Thoughts on these drill presses..

[Darren Albert]

So im looking around for a drill press. I have a small bench top that is just not cutting it so I i'm looking at floor standing press. I have looked at used on ebay and craigslist and all I find is either what looks like junk or people that think thier drill press is gold plated... My budget is right around 300 and I have narrowed it down to these two:

Porter cable 15" from lowes $299
pros: cons:
1hp 15"
4" quill travel
what I consider a full size light (AC light socket)
Laser sight system
http://www.lowes.com/pd_78742-46069-PCB660DP_0__?productId=3162489&Ntt=drill+press&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Ddrill%2Bpress&facetInfo=

Masterforce 17" from Menards $299
Pros: Cons:
17" led work light(i like full size better)
Variable speed with tach, done through cvt pulleys not electronic speed control quality?
laser sight system smaller table
http://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardware/power-tools/drill-presses/17-floor-standing-drill-press/p-1498342-c-10086.htm

I like the looks of both but havent had the chance to look at the master force one as my local menards is out but one 30 minutes away has them in stock. I like the idea of the variable speed but wonder if it will need a special belt that may not last.. I have seen many reviews that praise the porter cable so I am leaning that way but I do bolth wood and light metal working so the variable speed would be nice. would like to know if anyone has had any expirence with the Masterforce drill press.

Darren

[Thomas Canfield]

I have no first hand knowledge of either drill press, but will offer these comments:

The Porter Cable name to me has more credibility than the Masterforce if you try to sell laster
The PC has more powerful motor and more weight, slower minimum speed (300 vs 450) even if it does require changing v-belts (there are 2 for 12 speeds) which you get used to doing (and should depending on size and type of drill bits).
The PC has 4" vs 3 1/2" quill travel, and more is good.

The PC looks like the old Delta that I had and the drill depth and quill lock are nice. I did not see a quill stop on the Masterforce, but it might be there. Electronics are nice when they work, but pain when they don't (tachnometer).

Also, old age make the new lights hard for me to work with and the full lamp is a plus on PC.

Good luck with decision, and hope that others chime in with some good input.

[Matt Meiser]

I haven't seen the Masterforce drill press in particular but in general the Masterforce stuff seems to be mid-grade. I've seen worse, definitely seen better. I have seen the Porter Cable. If you are going to buy that, save some money and buy one at Harbor Freight or Tractor Supply with a different sticker on it. The Porter Cable isn't going to be any better--just another generic import drill press with a Porter Cable sticker on it per Lowes spec. Both are exclusive to Menards/Lowes. Parts availability is going to be an issue down the road if its not now.

It shouldn't be terribly hard to find a somewhat older Delta drill press in great condition for a similar price.

[jason thigpen]

i bought the porter cable last fall. after a few tweaks to eliminate quill runout, it has been great! i originally planned to not use the laser system. but one day i decided to calibrate it and try it out. use it all the time now! great bargain at $299. and i looked at the harbor freight and tractor supply floor drill presses that were similar. the porter cable is not the same press with a different label. it is a much better press. the tractor supply one was junk. i think the brand was bulldog, or something like that. the harbor freight didn't look any better.

[Jason Dreyer]

That PC press has been talked about here a few times recently, and the consensus seems more positive than negative. It sounds to me for the price it's a pretty good deal for a hobbyist machine. I have a HF benchtop press which is somewhat chintzy but has actually been a pretty decent little machine for me, but it's time for an upgrade so I was planning on picking up the PC this weekend.

Jason - how bad was your quill runout initially, and what tweaks did you perform to improve it?

[richard poitras]

Look on Craig's list... $300 can by a lot of old over a light weight new one.

[jason thigpen]

quill runout initially was about .007". you could definitely see the wobble as it ran. i just spun the quill by hand until the high side faced me and gave it a few firm taps with a rubber mallet. after that, runout was right at .004". a few more taps to take it to .002" and it runs smooth as butter. that was done back in january and runout is still at .002".

