Any happy benchtop DP owners out there?

[Rick Schubert]

I'm considering a new DP but space is tight for a floor model. I'm wondering if many of you are happy and satisfied with your benchtop model drill presses. Or does everyone wish they had a big floor model?

It seems DP's are usually not high on the priority tool lists, so I'm wondering if I can get away with a benchtop unit. I'll use it for woodworking mostly and its a hobby for me, not a business.

Thanks, Rick

[Bob Dodge]

Rick,

I have three drill-presses, two of which are bench-tops. A Craftsman 32" radial dp, and a Buffalo 15" dp.(Buffalo Machine and Tool, NY). Also a 15" General model 34 floor-standing drill. I think you'll find that the benchtops, take up just as much space (if not more) than a floor model. I prefer my benchtops be open to work on, and the bench-tops limit that space.

Bob

[Mike Vermeil]

I have the ~ $90 Delta bench top model they sell at Lowe's, and have found it to be almost a complete waste of money. It's great for drilling shallow holes very close to the edges of boards and that's it, literally. Since I bought it about 6 months ago, it has been unable to do roughly 75% of the jobs I've tried to use it for - generally because of the extremely short throat depth. For me at least, it's not worth the amount of storage space it takes up.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Rick, I have never needed anything more than my cheap Delta benchtop dp. I can't remember ever wishing I had a bigger one. Except maybe to get it off my benchtop :p Having said this, if you want to use it to cut mortises, you'll need the extra room of the floor standing models. I have a dedicated mortiser that takes care of that though. Hope this helps.

[Vaughn McMillan]

Rick, I've got the +/- $100 Delta benchtop DP from the Borg, and I've been happy with it. It's worked well for the relatively small scale stuff I've done with it. It has sufficient power (I've yet to see it bog down), and other than a small table (something I could rectify), I haven't run into any limitations. It's by no means a professional-level tool, but for me it was $100 well spent. Like you, I need the floor space, and I have the bench space (counter top on some built-in cabinets) to fit the DP.

Based on the mixed responses to your question so far, I think a lot of the decision depends on the size of stuff you intend to drill.

- Vaughn

[Randy Meijer]

A lot of the smaller benchtop drills have tables that adjust vertically by means of loosening a clamp and human muscle power......a real pain if you change the table a lot. The bigger bench drills and all of the floor models I have ever seen have a crank operated rack and pinion adjusting mechanism that is much easier to use. The smaller drills have a quill travel of around 2" while the bigger ones have a travel of over 3". That may or may not be a concern to you?? I have a small drill and have had some difficulty because the smaller throat depth. I'm getting a floor model as soon as finances will permit even though floor space is tight

[Stefan Antwarg]

Just yesterday I sold my Delta 12" and replaced it with a Delta 16.5" Still, the benchtop was fine and I imagine I would have been fine staying with it. I guess I just needed to spend a little money :).

Stefan

[Keith Outten]

Rick,

I have the varible speed benchtop Delta DP mounted on the corner of a steel workbench. It will swing out over the benchtop so there is plenty of distance to the floor for drilling long projects that can be clamped to the side of the bench. The Delta DP doesn't really take up any floor space, just about six square inches of my benchtop since I removed the baseplate and bolted the bottom flange directly to the benchtop.

I love the varible speed and the DP has a cranking table, locking quill and all the goodies the large DP's have. I do own a metal working mill/drill that I use the real heavy drilling but the little Delta does at least 95% of my shop drilling.

Priced at about $200.00 the varible speed Delta benchtop DP is a bargain IMHO.

[larry merlau]

Rick i also have a bench top model, its a16" enco older model. i anchored it to a moveable floor cabinet which has a drawer and storge area underneath so all of the space can be used. i havnt found that i would benifit any by having a floor model, used it for wood work and all other uses that a drill press can be used for. had it for over twenty years and i dont see a need to upgrade it.

[Bob Noles]

Rick,

I have both a floor model and Grizzly Baby DP. The baby was given to me at Christmas just after I bought the 16 inch floor model. I have found the Baby to be a good machine for many smaller tasks and use it as often as the floor model. If I could have only one, I would opt for the floor model if space permits, but a bench top can be very useful as well.

