Looking for advice on a new drill press

[John Ziebron]

I've been thinking about a new drill press for some time now and have narrowed down my research to 2 models. I was not in a particular hurry but suddenly realized that at this time of year I might get a better deal on the one I finally decide on, with some help from my fellow woodworkers. I am looking at the Delta 18-900L and the Powermatic PM2800. Both have similar specs in the areas that interest me. The Delta appears to be a solid machine and I haven't run across any bad reviews of it. I do like the idea of having a drill press with variable speed as I also do some metal working which, at times, involves drilling holes up to 1 inch diameter. The variable speed would make the process of stepping up drill sizes much faster. I remember reading that there were issues with the older versions of the Powermatic but I don't know if all of them were resolved in the current model. And , if they were, and I decided on the Powermatic how could I tell a newer version from the older one?

[Cary Falk]

The Delta looks like a great drill and it gets a lot of great reviews. Given the state of Delta I think I would pass. The PM2800A had all of the problems. I haven't heard anything good or bad about the PM2800B.

[Bill Adamsen]

I'm not familiar with Delta's current offering so I pulled up the manual to review the specifications.



Chucks: both machines have a Morse Taper No.2 with a Jacob's Taper No.3 chuck.
Quill travel: both have 6" of quill travel
Speed range: Delta 170-3000 as compared to the Powermatic 250-3000. That very slow speed can be an advantage for some wood drilling operations (Forstner Bits for example). Note, for about $5 you can buy an accurate speed indicator from Amazon.
Speed change: The Powermatic has a Reeves type VS (variable speed) drive with an electronic speed readout. The Delta has a quick change (?) lever to adjust the belts, no speed readout. The Delta configuration for 16 speeds is the standard three pulley ... which I find awkward.
Table tilt: both have XY tilt
Weight: Delta 240lbs, Powermatic 246lbs.
Twin Lasers: both
Price: Delta about $300 less +/-


There is a lot more to a drill press than comparing the specs ... but that's always a good place to start. I had looked at the Powermatic and were I to purchase a new DP (I have a very nice variable speed Clausing circa 1970) that is likely the one I would choose. But from the specs at least, they seem very comparable. With a drill press (as with any tool) it is advisable to see the one you expect to purchase run ... even checking the runout if possible. Did someone indicate there would be additional WM discounts following Black Friday?

Good luck!

[pat warner]

At a ~$1/pound you'll not find a quality, accurate press, (nor a hamburger).
Even rebuilts like Buffalo, Atlas, DoAll, Davis & Wells, Powermatics, Rockwells, General, Clausing, Delta, Pre'65 Sears, walker-turner, Duro, & Wilton will be 3x that.
Notwithstanding, they must be re-built x reputable sources. But if done well, they pay for themselves 5x over.

[Aaron Conway]

This PC drill press (http://www.lowes.com/pd_78742-46069-PCB660DP___?productId=3162489&pl=1&Ntt=drill+press) got a Best Value rating from FWW.

Aaron

[Ron Kellison]

I have a Buffalo 15 bench top DP that is a very substantial machine! I found it for $40, changed the spindle bearings, motor bearings and belt. Total investment of ~ $100 and I have a DP with runout around 0.001 at full 4 1/2" extension. Beautiful art-deco lines and not a piece of plastic anywhere!

[Dick Strauss]

John,
WC will have 15% off PM tools 11/27-30. Maybe it will help make the PM a little more affordable...

[Andrew Ulsher]

From everything I've read, Delta is great if you get a good one. If you have any problems support and parts are non existent. Powermatic the 'B' version seems to be good minus the price point.

I personally have been leaning towards the new Jet http://www.jettools.com/us/en/p/17-drill-press/716300 if not the PC for the price point. Waiting on the funds though.

Please share what you choose and your experiences!

[Ben Rivel]

I was doing that back and forth just a couple months ago myself. Ultimately I didnt feel the Powermatic was worth the extra cost and was concerned that their automatic speed control feature was just something more to go wrong or break. That and I happen to think their tools are really an ugly color. I went with the Delta 18-900L and put the money saved towards a new Jacobs 14N chuck and arbor for it as well as full forstner, twist and brad point drill bit sets from Lee Valley. I also went with the HTC 2000 mobile kit for it and the Delta/Biesemeyer fence and shield for it. So far its been nothing short of an amazing package.

