# A good bench drill press



## briankenyn (Jan 25, 2012)

Hi all,
My inexpensive, 1/2 Delta DP has had it, and I'm tired of spindle drift. I don't see a way to cure the problem other than replacement. I would appreciate any recommendations for a good reliable machine suitable for a retiree's financial resources and modeling interests. 

Many thanks,
Brian


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## Blogwitch (Jan 25, 2012)

Brian,

I don't know what part of the world you come from, but last year, I had a bit of a dilemma.

I wanted a new drill press, but not the wobbly normal low quality Chinese ones, but I also didn't want to go searching for an old second hand home brewed one that would be overly expensive for a worn out bit of kit, and if anything went wrong, searching about for spares.

I eventually settled on one of these, a Charnwood. Most probably still Chinese, but home grown quality controlled on importation, and full of nice features, including an expanding table, lots of speeds, a nice (and accurate) depth stop and even a laser pointer, plus the hand tight chuck is a real top quality one, and a nice feature of a little drawer in the base to put your easily lost small bits.

Because of a mistake on another site, I actually got the top of the range one for the same price as the smaller version. They had advertised it incorrectly. It pays to look at every advert on all the resellers sites.

http://www.charnwood.net/shop/product/16mm-capacity-pillar-drill?cid=125


John


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## PerryRT (Jan 25, 2012)

> I would appreciate any recommendations for a good reliable machine suitable for a retiree's financial resources and modeling interests.



I would comment that it really depends on your requirements for hole size and quill/depth.

Small precise holes for small models? Proxxon makes some really good stuff, but $250-300. I have the TBM-115... Nice machine, up to drill sizes about 1/4". The chuck is 3/8" but it tends to be underpowered over 1/4", I think.

On the other end of the size scale, I've actually heard good things about Jet over the years, but again... $$$ (I think like 500-600, there.) I have the "standard" Delta press you just killed, I think. It does the job... mostly.

Also, there's a drill press in the Gingery book series, if you're willing to work for it.

Good luck!


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## briankenyn (Jan 25, 2012)

Thanks John and Perry,
I found myself musing about a small Mill-Drill, on the theory that it must have better sleeve bearings than the typical Cast Iron that one finds in low-end DPs. Then I reconsidered; I could be buying the Worst of Bad Choices in both cases! 

I'm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida John, but that machine that you purchased looks great. I'll take a hard look at it and the Proxxon!

Many thanks to you both,
Brian


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## rake60 (Jan 25, 2012)

Tractor Supply has 38 stores in Florida.
Their tools are decent and priced right. _*Page Here*_.

That is where I bought my last 4 X 5" bandsaw.

Rick


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## lensman57 (Jan 25, 2012)

Hi,
There are some really good US and European stuff if you look for them and can pay the money but failing that depending on your requirement why not look at something like this,http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Machines-Accessories/Milling-Machines/Model-X0-Micro-Mill.
yes it is chinese but at least it is well made and cheap and it is made by SIEG, these guys make the majority of the hobby machines that everyone uses and you could probably get at 1/2 price of what we pay here in the UK.
Good luck,
A.G


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## Rockytime (Jan 25, 2012)

Drilling is mostly a roughing operation. I have two of the cheap box store bench mills and they have served me well for a long time. However, I agree a mini mill or mill drill would be excellent.


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## GWRdriver (Jan 26, 2012)

Brian,
I have a suggestion for you if USA old-iron is something you might consider. Look for a Rockwell Model 15-017 (or variations on the old series 15-000 head.) This was a 15" industrial quality drill press made by Rockwell beginning in the early 1960s. They made 100s of thousands of them in several configurations and they were priced reasonably enough for home users and were strong and accurate enough for industrial use so they were used everywhere. Every decent bowling alley in the country had a Rockwell 15-017 ball drilling rig. These days they sell for between $50 and $450, depending upon your luck. I have seen $50 ones in like new condition and crapped out $450 ones. Between online Toolparts stores, eBay, Craigslist, and a couple of machine tool companies who bought up Rockwell spares, even the cast iron parts can be had. I have had a 15-017 bench model for 40 years and it still runs like a new machine.

As an aside (no gloat intended) I recently found a crudded-up floor model 15-017 for $125 and after scraping off the crud I found an almost like new machine with an almost untouched table. It was like new mostly because it was built so well to begin with. The column was in pretty bad shape but I found an NOS column, added a few other small NOS parts, and a new Jacobs 0-1/2" chuck, and I will end up with an essentially new industrial machine for less than $300. As an extra added bonus I discovered this machine was built as the Slo-Speed model which has a larger than standard spindle pulley and a lower spindle speed range - handy for things like reaming and honing. That NOS Slo-Speed pulley alone brings $65-$95 on ebay.

The downside of most old drill presses is that sometimes the tables are drilled up pretty badly but in a worst case this can be remedied by simply screwing a sheet of steel to the table face. The other thing that goes sooner or later in the Rockwell 15's is the spindle return spring. These are just blue clock spring steel, but they have a crook and hem fold on the loose end which must fit a slot in the die cast return spring housing. This makes for a very difficult for home repair and while NOS spring housings are available NOS springs are not so return springs are invariably used and scarce. Aside from these points these are great old machines.


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## Gordo (Jan 26, 2012)

I have a couple of old Hamilton drilling and tapping machines. They are really well made and hold up good but they only take up to .250 drills. I also have a old Delta 15 something that is quite nice, I like were the controls are located and it is a pleasure to use but when it comes to spot on holes I use my Bridgeport.
I have boughten my last 3 drill presses at garage sales or flea markets and aside from have a few oil stains and age spots they are in like new condition.
Gordo


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## Omnimill (Jan 27, 2012)

I agree with Harry, if you can get something domestic thats in good condition it will be far superior to far eastern stuff. The last drill we got at work weighs less than half my old one at home which is the same size. Not surprising I suppose as my drill has a solid steel column and the far eastern one has a tube with a wall thickness under 3mm!


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## GWRdriver (Jan 27, 2012)

Omnimill  said:
			
		

> Not surprising I suppose as my drill has a solid steel column and the far eastern one has a tube with a wall thickness under 3mm!


Omni,
The Rockwell drills I described all had 2-3/4" diameter tube columns of approximately 3/16" wall thickness and they would handle virtually everything a model engineer could throw at them without flinching and some of the oriental machines I've seen have tubes heavier than this. In my earliest days, when I drooled over the machines I saw in ME, I always had my sights on a Fobco Star and in those days I could have had the Fobco Star AND a Super7 for less than £250!


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## Omnimill (Jan 28, 2012)

The Fobco Star is a bit small for me (but I'd still make room for one!) but they are very nice. Good ones go for £150 - 200 but I've seen them go for a lot less.


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## S3MIH3MI (Jan 28, 2012)

If you don't want to break the bank. I have been using this model since it came out. Has to be about 3 years now.
For the first year and a half I was making a motorcycle lift for sale. Holes ranged from 1/4" drill bit to 7/8" Uni-Bit.
I sold well over 100 of these units and never had an issue with this DP.
It has a DRO as well as variable speed from 500 to 3000 rpm (No belt and pulley adjusting) It has a leaver on the side that controls an adjustable pulley internally.

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/tools-hardware-power-tools-drill-presses/ryobi-12-in-drill-press-190205.html


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