What drillpress should I look to buy

[Bob Cooper]

I’m slowly upgrading each of my cheaper/lower quality power tools over time. Right now I have a $150 floor standing drill press which has served me well but I’d like to be on the lookout for something better. What would you recommend?

Budget - no big constraint

Use - general woodworking - lots of Forster bits, sometimes a circle cutter, normal brad point bits, ... I have the common Ridig osc spindle sander so I don’t do much sanding on it

Seems like 3 useful features would be
- little quill (sp?) runout
- variable speed via a dial would be nice but that may eliminate all the nice old machines so this is just a nice to have
- big table - though I can probably build this
- depth stop - need this

Are there a lot of great older units on the market and are they dramatically better than for example a new PM. Seems like I’ve read reviews from this group on the new machines and they have not been overwhelmingly positive. So it may be a trade off of build quality vs convenience features.

I’m in no hurry so I can shop for a while to find the right machine

[Bill Dufour]

How long a quill travel would you like. My Walker turner 20" has 6" travel. I put the belts on medium speed and use a vfd to control speed. Mechanical variable speed is loud 1800's technology. Buy an older three phase machine and the price competition is reduced.
Bill D.

[Robert Hayward]

I went through the same scenario a while ago. My money went for the Nova Voyager and I have not regretted it. Variable speed with the twist of a knob is so convenient I do not know how I worked without it prior.

[Cary Falk]

If you are looking for used then look for a Powermatic 1150 or 1200. A Clausing would good also.

[Jim Becker]

If you want "it slices, it dices", the Nova variable speed is a really kewel DP...not inexpensive, however.

[Larry Frank]

I got the Nova DVR Voyager and love it. It has 6" of quill travel, no quill slop and very low run out. I have not regretted getting it. Speed changes with just a turn of the knob. I have had mine a year or so and no problems.

[Jon Nuckles]

I bought the floor model Porter Cable that Lowe’s currently sells and the run out was awful and PC’s customer service was worse, so I returned it. I found an old Clausing on Craigslist that was reasonable and 3-phase. Bought a vfd to run it and now have a heavy duty machine with speed I can adjust with a dial. The Nova sounds nice and is plug and play, but this was much less expensive and a bit of a fun learning experience for me. If you are interested in rehabbing a used machine, check out the Old Woodworking Machines site for info. Drill presses are also pretty common in their classifieds if you register.

[Paul Follett]

I have used many different drill prese's over the years and the Nova Voyager is by far the nicest. If you hate swapping belts and use a lot of different sizes and types of bits the speed control alone is worth the price.

[Brian Tymchak]

I got the Nova DVR Voyager and love it. It has 6" of quill travel, no quill slop and very low run out. I have not regretted getting it. Speed changes with just a turn of the knob. I have had mine a year or so and no problems.

I was looking at the Nova at Woodwerks. The table height adjustment handle looked as if it would be interfered with by an add-on table like the Woodpeckers table. Do you have an aftermarket table on your DP?

Otherwise, I was completely impressed with the Nova.

[Van Huskey]

The first hurdle is new or used.

If you go used I would suggest the venerable PM 1150 or 1200, there are better used presses but these are more than good enough for any woodworking. They also have the benefit of being easy to find, reasonably cheap and have good parts availability.

On the new side the big Delta and PM were the choices for quite a while but the Nova simply blows them away. They have passed the initial and short term quality test and aside from some software update issues that were solved appear to be extremely solid.

In the end it is just poking holes in wood, something that a HF or Borg DP will do acceptably for most woodworking. If I was buying a new DP and the budget allowed I really wouldn't look anywhere but the Nova Voyager. I would say if one is a Luddite to the point that a flip phone scares them then the Nova might be a little much, I am not saying it is difficult to use or understand but someone like that will likely never use any of the features that make it cool.

[glenn bradley]

IMHO, your list is missing

Good table elevation mechanism

I gave a beautifully operating 1940's Delta to a relative to use in perpetuity due to the fight to raise and lower the table. A good solution to this is:

390101

But, in the end a modern machine, while not near as smooth and accurate, won out due to convenience of operation.

[Van Huskey]

The table height adjustment handle looked as if it would be interfered with by an add-on table like the Woodpeckers table.

Unless they have changed it recently it indeed does and requires a notch being cut in the back right corner of the auxiliary table.

[Dean Moldenhauer]

I will be facing the same purchase decision before long and I am pretty sold on the Nova Voyager from the looking I’ve done. There may be more robust DPs out there, but for the duty it will see in my shop and the features it offers, the Voyager looks like a great option.

Does anyone know if Nova has addressed the low volume of the indicator beeps yet? This seems to be one of the most common complaints. Not a deal breaker for me but would be encouraging to see them address a common suggestion from buyers.

Would be really interested in reading a review of whatever you decide on.

Dean

[Dennis Tebo]

Dean,

I'm not sure if there have been updates, but I've never had an issue hearing mine. The DP is so quiet. I can see an issue if you have other workers or noise coming from somewhere else. Mine was purchased last November.

Dennis

[Bob Cooper]

Well up until this point I had not even heard of a Nova. Engineer so bells won’t scare me off. I have three phase power but clearly only needed for older pieces.

[andy bessette]

...Seems like 3 useful features would be
- little quill (sp?) runout
- variable speed via a dial would be nice but that may eliminate all the nice old machines so this is just a nice to have
- big table - though I can probably build this
- depth stop - need this
...

A quality machine will have a depth stop and little runout. Variable speed is an expensive luxury that limits one to unicorns. A large table requires laboriously cranking up and down.

[Bob Cooper]

The Nova does look nice and might be on sale. 1399 till 7/31

[Nick Decker]

It wants you, Bob.

