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Need Drill Press recommendation

Did you think about the Rigid floor model. It is available at HD and has good good reviews.

I have the 12" delta that I paid $100 for 2 years ago. Right now it will do what I need. I plan to upgrade to something with more power like this Grizz.

I do not use a DP that often, but when I tried to cut large holes the 12" just lacked the HP to do the job. After Marty posted the results of his big DP, it convinced me that HP is really necessary.
 
Look at attachments, I think you will find that with Craftsman only their attachments will fit. (same with all their tools) Morticer attachment is a good example. I have a Sears and only the one designed by them to fit the model will fit and no other. so I am locked into trying to find a morticing attachment to fit a 40 year old craftsman drill press.
 
Bill Simpson said:
Look at attachments, I think you will find that with Craftsman only their attachments will fit. (same with all their tools) Morticer attachment is a good example. I have a Sears and only the one designed by them to fit the model will fit and no other. so I am locked into trying to find a morticing attachment to fit a 40 year old craftsman drill press.
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That was one thing that I did check out before getting my 12in Delta. It is compatible with their mortice kit. I haven't purchased it yet, but its good to know that the option is there if I wanted to take advantage of it.
 
Drill presses are so tried and true, if it's got a brand name on it, it's a pretty good machine. I've even heard staunch defenders of the Harbor Freight models. I'd second the advice to focus on quill speed, depth of plunge, and ignore all the bells and whistles. There are a few features that i use a lot - table raising mechanism, quill lock, work light, and i made a fence/woodworking table for my drill press. I also installed a foot switch so that i can turn it on and off without ever moving my hands or my eyes. I lower the bit directly over the punch or center mark, tap my toe, and lower the bit - perfectly centered every time - and safe.
Depending on what you plan on doing, you probably don't need more than 4 or 5 speeds. Mine's a 4 speed, and i've never had any problems. Changing the belt from one speed to another takes about 12 seconds, and the drive system is so simple, not much can go wrong over time.

One other thing, since you're in no hurry, why not keep your eyes peeled for a good used one? My drill press was made in the mid 1930's, is a 15" floor model Walker Turner, and i paid $80 for it at an estate auction. It was a bit dirty, but was essentially plug and play. I like buying older used equipment because i can get much better machinery than i could afford new. Often it comes with some accessories as well. I generally replace belts and electrical cords when i pick something up, but that's no big deal. I see drill presses come up regulary in the newspaper and on craigslist. There are generally a few within a pretty tight radius of where i live if i do an advanced search on ebay.

Shopping for a used drill press, check to see that the bearings are smooth and quiet. See that nothing's broken or missing, and plug it in for a quick test drive.

Paul Hubbman
 
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Good advice Paul.

I like old tools too, my drill press is one year older than I am, and it works great, at a fraction of the cost of a new inferior model.

Cheers!
 
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