I'm looking for a bench top drill press for under $200. After reading the pages of complaints on the Craftsman jacks in another thread, I figured it worth asking here. Has anyone used this Craftsman 12" drill press?


The reviews on Sear's website all seem to say the same. The LED light is useless and the laser feature doesn't work well. I could care less if they were even there. I'm just looking a good quality drill.

If you have any suggests for other brands/makes/model of drill press, post them up.

Thanks,
~SKY~

 

Depending on what your drilling a sub $200 just plain sucks to drill with.
Just from the picture it just doesnt look like its built very solid. My kurt vise i use on my drill press looks like it weighs more than that. which isnt a right or wrong but what do you plan on doing with it?

If your looking for a beef drill press
consider
Powermatic 1200's 1150s are its baby cousin
Clausing
Edlund
Avey
Delta Rockwell
If you find a 3 phase unit dont be afraid just get a phase convertor for $80 and run it off 220v. Youll Thank me later

Example of Beef Drill Press

 

At the moment drilling out bolts. I need something that doesn't have too much spindle slop. My garage is very small (read: just big enough for an EG) and I was hoping to get something within a week or so.

I had searched and found a thread about the Craftsman 10" drill press, which people didn't seem to like at all. But no mention of the 12" one that seem to have better reviews online.

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1835994

The ship weight of the press is 96 lbs.

 

Well I just went and checked out the Craftsman drill and it is weak. I also found a guy on Craigslist that is selling his entire machine shop. Howitt, you couldn't have been more right. That "beef" drill presses are the real deal and make all of the current Craftsman ones seem like toys. I think getting a heavy duty one the first time is the way to go, now I just need to figure out where to put one...

~SKY~


Modified by skyman88 at 2:46 AM 7/12/2007

 

I made the mistake of starting with a low end delta, what a waste of time. spend twice as much on a nice used one and learn from our mistakes instead of your own haha

 

I went and looked at an old Buffalo drill press today. As it turns out Boston Macinery is less than a mile from my place. The sales guy swore by Buffalo as being more reliable and easiest to buy parts for. Anyone use Buffalo before?
~SKY~


Modified by skyman88 at 11:08 PM 7/12/2007

 

Buffolo are good drill presses Ive bought a few before and sold them

 

How does $250 just for a bench top sound? Boston Machinery stands behind all the equipment them sell. I've found full size drill presses for less but the quality has been less.
~SKY~

 

otherwise look for a used mill / drill.

best "drill" for the money and a whole lot more!

 

5 grand for a nice used mill press errr drill...

if you could only have one drilling tool Id pick a mill

 

I have a $750 drill press sitting in storage now because i bought a mill. I wish I would have bought the mill in the first place, but sometimes you have to work with what you can afford.

 

I paid $50 for that powermatic search enough youll find a deal. But you want to step up tobig baller status get a bridgeport and it will make your drill press look like a harbor freight special. I thought my powermatic 1200 was the **** till got a bridgeport and I was like it doesnt get any better than this and then I got a cnc mill and I thought it doesnt get any better than this now I can get paid to sit on my ***

 

this mill won't go for much more than $400 imho.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vertical-M...wItem

i have essentially the same thing for $200 and compared to a bridgeport, this might seem like HF.

but it will run circles around the sears drill.

the only down side is when you start buying any special tooling for it as you outfit your toy. but mine came with most tooling i could ever need except when i wanted to notch 1.5" tubing.

even new, they are not excessive:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/IN...LMK32

and then make a stand for it.

 

I ended up getting a 16 speed floor stand drill press for $200. The next time I upgrade, I will definitely be getting a mill/drill or just a bridgeport. Right now space is really limited.

For anyone in the New England area, Boston Machinery has an awesome selection of everything in their 62,000 sq ft showroom (aka warehouse). They have a ton of bridgeports forsale that have been overhauled and tested.

Thanks for all the imput.

~SKY~

 

enjoy the new the drill press im sure it beats the pants of the sears