a DP for the hobbyist or occasional user, IMO.
If you need the features or have the money, by all means go for it, but I'll stick to a basic machine, I don't need all the frills.
I have a radial head benchtop by Craftsman. Huge capacity, but too much flex. Belts to change speeds but I tend not to bother. Being able to rorate, swing, and move the head in and out is handy when you need it. I can even extend it beyond the cabinet it's mounted on for tall workpieces. Very similar to this green one:
https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-34-benchtop-radial-drill-press/g7945
I have one of those, Love it
I have an old floor standing DP which has worked fine for over 30 years. I rarely if ever change the speed. My main concern is drilling a straight hole without a lot of run out and wobble so you need a decent chuck and bearings. The size and ease of using the drill press table is important. I think a middle of the road Grizzly DP would work just fine without a lot of whistles and bells to fuss with. The drills on sale are often not straight so investment in the cutting portion of the whole thing is also important. I would take a look at this one and buy some really good straight drills to go with it. Take a look at this DP Grizzly G0794 - 14" Floor Drill Press
Definitely a standing model. every now and then you will want to lower your table to drill something big or tall. I wouldn't want it on bench taking up space. And it's a tool you can put up against a wall, relatively out of the way. After years of using a basic Grizzly model, I upgraded to a Powermatic 2800 with variable speed adjustment and love not having to change belt settings the old tedious way. I disagree with _mj_ that speed adjustment is not an issue. If you are switching from small twist bits to big Forstner bits, both commonly used in woodworking, or if you do a little bit of metal work with it as well, you need the adjustment. The Nova machine looked good to me but I worried about its repairability once the electronics in it age: will replacement components be available in 10-15 years?
I bought the Delta 18" floor mount drillpress several years ago. My older DP that I gave away was a benchtop model. What a difference in quality! the Delta is a great machine. regardless of all the negative publicity around Delta machines, I have found the Delta DP is a quality built machine. most woodworking machines are built overseas, this itself is an excuse for poor quality.( absolutely no quality control ) Take a look at the Delta DP, It is much better made than the majority of tooling that comes from the pacific rim. changing speeds is a breeze, quill travel is great,light is good, heavy casting. the laser is ok. I would not hesitate to purchase this DP again. and you do not need to hook up the internet for any up-grade-excellent!
@mlindy, I'm not sure you're disagreeing with me... I never said speed adjustment is not an issue, I just said I tend not to bother. I work how I work.
go for a floor model, you will never regret your choice
Thanks all for the feedback so far. From what I have heard, looking towards a floor model. As for the Nova machines, I had considered them but worried about the electronics. About 7 years ago, we needed to replace the double ovens in our kitchen. The ovens themselves were like new and in excellent condition and only 20 years old. The electronic face plate konked out and you couldn't get a replacement. Just this week, my iPhone 5 stopped working on verizon becuase somethign in it is 3G and Verizon no longer supports it. These two instances make me want to avoid excessive electronics in my tools.
I really like my Powermatic with the Woodpecker's DP Pro table. No complaints at all.
I looked at Woodpecker Pro drill press table. That's pretty nice.
I have a Delta bench model press that I've had for maybe 40 years and it's never given me the least amount of trouble but because I keep running into situations where I need more height I'm thinking of replacing it with a floor model. Mine is on a nice welded up base with casters so it's easy to roll around the shop if I need to. A floor model would be trickier to be able to do that with. I've been looking on Craigslist and there is in my area an astonishing number of presses available. Old Deltas, Walker Turners, Powermatics for much ,much cheaper than than your $ 2k budget. Old Craftmans are a dime a dozen and if it is old enough some of those older Craftsman drill presses are pretty good machines. There is an old pre Rockwell Delta that someone is listing for $80! Its looks in good shape, short of the arch of shame, but its a little far away from me. If you have the space and the power (which I dont )there are some astonishing machines. Clausins and industrial size Powermatics , Northfields and beefy machines that you never heard of ( some would require a crane) and priced at scrap iron prices alot of the time.