[Charles Bruno]

Rick,
I have a really cheep bench top DP. It works as long as your bits are sharp and you have to to take it easy or it will bog down. Also if you have the belt on the bottom pullys it will rub on the guard if closed. If you go with a bench top get a name brand. This DP cost me 19$ a few years ago.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I have a benchtop DP. Sure, I would love to have a nice floor standing model, but I just don't use it much (Maybe because it's a benchtop?). Anyway I have a mortiser for mortising... I really just use it to drill pen blanks. Works just fine for me, for now :)

[Jim Becker]

Well just for food for thought, IMHO, a benchtop DP takes up more space than a floor model and in small shops, bench space is also constrained. Unless you buy a really small BT DP, they are not light weight, either, so consider lifting if you are going to store it off the bench top. The floor model can be tucked in a corner really easily using a simple hand truck. Even though I have a reasonably sized shop, my DP is a "very occasional" use tool, so it's kept out of the way and rolled anywhere in the shop if I need to use it.

One other thing, pay attention to the total depth that the machine is capable of and the lowest speed it can run. The first will affect certain things you may want to do and the latter is a safety issue if you decide to use fly cutters or very large forstner bits. You want 200-250 rpm tops for those things.

[Wes Bischel]

Rick,
Another thing to consider is the throw of the quill - how deep a hole it can drill without resetting the table. Most benchtop units are in the 2-2.5" range. Floor models can be around 4" - cheaper ones though are still in the 2" range.

FWIW,
Wes

[Tom Hurlebaus]

Rick,

I’ve been considering the replacement my old benchtop DP and have looked the Delta, but I’m currently eyeing the Fisch DP2000 12” DP available through Amazon for $189 with free shipping.

Take a look at the Amazon description and comments and also the information on the Fisch web site.

Tom

[Mike Cutler]

I reckon I'll chime in here.
I have a small 10" Delta benchtop, with an Incra Drill Press Table on it. It works fine for me. It's lowest speed is ~650 RPM. I find this more limiting with metal work than wood, but Like Jim stated. Larger bits need lower speeds.
The biggest limitation is the distance to the support column, about 4 1/2".
I have an XY vise for it, and a machine vise, ergo I can do some pretty accurate(repeatable) drilling with it.
It came with a crank handle to raise and lower the table but the Incra top negated this feature.I added a cheesy flea market 1/2" drive ratchet, socket and extension to raise and lower the table.
In fairness though, I have access to an entire machine shop, if I really need to do something much bigger.
I also have a Jet 17" floor model for use if I need it.
What I'd really like to have is a ShopTask Benchtop Milling machine/ Lathe combo unit. :cool:

[Ellen Benkin]

I have an old Delta ~$100 model with the difficult to use table raising/lowering system which I received as a present. It is mounted on a rolling cart, so it doesn't take bench space. I also added a Rockler table with a fence, which really helps. Other than the raising/lowering difficulties, it has met almost all my needs for a DP. I've noticed that the newer ones operate on a crank system and have given brief thought to upgrading. But I don't use the DP often enough to want to spend any more money on it. I'm glad I have this one, though. A DP is not something I use a lot, but when I need it, it is the only tool that will do what it does.

[Jamie Buxton]

I have a benchtop DP. It doesn't actually live on a bench top, but rather on the floor, on a little furniture dolly. It stores away below some wall-mounted storage, and pulls out for use. It has an accompanying piece of 4x12 which serves as a stool while I'm using it. My take is that the airspace underneath a standard floor model DP is completely wasted, and my approach doesn't waste that space. Also, the shorter DP is less likely to fall over while I'm moving it.

My DP is a Jet 14". It works okay, but there's a little more play in the quill than I'd really like. If I were doing it over again, I'd stick with this size of DP, but I might check out other brands.

