Delta Drill Press ? - Variable Speed?

[Steve DeMars]

Getting ready to buy a Delta Drill Press -

Which is the best way to go?

Mortising and drilling of wood, 90% of proposed use.

Variable Speed?

Manual Belt Changing . . . .

Also, is Delta the way to go . . .

[aswr]

I have the variable speed units and it is a pleasure to use....changing belts (although very easy) is a pain in the butt.....I have three Delta units here at the school and have had no service issues Mike

[Wally]

I got the Delta X5 variable speed drill press. Got the free router which I sold back at 90% of the price new (I didn't open the box). All in all, it turns out a little more expensive than the changing belt model but I'm glad I paid the extra. No hassle, easy, precise and very quick.

I would do it again!

Wally

[Patriarch]

"Steve DeMars" wrote in news:WfBve.70003$gc6.67153 @okepread04:

Manual belt changing is not that big a deal. This is not a lathe. I have the Delta 17" that changes speeds by changing the belt locations. It isn't rocket science, but it does not need doing all that often. There is little functional difference between drilling at 500 rpm and 740 rpm

If the Delta dealer has the drill press in stock, then buy it. If he has to order it, then delivery of anything from Delta right now is a crap shoot.

Jet drill presses are very competitive with the Deltas.

Patriarch

[Dan Valleskey]

I disagree. I am SICK and TIRED of changing the belts around. I think I use the wrong RPM maybe 80 percent of the time. Just too much hassle to change belts.

And when you have to move the belts such that the bottom one moves up to become the top belt, it takes even longer.

Go for variable speed. My DP is a bottle neck to work flow in my small shop. I wish I'd kept my old cheap one, just to limit the belt changes.

-Dan