want to buy a drill press..please give thoughts!

[Dan Scott]

I have been looking at the 17" Delta, and the 17" Steelcity..any thoughts about which one, or are there others I should consider?

[Brian Kent]

Since they cost the same right now, I am looking forward to buying the Steel City. I want the longer quill stroke, and I have heard nothing but great remarks here.

[Ben Hatcher]

As much as it pains me to say this, I really like the Shop Smith as a drill press. My dad has one that I use every time I have a part that is too long for my 13" drill press. I still think it is a dangerous table saw.

Advantages:
1. Speed changes can be done on the fly. No belts to move.
2. Infinite part length capacity when used as a horizontal boring machine.
3. Table height can be changed without affecting the alignment of the table left to right.
4. Comes with a free disc sander and lathe.

Check out your local craigslist or other classifieds. With some work, you'll probably be able to find a used one for about the price you'd pay for one of the 17" presses you mentioned.

[Guy Belleman]

I have two drill presses, an older Delta that is very like the Steel City, and the new Delta you are looking at.

The Steel City has the sliding and micro adjust threaded side bar (which I like). The Delta (which I have) has the circular depth adjustment on the handle (which I don't like).

The new Delta has the nice large table with the slots, which is nice. The Steel City has the more traditional smaller table.

If I had it to do again, I would not buy a drill press with the circular/rotating depth adjustment. The equivalent Grizzly is now reduced as well. It is a good time to buy a DP.

I also found that the laser lines and pointer on the Delta isn't of much use for me, unless I an doing repetitive holes, which isn't often. Every time the table is adjusted, or the thickness of the stock is changed, the laser needs re-aiming, which is a pain and time consuming. Laser would probably be more useful on a cutoff saw or radial arm saw.

I don't find changing the belts for speed that much of a problem. Occasionally, I have wanted the quill travel to be more. So, the Steel City with adjusting bar and 6" quill travel in appealing.

Good luck.

[Mike Henderson]

Get one with variable speed. Otherwise, you'll drill at the wrong speed because you won't want to take the time to change the belts.

Then get one with the longest quill travel.

Beyond that, make sure it's accurate - very low runout.

Mike

[Chris Tsutsui]

Keep an eye out on CL if you can. Good deals often get posted over the weekend though some get posted weekdays, especially mondays.

I picked up a nice 17" Jet drill press for $75 on CL.

It came with everything except one $20 part that I bought and now it works perfect.

It isn't too hard releasing belt tension and moving a belt when I want to change the speed either.

I also picked up a Rockler drill press table for $25 on CL.

[Dave Lehnert]

Get one with variable speed. Otherwise, you'll drill at the wrong speed because you won't want to take the time to change the belts.

Then get one with the longest quill travel.

Beyond that, make sure it's accurate - very low runout.

Mike


I own and love a Shopsmith (And I'm not afraid to admit it) The Shopsmith is a drill press made for Woodworking.

A few years ago I purchased a small floor drill press to do metal working on. Did not want to get oil on my Shopsmith. Like mike said you will find yourself drilling at the wrong speed because you don't want to bother to change the belts.

[Jim O'Dell]

I think either of them would be good. I have the Delta 17-965, and until it bit me the other day, I loved it. But that's not the DP's fault.
I'd say which ever one you get make sure you get two of the special vice grip type clamps for it. Save the trip to the ER!! Jim.

[Larry Edgerton]

Think about looking for an old drill press. A drill press is a tool that has not been improved apon in eons. In fact most of the new offerings are junk compared to older units, including the two you are looking at.

It is not that hard to find a good old peice of iron, and one that has some weight to it. Weight is your friend with a drill press. I have two old Walker Turners that I have restored.

One I bought for $100, needed a cleanup, is smooth as silk and has the best speed control I have ever used. The other has a 4' long table with a fixed post and the head goes up and down. That one has a threader setup to tap automatically, and the auto feed can be used for wood as well. I paid $250 for that one, and it required paint and a $100 VFD as it was three phase.

I would not trade either for anything less than a Clausing, and even then, I like the history behind the old iron.

Besides, restoring old iron is GREEN!;)

[Dave Verstraete]

I own and love a Shopsmith (And I'm not afraid to admit it) The Shopsmith is a drill press made for Woodworking.

