Good bench top drill press?

Will52100

Will52100

Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Messages
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About ready to retire my hold HF bench top drill press, bearings are loose and the chuck is a PITA to tighten or loosen. I've got a floor model and use my mill for precision holes, but the little bench top model is handy and have used it for many years.

The problem is, every bench top model I've looked at looks like the same flimsy junk I've got. Does nobody make a decent, good quality bench top drill press? Not looking to spend a fortune, but don't mind paying for quality. Thought of the Shopfox, but could care less about the spend sander. Main thing for me is something that will fit on the bench, is easy and quick to use, a good chuck with very little run out.

Thoughts?
Thanks
 
Try and find a good used gear head drill press, generally stear clear of chinese made. US or EU made.
 
https://www.woodcraft.com/products/viking-drill-press-teknatool

This is probably the best benchtop drill press on the market, variable speed, 1hp motor, lots of very useful digital controls. Depth stop, automatic start, smart motor that only uses the power needed to provide constant torque and speed, it’s probably the most expensive benchtop machine but if someone’s looking for a one time buy this would be it, I have the floor model version that Ive used for almost 5 years now. The variable speed alone is a huge plus, I’ve never been able to bog the motor down in the slightest, it has a gauge that tells you the current load and the most I’ve ever been able to get up to is 15% load drilling very large holes. The digital depth gauge is amazing g for figuring out how far down to drill, I can lower the bit to my work piece zero the depth and then see my depth very precisely without having to guess or measure. The automatic start is great for drilling lots of holes, if your working on multiple knives you can turn that setting on and you won’t have to hit on or off, start to lower the drill bit down and the machine turns on, bring it back up to zero and it turns off, much safer to be moving parts around or grabbing another blade or just to clear and chips. Just my two cents but if your looking for something really good this would be it and you may find you could replace your floor model press, this benchtop press has more hp than most floor models presses on the consumer market.
 
I agree that the Woodcraft direct drive drill is great. For a bit less you can try and get a used good quality bench top press that may need a new motor. Put on a 3/4HP to 1HP 3-phase or DC motor and a VFD or DC speed controller and you have a VS drill press. I have a Jet (or Ryobi?) that I am converting. Same thing goes for a floor model. You may be able to pick up an old heavy industrial gear drive unit that needs a motor for cheap ... sometime scrap metal value.
 
I don't think the Woodcraft would be considered the market best. In that price range it looks alright though, for a new machine.
These would be more top of the line I think, completely different price tags though :)
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Scaniaman said:
I don't think the Woodcraft would be considered the market best. In that price range it looks alright though, for a new machine.
These would be more top of the line I think, completely different price tags though :)
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I should have more specific, I was talking about consumer market not commercial market, those are commercial machines and also would be very hard for someone in the US to order. Just my opinion but I wouldn’t give up a drill press for a mini mill. To me the design of a drill press is much more efficient for drilling handles and holes in metal where you want to move products faster than clamping into the mill and locating your holes. Also any mini mill I’ve seen around the same price as the nova drill press usually has a much smaller motor.
 
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Joshua Fisher said:
I should have more specific, I was talking about consumer market not commercial market, those are commercial machines and also would be very hard for someone in the US to order. Just my opinion but I wouldn’t give up a drill press for a mini mill. To me the design of a drill press is much more efficient for drilling handles and holes in metal where you want to move products faster than clamping into the mill and locating your holes. Also any mini mill I’ve seen around the same price as the nova drill press usually has a much smaller motor.
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Agreed, you can claim those are separate machine types / markets I guess.
The Arboga are sold under the JET name in the US (at least one of their floor standing models) and in Canada by HH Roberts. Flott I don't know.
Anyway looking for a used pro machine is a good way to go I think. For me drill presses were a buy twice cry once thing. I started out with a smaller VS direkt drive asian built press, smaller than yours. The flex in the system and chuck travel got to me though. After thinking things through and realizing I'll be doing this for another 35-40 years probably I took the plunge and got an industrial grade gear head drill press. It set me back a bit but it is such a wonderful machine to work with and comes in handy for many things outside of knife making as well.
I was thinking about a mini mill as an alternative but for the reasons you mention amongst others I went this way. I'll probably get a mini mill at some point as well though. Or if I get a bigger shop and can afford it, a "real" floor standing milling machine.
 
I just ordered the Wen 4214 off Amazon. People have been saying they work really well for a cheap press. Guess I'm going to find out haha.
 
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I bought a Bosch PBD40, Its complete trash designed by someone who has never drilled in their life:
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Stay well away from this.

I also bought one of these cheap generic branded chinese micro drill press, this one is actually quite nice for small jobs where it doesn't take up much space on the bench.
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You can probably find them on ebay/aliexpress etc. An equivalent upgrade to this may be the Proxxon TBM115.

I'd probably buy the Sieg X0 and may still do it:
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they call it a mill but I think that's a stretch.

