Drill Press Question

Allen Bryant

Member
Messages
35
Location
Bumpass, VA
Went to work this evening and the drill press decided to quit working the motor hums, but nothing turns. I haven't had a chance to dig into it, but being the drill press is more than 20 years old i have to figure in finding replacement parts if it could even be fixed.

That being said, and I have a friend interested in this same question. If I have to replace the drill press do I really need a floor model drill press? In the 20 some odd years I've had this drill press, I have never once moved the table more than 6 inches below the bit, not once. I was thinking that if I had to replace it, would be to go with a benchtop version and put a nice storage cabinet underneath. Several of the benchtop one's I've seen the head will spin on the post so I could put it off to the side or even back of the cabinet in the event that I need to drill into anything that won't fit on the regular table.

This would also give me a lot more storage space for drill bits and other things than the cabinet I now have underneath the drill press.

Is there any reason why I would need to go with a floor model over a good benchtop?
 
Hi,

All of the DPs I have owned (2) have been floor models. The first one was a 1940s Delta I inherited from my dad. The second a Delta with table crank, wood worker's table (which I soon covered with a much larger woodworking table), etc. I do not know how many times I needed a floor model with the first one. I do know I have had this one over 8 years and I have lowered the table below workbench height only a few times. All but one of those times it was only a few inches more than a benchtop could have provided---maybe they even have benchtop units that have a greater range in this time and place.

I DO KNOW that I vastly prefer the extra beef and smoothness of my second, much heavier drill press. I would not want to give that up. Heavier, smoother, no run out, 1/2" chuck, height lock that works with the flick of a finger, easily operated depth stop and easily adjusted table height would all be important considerations; I do not know if benchtop units have that. If they did not, I would get a floor model that did.

I know I sound just a tinsy bit biased. However, going from a DP that did not have those features to one that did totally sold me that I do NOT want to be without them. I cannot over emphasize that statement.

Enjoy and good luck in your venture.
JimB

ps If I could rotate the head so I could do longer things off to the side or from the back, I would get the benchtop and have the drawers.
 
Last edited:
Jim brings up a good point. The floor models are often bigger (deeper throat) and are better suited for larger tables. If either of those factors are important in your woodworking, then I'd suggest a floor model. I have occasions when I want to drill holes - usually shallow ones with a large Forstner bit - in large pieces of firewood as I prepare them to be turned on a lathe. So having a deep capacity and a large table are important to me. For other guys, a benchtop drill press is all they need to do the kinds of projects they like to do, especially since most of them allow you to move the head to drill off the edge of the bench. (They're still limited on the throat depth and the ability to handle a larger add-on table, though.)

If it's storage space you'd like, I've seen pictures of plans of cabinets made to go under the table on a floor model drill press. In fact, I think someone here posted pics of one recently. (It's late and I'm too tired to search right now.) It was essentially a rolling cabinet that could be moved out of the way on the rare occasion where the table had to be lowered a lot.

Regardless of the size you get, I'll echo Jim's suggestion to get something with a good, reliable depth stops. (Upper and lower quill travel stops, actually.)
 
I have a strong suspicion that when I upgrade my drill press, I will buy a floor model for the swing and cut the post so I can stand the machine on a drawer unit. You can always swing the head if you need the extra distance between bit and floor but, you can't make the throat deeper. All that being sid, if you can get by with a 14" swing the Grizzly G7943 wins a lot of bake-offs. This seems to be their floor model G7944 with a shorter post. I find the 17" swing inadequate enough that I will be looking for more. YMMV.
 
Last edited:
Went to work this evening and the drill press decided to quit working the motor hums, but nothing turns. I haven't had a chance to dig into it, but being the drill press is more than 20 years old i have to figure in finding replacement parts if it could even be fixed.

When I got my first Grizzly lathe I quickly learned (here) that the motor not running could possibly be caused by a very simple problem. If the motor is a TEFEC (totaly enclosed fan cooled) your centrifigal switch might just be dirty. Take off the end cover and if you have compressed air blow out the works and hand spin. Brush out any remaining dust and try. I had to do this twice in the six years I had that lathe. Not a big deal. Hope that is all you have to worry about. But.....if you really want to buy an new drill press......just tell yer wife the machine is dead.:rolleyes:
 
I'm with Frank. For a motor to "suddenly" die, it frequently is because it just became overwhelmed with dirt/dust infiltration of some sort & cleaning it our thoroughly can sometimes bring it back to life. I'd try Frank's suggestion before committing to a new DP, unless of course that is the justification for an upgrade. :thumb:
 
Thanks for the info.

With the deposit I just put down on the new shop, I really don't have the money for a new drill press, so I'm hoping it was an easy fix, but the subject came up with a neighbor of the benefits of Floor model vs. bench top drill presses and how to determine if we really need one or the other. The throat distance never entered either of our minds, so that is something to think about.

Vaughn, I actually have a rolling cabinet under mine right now, but since I have to deal with the post, it is smaller than what I could potentially put underneath a bench top.
 
Allen, sounds like your DP motor may be a likely candidate for a capacitor replacement. Simple test, turn the motor on, and give it a spin by hand. If it runs, you need a new capacitor.

If it still doesn't run. turn it off, unplug it and follow Franks instructions to check and clean the start switch, which is internal.

Hope this helps.

Aloha, Tony
 
Last edited:
I agree that a starter cap (about $5) is a likely suspect as is the centrifugal switch. Our own Charles Hans was very helpful to me in troubleshooting a similar problem with my DC. His electric motor knowledge seems quite complete :thumb:
 
The good news: Inexpensive fix :)

The bad news: No new drill press this time :(

You could always do as Glenn mentioned and cut the post on your current drill press to shorten it and turn it into a benchtop model. That would allow you to go with the storage cabinet idea.
 
And here I am figuring out how to stretch my bench top drill press to a larger piece drilled. Have it about figured out. Hate to spring for a floor model but it looks like in the future.
 
And here I am figuring out how to stretch my bench top drill press to a larger piece drilled. Have it about figured out. Hate to spring for a floor model but it looks like in the future.

Hey, if by some stroke up luck both drill presses use the same diameter of post, maybe you two guys could arrange a swap?
 
Top