Quill Travel on a Drill Press

[Chris Jenkins]

Taking a poll here... I'm wondering how many of you, if buying a new DP, would buy a DP based on the feature of a 6" quill travel?

I ask cause I hear more and more about this 6" travel length, but when I look around Delta had them back in the 2003 catalogs and was really wondering why all all the hype now?

I mean afterall how many of us have drill bits long enough to chuck and make it down all 6 inches? or even 5 in for that matter?

[mike holden]

Quill travel is the second most important quality of a drill press after making sure the shaft spins concentrically.
I have quite a few long drills, and go through a lot of "mickey-motion" to line up deep holes.
You can get by with a few inches, but the more travel, the fewer problems.
mike

[Gary Keedwell]

Quill travel is the second most important quality of a drill press after making sure the shaft spins concentrically.
I have quite a few long drills, and go through a lot of "mickey-motion" to line up deep holes.
You can get by with a few inches, but the more travel, the fewer problems.
mike
I don't know how far mine travels but it has never been an issue. What is far more important, in my humble opinion, is having a great table, which has been lacking throughout the years. They basically copied the machinist drill press table which I think is inferior to woodworking.
Variable speed and run-out comes in my criteria, too.
Gary K.

[Doug Shepard]

I cant vote! There's no 8" category:confused: It might be more, I'd have to double check. I cant tell you how often that's come in handy on my ancient beast. Here's a pic of a similar one that sold on eBay a while back but the machine is a lot cleaner than mine and the workings are easier to see.
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[Bruce Page]

That's an interesting piece of iron Doug. Who made it?

[glenn bradley]

I was planning on the Steel City with the 6" travel. A deal came along on a Delta with their tricked out table. I relented. Haven't missed the missing 2" but YMMV.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

The main thing I'd worry about is does it run true....then at least something greater than 2" of travel........4 7/8" or 6" quill travel?

Good table?

Good motor?

[Jim Becker]

I chose the 4 7/8" category but would also opt for 6" if the machine had what I required...and that includes an appropriate low-end speed for swinging large cutters, etc. Some of the latest machines don't go slow enough despite all the bells and whistles!

[Doug Shepard]

That's an interesting piece of iron Doug. Who made it?

Up til a couple months ago when I stumbled across the eBay listing I didnt have a clue who made mine. No name in the castings and the decal had long ago worn off. When I saw the listing for my DP (although a much prettier one) I saved all the pics and the listing info:

THIS IS A COLCORD WRIGHT FLOOR MODEL BELT DRIVE DRILL PRESS MADE BY LELAND & FORD COMPANY WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS. THE DRILL PRESS HAS A METAL PLATE WITH PATENTS #1000183; #1091569; #1202054; #1223513; #1549173; #1560776 AND ALSO MANUFACTURING INFORMATION. THE DRILL PRESS IS 78 INCHES IN HEIGHT; THE BASE IS 22 INCHES BY 24 INCHES. THE DRILL PRESS WORK TABLE IS 22 INCHES BY 20 INCHES AND HAS A CHANNEL AROUND THE OUTSIDE WITH A DRAIN HOLE FOR CLEANING (VERY HEAVY). THE TABLE IS MOUNTED ON A 16 INCH LONG THREADED PEDISTLE AND ALSO ATTACHES TO A SLIDE ON THE MAIN DRILL PRESS FRAME AND WILL TRAVEL UP AND DOWN BY THE TURNING THE ADJUSTMENT WHEEL ON THE FRONT OF THE DRILL PRESS. THE TABLE WILL TRAVEL 12 INCHES UP AND DOWN. THE DRILL PRESS HAS A 5/8 INCH ARBOR HOLE FOR A TAPERED SHANK CHUCK. THE HEAD OF THE DRILL PRESS WILL TRAVEL UP AND DOWN 12 INCHES AND IS ALSO ADJUSTABLE IN COORDINATION WITH THE TABLE. ALL THE PULLEYS ARE METAL WITH 2 VARIABLE SPEED PULLEYS STARTING AT 8 INCHES IN DIAMETER TO - 7 INCHES TO 5 3/4 INCHES TO 4 1/2 INCHES AND ALL ARE ADJUSTABLE FROM THE TIGHTENING WHEEL AT THE TOP OF THE DRILL PRESS. ALL THE BEARINGS BUSHINGS ARE TIGHT AND IN VERY GOOD CONDION WITH NO RUST. THIS IS A HEAVY DRILL PRESS (300+ POUNDS) AND IT DOES COME APART IN THREE PIECES AND CAN BE LOADED IN A SMALL PICKUP TRUCK OR VAN. NOTE: THIS ITEM IS PICK UP ONLY IN SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS AND I WILL ASSIST IN LOADING IT. I WILL HAVE THE DRILL PRESS READY TO LOAD UPON THE BUYERS ARRIVAL. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE EMAIL ME AND I WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE . PAYMENT MUST BE MADE AT END OF AUCTION OR AT TIME OF PICKUP. PAYMENT CAN ALSO BE MADE BY PAYPAL, PERSONAL CHECK, MONEY ORDER, BIDPAY. SEE MY OTHER AUCTIONS. THANKS!

[Don Bullock]

Quill travel is the second most important quality of a drill press after making sure the shaft spins concentrically.
I have quite a few long drills, and go through a lot of "mickey-motion" to line up deep holes.
You can get by with a few inches, but the more travel, the fewer problems.
mike

I fully agree with Mike on this one. His term "mickey-motion" to line up deep holes is well named so I voted for the 6". I currently have to do that with my bench top Delta and it's a royal pain. As for a decent table, there are many good ones on the market or one can be made. Mike's requirement that the shaft spins concentrically is also very important. I also agree with Jim that the companies need to slow down their drill presses for woodworkers. That's a must, especially for those who use large diameter bits and hole cutters.

[John Thompson]

I have a DP I have been perfectly happy with.. except when I need the longer quill travel. So, I'm selling it and getting the longer quill travel.. simple as that.

Chris.. the Delta you mentioned from 2003 didn't go over so well with it's 6" quill travel because it has a flaw that has to be reckoned with. With that long of quill travel you cannot use a standard head as they did. You will develope slop in the throw down the road and render the action useless.

To sucessfully add a 6" quill travel, you have to revert to what industrial machines have that solves the problem before it is a problem. You "split" the head and add an adjuster. Simple.. but nobody did it to avoid expense I suppose.. or maybe just didn't understand the consequences? I truly cannot tell you why they didn't!

But.. Steel City did it as they understand that one (6" quill travel) doesn't survive without the other (split head). If you are going to offer a 5 Year Warranty.. you better do it right to begin with instead of fix it latter!

Sarge..

[Keith Outten]

Grizzly Bench Mill
4" Quill travel
XY table is indespensible
Excelent range of speeds
Quill Run-out is not a problem
Large cutters are not a problem

.

[Chris Jenkins]

Thanks for input guys. I think the proper table almost seems a better option then the full travel length long as it runs good and true. I know you can build a new table, but it seems a few more manufactures are jumping on board to providing a proper table out of the box, so why spend time modifying the machine if it isn't needed.

Chris