Variable Speed Drill Press Question

[Mark R Webster]

Just want to start out by saying I am probably on the lazy side so just start there. I currently have a Delta floor standing drill press with the step pully speed control system. I find I am constantly going from a slow speed to a much higher speed and back again. I was considering getting a more "automatic" variable speed drill press. I see there are mechanical variable speed types and electronic types. It appears that one drawback of the electronic is you can lose torque at lower speeds and the mechanical circumvents this. Those of you who have one of these style, can you tell me your experience and why you like the one method over the other? Also can you tell me the brand of drill press you ended up with and how you lke it? Thanks

[Bill Dufour]

Put a three phase motor and VFD on your DP. Leave it in the middle range.
bil lD

[Mark R Webster]

I have one w/VFD on my lathe and like it. I just assumed the motor on the drill press would have specific mounting needs. On my lathe I have a home made motor mount and a generic 3 phase motor matched to the VDF. I suppose I should look more closely at the motor on the drill press ha ha I assume you have done this... if so what horse power did you end up with? Thanks Bill

[Larry Frank]

I have the Nova Voyager drill press and do not notice and loss of torque at lower rpm. This is a tool in my shop that I really enjoy using. Before, changing speed with a step pulley was such a pain. Now, I change speed all the time with a turn of the knob.

[Mark R Webster]

That sounds pretty cool!

[Bill Dufour]

I have one w/VFD on my lathe and like it. I just assumed the motor on the drill press would have specific mounting needs. On my lathe I have a home made motor mount and a generic 3 phase motor matched to the VDF. I suppose I should look more closely at the motor on the drill press ha ha I assume you have done this... if so what horse power did you end up with? Thanks Bill


I have a one horsepower motor on my drillpress. I bought it with no motor as a trade for a nice pipe cutter and no money at the used tool store. Lucky they still had the pulley. In 15 years I have yet to change the pulley from middle speed ratio. I have the vfd set from 30-100HZ. I figure at 30 HZ I probably have 1/2 Horsepower. At 100 HZ I figure roughly 1.5HP. I grew up with a 1/3Hp drillpress as a kid. The only critical thing is the shaft size and the pulley bore. On my mill drill I had to bore out the motor pulley from metric to English. I just used an adjustable reamer. The piloted kind. The pulley never had a keyway so I left it like that.
You can now buy VFD's that use 120 volts in and get three phase 220 output.
Bill D

[Mark R Webster]

Yes that is what I did with my lathe's VFD (i use 220) and get 3 phase. Thanks Bill

[Bill Dufour]

Pretty much any powertool, including a drillpress, that came from the factory as three phase is better then what most stores sell today if it fits your needs. Bigger stronger, longer quill stroke, etc. Not much to go wrong on a three phase motor.
Bil lD.

[Mark R Webster]

Very true thanks Bill

[Robert Hayward]

I am with Larry. I also have a Nova Voyager and consider it one of my better power tool purchases. Reach up and set the speed I want. Never noticed any loss of torque at slow speeds with the Nova. I have drilled 3/4" holes in 1/2" steel plate at a couple hundred RPM. Digital readout to show you how deep you are drilling is really handy also.

[Derek Cohen]

For 20 plus years I used a generic 3/4 hp Taiwan-made drill press. It was a real work horse and essential tool in the workshop. 16 speeds and a pain to change the belts! So I used it on a middle speed and destroyed many larger forstner bits with overheating. Wood sometimes burned. I learned to slow the speed down for the larger bits, but then this was too slow for small twist bits .... and so on.

About a year ago I splashed out on the Nova Voyager. I am not suggesting that others do the same. It is a great drill press but pricey and not necessary .. but I love it :). The point is that the variable speed is just wonderful, and drill bits are easy to set up at the correct speed. This makes a difference to the quality of work. Adding a VDF sounds a good idea.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mark R Webster]

Thanks Robert and Derek. I value both opinions I appreciate your sharing your experience.
Mark

[glenn bradley]

A Voyager would be wonderful to have and if you are headed that way, by all means proceed. If you are vacillating about a lesser god, I have priorities when it comes to drill presses. That is why I still have a 17" Delta that I got for $300 (this doesn't mean I don't lust after and lie in wait for a windfall that will get me a Voyager).