A few years ago I purchased a small floor drill press to do metal working on. Did not want to get oil on my Shopsmith. Like mike said you will find yourself drilling at the wrong speed because you don't want to bother to change the belts.

+1 on Shopsmith...I know...I Know...

It's a good drill press. Large table...fence...variable speed....able to horizontal bore...

[Ron Jones near Indy]

The drill press function and horizontal boring are the best functions of a ShopSmith IMHO. They work great for me. If, however, I were to buy just a DP it would be a Steel City variable speed if I could find one. Since $$ and space are issues in my shop, the SS does just fine. I have the speed reducer attachment and it does a good job drilling steel at the proper speeds.

[Leigh Betsch]

I went around and around with a PM2800, actually 3 PM2800's. Finally got one of these instead.:D:D:D Less money than the PM2800 and in an entirely different league.

[Stephen Tashiro]

When I look at the work tables that are cranked up and down the columns of the typical homeowners drill press, I find the same kind of lock on all of them. It's a doofus arrangement of the handle on the lock for a right handed person to reach. Do left handers like it?

[glenn bradley]

I was really after the SC but it was $500-plus. Is it really down to $350 now? I guess maybe you don't mean the Delta 17-950(?). I got a deal on the 17-950 that I couldn't pass up while saving up for the SC. I have not missed the SC's long quill travel at all and love the Delta's table. I have had two warranty issues in one year. I have not heard similar issues with the SC. If the SC had a quick tilting table it would be close to perfect in this range IMHO.

[george wilson]

I bought a variable speed Delta for the toolmaker's shop. I had to change the chuck for a Jacobs since the original didn't run true enough to satisfy us. Also,the variable speed wasn't too great.Vibrated too much. I bought a new belt for it,which I think helped some.Can't recall other problems now. I would look for a good OLD drill press if I wanted one,not a newer import as far as variable speed is concerned. I got an OLD Powermatic D.P. for the same shop.It was a good solid machine,and the belts were easily changed. We used one for wood,and one for metal.

[Brian Kent]

I was really after the SC but it was $500-plus. Is it really down to $350 now? I guess maybe you don't mean the Delta 17-950(?). I got a deal on the 17-950 that I couldn't pass up while saving up for the SC.

Glenn, when I wrote that they were the same price I could not find the Delta for under $465. Mostly $499 and over. With its rebate the Steel City is $499. I just checked and Amazon now has it for $369. If I were buying today and the "Free Shipping" is real, I'd buy the Delta.

[Dan Scott]

Thanks a lot for all your thoughts...I have been looking on Craigslist, and, as per usual, now that I am actually looking for a drill press, none have been on there! I think the longer quill stroke on the Steel City will win out..

[David G Baker]

Leigh B,
I have a little smaller version than yours but there is two drill presses within two feet of the mill. One is a Craftsman Commercial and the other is a heavy duty unknown brand. I use the Craftsman for most of my drilling unless I am lazy then I use the mill.
I am still looking for another drill press to put in my woodworking area and not use it for drilling anything but wood. I have had a few Delta products that I am very dissatisfied with so if I was going to commit I would go with Steel City over Delta unless the Delta was on older model that was designed to last.

[Mike OMelia]

I like my PM 2800. Laser. Work light. Expandable table. Reeves transmission. Long quill. Digital speed readout.

Mike

[Bob Aquino]

Thanks a lot for all your thoughts...I have been looking on Craigslist, and, as per usual, now that I am actually looking for a drill press, none have been on there! I think the longer quill stroke on the Steel City will win out..

I have to side with the guys that are telling you to go old. The new machines are not in the same league as the older equipment. If you need one right now, get a benchtop, they show up on craigslist all the time. Then wait till you find a good older floor model machine, say a Delta, Powermatic, Walker Turner, Boice Crane, etc. In my case I got a variable speed Clausing off Ebay last summer for quite a good price. Since then I have bought and sold a 15" VS Rockwell as well as a 17" delta. The Rockwell I sold for less than 400 and I had replaced the bearings in it. It was a sweet machine, but not as nice as my Clausing. Bottom line is that they will eventually come up but you have to be patient. You may also have to do some work on it too, if that is something you are not up to then either look for a plug and play or go new.