Solberga Geared Head Drill Presses

[Phillip Mitchell]

Anybody have experience with Solberga (or similar) geared head drill presses?

I’ve been on the casual hunt for the right industrial quality 17” + sized drill press for a while and have ran across of few Solbergas lately that look really interesting. Models like the 2025, 2030, 725, etc.

I can see the specs on them online easily enough and obviously know that they’re manufactured for industrial metal working application. I’m more interested in if anyone has any practical seat time with them for woodworking and occasional metal work. The slow speeds look to be pretty useful for spinning big forstner bits, etc. I really like the compactness of the head that seems to be less “deep” of an overall footprint than the more common belt drive models that we commonly see, which could make a nice difference to me in my tiny shop.

[Bill Dufour]

I belive Arboga was bought out and merged with Solberga in the last ten years. I think Wilton sold some under their name. Gear drive is really overkill for wood. If it hits a knot and the wood cannot spin it may snap the drill rather than slip a non-existant belt. Do they run fast enough for wood? Probably weigh around one ton so not easy to move.
Bill D

[Bill Dufour]

Here is a link to a dealer.
I was wrong about this machine. It is much lighter then I was thinking of. More like 600 pounds. Barely more then my walker turner 20" dp.
Bill D.

https://www.willismachinery.com/solberga-gear-drive-drills

[Wes Grass]

Lots of experience, with both Solberga and Arboga, in a metal shop. A couple gear drive and a smaller belt drive. Nice machines, and yes, heavy. The weight isn't so much an issue as is they're very top heavy. I think they're all 3 phase. Maybe not the smaller one.

I've used them on wood as well. Depending on the model, they may have a high enough speed to satisfy a woodworker. Like maybe 1200 rpm or thereabouts. Personally, I think there's not much point in running high rpm in wood just because 'you can'. Generates a lot of heat that takes it's toll on drills. And the average belt drive drill press goes way too fast for most metal work.

3 phase is great for power tapping with instant reverse, but of course you've got to have a way to switch it. One of them has a momentary F/R drum switch mounted to a plate you can slip your foot under to reverse. The other has a switch on the depth stop that actuates a contactor to reverse it. Switches back to forward by raising the quill back up to the top. No idea if it was a factory item, but it's handy for production work. Too clumsy to set up for a couple holes, and the foot pedal is 'ON' only, and latching. I'm gonna try to talk my brother out of it when I move, and probably rewire it.

[Phillip Mitchell]

Thank for the replies Bill and Wes.

One of the models I saw had speeds like this attached photo. 2 speed motor @ 60 hz.

I have a rotary phase converter but might prefer to use a VFD with a 3
phase drill press for infinite speed adjustment unless there’s a compelling argument not to.

[Bill Dufour]

Power braking with a vfd is nice to have when spinning a big bit on a dp. No reason not to use a vfd except it may run a fan and make noise as long as it it plugged in. My lathe conversion was that way so i put a old contactor in front of it to turn off all power after I am done.
Bill

[Phillip Mitchell]

To continue the discussion -

I have possibly located an Arboga (looks like a GM2508) for sale somewhat locally, but I’m still awaiting confirmation, details, etc. This would be a perfect size for my shop and I don’t think I’d ever grow out of it for wood or the little bit of metal work I get into from time to time.

I have been trying to do some reading online about any reasons that a geared head drill press wouldn’t be suitable or preferred for mostly woodworking. The 2 reasons I have seen mentioned are below:

* The motor doesn’t have enough high speed RPM (3000 +) to produce small diameter clean holes in wood.
- I guess this depends on the drill, some max out around 1400 rpm; some I’ve seen go up to ~ 3700.

* There is less/no “feel” with the geared head (and a 1.5+ HP motor) compared to belt drives which will give more feedback to slow down or back off through slight belt slippage. There is chatter that the lack of relative feedback could be more dangerous with bigger bits grabbing and throwing your stock. I don’t disagree in theory, though it seems like a well designed and built fence with stout hold downs/ clamps would solve this problem and be a good idea in general to invest in regardless.

Thoughts? Is there any concern about a press like this being in a woodshop environment and suffering because of wood dust? I have a good cyclone DC, but it doesn’t get everything so anything in the shop is exposed to small layers of fine dust occasionally.

Also, I have been doing a bit of VFD research (dangerous...) and read multiple places, mostly machinist sites, that running a press with a 2 speed, reversing motor such as is typical on these geared head presses isn’t necessary optimal with a VFD as you then loose control of your switches and need to control from the VFD itself. I’m sure there’s more to it than that, and possibly ways to wire the VFD so that you retain safe usage of the high and low speed switch as well as forward and reverse (?) Because I have a rotary phase converter that I like and already use for 3 other machines, this isn’t really a problem for me, but figured I’d pass it along and maybe someone else more experienced can chime in with the nitty gritty.

[Bill Dufour]

I beleive you have to wire the motor for high speed only and never use the reversing switch under load. Easy enough to rewire the existing switches so they act as low voltage VFD switches. This way the vfd controls all functions including reverse.
It is also very easy to add extra control switches at multiple locations. Not really an issue on a drillpress where the operator stays in one place but nice on a planer or tablesaw.
Bill D.
Bill D