[Bill Space]

I did not know what a PM2800 was so I googled it and came across this old SMC thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?47379-Powermatic-PM2800-Drill-Press-Review

Perhaps this may be of some interest...I did not digest the details...

Bill

[cody michael]

do you mind used?

I have a pm1150 for sale for 425 to a creeker.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?236346-pm-66-tablesaw-pm-1150vs-drill-press-for-sale-midland-mi/page2&p=2478269

I am in midland MI

[Randy Rose]

Have the Delta, no problems, quite pleased.
Largest hole in metal to this point is five/eights

[Enrico Caruso]

John
I bought the 1 HP motor equipped Porter Cable PCB660DP at Lowe's in July. It has 12 speeds and a quick change belt setup with the flip of a lever. It normally sells for ~ $330, but I acquired it for ~$260 with my veteran's discount and because I opened a credit card account (yes they gave me a double discount) and offered to deliver it fully assembled to my basement workshop. I have been pleased with its performance so far and just completed a 6 drawer furniture sewing cabinet for my wife's Christmas gift which required a substantial bit of drilling including the use of Fostner bits ranging from 1/4" up to 1 1/4". Pull up the owner's manual on the PC website for all the specs.
Rick in Stow OH

[Greg R Bradley]

This PC drill press (http://www.lowes.com/pd_78742-46069-PCB660DP___?productId=3162489&pl=1&Ntt=drill+press) got a Best Value rating from FWW.

Aaron
That is scary as the ones I've examined are horrid. The rigid from Home Depot at the same price seems a lot better. I think a lot depends on the individual unit and what they made that day.
I was completely disgusted by the PM2800 that I bought and returned it the next day for the Delta 17-959 which is mostly fine with a few issues. The 18-900 is clearly a better drill press but Delta is bad as a company. I have 3 of the Delta 17-900 in a shop and they are OK. Completely acceptable as long as you set them up and never try to do something silly like adjust the angle of the table........
The Powermatic Pm2800B seems nice. Powermatic, aka WMG, stinks almost as bad as Delta. I have a 20 year old PM1150 and two 25 year old Drobos that are nothing short of fabulous. Of course the PM1150 was used and restored and the Drobos were well over $1000 25 years ago for a 12" benchtop unit.
Thought some might enjoy the pic of the two Drobos still working every day after several decades. The one on the left is set for small holes with precision chuck 0-12,000rpm. The one on the right set for larger holes adjustable for 0-4,000rpm.
325645

[Erik Manchester]

Unless one is in a hurry, or has to have new tools, a drill press is one of those tools that is inately simple, and there are so many good used ones out there that I am puzzled why people buy new ones as often as they do.

One can buy quality new presses, but you get what you pay for and they are not sold in box stores.

I have picked a Buffalo 15 bench top and a Buffalo 18 floor tin top drill presses from Govt surplus for less than $300 and they are ready to work and built with a quality that isn't so common anymore.

I admit to having a thing for older drill presses as I also have a Walker Turner 900 benchtop and a General Canada 340 floor model as well.

Time to thin the herd.

Me, I don't care much for lasers or other marketing features, but I like having a solid machine that is rock steady and reliable that I got cheaply.

I have a Steel City 20520 that I picked up used whenI needed a bigger press and it is reasonably well made, and has nice features like the 6" stroke, but it is about to get voted off the island as I just like the vintage ones more, and three will be plenty (lol).

All this to say that the older presses are out there and can be had for very little and work as well or better than the new stuff that is made offshore.

[Mike Henderson]

Whatever you do get one where it's easy to change the speed. On those ones where you change the speed by moving belts, you just don't do it.

Mike

[Greg R Bradley]

do you mind used?

I have a pm1150 for sale for 425 to a creeker.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?236346-pm'-66-tablesaw-pm-1150vs-drill-press-for-sale-midland-mi/page2&p=2478269 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?236346-pm-66-tablesaw-pm-1150vs-drill-press-for-sale-midland-mi/page2&p=2478269)

I am in midland MI
I have a PM1150. I would buy this if it wasn't "way too far" from me. These are great machines. Someone local to him should grab this.

[Ole Anderson]

Drilling a 1" hole in steel is going to be a stretch for either of those models. Personally I would not buy a drill press without a quill lock. If you do a lot of metal working, at least look at a mini-mill. Much more versatile.