[Jim Becker]

https://pwhlzq.dm.files.1drv.com/y4mK0DvsE-aBBr0xn7bwsfL7XG417mxTr30QURLy2C0OeimpNTvQ8glOvGvq ekW5zoboxVqdqlnotnToQyw_HCq9ng66yN-Tqk3rQLugFkBCS7_cT0Gf84O9RQ_ec6asv-DoPEeifuNeEYMVurEsRzGORuLbVQnenoYGbXoNSWRRlQA_7zQw lLUOvT-u-iGlK6VAn8j7sDfDQ9JA3D7jUAjeg?width=193&height=261&cropmode=none

[andy bessette]

I have used many different drill prese's over the years and the Nova Voyager is by far the nicest...

Notice the excessive runout on the chuck in this video. Can't see why anyone would rave about these.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PvDExhAOC8

[Larry Frank]

I had .003" run out with a steel pin in the chuck on my Nova DVR.

[andy bessette]

The runout showing at around the 20 second mark looks to be grossly excessive.

[Robert Hayward]

Does anyone know if Nova has addressed the low volume of the indicator beeps yet? This seems to be one of the most common complaints.Dean

Do not know if Teknatool has addressed it yet but I can say I have never heard mine. I think I have had mine about a year and a half, do not remember exactly when I bought it.

[Van Huskey]

The runout showing at around the 20 second mark looks to be grossly excessive.

This was discussed when the video first came out, the consensus was that what you are seeing is not what you think you are seeing. If it were runout would be measured in the hundredths, not thousanths and all that were checked were in the 1-3 thou range in TIR. The first one my stealer got in about a year ago was .001" TIR roughly an inch below the chuck teeth at the top of the stroke and .0025" at full stroke. The dealer did clean the taper during assembly. The fact the chuck is essentially connected directly to the motor actually helps. It maxes out at 5500 rpm and every one of the three I have had my hands on runs extremely smoothly at that speed. Based on feedback and what I have seen first hand indicates runout is less of an issue with this press than any of the other Asian imports.

[andy bessette]

...the consensus was that what you are seeing is not what you think you are seeing...

Yeah, OK. Sure. :)

[John Ziebron]

I'm in the Nova camp and have had one for over a year now. It is clearly one of the best shop purchases I've made.

Quite, vibration free operation with 6 inches of quill travel. One can use either the mechanical stop or the electronic stop (preferred). I also use the Nova to drill and tap holes in metal and especially like that you can turn the chuck with no belt resistance (it's a direct drive motor) to easily turn the taps by hand to get them started.

Brian, I made my own table that quickly bolts to the existing cast iron one. I also have a separate but mechanically attached set of drawers under the table top. As pointed out, the handle would interfere with most tops and I didn't want to compromise my design to account for it.

So I made a handle extension. Even though there is a lot of added weight with all my drill bits in the drawers, the gearing ratio is high enough that it still easily raises and lowers the table even though I don't do it much because of the 6 inch quill travel.
390130

[Van Huskey]

Yeah, OK. Sure. :)

I get your skepticism as we are trained to believe what we see, but in this case, like many others, you have to overlay your observation with a healthy dose of logic. If the runout was as bad as the video makes it seem it would be multiple times what the average HF DP has and would be extremely apparent even just with the chuck spinning. The fact that there are zero reports of vibration (just the opposite it is almost always described by those with hands-on experience as the most vibration free press they have ever seen) and the fact that nobody has reported an unusually high TIR leads logically to the fact it was camera vibration that makes it appear to have high runout. Even if your eyes are not deceiving your mind it would appear that this was an anomaly since there have been no reports of high TIR. At this point without a single data point to indicate otherwise it appears to be a non-issue.

[Phillip Gregory]

I’m slowly upgrading each of my cheaper/lower quality power tools over time. Right now I have a $150 floor standing drill press which has served me well but I’d like to be on the lookout for something better. What would you recommend?

Budget - no big constraint

Use - general woodworking - lots of Forster bits, sometimes a circle cutter, normal brad point bits, ... I have the common Ridig osc spindle sander so I don’t do much sanding on it

Seems like 3 useful features would be
- little quill (sp?) runout
- variable speed via a dial would be nice but that may eliminate all the nice old machines so this is just a nice to have
- big table - though I can probably build this
- depth stop - need this

Are there a lot of great older units on the market and are they dramatically better than for example a new PM. Seems like I’ve read reviews from this group on the new machines and they have not been overwhelmingly positive. So it may be a trade off of build quality vs convenience features.

I’m in no hurry so I can shop for a while to find the right machine

An ideal press for you would be one like I have, a 20" Clausing with the large "oil table" and a three-phase motor. A Powermatic 1200 would be similar, and if you wanted a new machine, Grizzly's G0779 23"-and-change gearhead unit would be a reasonable option. All three of these are heavy, sturdy machines, ranging from 600 to 750 pounds, all can be had with tables that are 20" wide or better, all have depth stops, and none should have much runout if in decent shape. All are capable of maximum speeds of around 2000 rpm, which is fast enough for small wood bits, and all are capable of minimum speeds down to 300 rpm or less, which is more than slow enough for the largest Forstner bits, hole saws, and circle cutters. All of these machines have somewhere around 6" of quill travel which is a big plus over the typical 4" or so on the typical floor model drill press design from the late 1970s/early 1980s that everybody has copied for their sub-$1000 drill presses. My Dad has an early 1990s 15" Craftsman that is of this design and my Clausing is in an entirely different league.

The Clausing and Powermatic machines could be had in Reeves drive (mechanical variable speed, essentially a CVT) or traditional step pulley configurations. The Reeves drives are noisy but do give a "spin the dial" variable speed capability even if they have a single-phase motor. The step pulley machines require belt changes to change speeds unless you get a 3 phase unit, in which case you can "spin the dial" on a VFD to vary speed within a reasonable speed range. The Grizzly gearhead has two selector switches for selecting speeds, so it's a little more granular than a VFD speed pot but still much quicker than changing belts (which really isn't too difficult.)

