need drillpress help

[pr]

my wife is going to buy me a drillpress for xmas ,a 10 in tabletop from sears for 169 dollars,i was at biglots today had some floor models for 179 dollars 12 speeds i believe maybe more other is 6 speeds no name brand on biglots brand ,would i be better off to get the biglots brand ,i mean how much can go wrong with a drillpress.

[rrich]

pr,
> ,i mean how much can go wrong with a drillpress.

More can go wrong than you could possibly imagine!

First thing to consider is how the chuck is attached. My cheap Tiwan special is attached with a taper type fitting that the chuck is just pressed into the fitting. Great, except when there is the slightest sideways pressure; then the chuck falls off in your lap. The smallest spec of dust on either the spindle or "collet" just makes the problem worse. Make sure that chuck is attached by the standard 1/2" threads.

Second is access to the spindle and its bearings. Can the bearings be replaced without an arbor press? Sooner or later you're going to need to repair the drill press and you need access to these parts. With the bearing in hand you can go to any bearing supply house and get a matching replacement. But you ain't going to lug the whole drill press housing down there and get the bearings replaced. Remember lifetime lubricated and sealed bearings are guranteed for the lifetime of the bearing. When the bearing wears out the gurantee has also worn out.

Finally check the chuck for runout. With the spindle and chuck in the 'up' position see if you can detect any play in the system. Push and shake the chuck to see if you can detect any side movement. Then move the spindle and chuck to the full down position and repeat the pushing and shaking. There will always be some movement or play. Obviously, the less play the better. There shouldn't be much more than 1/64" play. But more importantly the play should be the same with the spindle and chuck up or down.

Rich

BTW - What is biglots? Never heard of them.

[karl in pa]

Biglots is like a clearing house of lesser quality items for the home and shop. I buy my Christmas light bulbs there but I wouldn't buy a power tool there unless it was a brand name with the warranty.

[Mike]

I also saw the drill press at big lots.... then decided to buy a used one from a pawn shop, so happens the one i bought was a 10" craftsman. Not only did I pay about $75 for it. But I got a much better drill press than the one at biglots. Even though it is used, I am guessing about 10 years old, I would be willing to bet that it will outlast ANY drill press from biglots.

[Lon Miller]

Well, the bearings on the motor. The spindle can be or can become loose and the drill therefore wobble. The gears can be of poor fit or strip. If your budget it $169.00, buy the best brandname tool that you can get for your money. Even if it is a 10" tabletop with 6 speeds as opposed to a noname 16" floor model. As a guide, Delta's 16 floor model with 12 speeds is a good entry level tool which will give years of dependable service and can be bought for about $370. I am not suggesting that you buy this tool, although I have one and find it to be a good buy, but use it as a sort of yardstick. Good luck.

[rrich]

There is one more thing to consider about a drill press.

The number of speeds is not that important. If you have 5 or 6, that's probably enough. I've set mine for mid speed and rarely change it. About the only time I change speeds is when using a hole saw or an "F" bit.

Rich