[Chris Padilla]

Get a Delta...they have a rebate...that you might get in 8 months. ;)

[ian maybury]

Hi Darren. One major issue I've run into with a cheap €300 drill press is that it just doesn't have the stiffness to work metal. Even light cuts like using a countersink to clean up the entry to a 10mm dia hole give it fits - the whole spindle seems to chatter vertically. (I'd love to hear from anybody who knows why this may be)

It's fine on wood, and the spindle runs pretty true - although the chuck is not great in that it doesn't get a good grip and the key fits badly.

What I guess I'm saying is that quite a lot depends on what you want to use the drill for - and that some testing may be advisable. It came as a bit of surprise to me that the one I have ran up against its limits so quickly.

ian

[Jeff Heath]

Look on Craig's list... $300 can by a lot of old over a light weight new one.


I would 2nd this motion. I have rebuilt several old drill presses....a Delta P225 14"er, a Craftsman 150, and a Walker Turner 900. I can tell you from experience that nothing made today short of $2000 will come close to the quality of an older cast iron drill press from the 50's or 60's. They are easy to rebuild, if necessary, and are very accurate......much more so than the stuff made today from the eastern rim of the pacific.

Jeff

[Guy Belleman]

I don't think you would be happy with either one. Now that you have some experience, in the same position I was 15 years ago, getting a good drill press definitely made me happier. I have two good Delta presses, rock steady, with no problems that I have encountered, except my skill at making the proper jig, or setting the tool up properly, for different operations. Quite a few used ones available, but this is probably one tool I would purchase new to avoid most issues. In your budget would be the Delta 17-965. Better presses are going to be more. Even on my good Delta drill press, I immediately purchased a good Jacobs chuck and installed it, throwing the other one away. I had read this recommendation in a review. A good chuck immediately improved the performance and smoothness of installing/removing all bits and tools, but this might be the case in other drill presses. Some folks also prefer the keyless chuck, but I tend to leave that to the hand drill and not the drill press.

[Darren Albert]

I would like to thank everyone for the feedback. I know there are trade offs with the cheaper budget drill presses, I am moving up from a 8" (i think) menards tool shop benchtop DP that while it works leaves MUCH to be desired. I'm on a strict budget as i have been doing alot of work to the house and have a bathroom remodel comming up next so i have to watch the $$$. I went out tonight to take a look at the masterforce dp and ofcourse they were out. The also have the benchtop model that is almost a carbon copy but a 12" instead of the 17" even down to the variable speed mechanics. Ran the quill down and had very noticable play in it with the quill down. While its not the same drill press That was one strike against it thinking it would have simular quality. Strike 2, while I really liked the variable speed funtion, it needing a special belt down the road wasnt something i wanted to deal with. Strike 3, as far as I could tell from photos and the online manual with the parts diagram it didnt have a depth stop? Really? I looked at the exploded view several times and didnt see any parts for one. That should be a basic part for any drill press.

Went next door to lowes to look at the Porter Cable. Beefy depth stop with a quick adjust stop nut and when the quill was all the way at the end of the 4" travel there was no detectable play in it at all, and standard belts. Sold, had a 10% off coupon for lowes too so I picked one up.


I know it may not be perfect in all areas but for now it fit the budget and it will do what I need. When I have the budget for a nice Delta or PM drill press ill put this one on Craigs list and get something out of it. As far as the metal working it will only be for light use in that area, I also have a smithy mill/drill/lathe for the heavy cuts but its can be a pain to switch from mill to drill for only a couple small holes..

[Rich Engelhardt]

Look on Craig's list... $300 can by a lot of old over a light weight new one.
(I can't believe I'm going to say this but,,,)
I tend to agree about looking on CL for a drill press.
While my overall experience w/CL has been extremely negative - either useless over priced pure junk, or, the seller prices the items @ two times retail.....

There's two exceptions.
- Drill presses.
- Craftsman Radial Arm Saws.

I'd say keep looking on CL even if you do buy the PC.

I don't know who the Walker Turner salesman was for the NE Ohio area way back when,,,but,,the guy did a heck of a job!
They pop up all the time on CL around here. We have to be the WT capitol of the world.