Do note that the 15" PM 1100 and 15" Clausing are IMHO often less desirable for woodworking due to how a lot of them were configured. They are as well made as their larger siblings but their speed ranges are very high with minimum speeds of 450-600 rpm with the typical 1725 rpm motor. You'd have to get one with a 3 phase motor and run at at a lower frequency, or change to a slower 8 pole single phase motor, to be able to run larger Forstner bits, circle cutters, and hole saws. Many came with small tables without a crank, and you really want a larger table with a crank. They do have notably less quill travel than their larger siblings as well.

A decent price for a PM1200 or 20" Clausing is about $600-1200 depending on condition and any included accessories. A new Clausing 20" Reeves drive unit is about five grand. Grizzly's G0779 is about two grand.

[andy bessette]

...you have to overlay your observation with a healthy dose of logic...
the fact that nobody has reported an unusually high TIR leads logically to the fact it was camera vibration that makes it appear to have high runout. Even if your eyes are not deceiving your mind it would appear that this was an anomaly since there have been no reports of high TIR. At this point without a single data point to indicate otherwise it appears to be a non-issue.

Yeah, I should not believe my lying eyes. :)

I understand your brand loyalty, not to mention you having paid such a high price for this machine, and your reluctance to admit that there just might be quality issues with some of them.

BTW camera vibration would make the entire image shake, not just the chuck.

[Marc Jeske]

Look for and wait for an old Delta .. make sure it has the crank to raise/ lower table...The below link appears not to have it , but price may be good... Check runout at spindle, above chuck... chuck can always be replaced...- Marc

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/tls/d/1951-delta-milwaukee-drill/6625238664.html


Mine -

390166

Another option... spend a few hundred on a new motor...

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/for/d/drill-press/6604879651.html

[Van Huskey]

I understand your brand loyalty, not to mention you having paid such a high price for this machine, and your reluctance to admit that there just might be quality issues with some of them.



No confirmation bias here, I own an Ellis and a PM 1200 and the only Teknatool product I have ever owned is a lathe chuck, while it is good I prefer Oneway chucks. The Voyager is not a unicorn in the wild, there are quite a few out there and there have been zero reports of high runout either objective or subjective. What appears in the video would be extreme runout and noticeable to anyone without the need for a dial indicator. At the very worst the DP shown in the video is an anomoly.

I have simply been impressed with the ones I have seen.

[Bob Cooper]

anyone own the optional fence?

[Marc Jeske]

In fairness, I will say I seem to have a constant predisposition for Old USA Arn, has never failed me.

Have NO experience w the new fangled stuff.

Marc

[Nick Decker]

Do not know if Teknatool has addressed it yet but I can say I have never heard mine. I think I have had mine about a year and a half, do not remember exactly when I bought it.

I don't own a Nova, never been around one, but I have to ask: Is it possible you have high frequency hearing loss? I do, and have problems hearing various appliance "beeps" around the house. Just sayin'...

[Jim Becker]

Mine -

390166



Hmm...I guess you're ready to host a new TV show called "pimp my tools". :) :D Seriously, that's a great tool!

[Bill Dindner]

I have the Jet 17”, I upgraded to this unit from a bench top drill press. I’m pretty happy with it, although ultimate precision isn’t so necessary for me, nor do I notice that this unit is lacking in anything as far as power and precision. The only downside is the the depth stop is a little annoying. Just drilled 50 1/8” holes in Mild steel with it, didn’t bog down.

That being said, the Nova would be a nice luxury to have in the shop, totally not necessary, but it’s a very cool tool. I have a Nova Galaxi DVR lathe and am quite happy with it, and it’s nice to have all the digital features that Nova inculcates into some of their tools.

[Mike Cutler]

I’m slowly upgrading each of my cheaper/lower quality power tools over time. Right now I have a $150 floor standing drill press which has served me well but I’d like to be on the lookout for something better. What would you recommend?

Budget - no big constraint

Use - general woodworking - lots of Forster bits, sometimes a circle cutter, normal brad point bits, ... I have the common Ridig osc spindle sander so I don’t do much sanding on it

Seems like 3 useful features would be
- little quill (sp?) runout
- variable speed via a dial would be nice but that may eliminate all the nice old machines so this is just a nice to have
- big table - though I can probably build this
- depth stop - need this

Are there a lot of great older units on the market and are they dramatically better than for example a new PM. Seems like I’ve read reviews from this group on the new machines and they have not been overwhelmingly positive. So it may be a trade off of build quality vs convenience features.

I’m in no hurry so I can shop for a while to find the right machine

Bob
First question is, What is your current machine not doing for you?

A few observations of mine;

I tend to be a minimalist when it comes to machines. The less features, the less to go wrong with one. That's a personal take only.
I'm also increasingly becoming a fan of Old 'arn so to speak and frequent Craigslist quite a bit. I'm also in the market for a nice bench top drill press, because I don't have room for a standing model. Like you, it's not critical.

Lately I've been looking at the old Walker Turner, Heavy duty models from the 40's-60's, with the speed reduction feature. Not many are for sale with the third pulley, speed reducer but there is a fellow on OWWM that makes them based on the OEM version. I need the lower speed, because for some reason, I continue to find myself needing speeds less than the "norm". I also do some metal work from time to time.
The lowest speed, new, drill press without electronic speed control, excluding the Nova, I've found, is by Jet. It's a special order and is less than 200 rpm. Still a little bit fast.

The old machines can be better, and probably were new, but a lot of them are beat to hell and would require some substantial overhaul to bring them back. What makes them nice, and worth the effort, is that the machine was designed to drill a hole, not fit a price point margin. They're also pretty cool.

One mod that folks are doing for drill presses, is getting old treadmills, sometimes off the side of the road, and taking the motors and speed controllers out of them and adapting them to the drill press. These are high torque DC Motors, generally 1/2HP and larger, and the results are pretty amazing. It might be a little bit of the "hack", and certainly not as elegant as the Nova, but the end result is the same.

