Drill Press

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Goodland, Kansas
Well got tired of trying to drill holes in 3" pen blanks with a Delta 2 3/8" quill travel. It would also stall when drilling metals. So got a C-man bench top on sale. It has a quill travel of 3.28". Has lasers for drilling and centering holes. Has a digital read out which is very accurate. Within .01". Anyway it had lots of good reviews and I got to use one first hand. I like it a lot so far. Oh I almost forgot I love the crank handle. That thing is awesome when drilling because you can take it all the way around and never let go.
 

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Congrats, Bernie. :thumb: I'd not seen that one before. I have the little Delta benchtop, and wouldn't mind having a better one. (No room for a standalone model, but I have a good spot on a bench for one.)
 
Thanks Vaughn. I just got tired of trying to drill those 3" blanks with 2 3/8". I would raise the table and that wasn't the safest thing to do. I really like this thing. It has plenty of power and I like the crank handle. The digital readout is within .01". It shows 3.27" but actually measures 3.29". The book really didn't say what it was but I guessed 3 1/8". If you get to Sears look at it. It is a hoss. I drilled a 1/4" steel tonight and it just ate it. The Delta would stall sometimes.
 
Bernie, I like that... lasers on a drill press great idea. I will say Craftsman is willing to try something different on there tools.
 
Bernie, I am assuming no run-out (wobble) on the drill bits then? That was the issue I had on my smaller drill press.

You got to love it when you purchase a tool that does exactly what its suppose to and nothing more.
 
Good Show Bernie! :thumb:
A good drill press is hard to beat when you need it.

DT
 
Thanks everyone. Doug J. it has .0013 run out. No wobble of any kind and runs smooth for a 12" press.

Now don't laugh. I figured out something pretty cool last night. I needed to drill a 1/4" hole 3/8" deep. After thinking about it I run the drill bit down to the wood while the press was off. I reset the digital readout to zero. Turned on the drill and run it into the wood to .375". Measured and sure enough a 3/8" deep hole. I think I am going to like this drill press.
 
Dang you Bernie...I really don't need a new drill press, but you're sure making me want one. I think the digital readout would be the handy thing for me. That, and the extra quill travel. Ah well, I need to let the tool budget rest a bit. Maybe I'll wait for it to go on sale. :rolleyes:
 
Sweet!

Hello Bernie,

Your new DP looks very sweet! What's up with the shop though... The background is spotless... :) There should be at least a foot of shavings on the floor, maybe two or three if you've been roughing bowls all day. :D Take care and all the best to you and yours!
 
Hello Bernie,

Your new DP looks very sweet! What's up with the shop though... The background is spotless... :) There should be at least a foot of shavings on the floor, maybe two or three if you've been roughing bowls all day. :D Take care and all the best to you and yours!

Well Steve the LOML cleaned off the bench while I was doing assembly and I wasn't paying attention. She even carried out all the curlies on the floor. I told her someone would notice. Of course her answer was, "and your point is.":rofl: :dunno: Oh well if it had been up to me it would have been sitting on some curlies.
 
Nice new machine, Bernie.

12"? Good size for lots of general drilling.

I got hold of a Delta 14" that's about the same as yours. It had been in a fire, and all the plastic parts (switch & housing, knobs, labels, and of course the belt guard) were all melted off and it was a mess of rust. No warpage, no cracks and the table has one little tiny drill scar right next to the center hole. I don't have any belt guard and I used "golf balls" (yes, golf balls) for the handle knobs. I just drilled a 3/8" hole about 1/2" deep and threaded three of them on my handles. Been working fine for more than 12 years now. Mine's got about 3 1/4" stroke on the quill.

I know, no pictures, it didn't happen. I'll post some later. I just put it back together after moving it. (Too heavy to move all assembled)

But am I looking at what seems to be your blank holder? Neat idea. I think I will have to steal that one for myself, if'n you don't mind? looks real good. Is there a hinge there on the end of the handle part? I take it you hold it down to the table with screws or studs through the table slot holes?

Aloha, Tony
 
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Yeah Stu,

That's it exactly. Bernie's is a little smaller than yours but same idea. I'll be making one soon now. Thank you for the link too. (Made it a lot easier that way ;) )

Looking at the column on your drill press makes me ashamed of the way mine looks. (Now I have to take it apart again and polish it, and the tables too. :rofl: ) I only blasted it to get the rust off. The major parts of the press got painted Black. (This was before my joining the OWWM restorers ranks. Function ruled. :thumb: )

Pictures later.

Aloha, Tony
 
Bernie,

That is a nice DP! :thumb:

I like the digital readout and the crank handle. I'm not sure why more manufactures don't go with a crank handle.:dunno:


About a week ago I picked up a Delta bench top 12in model (DP300L). I don't have a lathe so I'm not too concerned with the 2 3/8in quill stroke. If I was doing pens I would have gone with something different. My Delta has lasers too. I found that once they were correctly alligned, they were accurate no matter what height the table was set at. :D
 
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