Good-cheap drill press: (Nicad, Rogue, Tuna, CoolH, Brad AGD)

[GT]

Hey guys,
looking for some suggestions on a good cheap drill press. I am not doing anything exotic, just wood and some Al. I am looking at the 2 5spd 1/4hp table top presses at home depot and Lowes. 100 bucks isnt bad or spend alittle more?

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc%2fsearchResults.jsp&BV_SessionID=@@@@1072436946.1080761725@@@@&BV_EngineID=cceeadcldkfmekecgelceffdfgidgnj.0&MID=9876

http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=productList&function=search&categoryId=DRILL_PRESSES.CATEGORY&pad=true

I am free to suggestions as long as they are below 500.oo

[tony3]

If you are just doing some basic, I don't think a cheapo 100 dollar one from Home Depot would be bad. I use my cousins, they just got a cheap one from home depot, it works fine for small modifications and drilling, but if you might find out you need something more powerful for whatever you are going to do in the long run. Its either get a cheap one now, or get a nicer one that will be with you in the long run, its up to you.

[shartley]

I know I was not on the list… but I can field this one as well.

What do you want to do with it? How much travel do you want? What features do you want/need?

$100ish will do fine for an entry level bench top drill press. And you can get a good floor model press for anywhere from $200 on up. $300-$500 will get you a pretty nice floor model press.

[RRfireblade]

Mine....
http://www.toolpeddler.com/17-965.htm

http://www.toolpeddler.com/images/17-965.jpg

[vf-xx]

I've heard good things about the one at Harbor Freight.

[ShooterJM]

You might call some pawn shops man, I've seen some nice tools for cheap there! Gotta know what to look for though.

[nerobro]

I have the 5 speed $60 one from menards. Tool Shop brand. It's worked great for what I use it for. (drilling eye holes...) I've even run a 3/8" bit through aluminum and the only suprise was when it yanked the V/A out of my hand.

[ScatterPlot]

Hey, if you're going for up to $500 I got my mini-mill for $400. It lacks the height that a drill press would have, but for the light milling and drilling that I would be doing it was a great price. However, if you go with a drill press, get a floor model with an adjustable bottom part thingy. That way, nothing is too tall to drill into (as it could be on mini-mills and table top drill presses).

[shartley]

Originally posted by bertmcmahan
Hey, if you're going for up to $500 I got my mini-mill for $400. It lacks the height that a drill press would have, but for the light milling and drilling that I would be doing it was a great price. However, if you go with a drill press, get a floor model with an adjustable bottom part thingy. That way, nothing is too tall to drill into (as it could be on mini-mills and table top drill presses).
Yes, if you have the funds get a floor model. I have both (floor and bench top), but had to get the floor model because of that very reason…. I could not drill things that were too tall. My floor model has the laser guide as well…. VERY nice feature. If you can get it, I highly recommend it.

[ScatterPlot]

Originally posted by shartley

My floor model has the laser guide as well…. VERY nice feature.


[peter griffin]"They have those!?!?"[/peter griffin]


Wow that's cool! What kind do you have? I have seen the laser guides on the miter (or is it mitre?) saws and really like that. I might just get me a drill press cause it has one of those on it!

[hobbesTZ]

I got mine from the town dump :D

It needed a little TLC, but it was still very free. It's worked great for all the aluminum I've drilled through.

[shartley]

Originally posted by bertmcmahan
[peter griffin]"They have those!?!?"[/peter griffin]


Wow that's cool! What kind do you have? I have seen the laser guides on the miter (or is it mitre?) saws and really like that. I might just get me a drill press cause it has one of those on it!
Yes miter saws have the laser guide as well on some models. Many types of power equipment do now.

My floor model press is a Craftsman. And the laser guide forms an X as opposed to a single straight line. Like I said, I really love this feature.

ADDED:
Here it is.
http://content.sears.com/data/product_images/009/22925/00922925000-190.jpg
I also love the fact it comes with a fense and stop blocks as standard. It also has a lot of optional equipment for it, which is very easy to get and use. AND the extendable table is another plus for me.

The engine is ¾ HP (same as the one RRfireblade has), but only has 12 speeds / 250-3100 (RR’s has 16 / 215-2720). Mine is a 15” and RR’s is a 16.5”. But they are pretty comparable presses. They are also good examples of presses in this same price range.