[Sean Nagle]

I've had my Nova Voyager drill press for over a year now and I'm thrilled with its performance and convenience. I have been waiting for an electronic variable speed drill press for over 10 years. As has been mentioned there is practically no vibration. There was 5/1000" runout at the spindle in the unit that I first received, but Teknatools did replace the head and the replacement has about 1.5/1000" runout.

I did have to cut a notch out of my Woodpeckers DP table.

[richard poitras]

The lowest speed, new, drill press without electronic speed control, excluding the Nova, I've found, is by Jet. It's a special order and is less than 200 rpm. Still a little bit fast.

Per Nova spec sheet Speed Range: 50-3000rpm is default (option in settings to increase to 5500rpm)

[Mike Cutler]

Richard

I didn't phrase that sentence correctly.:o Thank you.
I want to get to less than 100 rpm myself. 40-60 rpm preferably.

[Keith Outten]

Teknatool is currently one of our Sponsors here and they have a sale on their Nova drill press right now.

Here is the link from their banner advertisement:

https://www.teknatool.com/product/nova-voyager-dvr-drill-press/

[Jim Becker]

I'd totally go the Nova route if I were buying today...especially with the 6" quill travel. There have been a few times when the ~4.5" I have with my Jet just isn't quite enough.

[Marc Jeske]

Hmm...I guess you're ready to host a new TV show called "pimp my tools". :) :D Seriously, that's a great tool!

It's showing 20+ yrs of hot humid shop since I re did it, but I love it.

Marc

[Bob Cooper]

ya'll ask a good question..."what isn't your current tool doing for you..."

there are a couple things but i've also noticed that when i upgraded some other mid-grade tools to those of higher quality (SCM and Sawstop) there was a smoothness and just "pleasant to use" feature that i really enjoyed. Now in the bandsaw case there were plenty of issues related to resaw that the Minimax resolved as it's a totally different animal than my small delta.

but for the drill press i'd say
- i never change the belts unless i'm doing somethgin w/the circle cutter...just time consuming and i'd have to search for the optimal speed.
- depth of travel -- my last project i had to make every hold deep enough by raising the table to finish the depth of cut

those are probably the two biggest. Like i said it's a $150 floor standing drill press and more than delivered on the investment. i have never measured runout to know how accurate it is but that hasn't been a big issue thus far.

[Robert Hayward]

I don't own a Nova, never been around one, but I have to ask: Is it possible you have high frequency hearing loss? I do, and have problems hearing various appliance "beeps" around the house. Just sayin'...

You may well be correct about my hearing. I did a complete hearing test at a doctors office a few years ago and was told my hearing is degraded but does not warrant a hearing aid. With that said I still stand by my statement that I have never heard a beep from my Voyager.:) I will also add that beeps or not I think the Voyager was one of the smarter tool decisions I have made in recent years. Most every time I use it I think to myself I am glad I got rid of the old Taiwan Craftsman and bought the Voyager.

[Nick Decker]

We might be in the same situation, hearing-wise. I can get by without hearing aids, but I know there's a lot that I miss, and I know it's on the high end.

[John Sanford]

Me, I'd lean towards the Nova, but gawd, it is an UGGGGGGLEEEE machine.

[Van Huskey]

Me, I'd lean towards the Nova, but gawd, it is an UGGGGGGLEEEE machine.

I know exactly what you are saying. That said I love a lot of machines designs both new and old but I have never seen a drill press that struck me as attractive. The Voyager just looks to be missing something.

[Matt Day]

Just picked this up for under $400. Not exactly a gloat but a good price.

[andy bessette]

MD--that's a good find.

[Marc Jeske]

Just picked this up for under $400. Not exactly a gloat but a good price.

Now that right there is a perfect example of what I'm talkin about.


Marc

[Van Huskey]

Just picked this up for under $400. Not exactly a gloat but a good price.

Actually, a pretty good price on one that is that clean and VS, the only thing that is missing is a production table which for strictly wood needs a table built over it anyway.

[Greg Parrish]

Is a delta Rockwell 1942 model 17-600 a good choice? Says it’s only for woodworking meaning not right speed for metal I guess. Think it weighs around 400 lbs. wondering if it would be more accurate than my grizzly 17” model which was a poor purchase based on run out and build quality.

[Marc Jeske]

Is it currently available ?

Price?

Photos ?

Mine is either that exact or very similar model, shown in early part of this thread...have drilled many 5/ 8 holes in 1/2 steel no problem.. nice continuous curls.

Always bring a dial gauge and anything else needed.. to check before buying... although MOST runout problems are reasonably solvable.

Marc

[Greg Parrish]

Is it currently available ?

Mine is either that exact or very similar model, have drilled many 5'8 holes in 1/2 steel no problem.. nice continuous curls.

Always bring a dial gauge and anything else needed.. to check before buying... although MOST runout problems are reasonably solvable.

Marc

Marc

Probably but I haven’t contacted seller. Just saw it listed. Same person I bought my restored PM66 from a year or two ago. Assuming it’s restored as well as my PM66, Just wasn’t sure if it would be a good all around choice. Thanks for the feedback.

[Ole Anderson]

Most used feature on my Crapstman? The quill lock. Allows me to set the drill point just above the board and lock it there to get the bit lined up with both hands to the mark on the board. Also useful when using a sanding drum. The one feature I wish I had? A table elevation crank.

[David M Peters]

I have the Jet 17" model (JDP-17), having upgraded from a basic benchtop model with a small round table. The Jet's features are all pretty vanilla but I am still impressed by the woodworking-oriented table. It has T-slots for holding a fence and auto-adjusting hold down clamps (I use Kreg Automaxx) and a square recess for 3/4" plywood sacrificial inserts. It's functional enough where there isn't a need to make your own table.