I just drilled dowel holes in the sides of a drawer--a pinned rabbet joint. I had to lower the table almost two feet to do that. I was grateful I had a floor-standing model. On the other hand, I took courses at the erstwhile Furniture Institute of Massachusetts--Phil Lowe's school--and they got by with a benchtop model. Go figure.
I've had a Delta 18" floor stander for about 20 years. Like a lot of others, I rarely change speeds-- usually it's because I'm drilling an unusually large hole or an unusually small one in very hard wood. Or perhaps using a sanding drum. The beauty of drill presses is they're just a motor and a chuck -- no need for fancy electronic controls. It's not a lathe and motor speed is just not that critical in wood most of the time. The main stat, IMO, is quill travel. Too little and you have to move the table a lot, and then you may have to do some setup after that. Every 5 years I drill holes in the end of something large that requires tilting the table 90 deg, then I'm glad I have a floor stander. And anytime I need 4" quill travel, which happens.
I appreciate variable speed and wouldn't want to be without it. It's quite a difference between drilling with a 6mm spur bit compared to a 50mm forstner bit.
Also even though it's a woodworking shop, I drill metal from time to time.
Maybe I am just contrary but I set the speed for the job I am doing. I don't understand leaving a multi-speed machine at one setting for "everything" but that's just me.
The drill press is an anomaly in that there is not much to it but most brands have a really hard time making a decent one at a decent price. The Delta you mention or the Nova would probably be my choice; not for the bells and whistles but for the quality of the simple task of making a bit go up and down reliably.
I agree that even the better woodworking DP tables like the Delta's still benefit from an after market or shop made table / fence. If all you do is drill holes, speed settings and table / fence options are probably unimportant. However, if all you do is drill holes you probably don't need a drill press.
I use a drill press for precision drilling of repeated specific depth holes, circle cutting, counter bore / counter sink work, spoil removal, etc. Like any machine in the shop, its value increases along with the diversity of your use of it. Think about what you need to do to help guide you to your best choice.
P.s. I agree that there is little to no space saving with a benchtop machine. Also the swing limitation of a benchtop would vex me in my use of a drill press. JMHO
I’ve been using a crappy Delta bench top model for years. The mechanical variable speed broke many moons ago leaving me with only ‘fast’ and ‘slow’ and I’ve gotten by. Due to shop constraints, my eventual upgrade will be another bench top model — but without any electronics.
I recently picked-up a used Powermatic VS floor model drill press with digital readout to replace an ancient Walker Turner. I looked for a long time to find one used and reasonably priced - even used drill presses are priced high, some ridiculously so. The lamp on the Powermatic is somewhat subpar but I’m very happy overall, big step up. It’s a hard choice to spend the money on a HD version vs a cheaper bench top or small floor model particularly if only drilling holes in wood. I purposely set out to find a HD one used and for me that was the best option. I learned (the hard way) to buy the best I can afford when it comes to machines that will see regular use.
Thanks all. Just wanted to let you all know that I'm going with the 18" Delta as seems like it is built for woodworkers. Just a matter of finding a good deal sometime between now and through Black Friday sales.
This is a (mostly) older thread, and congrats Joe/Joel for going forward.
I'll throw out a more rhetorical question, just for the heck of it. I've never quite understood the aversion to a "benchtop" drill press, at (at the time, iirc) one-third the price of a floor-standing model.
I've never had the need for such a tall drill press; never needed the capacity in woodworking. Instead, I purchased a benchtop, then built a small, cheep chest of drawers to set it on, which houses all my fastening hardware, and some measurement tools. The chest isn't that tall (would be too unstable), but I sized it to a) be able to sit on my work stool and have perfect visibility to the work I'm doing, and b) allow me to use the drill press table as an infeed support for my (planer) planer/jointer (on the left) and an outfeed support for the jointer position (with my small projects, I've actually never used that, uh, "feature").
