Drill Press Recommendations

[Paul Thompson]

I am about to buy a drill press. I am planning on spending approximately $300. I have been eying the Ridgid Drill Press for some time now and have been generally planning on buying it when the time comes in a couple of weeks.

However, I thought I would ask here first and see if anyone could give me a good reason to buy something else, or to specifically NOT by the Ridgid Drill Press.

Also, currently I have in my shop:

a Table Saw (Ridgid TS3650)
a Band Saw (Ridgid)
an Oscillating Spindle Sander (Ridgid)
a Dust Collector (Penn State Ind DC2000)
And then the general collection of hand power tools - circular saw, drills, etc. Does anyone have a compelling argument for me purchasing something other then a drill press first?

Other things on my list to get someday:

a Planer
a Jointer
a Lathe
a Compund Miter Saw
a Router and home-made router table (NYW style)
a Belt Sander
I do way to much reading of woodworking magazines and am always thinking mid-project how useful most of the above tools would be at different points in the project.

I have a 20x20 space to work with and am looking forward to filling it up someday!

[Mark Singer]

Paul,
I like this Delta.....17-965


http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00002266L.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.gif

[Russ Massery]

Paul. I have a Delta also it's the 17-900 an older version of Marks. Though I like the Jet version a little better it's has a quill stop instead of the one that locks on the handle.

Russ

[David Fried]

I bought a Rikon 30-250 radial drill press. It's been great and was only $199.

[Fred Hubert]

I too have been eyeing the Ridgid DP for some time. Unless you must have something bigger, I would refer you to the drill press comparison review performed by one of the magazines within the last couple years. I forget which one it was, but I think it was either Fine Woodworking or Workbench. Anyway, the Ridgid received lots of praise and had by far the least amount of runout.


That said, I think you would be better served with a router first. There is a current thread on here about a Craftsman Professional router table on clearance for around $50, normally close to $200. That with a nice 2-base router kit (I prefer the Bosch 1617 EVSPK) and you will spend well under $300. You could also opt for the current Hitachi deal at Amazon, getting both the M12V and a 1/4 sheet sander for $159. I don't know that I'd want to free-hand rout with this beast, but I believe it is the bang for the buck champion as a dedicated table router.

The router is too versatile of a tool not to have one in your shop...
~ Fred

[lou sansone]

Another thought, being the type the likes old iron, is looking for a good used and somewhat rare Rockwell / delta or Walker turner Radial Arm Drill press (RAM style). They are quite versital and can be found on the used market if you look for a while. I have seen some go for as low as the $500 range ( although they do tend to command a much higher price usually, but hunting for it is part of the fun). Here are a couple of crummy photos of one of them. You can google and find better ones. The 20x20 shop sounds serious and if you want to have a machine that you can grow with for some time then you might want to think about the RAM. Maybe some other folks out there have also some experience with this drill press (either good or bad ). Almost all RAM's have 16 speeds and a few have a 6" quill stroke, while most have a 4" stroke.

[Brent Beelby]

Paul, I have the Rigid drill press and love it. I have never had a problem with it, and besides, you have to say it is the best "looking" one out there. I would buy it next if I were you, and then I would buy a real good planer. Its nice to be able to go and buy rough and exotic woods and run it through a planer. One fellow mentioned getting a router first. I myself, build a lot of arts and crafts furniture so I really have no use for a router. It actually collects more dust than it produces.

Take care, Brent

[Jim Becker]

Welcome to the creek!!

Two things that are important in drill presses for woodworking use...the lowest speed possible and the total throw (depth of cut) possible. The former is important so that you can use things like fly-cutters and other larger diameter bits safely. The second is to allow you to drill deeper when required. Don't worry about the table size and shape...realistically, those metalworking tables really need to be topped with a larger, shop-made auxiliary table for woodworking use anyway. Horsepower is also of little worry. Size matters only in that it affects how far into a workpiece from back to front you can drill a hole...bigger is better, but there isn't a lot of differentiation in most of the models in the price range you are looking.

One last comment, unless you have a particular need for a drill press for a project, you might want to consider putting that $300 towards some of the more critical tools on your "to buy" list...most of what you use a DP for can be done with hand-held drills and simple guides. The planer and jointer would be a lot higher on "my" list...they are part of the essential work triangle, IMHO.

[Charlie Plesums]

I have a drill press but it is the least used of my woodworking tools... Very helpful occasionally, but rarely "required."

I second the vote for router as next tool to get, at least for the kind of work that I do. I didn't think I needed one, but my wife bought me one years ago and I wore it out. The Hitachi is currently the best value, but is very heavy - does a good job both handheld (if you are young and strong) and in a table. I only recently sold my Hitachi and router table when I got a shaper. I still have a lighter router for hand-held use.

