Drill press basics

[Victor Robinson]

Would you guys be so kind as to explain to me the basic features that separate drill presses? I'm trying to get a drill press in the shop - want to sneak it in the budget but also don't want something quickly outgrown.

I know I want a benchtop, as I don't have much floorspace.

I was choosing between something really cheap, like the 12" Delta 300L which can be had for $200 online, vs. something a little pricier, like the 14" Grizzly G7943, $320.

I've also been scouring CL, but benchtops aren't for sale much around here.

Will I tend to notice a huge difference between these two machines? For reference, I'm a relatively new woodworker with an interest in mostly furniture - the most common usage of my drill press will probably be for hogging out material with forstners for mortises (or using a mortising attachment).

[Gary Breckenridge]

I think its a question of what you need. I have the Delta and I like it. The Grizzly is bigger and heavier and more expensive. What do you make and how will you be using the machine? Your project ideas sound like you need the heavier and stronger machine. If the Delta is too small you will be unhappy with it. If the Grizzly is a bit too big it won't make much difference.:cool:

[Victor Robinson]

I think its a question of what you need. I have the Delta and I like it. The Grizzly is bigger and heavier and more expensive. What do you make and how will you be using the machine? If the Delta is too small you will be unhappy with it. If the Grizzly is a bit too big it won't make much difference.:cool:

So what makes it either too small or too big?

My understanding is that the stroke matters, because it lets you know how deep you can drill without adjusting the table, right? The Delta has a 2-3/8" stroke, vs. 3-1/4" for the Grizzly. Is the real world stroke going to be considerably shorter when you account for the bit?

The other thing that seems to matter is the max. table to chuck distance...around 14" for the Delta and can't tell what it is for the Grizz.

Am I missing any other major differences? The Grizz has a significantly more powerful motor, but does that really matter for what I'll be doing?

[Mike Cruz]

As for HP, I have heard many say that HP on a DP is not that significant.

As for personal experience, I used to have a Delta bench top model (don't remember exactly which one, but purchased it about 12 years ago). It was very easy to stop the bit while boring. Happened on a number of occasions. That said, maybe I was drilling too fast, not removing waste enough, using dull bits, etc. Either way, I could stop the bit. More HP will not let you do that. Does that mean more HP is better? Not necessarily. Maybe with stopping the bit (chuck actually) I prevented the bit from over heating and breaking.

Anyway, the biggest difference you will likely notice is the depth of the hole you can bore. Mine was 1 7/8" (IIRC). I now have a DP that allows over 3". HUGE difference.

I agree that if in the budget, go with the Grizzly. You WON'T be disappointed, whereas if you went with the Delta, you might be. IF you go with the Grizzly and are disappointed, then you would have been disappointened with the Delta anyway and no loss.

[Tom Esh]

I have the Delta. It's fine but if I had a "do-over" I'd choose the Griz. Primarily for the low speeds. The Delta's is about 550, whereas the Griz goes down to 140. There have been times I'd liked to have used a circle cutter, but really don't like the idea of spinning one at 550. That plus the extra quill travel would make it a no-brainer for me. The Delta's laser is handy (much more so than on a miter saw for example) but there are aftermarket lasers that can easliy be attached to the column.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

IMO, get a floor standing. It takes up VERY little extra floor space. If you have enough room for a table top, you have the room for a floor standing. (Where will you put the DP when not in use? Probably on the floor next to the bench.) There is a huge difference between a cheap floor model and an expensive table top. The floor model will win. Search CL for floor models. There's very little that can go wrong with a DP.

As far as HP, yes it does not matter, until you start swinging large forstners or hole saws. When you're drilling a 2" hole, the extra HP comes in handy.

[glenn bradley]

As stated, a floor model doesn't really occupy much more space than a benchtop -and- it leaves your bench clear. Several makers have bench and floor versions where the only difference is the pole length.

Main things to look for (IMHO) -
1 - Size, how far into a board do you need to get? A 14" DP can drill a hole 7" from the post, max.
2 - Power, I have a half horse which does everything I have ever asked of it including circle cutters and 2-1/2" Forstners into hardwoods.
3 - Table raising mechanism, No crank? No thanks.
4 - Depth stop and holddown, my Delta 17-950 uses the same style as the little Shopmaster machines. Works OK but the threaded rod with a quick-release nut sure seems better.
5 - Table, this may or may not be important as even though my machine has a great table, I added an aftermarket one for even more versatility.

[David Cefai]

I cannot speak for the floor space issue but if you get a benchtop, think about the weight..

One assumes that you will want to move a benchtop model out of the way when you are not using it. In my tiny workshop this can be a problem as, while manouvering around other stuff it is very easy to hurt your back.

My DP has a 2" quill travel and weighs 26Kg. I ended up placing it on a side table and only moving it to the workbench when I have to drill workpieces longer than can fit where it is. In the latter case I plan my work so as not to have to move it more often than I have to.

[Brian Kent]

The other thing that seems to matter is the max. table to chuck distance...around 14" for the Delta and can't tell what it is for the Grizz.


Max table to chuck for the Grizzly is 16".