Minimal runout - If there is unacceptable runout, I don't care what else the machine has to offer, I'll pass.
Decent power - If it has minimal runout but, can't spin a circle cutter or a large Forstner, it is of no use to me.
Good swing - 17" is a sweet spot for me, I would take more. For a machine that had less, minimal runout, decent power and variable speed would be required to loosen my wallet.
Variable speed - A luxury; I guess some machines are terrible to change speeds on, mine takes a couple moments.

In short, I would not give up runout, power or capacity just to get variable speed. that being said . . . I would love a Voyager ;-)

P.s. A good depth stop is a requirement BUT, I figured out how to build one that works great so, it is no longer a deal breaker . . . since I can fix it ;-)

[Larry Frank]

The other things about the Nova Voyager DVR....The runout is was only about 0.002" the best I could measure with a dial indicator . The 6" travel is great and even with quill extended run out was minimal .

Yes, it is not cheap but a fine tool!

[Curt Harms]

I have a Delta (at least that's what the name says) benchtop radial drill press. It came with a 1/3 h.p. motor and 5 speeds. The lowest speed was 550 R.P.M. which is too fast for many woodworking tasks. I recently bought a 1/2 h.p. 3 phase motor and VFD. The step pulley on the motor has a metric bore 15 mm I think so couldn't use it on the new motor. The motor's shaft is long enough that I was able to slide the drive pulley to match the driven step pulley. I selected the lowest speed and have the VFD maxing out at 90 Hz. I find around 10 Hz. gives me adequate torque for everything I've tried so far and speed around 200 r.p.m. I debated putting the $200 the motor and VFD cost toward a new drill press but decided I didn't want the hassle plus the drill press is sitting on a wheeled cabinet that gives me good storage. So far so good on the present setup.

[Chip Seltzer]

I have that bench top Rockwell (Delta on the hood). My dad bought it new back in the 50s. Made in Pittsburgh. For all intents and purposes, 0” runout. It is a fantastic machine and it sits in the metal shop section. I also have a Nova Voyager and it is a great drill head with a mediocre table / adjustment set up. There is no reason in the world why they couldn’t have designed that drill press all the way to the floor for that kind of money. They stopped at the top. When you release the lock on the table, it actually drops (out of Square with the column) quite measurably. To beef up that casting wouldn’t have added $10 to the cost of manufacture. The drill press I got rid of to make room for the Voyager had 0” deflection when the clamp was released. Unknown brand but made probably in the 40s. It did have too much runout for me (maybe a slightly bent quill) and I really like the speed selection on the Voyager.

[Derek Cohen]

...I also have a Nova Voyager and it is a great drill head with a mediocre table / adjustment set up. There is no reason in the world why they couldn’t have designed that drill press all the way to the floor for that kind of money. They stopped at the top. ...

Chris, you are so right. The Voyager was conceived of as a drill press for the woodworker. Why then did they leave a table designed for a metal worker?

https://i.postimg.cc/3J6kBpjs/5.jpg

Fortunately, we are woodworkers, and can build our own tables. This one is made of UHMW ...

https://i.postimg.cc/JnHHCpFk/Light1.jpg

I have since replaced the fence as well, and added a Wixey laser.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mark R Webster]

Very helpful input from all of you thanks so much!

[Mike Henderson]

I have a variable speed drill press with a Reeves drive and it has worked great for me. I have a control arm on the side of the drill press and by moving that back and forth it changes the quill speed. While an electronic speed control would be nice, this one was probably a lot less expensive. Seems to have acceptable power at all speeds - although I mostly use it at lower speeds.

Mike

[Mark R Webster]

Thanks I was still wondering about the mechanical solution. Did you end up with a Wen?