Thanks. I thought long and hard about a bench top model. Essentially, it would end taking essentially the same floor space for bench top vs. free standing. I don’t want to make a stand for a bench top model because I am completely backlogged on furniture inside the home. True, there are a few of the bench tops that I could lift and move onto my workbench but those tend to be the 8” models. When they get bigger than that they start to get to be heavier than I want to muscle around in my mid-50s. It’s one of the few times where time is truly more important to me than the money.
My first drill press was a benchtop on a stand like is illustrated by Botch above. It worked pretty well, but did have limitations. After a couple years I found a used floor standing drill press for sale locally. It is much more versatile and was a bargain price. If I had unlimited space I might have kept them both. I don't so I sold the benchtop. No regrets as the floor model has no limitations in the context of what I do. I'd rather have the functionality and not need it than need it and not have it.
For me, the issue is that there is very limited depth. With larger spade or twist bits, my benchtop has less than 2" room for wood. Coupled with a 2" throw on the quill and it's sometimes the most frustrating tool in the shop (though the drum sander makes a real effort for the line there...)
All that said, almost all of the time, it is more than enough, but it would be nice to be able to drill deeper on wider wood sometimes.
I couple of random thoughts on this (sorry, after typing this I realized it was a sort of a stream of consciousness reply):
I have a Rigid standing model that I probably paid a few hundred dollars for a few years ago, and for the most part I'm pretty satisfied with it. It's pretty simple with 2 moving parts (the mandrill and the table - although I guess the head can swivel around too). It has a decent throw and the adjustment for the table is solid and easy to use. I don't like changing the pulleys to adjust the speed, so I also generally use the "one size fits all" approach. If you have the money, I'm sure the Powermatic is better. I recently made a nice table for the drill press using t-track for an adjustable fence and hold-downs, and that has made a big difference.
Because it's a pretty basic tool without that much to go wrong, If I were to buy a used stationary power tool, a drill press would probably be the one I would get. Some of the old tools were amazingly well made. I used to work in a shipyard that used WWII era machinery that was amazing. (Including a 6 foot wide planer that could remove a quarter inch in a single pass. It stood alone in it's own small building to pass a keel through.)
If I could find a place that sold refurbished drill presses with Art Deco metal on top, I'd completely be interested in that.
As for speeds, I was drilling some 3/8" and 1/2" holes on my next door neighbor's vintage craftsman (with a 6" quill travel). We set the speed to a slow setting, ca. 500 rpm or lower for the brad point bits. It cut an excellent hole. Not really certain I would want or need higher speeds. Maybe it's the brad point bit design. Need to dig more into the speeds to better understand they why for recommended speeds. To me, as long as it cuts a clean hole, slower the better as likely less heat into the bit. Again, I have to dig more into it. The simple search about recommended speeds really lacks a lot of deep explanation.
Found this which had a bit more info. Basically, if wood burning slow down, if tear out in wood speed up.
https://abutterflyhouse.com/drill-speed-wood/#:~:text=So%2C%20then%3A%20why%20does%20the%20drill%20speed%20matter%3F,results%20in%20burnt%20wood%2C%20and%20a%20damaged%20bit.
I don't think electronics are important for drill presses. I like my 25-year old Delta floor stander because it has more quill travel and works with larger parts than a bench top (I used to have both and rarely used the bench one). Mine has three pulleys for speed adjustments, but honestly, I mainly keep it at one speed unless I'm doing something unusual -- drilling metal, drilling very hard wood with a very thin drill, very large drills, etc. That's why the speed control isn't such a big deal as on, say, a lathe. It adds cost and is likely to be the first thing to go. Honestly, an ordinary drill press should last for decades unless you're drilling 1" thick titanium daily.