I was after a drill that can be easily used from a seated position at a bench, where the table of drill is same to that as the bench itself. There isn't much on the market that will fill this niche.
 
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Here are a few I have seen or used:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-1...TLINE-Laser-Alignment-System-DP103L/205503636
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Jet-3-4...ght-16-Speed-115-Volt-J-2530-354401/204357262

Something along these lines is what I'm after. I've been thinking of the Jet, but really don't need that high a horse power. Honestly, if the run out wasn't so atrocious and the damn chuck not such a PITA to tighten or loosen, among several other minor issues, I'd keep what I got. This is a general purpose, light duty, mostly quick small drilling jobs. Wouldn't mind paying for the higher quality, but it's likely overkill. Also, not a fan of the variable speed, laser, digital readouts and such on this application.

I kind of like the looks of the Ryobi, might have to give it a shot.

Thanks for the help and input, didn't know there was quite that many different bench top drill presses out there.
 
I got one of the baby grizzlys and flimsy would be a good description.
 
Will52100 said:
Also, not a fan of the variable speed, laser, digital readouts and such on this application.
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You may come to appreciate a digital readout when working with corby bolts or recessed bolt heads etc. I like the feature set of the bosch above but its the execution of it that's horrendous, ergonomic disaster with bad runout. I never use the laser but the digital readout, vertical stop and variable speed (though geared head is very loud!) is the only reason it sticks around.
 
Will52100 said:
About ready to retire my hold HF bench top drill press, bearings are loose and the chuck is a PITA to tighten or loosen. I've got a floor model and use my mill for precision holes, but the little bench top model is handy and have used it for many years.

The problem is, every bench top model I've looked at looks like the same flimsy junk I've got. Does nobody make a decent, good quality bench top drill press? Not looking to spend a fortune, but don't mind paying for quality. Thought of the Shopfox, but could care less about the spend sander. Main thing for me is something that will fit on the bench, is easy and quick to use, a good chuck with very little run out.

Thoughts?
Thanks
Click to expand...
In 1998 I went to the late Bob Loveless’s shop and he had three of the little HF drill presses, each one dialed in for the three steps to drill the tang, Then the handle material, Then countersink for his loveless bolts.......... I asked about them and he said you can pay a lot more. But unless your building high end folders, these will do everything you need for knife making & with the low Cost you can replace them every 5-10 years If need be & still be far ahead on costs...I have three in my shop...
 
I had the Bosch. The thing that bothered me was the flex in the construction. There wasn't much run out in the chuck when not drilling into something and for wood it was ok to use. But when pushing into steel the flex made the drill bit skate. Also the wheel handle sucks.
My gear head Strands S25 doesn't make more noise, maybe on 2900 rpm. The modern fibre + steel gears are less noisy than older steel + steel.
Lasers on drills and saws are gimmicky.

Nsled said:
bosch above but its the execution of it that's horrendous, ergonomic disaster with bad runout. I never use the laser but the digital readout, vertical stop and variable speed (though geared head is very loud!)
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Rhinoknives1 said:
In 1998 I went to the late Bob Loveless’s shop and he had three of the little HF drill presses, each one dialed in for the three steps to drill the tang, Then the handle material, Then countersink for his loveless bolts.......... I asked about them and he said you can pay a lot more. But unless your building high end folders, these will do everything you need for knife making & with the low Cost you can replace them every 5-10 years If need be & still be far ahead on costs...I have three in my shop...
Click to expand...

Maybe the chinese/HF stuff was better back then?
Replacing mediocre stuff is gonna add up with time. All in all I think it is better to buy quality stuff from the start. Everytime I have decided to go cheap I have regretted it, replaced it and lost money in the end.
 
I'm kinda sorta with Bob Loveless on this, except all the bench top HF stuff I've looked at in the last year has been junk. One my father's had for close to 40 years is still running good and has very little run out. Also not a fan of flex in one. For precision I use my mill, especially for folders and corby's and loveless bolts.

I do like the idea of DRO, but for this application it's one more thing to crap out, just looking for a good, solid, basic, small drill press.
 
Will52100 said:
I'm kinda sorta with Bob Loveless on this, except all the bench top HF stuff I've looked at in the last year has been junk. One my father's had for close to 40 years is still running good and has very little run out. Also not a fan of flex in one. For precision I use my mill, especially for folders and corby's and loveless bolts.

I do like the idea of DRO, but for this application it's one more thing to crap out, just looking for a good, solid, basic, small drill press.
Click to expand...
I m in Europe and I have no suggestion for you about drill press .But I agree with you ...small solid drill press is right thing for knife maker.I want to take knife in one hand and drill that three hole in tang in few seconds without worry of safety.I can stall /most time belt will slip/ my small drill press in any situation.Big and powerful press are more dangerous , must to clamp whatever you drill....
 
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