[Bill Dufour]

A reeves drive is loud while a vfd makes no noise beyond ,maybe, a small fan. A VFD can cause radio noise. If you buy a used reeves drive it is almost guaranteed the bushings need replacing.
Bill D.

[Mark R Webster]

Good to know, I am not a fan of loud! Worn bushings are not so nice either ha ha

[Larry Frank]

I have never had a drill press table that I liked. They all are typically cast iron and I do not want wood against it. With every drill press I have owned, I have built a custom table to suit my uses. I would rather have the mfg just give me a plain cast iron table that I can add onto. I also find it much cheaper to build my own with fences and hold downs than buy one.

One thing with the Nova Voyager is that it can easily run at high speeds up to 3000 rpm and optionally to 5500 rpm.

[Mike Henderson]

A reeves drive is loud while a vfd makes no noise beyond ,maybe, a small fan. A VFD can cause radio noise. If you buy a used reeves drive it is almost guaranteed the bushings need replacing.
Bill D.

I have a Reeves drive in my drill press and in my lathe and I certainly don't notice excessive noise. No more than a regular belt drive. All a Reeves drive does is change the "size" of the pulleys to speed up or slow down the final drive. Once the adjustment is made, it's exactly like a belt on pulleys.

Mike

[Chip Seltzer]

We can make whatever kind of table we want. What we cannot easily fix is the junction between the table and the column and that is what is so poorly under built on this drill press. Just the same, I spent a good part of the day today using it and I really like the whole drill head!

[Mark R Webster]

Thanks for the additional input Larry. Interesting, I was just looking around for prices and specs on the Nova and it looks like nobody has them in stock. Possibly sometime in August it is expected to be in stock again. Anyone have any idea what is going on... Covid? Are they made in New Zealand?

[andy bessette]

My solution was 2 drill presses. The Rockwell DP I purchased new decades ago has a manual table lift (very fast and convenient). I leave this one set at medium high speed. Also have a very heavy duty Delta DP (purchased used) which has a heavy crank-up table, deeper throat, and is capable of considerably lower speeds. This one is left on its lowest speed and is used for hole saws, Forstner bits, spur bits, drilling stainless steel, etc.

[Andy D Jones]

A few points to consider:

The Nova Voyager is 1.75 HP when run from 120VAC, and 2 HP when run from 240VAC. All you have to do is change the plug, the wiring does not change. So the Voyager starts out with more power and torque than most drill presses.

The DVR motor and drive are better at generating torque at low RPM than induction motors on VFDs (some VFD algorithms are better than others, but do not match DVRs at low speed. For induction motors, consider a 6 pole (1100 RPM nominal) motor instead of a 4 pole motor (1760 RPM nominal), if low speed torque is important.

The Voyager has MANY more useful features beyond just variable speed, for both safety and convenience.

Reeves drives should be running when changing the speed. So you need to get in the habit of always returning to low speed before turning it off, in case the next bit you install (e.g. a wheel cutter) can vibrate excessively at high speed. This is not the case with electronic variable speed (DVR or VFD); you can set the correct speed before turning the motor on.

Disclosure: I have a Voyager and really enjoy it.

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[Bill Dufour]