[Greg Parrish]

Is it currently available ?

Price?

Photos ?

Mine is either that exact or very similar model, shown in early part of this thread...have drilled many 5/ 8 holes in 1/2 steel no problem.. nice continuous curls.

Always bring a dial gauge and anything else needed.. to check before buying... although MOST runout problems are reasonably solvable.

Marc

i don’t have the funds to buy it now but seems like an awesome price considering it has been restored. Spent my budget on a new grinder with CBN wheels instead. Not sure what other than paint has been done but on my PM66 he replaced the arbor, bearings, motor, wiring, starter, switch, had top Blanchard ground, new fence, etc. my guess is that this one is done right as well. Maybe someone else can benefit since I’m going to have to pass.

https://orlando.craigslist.org/tls/d/delta-milwaukee-17-drill/6632495572.html

[Greg R Bradley]

Looks very nice and well worth the price.

It is interesting that he has the speed range of metal vs wood backwards. You need slower speeds for wood since you are most likely to use large bits that need the slower speeds. Ideal speeds for metal can easily be 2000rpm+ for small bits. Even the ideal speed for drilling mild steel with a 1/2" bit is 800rpm. Of course that needs more than 1/2hp, lots more. We typically drill a 3/32" feed hole in SS tube at 3000rpm, the slowest speed our faster DP runs. A 2" Forstner bit in hardwood is going to want no more than 300rpm, ideally more like 200-250rpm. You have a lot more room to drill slow in wood as your ideal chip size covers a much larger range of thickness and the drills will tolerate slower speeds with the much shorter drill times allowing cooling between holes.

That DP was designed for metal working with no thought towards wood. Clearly obvious in the table with T-slots for hold downs and the sealed coolant trough on the table. It is likely that it may go slow enough for wood if it was originally built with the 1/2hp motor. This DP will be HP limited but I would jump all over it if it was close to me.

[Greg Parrish]

Looks very nice and well worth the price.

It is interesting that he has the speed range of metal vs wood backwards. You need slower speeds for wood since you are most likely to use large bits that need the slower speeds. Ideal speeds for metal can easily be 2000rpm+ for small bits. Even the ideal speed for drilling mild steel with a 1/2" bit is 800rpm. Of course that needs more than 1/2hp, lots more. We typically drill a 3/32" feed hole in SS tube at 3000rpm, the slowest speed our faster DP runs. A 2" Forstner bit in hardwood is going to want no more than 300rpm, ideally more like 200-250rpm. You have a lot more room to drill slow in wood as your ideal chip size covers a much larger range of thickness and the drills will tolerate slower speeds with the much shorter drill times allowing cooling between holes.

That DP was designed for metal working with no thought towards wood. Clearly obvious in the table with T-slots for hold downs and the sealed coolant trough on the table. It is likely that it may go slow enough for wood if it was originally built with the 1/2hp motor. This DP will be HP limited but I would jump all over it if it was close to me.


I noticed that but but figured it was a misstatement. The slow speed is why I went with my grizzly but it just has a lot of run out and a small table. One day I’ll upgrade but will buy local so I can test the machine first. Mail order on heavy items is tough when there are issues. Regardless, he did a great job on restoring the saw I bought so this one is probably n top notch shape.

here was the PM66 when I first got it home. It’s Setup completely differently now.
https://txbonds.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-2/p1937068157-4.jpg

[Marc Jeske]

Because this guy apparently rebuilds very concientiously, I think you will REALLY be missing the boat if you don't make somekinda funding arrangement w him to GET that DP.

Helluva awesome price in that condition.

WOW.

That elevation crank mechanism is a Godsend.

Gotta get it... Pawn Wife, Children, or Dog... in that order.. or do something anyway.

Marc

[Greg Parrish]

Because this guy apparently rebuilds very concientiously, I think you will REALLY be missing the boat if you don't make somekinda funding arrangement w him to GET that DP.

Helluva awesome price in that condition.

WOW.

That elevation crank mechanism is a Godsend.

Gotta get it... Pawn Wife, Children, or Dog... in that order.. or do something anyway.

Marc


I know. I know. Not that easy though. He is 4 to 5 hours away and I no longer have a truck so logistically it’s not as easy as when I got the saw a couple years back. If it doesn’t sell for a while longer I may have to figure it out but.............

[Patrick Walsh]

I’m in Massachusetts and I’d nearly take a road trip for that DP. It it functions as good as it looks. I have the same dp in non restored condition. Mine had some runout so I replaced the bearings and it still persisted. If not for the runout in my particular machine it is otherwise a very nice machine.

My guess is there’s a good chance that machine functions pretty well. I’d be renting a u haul borrowing a pick up or taking the suv and finding a way to get it home.

[Marc Jeske]

Yup to the above.

Mine also has some runout.. measured one time, don't recall the amount....It used to bother me, just the kmolwledge of it not being closer to perfect, but has never caused a problem in any use.

Maybe someday I'll put some time into and figure it out.

Marc

[Van Huskey]

Mine also has some runout.. measured one time, don't recall the amount....It used to bother me, just the kmolwledge of it not being closer to perfect, but has never caused a problem in any use.



Honestly, people wig out way too much about runout in a DP used for wood. I get it is a badge of honor and a mark of a quality tool (or luck of the draw) but wood just isn't that exacting. Get a piece of wood 3" thick and drill 6 holes through it with a Harbor Freight press then drill 6 more with a high quality mill drill and try to decide which is which.

[andy bessette]

Honestly, people wig out way too much about runout in a DP used for wood. I get it is a badge of honor and a mark of a quality tool (or luck of the draw) but wood just isn't that exacting...

You make an awful lot of assumptions. Like us using a drill press only for wood. And thinking you know better than those of us actually buying drill presses for ourselves.

[Larry Frank]

When I can see the drill bit wobble, it is too much run out. My Jet was awful and no easy way to fix it.

