Which drillpress to buy?

[Anton]

I'm just to buy a drillpress, preferable my first and last - but which? I am tempted to buy an Scheppach rab s16x

which is radial and floor standing. Suggestions on other and comments regarding this drillpress much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Anton

[No]

You can see the press the OP is talking about in their catalog at

Its a radial DP similar to but in a floor standing model.

Anton - Good luck, I have no opinions on DPs. Obviously you are in Europe, Nordic or Baltic region. I'm not sure if Grizzly will do business there but they make a nice tool.

It may help if you told the regulars here what your intended use would be and they may be able to give you better recommendations.

[Dave W]

For what it is worth, I have a Craftsman bench mounted drill press that is at least 80 years old. I find the floor models to be too tippy for safety. Additionally, just last week I moved the bench drillpress to my new workbench so I could drill 3/4 inch holes in the top. They came out perfectly, square and tight. I don't think I have ever wished I had a floor model.

[Bob G.]

======================================= I take just the opposite view.. but can see why someone with a very small shop may wish to devote bench space to for a drill press rather then give up floor space...

I have 3 drill presses in my woodshop...plus another one in my garage.... even split 2 floor models 2 bench top units...

Give me the floor models.... Sorry but in 40 years I honestly have never issues with either bing tipsy...

Not all that much difference betweent them...BUT I find myself using the floor models 90 percent of the time..

Bob G.

[Anton]

Thanks for your answers. Seems that drillpresses are a well matured product. However, my concerns are electrical motor, drill depth and drill precision. As far as I have found 550 W and drill depth 80 mm (3 inch) is fairly standard. However, I have found a couple with 1100W and drill depth 120 mm (4 inch) but weight twice as much. It might be a problem for me to move the machine in place...

Finally, but for me important, is the precision of the chuck, that is the tolerance of the holes - how much the drill moves sideways. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance

Anton

[Prometheus]

A really cheap one might have a little runout in the chuck, but if your holes slide sideways, it's often the bit's fault. Usually it's that your feed rate is too fast, or the point of the drill is not completely centered. If you have to drill quickly, for whatever reason, you can spike the drill to about a 90 degree angle (as opposed to the more standard 108) and it won't walk nearly as much. It will get dull faster, though. Beyond that, just about every drill press I've ever used worked just as well as any other. Clausing makes a really nice one, if you're looking for something really heavy-duty.

[Brian Elfert]

I have a General Canadian made drill press. I could barely tip it over if I tried.

The cast iron base is huge. It takes two people to move the drill press.

Brian Elfert

[Upscale]

A General Canadian model is what I'd buy. I've had my eye on one of the models where the whole apparatus can slide up or down on the supporting shaft.

[Steve Knight]

power on a drill press is not a much needed thing. usually belt slippage accor's far before you run out of power.