Often times it is not just an issue of what is “best”, but what is “best for you”… given your needs, and budget.

[GT]

Thanks for the advice guys:

Last question,
are you bolting these to the floor?

[shartley]

Originally posted by gtrsi
Thanks for the advice guys:

Last question,
are you bolting these to the floor?
No problem.

And no, I have not had the need to bolt down my floor press…. Yet. My press is very stable even without bolting it down. Plus my shop keeps growing, and unless I build a wooden platform for my press to bolt to, I will have to drill into the cement floor. But like I said, my shop keeps growing and I have to rearrange my tools and work stations accordingly, so I like the flexibility of being able to move the press if I need to.

My bench top press however is not so stable. And I advise if you get one (bench top), to indeed bolt it down if you find your work causes it to move. You will thank yourself later.

[GT]

Originally posted by shartley

No problem.

My bench top press however is not so stable. And I advise if you get one (bench top), to indeed bolt it down if you find your work causes it to move. You will thank yourself later.

Time to go to sears and look around. Looks like the craftsman runs about 320.

I like the laser guided feature. Is this it:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00922925000

[shartley]

Originally posted by gtrsi


Time to go to sears and look around. Looks like the craftsman runs about 320.

I like the laser guided feature. Is this it:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00922925000
Yes, that is the one I have. And I love it.

[CoolHand]

Keep your eye out for the Harbor Frieght brand table top models.

Every so often, they run a special on them for $40.

Not bad a bad press for the money.

Be sure to get some kind of work holding device though (be it a vise, clamps, etc.), as I have seen too many people hurt themselves trying to drill a part they are holding in their hand.

Machine tools are very powerful, and even drill presses can mess you up if they get a hold of you. So don't give it the chance. Saftey first, foo! :D

Later

[GT]

Originally posted by CoolHand

Machine tools are very powerful, and even drill presses can mess you up if they get a hold of you. So don't give it the chance. Saftey first, foo! :D

Later

So true,
As long as the table is large enough I plan on clamping both sides of the project.

Ryan,
I found Frieghts webpage. they have a small mill for about 1600. any good for hobbiest type work?

[CoolHand]

I wouldn't spend that much money on a round column machine.

Here is a bench top Mill/Drill made by Rong Fu. (http://www.mscdirect.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=2003749&pcount=15&Product_Id=168838)

Its a little cheaper, and will be better quality.

Email me, and we can discuss in detail the pros and cons of cheap milling machines, if you like.

A word of caution here though.

Machine tools will make high end paintball markers look like small change (the only thing worse than machine tools is race cars, believe me). And, they are deceptive.

In the past year, I've spent a small fortune on machines. But then thats all you've HAVE to spend right? Wrong.

After having dropped a serious wad on machines, I then turned around, and dropped at least that much again on tooling and work holding equipment, and tool holders, and and and . . . .

You get the idea.

While you need not spend a ton of money, I would say you'd have over $2k in that Rong Fu before you could really do anything with it.

If you are just toying with the idea of a drill press now, spend the hundred bucks, and see if you like metalworking, before you spend a great bunch of money on a milling machine.

Gots to take Baby steps. :D

Later

[ScatterPlot]

Yeah, all that tooling and all is pretty high. Coolhand, could you take a look over in my other thread in the Workshop about my machine? Or PM me with any advice you have on the mini-mills? I don't have all the tooling and all for mine yet and I wanted to make sure what I was gonna get is what I should get.

[GT]

Originally posted by CoolHand
If you are just toying with the idea of a drill press now, spend the hundred bucks, and see if you like metalworking, before you spend a great bunch of money on a milling machine.

Gots to take Baby steps. :D

Later

That is kinda the idea. My thought was take a class or 2 at the local Comunity College. Classes are less than 100 bucks an hour, so cheap compared to grad school. I had hoped to jump into a class this summer. Kinda like a fun class or a break from grad school, but it looks like i have a class i can take this summer so o'well.

I figured the investment is simliar to my car fix. 3-4k just isnt going to cut it ;)

In all honesty I have an idea for an AGD product. I could really care less if I sold very many units, however it would be cool to say: "yea, I made that."

jb