[Jeff Nolan]

I have a Delta 17-968 that I've had for at least 10 years with no problems. I love the variable speed and heft of this drill press. A bigger table would be nice, but there are many aftermarket solutions for that. A gear drive for rotating the table would be excellent as well, but aside from that there isn't much more I can ask for, it's a solid drill press that has proven itself over years of use.

Much to my disappointment, I believe that Delta discontinued this machine. If you can find one that is pre-owned, I'd do it.

[David V Carpenter]

Recently there was a thread on this forum with the same question, RE PM and Delta drill presses. (I looked for it but could not get the search function to work.) In any case one of the respondents posted that the Delta 18-900 was on sale at Home Depot for $799. Another member responded that he used his Lowes 10% discount coupon to get a similar reduction on the $799.

I was contemplating purchasing the new PM and was waiting until I had motivation. The post was it and I purchased the Delta from HD with the 10% discount. I was aware of Delta's reputation and decided to take a chance. With the difference in prices I purchased a mobile base, made in USA drill bits, and the Bies fence made for this drill press.

The drill arrived in a timely manner with no damage and was easy to assemble. I measured runout during assembly and it was very very small. I wrote the numbers down but they are in the shop with the manual. Portions of the casting are "chinese" rough, but where a machined surface is important the machining is good. The belts are very easy to change. The drill press works very well.

I live in a rural area and when a used drill press becomes available it is way overpriced and in need of considerable repair. Used old iron is simply not an option and may not be for others either.

[Joe Caff]

I would avoid the Reeves-type drive. Especially avoid it if your shop ever gets cold.


I'm not familiar with Delta's current offering so I pulled up the manual to review the specifications.



Speed change: The Powermatic has a Reeves type VS (variable speed) drive with an electronic speed readout. The Delta has a quick change (?) lever to adjust the belts, no speed readout. The Delta configuration for 16 speeds is the standard three pulley ... which I find awkward.
!

[Randy Rose]

Whatever you do get one where it's easy to change the speed. On those ones where you change the speed by moving belts, you just don't do it.

Mike

I respect your opinion ( and that's a handsome hound in your avatar) but , it`s the work of a minute and easily done ( at least on 18-900) Not a particularly patient person, and I don`t find it to be cumbersome.

[Erik Manchester]

With VFDs so cheap it is easy to source a 3 phase motor and have a VS drill press for a very modest investment. I swapped out the original motor on a 1965 General 340 press for a 2 HP motor and with a small vector drive I have a wide range of speed control with excellent low speed torque. I have a few more mods to that one to add a spindle rpm display.

I have recently acquired a late model Buffalo 18 press that I will clean up and likely do the same to as I like to use separate presses for metal and wood. I have the 3 phase motor and VFD sitting on the shelf so this will be a winter project.

[Rich Riddle]

I looked at those exact two models and without a doubt narrowed it down to the Delta 18-900L. If those are the two options, that is what I recommend. Luckily, I found an old Rockwell variable speed drill press at a local school district.

[Shawn Pixley]

Lots of advise here. Some contradictory. For me, I value quill travel, good speed range (I don't mind pulley adjustments), little runout, good depth stop, and ability to square the table properly. A plus would be a lock down on quill extension but that isn't a requirement.

What is superfluous is lasers, variable speed, and other gee-gaws. I found a 16-1/2" Delta on close-out a few years back that met the primary requirements. As others note, many older well made drill presses fit my criteria and I might have gone that way if I hadn't stumbled on to the deal on the Delta. With a simpler machine there are fewer things to go wrong and hence less dependence upon after purchase service.

[gordy haycock]

I purchased the PM 2800B from Woodcraft a year ago. It has served me well. Yesterday I was drilling some holes into fir with a 2 1/2" forstner bit. It wasn't easy, but I turned the speed down to 600 and it did a real nice job. The motor would lag just a little but I kept backing in and out to let the bit cool. All in all, I was happy with the results. Can't imagine putting it to any greater test than that.

[Alfred Wall]

I went to local Klingspor Woodworking store today and they had their Black Friday prices reflecting the 15% discount for the weekend. I looked at he PM 2800B, $1189 + 6.75% sales tax. I also looked at the Jet 17 - 716300 (as I recall the #'s), $628.99 + 6.75% tax. Both nice machines. The depth stop on the Jet is different but feels solid. Speed changes on the PM would be preferable, however the Jet system seems fine for the frequency of speed changes I anticipate. For $560.00 difference, I'm leaning towards the Jet. I think it would suit my purposes just fine. I can put the $560.00 towards a router table or Domino Joiner I can order it from CPO for the same price, free shipping and no sales tax. However, for $42.46 I can establish a relationship with my local vendor and he's 2 miles from my house. I have to pay sales tax from Amazon in NC....Anyone see any flaws in my thinking?

