Harbor Freight Drill Press ?

[GolfVenture]

Anyone have an opinion on the HF Drill press. I can get it for $56 new with a 20% discount coupon, or get a used craftsmann or ryobi for about $50 to $75 used.

 

HP Drill Press

This inexpensive, heavy-duty drill press is just what any homeowner needs in his basement shop for general-purpose drilling. Ball bearing motor with 5 speeds lets you drill in materials from wood through mild steel and iron. Includes depth-adjustment gauge.

5 speeds, between 620 and 3100 RPM

Maximum swing: 8"

Table tilts 45 degrees left and right

Spindle stroke: 2"

Chuck capacity: 1/2"

Throat depth 4"

Motor: 120 volts

Column diameter: 1.89"

Table dimensions: 6-5/16" x 6-1/2"

Base dimensions: 11-1/8" x 7"

Overall dimensions: 23" H x 17" W x 7" D

Shipping Weight: 37.54 lbs.

[rickardracing]

Sounds like a good deal to me. Personally, I think Craftsman power tools have gone down in quality ever since they were bought by Kmart. If your just using it as a general purpose/hobby drill press, go with the Harbour Freight.

[Venturous Randy]

I have a HF drill press from that price range and it has worked very good.

RandyA

[Pegasus1300]

I have that same drill press.I have had it for several years and it works well. The only thing I didn't like about it is the depth gauge doesn't work very well on mine.

[etcswjoe]

We have three at work and they get abused bad and still hold up well.

[Snaggletooth]

Glad you brought this up. I'm looking for a bench model for some projects I'm working on. Been wondering about quality. Looks like a ride over to HF to take a look.

 

Mike

[GolfVenture]

Thank you all. I'll be going to HF after the new year. It really is helpful to ask members of their opinion before making a purchase.

[brainfart]

i've had a HF drill press about 10 years.

not a heavy user but it sure comes in handy with a GOOD quality step bit ....

[yamtom]

Hi

I have one of those small bench top dp s from HF, personally, you can do better, I found mine to be kinda sloppy when used heavily in metal. If you restrict it to softer wood, and maybe up to five steenths drill size, and a modest feed rate, it should work for you, but thats about the comfortable limit for mine. There seemed to be alot of play in the spindle. I must say, in wood or anything soft it is ok, although I dont think I would try to drill lucite or other delicate plastic due to the slop prolly causing breakage of the plastic. I would take the dp that you select, unbox it, and push sideways on the spindle, if there is any play whatsoever, that wont be too cool to have bouncing all over on metal you are trying to drill. Also, it can be bogged down quite seriously with a serious workpiece. Personally, I would definitely bite the bullet, and buy a larger floor standing model if you are doing anything serious. Prolly can get a bigger one for double that price and it should last a lifetime. I do have a larger drill press that I like very much except that it takes up some serious floor space. If you were near me, I would sell my little one to you very cheaply, personally , I prefer my handheld half inch 110v drill anyday to that little dp.

[bongobobny]

Yah! you get what you pay for! It all depends on how much use you give it and what you expect out of it! Sure beasts using a hand drill but if you are looking for precision work it might not live up to your expectations. Myself I have a Cummins Tools drill press but all I expect it to do is drill perpendicular holes for me...

[yamtom]

I should have remembered this to begin with, but the tilt type table that tilts 45 degrees, has so much slop that its useless to use at an angle on metal at all, the drill size in metal, is no doubt limited to about three steenths, on a flat surface, at a decent rate, but tilted, that drill will almost certainly break due to the sideways pressure and the slop. It might work on wood, but shaky shaky. Also, that two inches of stroke, is going to have you moving the table up and down all the time if you use it on different size materials. My bigger one, prolly has six inches of stroke, and doesnt force me to need to move the table up and down much at all.. If you have the room at all, and can part with the bux, buy the big one. YMMV

[GolfVenture]

hmmmm. Any opinions on the Tradesman 12" 12 Speed Drill Press Model DP12LW. There is a new one on craigslist. I'm pretty sure that the HF one would work for me for I don't ever recall in my life needing to drill on a slant nor a deep hole. In all my 60 years all my drilling has been with a hand held drill.

[Condor]

I bought a bench 16 speed about 30 years ago from Post Tool and Supply for $99 bucks when they first opened up, and if this one is anything like it that's a heck of a price...

[SilvrT]

I got this one for Christmas a year ago.

 

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/ryobi-10-in-laser-drill-press/930979

 

Happened to be on sale for $99. It was also advertised to have a vise but none was in the box. I questioned them about it and found the ad was made in error but they gave me a vise anyway.

 

Don't use it a lot but it does work quite well.

[Kirby]

Dilling at an angle can be accomplished by first using a spotting drill or a center drill. These are very ridged and won't flex. You can make a spotting drill by cutting off a regular drill, resharpening, and will probably need to "thin" the web of the drill( the center cross section) .

Another way is to use a center cutting end mill to first cut a flat on the angled piece. Then you can simply drill the hole in the flat area.

Either way you need to use some type of center drill for a more accurate location of the proposed hole. You will also need to clamp the workpiece to the table so it won't be allowed to move around.

 

As far as the bench top drill press, it will work fine if you don't expect too much. I've had one for more than 25 years. Not much power, but it will work in a pinch. My advice, go for a floor mounted model with at least 3/4 to 1 hp motor, speed range from 150 rpm to whatever, spindle travel at least 4 inches( the more the better). Your budget will determine what other bells and whistles you get. Hope this helps!