For half the cost of a voyager drill press buy this and set each one to a different speed. It would make a nice router table
Bil lD.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Buffalo-16-6-Headed-head-Gang-Drill-Press-With-Large-Cast-Iron-fluid-table/153535366238?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item23bf6bc45e%3Ag%3Az7sAAOSwl5FdCoxI&amdata=enc%3DAQAFAAACcBaobrjLl8XobRIiIML1V4Imu%252 Fn%252BzU5L90Z278x5ickkxGz2ccqatkEnoeekHqhLkZjvGj7 3PMas5wBttfVvtf7o39iW4%252FEqDE5x%252B7MTrzeHj1JNH wWlF1X6nh52C%252BVcFXBZ%252BBR5SFjSTkDQH%252FeSWNd kQmWkz7PbrQQRLCXHWw8FliRjaXy%252FVcNMWp%252B3HooVG P1Ocew6ewazYuOySJJRcQYFuLE8W%252FhpSwToawXXQvPVdoy TDokiCaWOYuVyh%252F97%252FTK1GU6kcvrWf1YnYOxB84maA qkMNnG1BEVNJrNnoIroufnxby7ejaElxDV4HpHDOVfw0aSSINc dEO4DN9lRgkp5hVCTajywlqyfWtGGHCT2pzOAFX1hMdBQ1bS9q e9h3zLi4zThtQ%252Bftn%252FBtq1qlY5ZYqyskPxkdLK8GcS Ma%252FluzgIJDADb6tlbmhft4baBiC6DDKfCOjy48YhUwtuoQ YvgUGRrLc%252BxJvUMCWEm1UJYAl%252Br3QeizHKtY8%252B LfJgkTvidILimXjo3GDvzOefkuI1bGHPm5fmPc80O7QsYfWBPA Cfmon%252BWQm%252FWA3teCmRO9kqa9v4GpuGXC6ukqN2rIO1 gE5MUAPi7mbVysHDBnQJJCcVSSUrs4iYMVwZjr9zpR8JLcPH6T uNSSUOxOy%252FG4j76xOxDOX1EWGpNOPYhmrqjV%252FpWxAL fem0QrD1AD9tXttdha%252F2txxUWRCyiIfftuPf4Mp4D0kFfO YscIlKMJ135iXfTjkKeArtoWBwkdR5SOh2m1ncfnHm8tg5sCfw ZWe6Kvx%252Fy7pfo1U9OJKmKQBeRVGf4zswfmi5GcPAgQ%252 FG38A%253D%253D%26cksum%3D1535353662382e1e2cef98f4 4424bdb435bbcfa50c4e%26ampid%3DPL_CLK%26clp%3D2334 524&LH_ItemCondition=4

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-HEAD-DELTA-DRILL-PRESSES-AND-TABLE/232958484569?hash=item363d686059%3Ag%3AOa4AAOSwjXZ bvAlu&LH_ItemCondition=4

The first one is in Indiana the second in Ohio. USA.
Any idea what country the Op is in?
(https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-HEAD-DELTA-DRILL-PRESSES-AND-TABLE/232958484569?hash=item363d686059%3Ag%3AOa4AAOSwjXZ bvAlu&LH_ItemCondition=4)

[Bill Dufour]

Those I linked are likely three phase. You could run one at a time from one VFD since they all use the same motor. Set the parameter once for the motors.
Bill D

[Bill Dufour]

Walker Turner and Clausing and probably others, made a drill press designed to be hung from the ceiling for unlimited throat depth. I did see a picture of a jig saw like that with a spring tied to the ceiling and the other end to the top of the blade.
Bill D

[Mark R Webster]

Wow Thanks for all the links Bill!

[Mike Wilkins]

Another vote here for the Nova Voyager. Went from a mid-70's Rockwell with 4 speeds and no rack and pinion table raising mechanism. Too many times I just left it on whatever speed it was set on and drilled away, except for really large bits. Never seen or felt the Nova slow down when hogging large holes in hard material, and it will even select the speed for you.
Something to consider.

[Mark R Webster]

Good to know! Can you override its speed selection if you want a specific speed for some reason? Thanks

[Larry Frank]

Yes, you can over ride the speeds. It is so easy to turn a small knob and change speed and the display shows the speed.

I'm case you can not tell by my posts, I really love this machine. My old Jet had excessive quill slop and I hated changing speed with the step pulleys.

I am looking at up grading it with a linear actuators to change table height.

[Ben Zara]

Voyager all the way or some other electronic method of speed control.

If anything, it just encourages safe practice, meaning that I won't take a shortcut and not adjust the speed where it should be because belt pulley changing is a pain in the behind.

With the Voyager, I just turn the knob and adjust the drilling speed for every circumstance, because it is zero aggravation to do so. Such a pleasure and I've never had "power problems" while doing so.

