The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest Good/cheap drill press for making 1/2" holes

Hi all
Good/cheap drill press for making 1/2" holes in 1/4" or 1/2" plate metal. Which you do you guys suggest and what capacity I should buy. I want it to last for long time and I am not frequent user of the tool

Any inputs are appreciated

Ganesh

Unfortunately the words "good" and "cheap" never seem to work together, do they? I'd get a Crapsman, DeWalt or Delta in that order from cheap to good. With moderate use and really good sharp drills and using a proper pilot holes you should have good results. The table size and speed controls are just as important as the brand. Holding the work in place is very important to accuracy and safety.

Looking at HF 16 speed floor model, Any good?

I can't really speak for drill presses,as I'm using one that's probably 50 years old or more that still works great, but for making perfectly round holes, you need a set of these.

I'm sure the HF 16 speed will work fine for your application.

I dont know what the Craftsman drill presses are like now.However I have a Craftsman drill press that is about 15 years old.I have used and abused it for 15 years and it is still running fine.Cant remember the price but I am pretty sure it was less than $150.

If you're not using it but once in a blue moon, the HF "might" suffice.
I have an HF table top machine I use on occasion, it's not the worst thing I've used, but if you're going for precision, it's not the best by a long shot either. They work ok for the occasional use by a hobbyist if they aren't trash right of the box. Used more frequently, that's where the difference between cheap and good comes in.
Still, any cutting/drilling tool is only as good as the part that does the cutting, so whatever you do dont buy cheap bits and you'll be a LOT happier in the long run.

Still, any cutting/drilling tool is only as good as the part that does the cutting, so whatever you do dont buy cheap bits and you'll be a LOT happier in the long run.

Freq 2002 got that right. Places like Sears no longer sell High Speed Steel drill bits, the ones that actually stay sharp for a while. I've been getting them for my sons on ebay.

It's worth remembering that drill bits can be resharpended repeatedly. It's easy to do freehand on a bench grinder once someone shows you the technique. Contraptions like Drill Doctor are completely unnecessary and don't do any better than what you can do freehand with a bench grinder and a drill point gauge.

Try looking at craigslist, in my area the china drillpresses are listed often and for very little. I would look for a good used Walker Turner or Rockwell or other good heavy press made in the 50's 0r 60's. A lot of times the old goodies can be had for the same money or less than the new wang foo.

This is what finally I settled with

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-speed-bench-top-drill-press-44836.html

The way to adjust is by moving the belts on pulleys. Is that the only way to adjust the speed. I thought adjusting the speed will be just dialing. But I have to move the belts. May thatz what 100 bucks will buy me.

A question on how long should I take to make 1/2" holes on a 1/4" plate. I was taking too long may be my drill bit was not sharp or something.

Any advise please.

Ganesh

Most drill presses use the belt adjustement, simple, tried and true, fewer moving parts too!

Well, 1st thing is with a large bit like 1/2", starting with a smaller pilot hole is a good idea. Also, for a large bit you should be using a cutting oil to keep the bit biting in right and turning smoothly. There are varying oppinions about wether you need oil at all, but if you decide to use it make sure it's a cutting/tapping oil, regular lubricants are not made for the job and will just cause more problems.

Speed is a matter of material, both of your work and the drill bit. What I was taught was to use slower speeds when drilling steel, and the larger the bit, the slower the speed. Use slow even pressure and let the bit do the work. Cut too fast and you'll overheat the bit, soften the temper and it goes dull in seconds. The harder you press, the more heat it makes, the deeper the drill loses it's temper requiring more material to be removed when resharpening.

Ok my real problem was two things, one my speed was two high and set it to 250 rpm and I bought new drill bit "hitachi" really good it was on sale. I was able to make 1/2 " hole under and minute and I like the HF drill press.

Just wanted to update my thread

Ganesh