[Bruce Volden]

Rick,

I have a Powermatic bench top I purchased 10 yrs. ago. Been real happy with it. I've only had 2 occasions I wished for a floor model (I took stuff to a neighbor and used his). One thing I like and perhaps you should check into~it is real nice to throttle the RPM's down!! Big forstner bigs are quickly dulled due to too much speed. Hope this helps. Bruce

[Andrew Ault]

I upgraded from a small benchtop DP to a Ridgid 15" DP from the Orange Borg. The depth of if the benchtop DP was a problem sometimes.

I have mine on wheels so I can push it into a corner when not in use. I'd rather wheel it around than carry the smaller one. I have a Woodpecker DP table for it, which I find to be handy when drilling a series of holes - also good because it has a replacable insert for blowout free holes.

If I had a place for a large benchtop unit, it would work just as well.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have the Delta DP200 and purchased the Delta Mortising attachment which works well. It will do about anything you want to do. Some things are slower than they would be with a big floor model but with little floor space in my shop I went with the bench model. I have only found on one occasion that I needed a bigger press so went to a friends shop.

Bernie

[Ryan Ricks]

I have a Delta bentchtop DP, the older model, not variable speed. (I'm not sure of the number right now). It has been a good machine. However, I have ended up building a base for it to keep it off the bench. It is too heavy to be lifting on and off during a project. I already had the supplies laying around, so the base was no big deal. But if I hadn't, the benchtop would have ended up as costly as a floor standing model, and it definately takes up more room.:(


Ryan

[Jason Morgan]

I have the Delta 12" and its worked great for me. I cant think of a time when I went to use it and couldnt.

[Jules Dominguez]

I have a Craftsman 15" benchtop I bought new about 40 years ago. I made a stand for it and as someone said it takes up more space than a floor model. However, I have the space, so that's not a problem. The table doesn't have a crank for raising and lowering, and I have to grunt to raise it, but fortunately don't have to do that very often. A good feature is that it's built heavy enough to support a large and long plywood table which stays in place bolted to the dp table 99.9 % of the time, and that makes it very convenient for woodworking. Ive thought about replacing it, but the only advantage I'd gain is the crank, and it's not worth it for the infrequent "grunts" I suffer.

[John Shuk]

Well just for food for thought, IMHO, a benchtop DP takes up more space than a floor model and in small shops, bench space is also constrained. Unless you buy a really small BT DP, they are not light weight, either, so consider lifting if you are going to store it off the bench top. The floor model can be tucked in a corner really easily using a simple hand truck. Even though I have a reasonably sized shop, my DP is a "very occasional" use tool, so it's kept out of the way and rolled anywhere in the shop if I need to use it.

One other thing, pay attention to the total depth that the machine is capable of and the lowest speed it can run. The first will affect certain things you may want to do and the latter is a safety issue if you decide to use fly cutters or very large forstner bits. You want 200-250 rpm tops for those things.
I had the same thoughts as Jim on this subject. My benchtop Harbor Freight DP is on a 3'x2' bench. A floor stander would in alot of ways be mmore practical. I happen to think the HF Central Machinery DP I've got works quite well for me. I inherited it from my Grandfather-IL and it was a good machine for himm doing metal work and a good machine for me with wood work. I'm very happy with it and I think the price for it today might be about $150. This is about 12 years old or more.
John

[Kurt Aebi]

I have a Variable Speed Delta 12" and really like it. It is the DP350 model.

[Lincoln Myers]

I got the Delta DP350 a couple years back for Christmas from Rockler, was around $170.00. It has serverd me well and seems like a quality machine. It has variable speed, crank table. I got Mark Duginske's DP table for it and it's a nice little package.

http://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/62298-md.jpg

-Linc

[Bill Lewis]

I've got a Delta Floor standing model. I use it all of the time for both metal and wood. As I recall one of the reasons I bought a floor stand'r was that it offered more speeds than a benchtop, and I do use that feature. I am constantly changing the belts around to adjust the speed. VS would be nicer, but belt changes are pretty easy to do too.