[glenn bradley]

The low speed limitation of 400 RPM keeps me from considering the PM :(. A lot of folks don't spin large bits, circle cutters and so forth so this may not be a consideration for everyone.

[Travis Porter]

I have the PM2800, not the B, and I am not particularly thrilled with it. Quill travel is mediocre, the depth stops are aggravating, and when you turn it off, the speed indicator LED doesn't shut off. It is an upgrade from what I had, but I should have held out for the Delta... Unfortunately, the Delta wasn't available when I bought it.

[John Ziebron]

Travis, sorry to hear about the issues with your PM2800. In my research I did find a lot of people that were not real happy with that model. Supposedly, a lot of issues were fixed in the B version so I'm hoping for the best. I am curious about your remark that the quill travel is mediocre though. One of the reasons that I was deciding between the PM2800B and the Delta 18-900L is they both have a 6 inch quill travel. And that is the longest I've found on drill presses in this category. And I believe the plain PM2800 also has a 6 inch travel. Have you seen drill presses that have more travel than that?

[Brian McInturff]

I ordered the PM2800B. I was really impressed with it at Woodcraft. 1hp, low end of 250rpm.
$1189 with free shipping and zero tax was just too good to pass up. It's replacing an old 1950's Craftsman(king Seeley) that I was getting frustrated with. Bearings needed changing. Quill had some play. Raising and lowering the table was a bear.
I went ahead and ordered the Woodpecker drill press table to go with it.
Might as well treat myself this holiday season!

[John Ziebron]

Hi Brian, we can compare notes after we get our new drill presses up and running. I would have ordered mine from Woodcraft if I could have gotten free shipping. I knew that Woodcraft and Rocker was having the 15% off sale but when I was looking on Wednesday the price was discounted but no free shipping. Then I saw it for the same price on Amazon with free shipping from a company called CPO Outlets. So that's where mine is coming from. I already have a nice table I made with double thick MDF, T tracks and a fence with a stop. I'll just move from the old press to the new one. Good luck with yours.

[Brian McInturff]

I ended up getting mine from Tool Nuts. Heard good things about them and their customer service. Good luck with yours too!

[Brian McInturff]

Got my press in yesterday. I will say it is a Hoss to assemble by yourself. But got it assembled and everything seems just fine. Will check it out more thoroughly this weekend and see if my Woodpeckers drill press table will mount on it. Can already say that there is no issue with the variable speed that seemed to be apparent on the PM2800A. So so far the PM2800B has a big plus over the A model!

[John Ziebron]

My PM2800B was finally delivered late last Friday. Over the weekend and yesterday I was able to assemble and check it out. There are some good things and some bad. When I went to install the 3 handles on the feed shaft I noticed that you could put them on either side, which is good for lefthanders (which I'm not). That's when I noticed the damage on the left side feed shaft hub. And the feed shaft was bent (see pics). I examined the styrofoam where the head was packaged and the bottom of the box, which came on a wooden palate, and saw no signs of damage. This led me to conclude that the bent shaft and hub damage was done at the factory. So poor marks for PM's quality control. The feed shaft was bent so badly that the return spring did not have enough tension to return the quill when it was down. I originally intended to call PM on Monday morning to see what they would do about this. But the more I thought about wrestling that heavy head off and taking it to the nearest factory authorized service center (well over an hour away), figuring that they would have to order and wait for a new feed shaft to come in and then install it, I decided to take other action. I know I'll get flack from some of you for this, but several careful applications of a soft brass mallet corrected the issue. I would not have done this if this part required precise alignment. When I first checked my run out it was not good. Then I recleaned and reinstalled the arbor and the results were much better. I have .002" quill up and .003" with the quill all the way down, so I'm very happy about those results. With the machine running I noticed that the vibration is more than I expected. It's not bad at speeds below a 1000 though. It's been about 40 years since I used a drill press with mechanical variable speed and I can't remember if this kind of vibration is just the nature of this type of speed control or not. Out of curiosity I removed the belt cover and noticed that the middle pulleys had partial drill holes in it consistent with balancing. I removed both belts and with just the motor running there was no vibration. Then putting the belt back from the motor to the middle pulley showed me that this is where the vibration originates from. I don't know if anything can be done about this, but I'm not too concerned as I normally operate in the lower range of speed anyway. I like that the table moves up and down easily. I also like the LED lighting. The laser crosshairs are OK for rough location and I noticed that they have to be realigned as they are about 1/8" off. Overall, I'm happy with this drill press and I hope it stays that way after I actually start using it. The only other PM machine I've owned was a 54A which I sold to upgrade larger. That was a good machine and it was made in Taiwan. I see the PM2800B is made in China and suspect that might have something to do with the issues I've seen. I don't know if all PM machines are now made in China but I would think long and hard before I ever buy one of their products again. I'm afraid that they are just another one of many companies that are selling an inferior product based on their past reputation.