What is maybe more relevant is quill travel. The down side of drill presses is always having to raise or lower the table to accommodate different size pieces, bits, etc. I notice a new Delta 18" has 6" travel; mine only has 4".
You'll probably want an aftermarket table like the Woodpecker, or a homemade one. Having a fence and clamping comes in handy and can also add to safety.
I dislike electronics on tools. A semi-related example. We were the second owner of our home and it was 15ish years old when we got it. The prior owner was an elderly woman. Everything looked like new. Within the first year, the double ovens stopped working. It was the circuit board that crapped out. Even though covered by a one year homeowners warranty, I pushed hard for them to repair or replace the circuit board. The wouldn't/couldn't. It felt very wastefull to get new ovens. The tools my grandfather bought in the 1940s that my dad uses still work fine. As such, the simpler the better. Not saying all electronics are bad but for something like a drill press I'd prefer to not have a weak electronic link it it. My two cents.
I keep a speed chart on the wall behind the drill press-twist drill,forstner bit hole saw,ect. ( found on line). changing speeds is very easy on the Delta DP. watch your speeds for different bits and applications, it will make a big difference on the quality and save your drill bits and forstner bits--wood or metal, hard or soft.
Amazon went to a Verified Purchase scheme to limit fake reviews. Took them long enough. The reviews are mixed overall but generally positive on the Delta 18-900L but I like the idea of limiting the electronics. Home Depot has this machine for $1650.
Tool reviews, especially in magazines who depend on revenue from tool advertisers, is potentially a biased process. What I think happens is if something is crap, major magazines simply don't review them. I've had good luck with FWW tool reviews. Also, I read a book 20ish years ago called Paradox of Choice. Bottom line of book, change your mindset from what is the best to what is a good choice and you will be far happier. I could aganoize over Delta vs. Powermatic vs. Jet, Rikon, Grizzly. Delta is a good drill press that has 6" quill travel. No doubt I will be happy. Is the best? Don't know, don't care. It's good and that is enough.
As for where to get it. ACME Tools, Lowes, and Home Depot are top contenders. Will keep an eye on deals and will see who is willing to offer some discounts. In addition to the drill press, I want to get a Delta lathe (solid good choice). Between these two, plus lathe stand, etc, I'm likely going to spend $3K. Like to think one of the three vendors may be hungry enough to offer a discount to lure me into purchasing from them.
Oh, I'm not ruling other brands per se. If Rockler or Woodcraft in my areas were willing to offer a smoking hot deal on Rikon or Jet I could be enticed. In woodturning class, there are a ton of different brand lathes and I've been happy with just about all of them. Same for drill presses. Not pushing too hard because I don't want to spend too much time and energy on this decision. If I was really clever, I'd prepare and send out a formal request for quote to these places like I do at work. Nah, too much effort. Delta likely what gonna happen. I've got the normal street price written down for Lowe's Home Depot and ACME tools. When I see a good deal, I will buy it. I have the money set aside at this point. All good problems.
I've wanted to own some Delta tools ever since I watched Norm in New Yankee Workshop days so the fact the Delta has a few good tools for what I'm looking for also makes me happy. I've also got my eye on a vintage drill press that is in excellent condition and if it goes up for sale before I get a new one, I will buy it. It's at the school where I am taking wood turning and I've told them I'd be happy to buy it from them. If the Jet lathe I use every week were to be for sale I'd but it in a heart beat as well mostly because I'm familiar with it. Much in the same way I drove the same model of car for 30 years.
Electronic circuit boards are absurd on a drill press. You need one that accurately drills holes and that's it.
The Delta tool company of even the fairly recent past is long gone.
A Taiwanese company has owned the brand since 2011.
It was getting iffy even late in Pentair's ownership. Then it was sold to Black & Decker and then to Chang Type Industries in 2011. It's my understanding that the huge parts inventory for machines made decades ago took a big hit with each sale and it's pretty much only a fond memory at this point.
Barely nominally the tools Old Norm used on NYW.