I only have two complaints about this press, it only has 3 1/4" of stroke, and it's got that stupid wheel depth-setter gage instead of a vertical thumb wheel. I tried to find a better press at the time that had these features, but nothing was being built that way at the time. Of course, Sears came out with the perfect model shortly after I bought the Delta.

On the other hand, the space below is somewhat wasted. I will one day build a wheeled cabinet that stores beneath the table to store bits and vices etc... I could also turn it in to a "benchtop" model by shortening the column, and build it a base cabinet for it to sit on.

I think I could be happy with a benchtop model, and the dp350 may be a good choice. If that were to happen, my current DP would just get moved up to the garage, and I'd still build a separate cabinet for the DP.

[Jim Dannels]

Can`t really compare from experience. I bought an OIT 12" benchtop about 12 yrs ago and it had served me well. Till I a couple months ago noticed the table suport around the mast was cracked( I have repaired it).
But knew I needed to drill a hole at the end of the crack to stop it from tracing al the way through. Lowes had a little GMC on sale for $89 (DRAT,I see it`s @$67 on closeout now)so I bought it as well and it`s doing fine too. A bit of a gimic but I enjoy the laser on it.
I did not think it extravagant to buy the GMC since I like to do fretwork on the scrollsaw. That requires a lot of small entry holes for the pierce cuts and it will be stationed next to the scrollsaw.
I have both on homebuilt stands so in truth they don`t save space over a floor model. And no doubt there will come a day I will wish I had a floor model instead.

[Barry Wixey]

Rick:

I have a very old Walker Turner 8" bench top DP. It is such a pleasure as it runs smooth and there is no play in the quill. It also uses the old fashioned very stiff depth stop. It sits on my bench and takes up a lot of needed space. I also have a 16-1/2" floor model Delta Variable speed. It runs fine and has extra quill travel to drill through 4" + material. This sits right at the end of my bench against the wall where I keep a trash can in front of it when not in use. I would say that this takes up almost no shop space, at least not as much as the bench top model. I would give anything if my old Walker Turner were a floor model. Doesn't someone need to come out with a "retro" drill press that feels, looks and runs like the old ones? I am the only one who would pay a lot more for something like this?

[Roger Fitzsimonds]

I have a Shopfox benchtop. The larger model I dont remember the name. It has an oscillating spindle sander mode that works ok. the drill press it self has never let me down. It has 3.5 inch travel and 12 speeds. Iam not sure I would have bought it if I had tried the spindle sander out first, but I have no regrets

Roger

[Butch Hayes]

Craftsman 12" benchtop about a year old. More travel would be nice, but I've never needed it. It has done everything I've asked of it, but I really need to move it from its current location on top of a mechanic's bench onto its own 20" high table. I need to get on a stool to change the belts :(. My only beef is that the Incra table I got on special goes so close to the column that it interferes with the table raising crank. I'm going to have to do some band saw work to get it to fit right. Despite the bad rep that Craftsman had developed in recent years, I've had good experience with a number of their newer offerings as well as some really old ones.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I like mine....it's an 8" model. I do want a floor model eventually, but this one's alright for now.

[Rob Russell]

I have a benchtop and a floor model and find I liked the floor model better. Of course, after I get the radial drill down to the shop and working, I'll need to get rid of at least 1 of them.

FYI, Flea-bay can be a great place to pickup a drill press. There is a listing for a Rockwell variable speed, single phase, floor DP on there right now. Looks like it's in realy nice shape. Search on item # 7543049748 - local pickup only in Hayward, CA. No bids, opening price of $300, no reserve and that's a $2000 DP. For someone, that could be a real steal. No interest in that DP for myself, just thought I'd post it as an example of what you can find if you're patient.

Rob

[Wes Bischel]

Or, you could go with an oldie but a goodie. :D Actually it is a really nice machine to use.

Wes

[Jim Dunn]

Bench top here too. I don't really find it takes up any more space, actually I think I've saved space with a shelf to place it on. I have storage underneath in the form of drawer for the bits I use and room for the shelf in the back. Am I limited in what I can do? You bet, but I've learned to adapt with portable drills. Beside, large cabinetry can't be fit on a 16" drill press anyway.