I know that some like to rebuild old iron. Some rather spend the time making sawdust. It is an individual choice and no right or wrong.

[Greg Parrish]

That’s been the problem with my grizzly. Visible and measurable run out that results in always having to monkey with the drill bit size to get the right hole when doing anything critical, in wood or metal. I’ve worked with the chuck and taper till I’ve managed to reduce it as much as possible but the run out can be measured on the spindle itself so not much you can do. Probably either a bad casting, poor quality bearings, bent spindle or any and all of the above. I manage with it and to just punch a hole in something it’s fine but one day I’d like something better.

[Ole Anderson]

If run out is an issue for you, measure it new to get a benchmark as it is not uncommon to mess up your DP by jamming a bit too hard, particularly a big circle cutter or hole saw. I know.

[Bill Dufour]

When I got it up and running my WT drillpress had about 0.01 runout. I got it down to 0.002 and decided that was good enough. This was a simple bend the quill exercise with a dial indicator and a bar clamp. BTW it is true if you jam a big bit you will bend the quill and lose the accuracy until you adjust it again.
Just take a accurate round rod like a piece of drill rod in the chuck then extend the quill as far as you can. Indicate the round so the big diameter is facing front. Use the clamp to bend the entire chuck back towards the column and a little extra. Remove clamp and see how much springback occurred. repeat.
Bil lD

[Bill Dufour]

That "Delta" dp for sale looks like it may be a Walker Turner rebadged by Delta after they bought out Wt in the 1950's so they could make the WT drill press. I belive WT never mounted the switch on the front. WT did have an optional jackshaft to reduce speed.
I could be wrong since most DP's look pretty similar.

[Bill Adamsen]

Matt's PM VS is very nice. And that is a good price for a machine that doesn't require a rebuild.

My quiver of presses is now reduced to a single Clausing single-phase 15" VS 330-2640rpm which cost the same as Matt's when I bought it five or so years ago. Spindle travel is a bit on the short side at 4-3/4", and the low speed is higher than I'd prefer. But neither of those attributes has been a limitation for me. The best addition is fast depth of drill adjust, it is "hands down" the best attachment I've ever bought for the drill press (apparently vulnerable to surface rust). The VS PM or a 20" VS Clausing (6-1/2" quill/spindle travel - though a bit on the heavy side) ... would be great American iron for any woodworking shop.

The PM2800B is a pretty awesome package. The Nova Voyager also looks comparable - even better with that super-slow speed - though I have never used the press. In fact, this is the first time I'd seen the specs. I would seriously consider buying either of those machines over even a classic if budget allows.

[Bill Adamsen]

I've had my Nova Voyager drill press for over a year now and I'm thrilled with its performance and convenience. I have been waiting for an electronic variable speed drill press for over 10 years. As has been mentioned there is practically no vibration. There was 5/1000" runout at the spindle in the unit that I first received, but Teknatools did replace the head and the replacement has about 1.5/1000" runout.

I did have to cut a notch out of my Woodpeckers DP table.

That machine is very attractive ... thanks for the "long time use report." The fence looks very nice too. My fence uses clamps for adjusting and it is slow to adujst.

[Bill Adamsen]

This was discussed when the video first came out, the consensus was that what you are seeing is not what you think you are seeing. If it were runout would be measured in the hundredths, not thousanths and all that were checked were in the 1-3 thou range in TIR. The first one my stealer got in about a year ago was .001" TIR roughly an inch below the chuck teeth at the top of the stroke and .0025" at full stroke. The dealer did clean the taper during assembly. The fact the chuck is essentially connected directly to the motor actually helps. It maxes out at 5500 rpm and every one of the three I have had my hands on runs extremely smoothly at that speed. Based on feedback and what I have seen first hand indicates runout is less of an issue with this press than any of the other Asian imports.

I just watched the video so this description of runout is helpful to explain what's happening.

That depth of cut could be really quite useful and is impressive. It could be a game changer (thinking tasks like countersink, especially in metal) but the adjustment steps of 5/100ths is simply unusable. Wonder why they don't make that to the thousandths?

[Phillip Gregory]

My quiver of presses is now reduced to a single Clausing single-phase 15" VS 330-2640rpm which cost the same as Matt's when I bought it five or so years ago. Spindle travel is a bit on the short side at 4-3/4", and the low speed is higher than I'd prefer. But neither of those attributes has been a limitation for me. The best addition is fast depth of drill adjust, it is "hands down" the best attachment I've ever bought for the drill press (apparently vulnerable to surface rust).

For those of you following along at home, Bill replaced the stock depth stop rod with a piece of all-thread or a long bolt (as I can't see the top of it) as well as adding the fancy quick-release nut. The stock depth stop rod has conventional threads on the bottom that screws into the quill collar but larger-diameter Acme threads up above. I am not aware of any quick-release stop nuts that use Acme threads (although they may exist) and Bill's uses the standard conventional threads.

That is a good idea as the stock depth stop nut setup can be tedious to adjust very much as it takes a lot of spins of the nut to adjust the stop depth very much.


The VS PM or a 20" VS Clausing (6-1/2" quill/spindle travel - though a bit on the heavy side) ... would be great American iron for any woodworking shop.


The 20" Clausing is about 600 pounds, so about the weight of a typical cabinet saw and lighter than pretty much any non-portable planer. It also breaks down into several manageable pieces easily so even those who have a basement shop where they have to haul things up and down staircases would be fine with that size of machine. It's a far cry from a mill or a decent-sized gearhead drill press.

I would also say to not overlook a traditional step pulley drill press. They are simpler, quieter, more reliable, and less expensive to work on than the Reeves drive units. Belt adjustments at least on my 20" Clausing are easy.

