Buffalo 15 inch drill press for woodworking?

[David Milstone]

I can pick this up for $100. Needs small items (belt, cord and ball on end of handle) and general restoration. Is this a good drill press for woodworking? What are the critical performance, adjustability, etc. things to check before purchase? Is this a reasonable price? The other used dps I'm finding are smaller and about the same price or slightly less, but they seem much less tool.

Thanks.

[Myk Rian]

As you run the quill up and down, make sure it isn't side-to-side sloppy.

[Matt Meiser]

I'm assuming this is the old Buffalo which made industrial tools rather than the new Buffalo which is like Harbor Freight without the return policy? I have to answer yes as long as the spindle runs true. That was one of the models I was looking for when I set out to find a good vintage drill press.

[Bob Aquino]

As you run the quill up and down, make sure it isn't side-to-side sloppy.

That would be rather hard to do unless it was really far gone. If it is the Buffalo of old, its a good candidate for woodworking. You can try and spin the chuck with the belt off to see if there is any resistance or lack of smoothness in the rotation and run the quill up and down too. In order to tell for sure whether you need bearings, you would need a dial indicator and base, both of which can be had at HF for about 20 bucks total. These are good enough to tell you what the runnout is at the chuck. Less than .002 is good, Less than .001 is better. And don't forget the motor, that may also need some work, but once you sort it all out you will have a solid heavy duty machine that will outlast you.

[David Milstone]

...In order to tell for sure whether you need bearings, you would need a dial indicator and base ...

Would a clamped probe plus feeler gauges down to 0.001 inch be good enough?

[george wilson]

Is the highest speed fast enough to use for small drill bits? If this is a metal drill press,it might be set up to run slow. If it has a skinny spindle hanging down,with a morse taper socket in it,it is a metal working machine. You can install a Jacobs chuck with a taper shank,but I'd prefer not to on a high speed press.

[David Milstone]

The Buffalo 15 is a bench top, not a floor standing model as I originally thought. I think bench top is fine for now, but how much will this matter as I advance in woodworking? Also found a bench top Atlas 1010 dp (12 inch) advertised in "mint condition" and on a solid mobile base with "some bits" for $200.

I also found a floor standing Dayton 16 inch (17 inch?) model 32918c dp in "working condition" for $100. Would this be a better bet than bench top? It seems to be a good price.

Thanks for all you advice.

Hopefully one of these will be with me in the near future and I can stop typing and start drilling!

[Bob Aquino]

Would a clamped probe plus feeler gauges down to 0.001 inch be good enough?

David
I'm not sure but I would tend to doubt it. What I described can be had for 20 bucks from HF (base 10, dial indicator 10). It is also useful for other tools as well such as runout on a table saw blade.

If you can post pix of the machines you are thinking about that would be a help. I would say that even an older buffalo benchtop would be a good choice. On some of those older presses, the only difference between a benchtop and floor model was the length of the column. I cant say much on the dayton, again a pix would help.

[David Milstone]

David
I'm not sure but I would tend to doubt it. What I described can be had for 20 bucks from HF (base 10, dial indicator 10). It is also useful for other tools as well such as runout on a table saw blade.

If you can post pix of the machines you are thinking about that would be a help. I would say that even an older buffalo benchtop would be a good choice. On some of those older presses, the only difference between a benchtop and floor model was the length of the column. I cant say much on the dayton, again a pix would help.

Buffalo and Atlas images below. Owner says the Buffalo is a bench model and does have a separate adjustable table although I can't see the table in the photos. No Dayton images except from manufacture web site, which doesn't help.

I've used feelers for table saw blade run out but I can't say how this compares to a dedicated indicator/base. The price of the latter is right though. HF shows two dial indicators, one white (623-5VGA and labeled "Travel") and one black (33675-5VGA), that seem otherwise very similar but the descriptions are sufficiently convoluted that I can't be certain they are interchangeable. Are either ok for this intended purpose?

Thanks.