[John Ziebron]

One other thing I forgot to mention that I'm disappointed in. Why doesn't the off switch turn everything off. The speed display is on as well as a green light that is part of the pull on/push off switch in front to start the motor. I can understand the green light being on but why the RPM display? You can't change speeds without starting the motor and all this does make the display electronics burn out sooner. Having designed and repaired a lot of electronic equipment in my time I call this poor electrical engineering. Unless you want to sell more replacement parts, that is. For now, I will be installing a separate switch to turn off power at the AC plug.

[Ben Rivel]

Sucks that they are made in China, but look around more. What isnt?! We dont have much of a choice anymore. Only way to avoid that with most tools is to buy really old ones.

[Scott Brandstetter]

dissapointed to read your review John. I was hoping to hear great things since this is on my radar. As far as I know, its the only variable speed drill press in this price range.

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

I picked up a variable speed Powermatic 1150a, which was either made in the late 80's to early 90's. Granted it doesn't have all the nice features that the new drill presses have today but it's a workhorse. I bought it from a local seller and had it delivered to my home. It originally came from a school wood shop but it doesn't look like it saw much use. Granted the motor was a 3/4 hp 3 phase which I had to swap with a 1 phase 1 hp but it runs like a champ. The used market is a good place for older made in the USA machines.

[Gregory King]

I know we've had the drill press discussion a million times , but I would still buy the 18-900L a million times again even given Delta's support issues. I just replaced the belts in mine since one of them was frayed. I replaced with the LV link belt. Now, I know that I should have used a flat belt type. It was a tad noisy when I installed it, but we'll see how it performs in the long run. Greg

[Ben Rivel]

I know we've had the drill press discussion a million times , but I would still buy the 18-900L a million times again even given Delta's support issues.
Agreed. Went with the 18-900L myself and love it so far.

[Erik Manchester]

John, I am glad to hear that you were able to address the issues to your satisfaction. Very disappointing to pay all that money for something new and it isn't right.

I have a bunch of old presses, all made in the USA or Canada and they are well made and solid. Not so much fun to lift though.

Any drill press can be made variable speed now, given how cheap simple VFDs have become. I have a General 340 with a VFD and 2 HP motor, and I plan to put a VFD on a Buffalo 18 that I just picked up once the cleanup is done. The Buffalo 18 will cost me less than $700 all complete including new bearings and the VFD, but you have to enjoy the tinkering and restoration work.

I agree that there is little available new that isn't made offshore unless you talking industrial grade equipment that is beyond consideration for a hobbyist.

[Cary Falk]

John,
I know you fixed the return spring problem but I would still call Powermatic and make them send you new parts to fix the problem correctly. You paid good for the Powermatic name. They need to know.

[Brian McInturff]

I'm guessing the noise from the variable speed is due to the unit having been dropped at some point. Mine runs very quiet. If mine had any issues I would've asked to return it for another one. Pain in the butt, yes. But it's also warranted. Got a new stove for the wife and when they delivered there was a big dent in the side. They will deliver another one next week.

I too wonder why the LED's stay on, my guess is for safety reasons. Can't help but see those big numbers. My runout was very similar to yours .003 runout fully extended.
The footprint of the press is actually smaller than my old Craftsman 103.23141
But a huge upgrade!

I was very happy with my purchase and would purchase again. One of my best purchases for 2015.

[John Ziebron]

Brian, I'm glad to hear your drill press is working great for you. You mention yours runs very quiet, which is a bit of a subjective term. I don't have any issue with the noise it makes while running. After all, it is a piece of machinery with a motor and moving parts. It was the vibration that I was concerned about. Not sure how to subjectively measure that; I'll have to give that some thought. I don't get down to my "local" Woodcraft store too often because they are about 1 1/2 hours away but I think they have one on the floor that I would like to see operate.