I would recommend also to get a 3 phase press. Fortunately most of the presses marketed toward commercial/industrial users were set up that way. One thing that will do that you can't do with any single phase press is to expand the total speed range available with a VFD. You either have a press with a 4 pole motor and the top speed is fine but the slowest speed is too fast, else you have an 8 pole "slow speed" motor and the lowest speed is fine but the top end is too slow. Using a VFD to run a four-pole motor at half speed or running an 8 pole motor at double speed gives you both the lower bottom and and the higher top end, plus some speed variability within a certain "gear" as well. Typically a 50% to 200% speed range is well within allowable limits for 4 and 8 pole motors of this size, and some can do much better than that.

[Bill Adamsen]

My quill stop is not Acme but a standard 1/2-20. That's what came on the machine (Clausing 1688) and is threaded into the set-ring with (according to the manual) a 3/8-24 hex nut. I bought an after market Morton standard quill stops in the 1/2-20 thread size for about $45 from Amazon. It appeared to be the similar in size and function as on the PM2800B. Which models had the Acme 1/2-10 versus a 1/2-20 I don't know. Definitely worth being aware of the difference when buying.

For some reason, I find a heavy drill press to be nerve-wracking to move around the shop. The Clausing 20" start at 600# and the 15" 300#. The Reeves drive 20" Clausings came both single-phase and 3-phase. Note that they had a wide range of speeds and typically tapers. Models 2286/7 were 1/2chuck key, 150-2000 rpm, 2285 was 200-1300rpm and the 2281..4 were 300-2000rpm. Obviously if considering a VFD, then a 3-phase would be the way to go. Phillip describes that nicely. The single-phase 15" is very convenient for my purposes.

[Phillip Gregory]

For some reason, I find a heavy drill press to be nerve-wracking to move around the shop. The Clausing 20" start at 600# and the 15" 300#. The Reeves drive 20" Clausings came both single-phase and 3-phase. Note that they had a wide range of speeds and typically tapers. Models 2286/7 were 1/2chuck key, 150-2000 rpm, 2285 was 200-1300rpm and the 2281..4 were 300-2000rpm. Obviously if considering a VFD, then a 3-phase would be the way to go. Phillip describes that nicely. The single-phase 15" is very convenient for my purposes.

Both the step pulley and Reeves drive 15" and 20" Clausings could be had with either a single or three phase motor, and some of the 20"ers were available with two-speed consequent pole 3 phase motors.

The 15" Clausings are MT2, the 20"ers are MT3. The factory brochure listed a 1/2" chuck on an MT2 arbor as an option for the 15"ers and a 3/4" chuck on an MT3 arbor for the 20"ers. A 3/8" Jacobs 11N is on my machine about 98% of the time. It's smaller than what originally came on the machine but works fine with a MT3-JT2 arbor. I also have a 16N but it cannot grip bits smaller than 1/8" so it is not on the press as often.

I did mis-speak above, Clausing did not sell presses with 8 pole single speed motors, they used 4 and 6 pole motors. You could get one with a two-speed consequent-pole 3 phase motor which is what mine has, or buy one without a motor and put whatever motor you wanted that would fit.

[Marc Jeske]

If you take the time to build a mobile base, very easy to move.

Just keep the CG low as possible, and put the casters clearly outboard of the load.. especially if all are swivel... which is what I prefer.

Keep that footprint as large as possible, and consider not impeding your natural foot movement as you use the machine.

For all in shop use mobile bases, I always use all swivel casters... NO fixed.

The ONLY advantage of fixed casters is if an item is moved in straight directions majority of time... like a cart going down a longg hallway that rarely needs to turn.

Just keep in mind that the swivel casters change your support under your CG depending on direction they are turned, especially the larger the wheels.

Marc

[andy bessette]

Figure out a good spot for it and put it there.

[Phillip Gregory]

If you take the time to build a mobile base, very easy to move.

Just keep the CG low as possible, and put the casters clearly outboard of the load.. especially if all are swivel... which is what I prefer.

Keep that footprint as large as possible, and consider not impeding your natural foot movement as you use the machine.

For all in shop use mobile bases, I always use all swivel casters... NO fixed.

The ONLY advantage of fixed casters is if an item is moved in straight directions majority of time... like a cart going down a longg hallway that rarely needs to turn.

Just keep in mind that the swivel casters change your support under your CG depending on direction they are turned, especially the larger the wheels.

Marc

Drill presses are top heavy and naturally tippy. Mobile bases are precarious with top heavy, tippy objects. I would NOT recommend a mobile base on a drill press, especially since it's a piece of equipment that is typically put in a corner and used in that corner as you do not have long infeed or ourfeed areas needed to use it. Andy is right, pick a spot and leave it there.

I put four swivel casters underneath my Norm Abram router table. That was the first and last piece of equipment I will do that for. I do not recommend four swivel casters underneath anything as invariably one or more will encounter an imperfection in the floor, swivel tangential or perpendicular to the direction of motion, and bind up the whole works. Everything else has two fixed and two swivel casters and is MUCH easier to move. Well, except my shaper, which is 2200 pounds and due to its sheer weight even with only two swivel casters is difficult to steer unless there is a wide berth to jockey it back and forth to align both swivel casters in the same direction of intended travel. If I have issues, I just pick up the maybe 75 pound router table, I can't do that with the shaper.

[Marc Jeske]

The above post explains why I said to clearly put casters outboard of the CG.

I have both the old Delta drill press, and a true 5 hp 60 gal vertical compressor on home built mobile stands.

Basically both almost impossible to knock over.

No way your'e gonna tip them, unless maybe you are drunk and angry at the world and try to wheel them across a loose crushed rock driveway.

I cannot ever see it happenning... all has to do w sufficient footprint to handle the CG.

If one has the in the box mindset of"the casters need to be directly under the tool base".. that's the problem.



Marc



Marc

[johnny means]

Drill presses are top heavy and naturally tippy. Mobile bases are precarious with top heavy, tippy objects. I would NOT recommend a mobile base on a drill press, especially since it's a piece of equipment that is typically put in a corner and used in that corner as you do not have long infeed or ourfeed areas needed to use it. Andy is right, pick a spot and leave it there.

