Drill Press differences?

[Rex]

I have a Rigid DP probably from Lowes, which is comparable to those you listed.
I think it's fine in a woodshop.

As soon as I find a nice green Powermatic, the Rigid hits the door

Or, I may just use my Rockwellian mill for DP duty.
Hate to risk the table for that though.

[Robbie's Machine Service]

It brings me to tears to see a machinist buy Chinese scrap..
The inexpensive machines most always the RPM are too fast for metal working.
There's got to be another source other then Horrible Freight or EndCo for a drill press
Wasting that money when the same money could buy a good used American drill press.
Look on Craig's list,local want ads ,news paper,yard sales,auctions and find a America machine.

Robbie

[Jim B]

I have a 25 year old Tianwneese DP. I paid $200 for it. It has the intermediate pulley so there are 16 speeds. It has served me well. I did try milling on it , using a cross vise, but that was a lost cause.

A few years ago I picked up a South Bend table mounted DP. I added the intermediate pulley, called by South Bend a multispeed attachment.

I consider the SB to be much superior to the off shore one I used for all these years.

Jim B.

[gfphoto]

Thanks all for the comments and info/advice.

The better QC Paul A. mentioned would swing me to Grizzly, over HF certainly...but, I really would rather get a decent American made machine so will spend some time looking. Any further thoughts appeciated...

Gary

[Doozer]

Concerning tables...
The square ones (usually) swing only.
The round ones (usually) swing and swivel.
The advantage of a swing and swivel table is that you can bolt the vise (or your work) to the table, then swing and rotate the table to center your work under the drill bit.
The extra degree of freedom makes this possible.
Try it. You will see what I mean.
Oh, By American. Even if it needs repair.
If you are afraid to rapair something,
then why are you buying a drill press in the first place?!?

--Doozer

[gfphoto]

Concerning tables...
The square ones (usually) swing only.
The round ones (usually) swing and swivel.
The advantage of a swing and swivel table is that you can bolt the vise (or your work) to the table, then swing and rotate the table to center your work under the drill bit.
The extra degree of freedom makes this possible.
Try it. You will see what I mean.

Thanks!

If you are afraid to rapair something,
then why are you buying a drill press in the first place?!?

--Doozer

It is pretty terrifying and now I'm rethinking the whole idea...well, I suppose I'll still try as long as I don't get my hands dirty or scratched up or make a mess with chips all over the floor...that won't happen, will it?

Yesterday I emailed Buffalo Machines and got a reply quickly. Apparently they only sell directly and not through dealers. Their machines look very nice and would be just the ticket but several times more than I can afford.

At lunch today I did get off my @#$$ and went to check out a local shop that had a sign up saying they had "Surplus Machinery" for sale. A fellow came out and I asked if they had any drill presses for sale. No, we do fabrication, was the answer--which I guess wouldn't ever involve a drill press. The search continues.

Gary

[gfphoto]

Just a follow-up:

Thanks again all for the advice.

Maybe here, I don't recall, someone mentioned http://www.searchtempest.com/ for Craigslist and I tried it and found a Rockwell 15-091 about 50 miles away for $200. More than some posters have paid, but the $50 & $75 deals seem to be few and far between. And less than the HF model that I'd end up with if I wanted to avoid a big shipping charge, still for an imported machine.

Aside from light surface rust on the column, it appears to be in perfect working order.

Gary