Looking to get a drill press but i dont want to spend to much. Max is $150. I don't need top of the line because i won't be using it everyday. I would probably use it at the most every other weekend. I will be using it mainly for drilling through steel and notching tubing. I have been looking at
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...e=Yes

I don't know what to look for in a drill press. Or what the reputable companys are. Any help is appreciated. thanks

 

That drill press is fine. My buddy just bought one, he likes it.
It will serve medium duty just fine.
The price is ok, sears never struck me as a bargain, but this seems like it
isn't unreasonable. The laser is not on every machine out there, and it can be handy.
I personally like delta for drill presses. Just had really good luck at work and at home.
http://www.tylertool.com/delta27.html
This one has tilting table, and work light. Seems like a good buy also.

 

That one seems pretty much the same except it has a light instead of a laser guide. Thanks for the link. I'll look around more on that site when i get back from work.

Only thing i dont like about that is i have to pay for shipping. Any idea how much it would be?

 

that drill press is for wood not metal. If your drilling steel with it it will be tore up and broken with in a year. Buy an old industrial metal drill press with a adjustable speed down to about 100 rpm - 2000. Check ebay, trading post or auctions locally

 

2 questions.

How do you know it's for wood/metal or both?

Also, how do you notch tubing w/a dress press?

Thanks.

 

You need the Ol' Joint Jigger to notch with press and hole saw.
Just search it, it's at summit racing for 169 I think.

 

Howitt- How can i tell if one is for metal or wood?

 

it dosn't matter I've got the same one and it works just fine. It will have a limit though. It works fine for light fabrication

 

cool, thanks. I will probably end up getting the craftsman so i dont have to pay shipping charges and wait time.

 

i like my HF one that i rarely use. low rpm (220) for steel

http://www.harborfreight.com/c...43378

 

Check your local classifieds, I found 3 13" drill presses for a grand total of $80CAD, I kept two, converted one to a valve spring compressor and sold the other one for $80.

 

The biggest thing with the small drill presses are the stroke. If it's a 10" press and only has a 2" stroke, you'll find yourself alot of times being too close to the bit with the "work" sitting on the base. If you move the base out of the way, you don't have enough stroke in the spindle to reach the work. Bench top drill presses are borderline junk if your doing anything even remotely frequent. Take it from me, I know all about it. If you can afford it, get a big upright floor based model like the HF drill.

The bigger the spindle stroke the better. 2" blows....find bigger.

 

how about 2 3/8th? lol http://www.harborfreight.com/c...44836

It also has low speed which is a big plus.

I just think twice about buying motorized tools from HF because from what i hear, most of it's junk.

I will only be using it every so often for notching (not even once a month). Mainly use for drilling flat steel.

 

Yeah, I have the one below that (not for long though). I thought it'd work for my needs but it surely didn't. DON'T get the keyless chuck...that thing is ****. It is some kind of interference fit bullshit that always falls off. Anytime I'd load the bit a little the ******* chuck would seperate from the spindle. I ended up gettin real pissed and ****** slammed on my tig and welded that ******....works good now

Only problem is the stroke sucks, and there isn't enough room. I am gonna get the big floor drill press for 139 at the harbor instead. HF is right down the street from me.