I put four swivel casters underneath my Norm Abram router table. That was the first and last piece of equipment I will do that for. I do not recommend four swivel casters underneath anything as invariably one or more will encounter an imperfection in the floor, swivel tangential or perpendicular to the direction of motion, and bind up the whole works. Everything else has two fixed and two swivel casters and is MUCH easier to move. Well, except my shaper, which is 2200 pounds and due to its sheer weight even with only two swivel casters is difficult to steer unless there is a wide berth to jockey it back and forth to align both swivel casters in the same direction of intended travel. If I have issues, I just pick up the maybe 75 pound router table, I can't do that with the shaper.

In my experience as a furniture/cabinet maker, drill presses become next to useless without several feet of clearance on either side.

[Jim Becker]

In my experience as a furniture/cabinet maker, drill presses become next to useless without several feet of clearance on either side.

This is the singular reason I have mine on a mobile base...I don't use the tool much, but when I do, I typically need to have space around it to do the work.

[Larry Edgerton]

Both the step pulley and Reeves drive 15" and 20" Clausings could be had with either a single or three phase motor, and some of the 20"ers were available with two-speed consequent pole 3 phase motors.

The 15" Clausings are MT2, the 20"ers are MT3. The factory brochure listed a 1/2" chuck on an MT2 arbor as an option for the 15"ers and a 3/4" chuck on an MT3 arbor for the 20"ers. A 3/8" Jacobs 11N is on my machine about 98% of the time. It's smaller than what originally came on the machine but works fine with a MT3-JT2 arbor. I also have a 16N but it cannot grip bits smaller than 1/8" so it is not on the press as often.



I did mis-speak above, Clausing did not sell presses with 8 pole single speed motors, they used 4 and 6 pole motors. You could get one with a two-speed consequent-pole 3 phase motor which is what mine has, or buy one without a motor and put whatever motor you wanted that would fit.

I have the 20" with the two speed motor driven by a VFD, Superchuck, and Reeves drive. Don't know what the best drill press is, but I really like this one. I do miss the power feed on my old Walker Turner and reverse for tapping, but I don't do much with steel any more and the Clausing is more versatile, takes up less room.

One is smart to be cautious moving a large press like the 20" Clausings, that is a lot of weight up top and at some point it will tip, and most of us could not catch it. Patience.......

[Phillip Gregory]

I have the 20" with the two speed motor driven by a VFD, Superchuck, and Reeves drive. Don't know what the best drill press is, but I really like this one. I do miss the power feed on my old Walker Turner and reverse for tapping, but I don't do much with steel any more and the Clausing is more versatile, takes up less room.

You can get a power feed for a 20" Clausing. The 2215-1 is their current 240 volt power feed mechanism and is a fully programmable servo controlled power feed. I'm guessing it costs many thousands of dollars. You can reverse your current press using a VFD, most will allow for multi-wire momentary contact switches that can allow for instant reversing. My TECO L510, which is an entry level (for a decent maker) VFD, can do this so others likely can as well.


One is smart to be cautious moving a large press like the 20" Clausings, that is a lot of weight up top and at some point it will tip, and most of us could not catch it. Patience.......

Lowering the head will lower the center of gravity a bunch and make it much less tippy. It's fairly easy to do this as long as there isn't rust on the column, the manual has the instructions. If you do not have a manual, Clausing will gladly e-mail you one as a PDF.

[Brian Tymchak]

FYI - I just noticed that Technatool is offering a $200 rebate on the 58000 until 9/30.

[Keith Weber]

For all in shop use mobile bases, I always use all swivel casters... NO fixed.

The ONLY advantage of fixed casters is if an item is moved in straight directions majority of time... like a cart going down a longg hallway that rarely needs to turn.

Marc

I couldn't disagree more. Anything on 4 swivel casters will have a mind of its own moving it unless it weighs next to nothing. Try moving a 1500+ lb. machine on 4 swivel casters and you'll definitely be getting an ab workout trying to force the machine to track in the direction that you want it to go.

Swivel casters, being less rigid than fixed, will not be as stable, so you'll most likely have more movement in the machine when using it (which can be dangerous for machines that require you to push wood through them). Better yet to avoid casters all together and use a base with machine levelers and move the machine with a pallet truck.

Swivel casters also move the support point towards the CG (in the bad direction) when moving the machine, so it will more prone to tipping with small footprint machines. Catch a little nut or a pebble under a rear swivel caster when pushing a heavy, small-footprint machine, and it could easily tip over.

If you decide that you do need to use casters, having two fixed casters on the rear and two swivels on the front will be better in all three of these of these conditions. For things that are wide but not deep (like a tool cabinet), I prefer to have the two fixed casters on one side and the two swivels on the other. It makes it less prone to tipping when moving it because you're pushing/pulling in the long direction.

[andy bessette]

KW--good post.

[Marc Jeske]

And, I also disagree.

I have all swivel casters on all my mobile bases.. including a 500 lb saw, would never have it otherwise.

All swivel allows me to get it anywhere I want it.

The tipping issue is easily solved by putting the casters slightly outboard.

Will be building a welded base for a Delta/ Rockwell 12-14 w 52" table extension, so that will end up approx 1100 lbs w the base, already have the casters, all swivel.

Heavier machines than that, no experience.

I also have one of those nice gray Rubberrmaid carts LOVE IT >>>>EXCEPT for the constant fight w the straight casters.

Again, I say, if you are normally moving something in a basically straight line, like a gurney down a hospital loong hallway, then you want two straight ones.

Otherwise, moving in all directions un impeded in a somewhat tight shop, all swivel.

Works for me.

Marc

[Marc Jeske]

60 gal true 5 hp, 4 swivel casters, not gonna tip.

Marc

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