Jointer and Planer are no fun, but are probably the most important - your quality will skyrocket when every board you use is absolutely flat and square. Since you have a bias towards Ridgid, the Ridgid jointer is a very good machine, but only 6 inches wide, which was constantly too narrow. I sold my JP0610 and upgraded. I had a mid-range Delta planer, but wished I had gotten the Ridgid (or today might have coveted the DeWalt) among the portable planers

[Robert Wimmer]

Paul, I agree with Jim Becker. Personnaly, a router would be my next purchase. Having said that, I just purchased a Hitachi B16RM drill press from Lowes since I already have a router. I had been shopping for a drill press and that seemed to be the best deal. Plus I'm a sucker for appearence and liked the looks of the Hitachi. Hope this doesn't confuse you. Just use your gut instinct. Errors in judgement are just part of woodworking.

[Mike Holbrook]

I also recently purchased the Hitachi Drill Press. I am very pleased with it so far. I don't think you can beat the price/performance. I had a specific job for it and they were offering it for 20% off at Christmas, so I felt the expense was more than justified. I tend to buy tools as I need them for specific work.

[Pete Harbin]

In light of our recent discussions about Radial Arm Saws, I'd have to say that I even use my RAS more than my Drill Press, especially since I have the OSS (same Ridgid model that you have.) You might want to spend some more time determining which "next tool" you're going to use more.
I will say too, that having the drill press is nice when you need it though. When I bought mine (Craftsman 15") I also bought a drum sanding kit, so I was expecting double duty from it at the time.

If you're sold on the drill press though, the Ridgid has proven to be a pretty solid tool in several reviews.

Good Luck, and have fun with you're next purchase!

Pete

New Mexico Scorpions 4
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees 2

Go Scorps!

[Todd Davidson]

The Ridgid has worked well for me - for how often I use it, it's a great machine for the price (checking out www.homedepot.com/tenpercent (http://www.homedepot.com/tenpercent) for a 10% off coupon - if applicable - couldn't hurt) ...just do not ever think of putting an
1 1/2"wide, 12"long auger bit in it :eek: .

[Paul Thompson]

First of all, thank you all very much for all of the great input. You guys are torturing me with the router suggestions - I have had router envy for a long time...

Next, let me throw a couple of bits out there as to why I was thinking about going with the drill press first.

Immediate Project Need: Dining Table & Chairs

My next big project is to build a dining room table and chairs set for my wife.

This project will require countless mortise and tenon joints. The table will require a handful. However, the chairs each require 22 m&t joints. Times 8 chairs, that's 176 of them.

Now, I am pretty game for jumping in with a set of chisels to work on these joints. However, I have been thinking that a drill press would be an amazing bonus in creating these joints more quickly and more accurately.

Alternative Router Source: Borrowing from a Friend

I definately understand the need for a router. However, in the past I have always been able to find a friend who has a router that I can borrow. However, it's a lot harder to get access to a drill press, especially for the extent of work I'm talking about for the project above.

Update to my Original Post: Planned Planer Purchase

As I got more into the plans for my dining table and chairs, I discovered that I was going to have to find some way to get the wood for my project thicknessed to some different dimensions.

The project is going to require wood thicknessed to 3/4, 1 1/16, and 1 3/4 inches.

For most of my previous woodworking, 3/4 inch wood S2S SLR from Paxton's in Kansas City worked fine. The wood I could get there would be relatively accurately dimensioned. However, a couple of problems.

1. I live 8 hours from that store now.
2. I need more thickness variety then that for my project.

Now I'll probably be getting my wood from Curly Woods. And while I can pay Mike to thickness it for me, by the time I pay for that for a number of projects, I can start to excuse buying some of the other tools.

So, for this project, I have the wife on board with the idea of a planer.

Now, currently the competition currently on the plate is as follows:

1. Ridgid TS1300LS (http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/TP1300LS-Thickness-Planer/)
2. Dewalt DW735 (http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail.asp?productID=5935)

I have a solid appreciation for the Ridgid line of woodworking tools.

However, I swear that I have read 2 or 3 planer review articles in the past couple years that ALL raved over the Dewalt DW735. Now, the Ridgid Planer did fine, but just not as well as the Dewalt.

In particular, the 3 blades and 2 speeds offered by the Dewalt was claimed to make the DW735 an excellent choice.

So, again, any input, suggestions, etc? Also, anyone have any comments on my router and drill press comments above?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Paul,

1st off.......Welcome to the 'Creek!

2nd......I bought the Ridgid planer 2 years ago. It's worked well for me.

[Wes Newman]

Paul, I wouldn't buy the Dewalt, unless you can get a really good deal. It's a little overprice for a lunch box planer. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying it isn't a good planer, but for $400-$500 you could almost buy a stationary.