Advice for medium duty radial drill press

[Max Gibbons]

Hey, I need some help!

I would like to buy a good medium duty radial arm drill press. According to the wife, my budget is around $250-$300. I like the looks of the floor models (but not a priority), and the Shop Fox models 1669 or 1670 are attractive for the price. Since I am a rookie, however, I am appealing to the established craftsmen for their input.

Thanks,
Max

[Rob Russell]

Why a radial drill press? If you are willing to do a standard 17" or 19" floor model, a good used DP upgraded with a motor and VFD would give you a killer combo.

[lou sansone]

my favorite radial drill press is shown on this link to one I own. They are expensive, but if you really hunt for a while and get your wife to raise the limit to about 500 you should be able to find on. The rockwell ones are the best and then the WT are second. either way they are really a very nice machine for wws. they are not super heavy duty for steel though.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=18970

lou

[Bob Smalser]

I've got an old Rockwell-Delta you can't have, but by all means get yourself a good radial arm even if you have to wait for it.

The versatility of the radial arm for woodworkers will save you time and gain you accuracy many times in your career over any other.

You don't really want a floor model....build yourself a strong plywood base with locking casters and you'll be much better off. You can move it to the large jobs and use it where you couldn't use anything else.

[Max Gibbons]

Thanks for the input! I wound up taking a deal on a Ryobi 12 inch bench model DP120. Price was the big issue here and I am just now getting into woodworking so I suppose I'll have a couple of years before I decide that I really should have gone with a better/bigger model. Anyhow, I will undoubtedly use these boards for tips and tricks in the future.


Thanks,
Max