[Mark R Webster]

I am looking at up grading it with a linear actuators to change table height.
What are you referring to with "linear actuator" is that a specific product if so made by the same company? Thanks

[Bill Dufour]

Fancy CNC lathes automatically increase the rpm as the work starts getting to a smaller diameter. This keeps it a constant foot per minute speed for most efficient removal rates.
Bil lD

[Bill Dufour]

I tried a linear actuator on my old DP. It cocked the table so I had to keep one hand on the front of the table pressing up as the table rose.
Bill D

[Mark R Webster]

Ahhhh... thanks Bill, wasn't familiar. I see!

[Izzy Charo]

On some of the reviews (albeit older ones) that I've seen it's stated that the Nova Voyager requires a PC computer to access or program certain features...does anyone know if this is still correct, or is it also Mac compatible? Not sure why you would need a computer to program a DP,,, but curious, as I'm a Mac user....Thanks!

[Andy D Jones]

You need a PC to upgrade the Voyager's firmware. Some versions added new features, so I guess you could say, if you bought an older, used Voyager, you need a PC to upgrade firmware and add the new features.

But once upgraded, you can access the new features from the user interface on the Voyager itself.

Mine came with the latest firmware, so I have not hooked up a PC to my Voyager. The cable is included to connect your PC to the Voyager.

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[Mark R Webster]

Was wondering if I could shift the discussion little regarding the Voyager. Those of you who have one... do you use it strictly for woodworking related tasks or do you do any machining with it like end mill work. I'm excluding the standard drill a hole in metal function. If that is a stupid question... sorry I am a woodworker not a machinest. I know drill presses arn't designed to have a lot of side pressure but I have never done any end milling so I am not that familiar with the requirements. If inappropriate I can start another thread.

[Chip Seltzer]

I wouldn’t put a milling head into any tapered fitting without a drawbar.

[Curt Harms]

Chris, you are so right. The Voyager was conceived of as a drill press for the woodworker. Why then did they leave a table designed for a metal worker?


Fortunately, we are woodworkers, and can build our own tables. This one is made of UHMW ...


I have since replaced the fence as well, and added a Wixey laser.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Perhaps that's why they didn't build a 'table for woodworkers?' Because they knew woodworker would build their own table anyway.:)

[Bill Dufour]

What are you referring to with "linear actuator" is that a specific product if so made by the same company? Thanks


A linear actuator is just a fancy name for an electric screw jack. A quality one will use a ballscrew and have adjustable limit switches. Often 12 or 24 volt DC or 120 AC

Bill D

[Andy D Jones]

Was wondering if I could shift the discussion little regarding the Voyager. Those of you who have one... do you use it strictly for woodworking related tasks or do you do any machining with it like end mill work. I'm excluding the standard drill a hole in metal function. If that is a stupid question... sorry I am a woodworker not a machinest. I know drill presses arn't designed to have a lot of side pressure but I have never done any end milling so I am not that familiar with the requirements. If inappropriate I can start another thread.

Nova Technitool makes (made?) the Vulcan, which was designed for metalworking, but I'm not sure whether even it was designed for milling.

When the chuck is held in the spindle only by friction of a taper, that is wholly insufficient for the sideways and downward pull of a milling bit engaging metal. The chuck will come out, likely damaging itself, the bit and the work piece. Milling machines typically use a drawbar to positively hold the tooling (or chuck) in the socket.

The drill press spindle bearings, and the quill, are not designed to take the massive lateral forces of metal milling either. They will wear quickly, which will drastically increase the spindle play and runout. Milling machines have much beefier bearings designed to withstand much higher thrust (in both directions) and lateral forces present in milling.

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[Mark R Webster]

Sorry I don't know what a drawbar is...:confused:

[Mark R Webster]

Ok so I guess that helps answer my last post wondering about the draw bar. And confirms my concerns about using for milling. Thanks guys

[andy bessette]

For the cost of a Voyager drill press you can buy an excellent new drill press plus a very good used milling machine.