Drill Press? Benchtop vs. Floor mount

[Jeff Cord]

Other than size is the selection of drill-press type one of space rather than functionality?
What I'm trying to figure out is if 2 drill presses from the same manufacturer (take Delta for example) that have similar specs (motor, quill travel, etc) have similar performance other than the size of the material you can drill.
Hope this makes sense. :confused:
Jeff

[Frank McKinney]

I have a benchtop Craftsman that I inherited. I would like to drill holes in the end of some spindles to repair our bed posts. With the benchtop, the work is too long to stand on end under it, unless I remove the base and attach it somehow to the bench and let it overhang the edge. I think with a floor model, I could just move the table out of the way and use some jig to hold the work vertical while drilling out the damaged hole.

Just my two cents though,

Putter

[Andrew Williams]

I did this very task recently using the General 34-01 floor DP. It was very easy, just tilt the table to vertical and clamp the post to it. The key factor is that the head swivels all the way around on the General, as does the table. Very easy to line up a cut.

Personally I would go for a floor DP if you have the space, preferably a heavy one with a large base so there are no problems with tipping.




I have a benchtop Craftsman that I inherited. I would like to drill holes in the end of some spindles to repair our bed posts. With the benchtop, the work is too long to stand on end under it, unless I remove the base and attach it somehow to the bench and let it overhang the edge. I think with a floor model, I could just move the table out of the way and use some jig to hold the work vertical while drilling out the damaged hole.

Just my two cents though,

Putter

[Bill Huber]

A long time ago I had a bench top press, the head would rotate on the main shaft. There was times that I would move the press to the edge of my bench and turn the head out over the floor and drill large items on a stool. I had a set of holes in the bench just for that and it did work very well.

To answer your question I would go with the floor model if you have the space for it. I have a floor model and do not use it to drill that many large things, BUT when I do its right there waiting for me.

[joe greiner]

Frank, you probably don't have the user manual or the assembly instructions. But, check to see if the head is secured to the post by a setscrew. My benchtop Craftsman is built that way. By loosening the setscrew, you can pivot the head to a position above the bench for more headroom, or above the floor for even more headroom if it's mounted near the edge of the bench. Andrew's trick of tilting the table should provide adequate clamping. Thanks, Andrew.

Jeff, if the specs are identical, the drilling performance should be identical. The floor model would be more versatile, though.

Joe