Drill press or mill recomendation.

Will Batayte

Will Batayte

Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
640
Ok so currently I'm trying to decide on a drill press for my budding knife shop. I checked craigs list, local stores, and the net. There are just so many choices. Some brands I've seen are porter cable, jet, general international, and harbor freight. I've read some food and bad about H.F. and jet. Porter cable reviews have been mostly good. And there's not much to be found about G.I. My budget was around $500 but the 15" jet metalworkers press from home depot is $600. So getting into those prices in almost at the mini mill line. In the future I would love to start doing folders so a mill would be nice. But for now it'll be fixed blades. I don't have any milling experience but plan on taking a class or two at the local comunity college. I want to get a quality tool that will serve me well now and I can grow into as I learn. So what do you guys think? Mill? Drill press? And brand/model suggestions would be appreciated.
 
You pretty much have to have a drill press IMHO. Even a small benchtop one will be enough. They're pretty inexpensive.

A cheap mill doesn't seem like a good investment to me.
 
I suggest you hold off on a mill and get a drill press to get started. Many used ones suffer from Runout.
Test and used drill press to see if there is noise and if there is wobble in the drill bit when you apply pressure to drill. I wasted a $110.00 on a used Craftsman that was near a busy freeway when I tested it by just running it. You want a slow, about 200 rpm or less for metal and fast for wood drilling. If you buy something new, make sure the place has a good return policy. Many of these cheap presses from china are screwed up right out of the box.

Laurence
 
Drill presses are somewhat of a fickle beast IMO.

If buying used, you could end up with anything, depending on age, use, brand... etc...
Even some of the new $500+ DPs may need work on them right out of the box. I've read reviews of various floor and bench model DPs that had run out from the get go, or a poorly ground (even warped) table.
If you can find an old american model DP, you might even be money ahead from buying a new one. It really ends up being a case by case basis.

As for the mill vs. drill press debate, that really depends too. Most new import mills needs "fluffed and buffed" right out of the box to have any accuracy whatsoever. For JUST using as a DP, however, you might be OK. Then again, smaller mills typically sacrifice quill travel for added stability. If you only need to drill a hole about 1.5-2" deep, this is rarely a problem.
 
Ok for now I'll stick to the drill presses. When it comes time to start doing folders I'll worry about the mill.

Any recommendations on brands? There is so much talk of problems out of the box that it makes me nervous to get a crappy one. So far the two brands that I've been looking at are porter cable and jet. Any thoughts. Then there is also that general international model from coastal tools that runs around $500. I think I'm just gonna go new. Too many variables with used stuff. And I don't know enough about em to really check one out.

You'd think spending $500 should guarentee a decent product but apparently not. :(
 
I'd narrow it down to what's locally available to you, and then start searching product reviews from there.

Once I've done that, I'd go and visually inspect the machine at the store. Then get it home and look it over. Check the table for flatness, tune everything in, and use a dial indicator for checking run out.

Chances are good that if you're spending $500 on a press, that it will be plenty accurate and made well enough to do what you need it to. That said, it's not gauranteed, so it pays to check.
 
Yeah those three are the ones available locally. I'm looking up how to check it with the dial indicator now. Thanks for the tip
 
Personally, I've got a small table top Ryobi, and an even smaller Norther Tool (or some other chinese brand).

In and of themselves, the presses are both a POS. BUT, the chucks tighten, the quill goes up and down, and they turn in a circle, so I use them. If I just need some rough holes drilled, or to deburr a hole, they work well enough.

That said, I also have a large knee mill that's set up to be accurate within about .0005", and that is what I use when I need a hole to be relatively precise.
 
Ok so I'm looking mostly at jet now. The Porter cable doesnt go as slow as to be optimal. There are 2 models that I'm trying to compare but can't find much difference. One home depot lists as a "metal working" dp the jet 354400 j-2500. The one I'm leaning towards is the jet 354173 jdp-17dx. They are both $600 and the dx has numerous features that the 2500 does not. Am I missing something? Why would these two be the same price? Also what makes one a "metal working" press. They are both 16 speed. And both have 200 rpm low end.
 
I've been looking at the littlemachineshop.com mill. Any feedback from anyone would be appreciated
 
I bought a Harbor Freight #60237 last year, and I am very happy with it. The only problem I have with it is that the chuck will not grip 1/8" bits, which I easily solved with a second chuck for small bits.

The #60237 is available in HF stores, and I'd recommend printing out the September 25% off coupon from their site and using that when you go to the store. I used a 20% coupon when I picked mine up.
 
mc556 said:
I've been looking at the littlemachineshop.com mill. Any feedback from anyone would be appreciated
Click to expand...
I bought one a while back and am very pleased with it! Fantastic mill and not as small as I thought it'd be.


Also want to add, a mill is not necessary to make folders, but a drill press it. A mill can be used as a drill press, though I'd rather use a drill press for hole making.
 
I'll probably end up with the jet. Thanks for all the responses.

Although I'm still trying to figure out exactly what makes the first one a "metal working" dp and the second one a "wood working" model. Makes no sense. Same speeds
 
I find my mini mill to be a rather poor drill press so I think you are making the correct call. The problems lay in the type of z axis screw used more than anything. They do not come with ball screws so there is about .030" of play between up and down movement. When drilling this means the bit will bite and be pulled down more or less free for .030" making drilling a rather messy operation. The other problem is that the vertical adjustment is so short that between the vise and the drill chuck, there is only room for smaller drill bits. The first problem can be dealt with by putting in ball screws which I'm planing on shortly. This is an upgrade that cost more than a drill press on its own mind you but is a step towards a cnc refit too. The z travel length can be helped with stub bits and clamping directly to the bed but in the end, a drill press is still a good idea and they just aren't that expensive usually.

-Sandow
 
I have a bench top Skil that works well; small footprint, quiet, easy to adjust, and just 6 easy payments of $19.95. IMHO, with $500, get a bench top drill press($150), a 2 axis vise($125); stops and work holders($125) and spend your remaining $100 on good quality cobalt high speed steel drill bits.
McMaster/Carr or Victor Machine for vise
Victor Machine for stops, work holder, parallels
http://stores.ebay.com/OEM-Tools-Di...34005014&_sid=953899014&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322 for drill bits
the old sailor
 
Not a bad plan but I did budget for everything I need so I can get the floor press. And all the other stuff. I'm getting a variable kmg 8, $200 worth of belts, grizzly wood cutting band saw, cheapo harbor freight metal cutting band saw, the drill press, possibly the 12" grizzly disk sander. 123 blocks, drill vise, edge scribe, maybe a bubble jig, two workbenches. Assorted clamps and vises. and maybe a heat treat oven. I already have a forge and anvil. And a bunch of files. Anything else that im forgeting?
 
Sounds like a plan.

I checked out the hf drill presses on their site and they seem to be cosmetically redesigned. I think that they are likely a good value and if you get a magnetic base and dial indicator you could easily check for runout and over all slop. Just so you know most of the Far East drill presses have the same head castings but have different pullies, handles, tables, belt covers, chucks.
 
Ok so ended up walking into a local pawn shop and finding a used craftsman 17 inch 1.5hp, 16 speed press for $225. Ended up paying $175 when all was said and done. It may not be the end all be all of drill presses but it will do the job and was so cheap I couldnt resist. Now I have some extra cash :) anyone know a good keyless chuck?
 
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