[Lon Crosby]

Technatool/Novais about ready to release an 18” direct drive drill press with a “variablereluctance motor” (i.e, a switched reluctance motor - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reluctance_motor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reluctance_motor))so full torque at stall (unlike a 3 phase motor with a VFD + belts, etc.). To have a speed range from 50 to 5,500 rpm. Should beinteresting. Price of $1,499

[Scott Brandstetter]

Lon, interesting news. Any link to info on this new DP? Wouldn't mind reading up on it.


Technatool/Novais about ready to release an 18” direct drive drill press with a “variablereluctance motor” (i.e, a switched reluctance motor - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reluctance_motor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reluctance_motor))so full torque at stall (unlike a 3 phase motor with a VFD + belts, etc.). To have a speed range from 50 to 5,500 rpm. Should beinteresting. Price of $1,499

[Brian McInturff]

John, actually that is what I'm basing mine off of. I was in a Woodcraft in late October and spent a good amount of time checking out their model. I knew I was going to buy one during the next sale. Vibration - I'll check mine again as my shop has a wooden floor that is elevated and I've just gotten use to a little vibration from every piece of equipment. I'll check this evening and run it through the speed range again.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Lon, interesting news. Any link to info on this new DP? Wouldn't mind reading up on it.


http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/nova-voyageur-18-drill-press-dvr-motor-coming-january/

You can see more about their current products here, but it does not list a drill press (and I thought that they released on in 2013):
http://novatoolsusa.com/

[Roger Feeley]

Agreed on not wanting the change speeds. Mine has pulleys and I use just two speeds: kinda slow and kinda fast.

My dream DP would be one with a VFD so I can just turn a knob like I do on my lathe. How come no one sells that?

[John Ziebron]

Well it's been a month since I started this thread about my PM2800B but I was sidetracked by other issues. I did finally get to my nearest Woodcraft store to check out their floor model. I know it's subjective but I'd say their DP had about half the vibration of mine.

I finally got the time to really go through my DP and I did solve the vibration problem, at least, to my satisfaction. Here are my results and final review. I will try to be brief as possible but still cover all the issues as it may help those who have this model or may purchase it.

After removing the plastic top I checked all the bolts and cap screws and did find some that were not as tight as they should be. That did not affect the vibration issue. I removed the upper belt that drives the spindle and that did not change the vibration. Removing the lower belt from the motor showed no vibration at all with just the motor running.

So everything pointed to the problem being with the Reeves drive. With the belts off I could easily detect a lot of play on the Reeves pulley shaft. Further investigation showed that the shaft play was a result of the retaining plate assembly not being properly adjusted. This is accomplished with 4 small bolts and lock nuts (2 on each side). After adjustment, the vibration level was reduced by at least half.

I also discovered that the upper pulley on the Reeves shaft was very tight, as in I could not move it up or down by hand. Once I got the pulley off I used wet/dry sandpaper until it moved freely on the shaft. I don't know if this contributed to the vibration problem but it should help stop the tiny bits of rubber that was coming off the belts.

Next I checked the table. The factory setting for zero degrees was very good, but the table was about a 1/16th inch lower in front. There is a large 5/8 x 11 bolt that must be loosened or removed to tilt or remove the table. I think a Sumo wrestler tightened that bolt. But once I got it off I discovered some fine debris (maybe metal dust) on the mating surfaces. After a thorough cleaning and replacing the bolt (it was noticeably bent) the table checked out good from front to back. BTW, that large bolt is incorrectly identified in the parts list as a 3/8 x 16 bolt.

The laser needed alignment but that was easy and fairly quick. The table insert also needed adjusting to be flush. That was a little more time consuming as the set screws with lock nuts are underneath.

So I'm now happy with this drill press but there are still some things that I don't like. The biggest being that the display is always on when the cord is plugged in. But I will solve that problem by changing the duplex it's plugged into with a 20 amp switch/outlet combo unit. The fence is OK but I don't like that you have to flip the work stop up in order to position it. I like to put my first piece to be drilled in place and then slide the work stop up against it. But I already have a quick fix in mind for their stop.

[Ben Rivel]

Glad it worked out for you and thats good that you followed up with your fix and situation. Hopefully this will help someone else someday.