Opinions on two drill press features

[Tom Dixon]

I recommend variable speed capability without changing belt positions, especially if you often drill different materials and/or widely varying diameter holes. As demonstrated by multiple responses, step pulleys are just enough trouble to change that many users avoid changing speeds, and use non-ideal drill speeds for the task at hand.

I don't know about reeves drives, but some mechanical variable speed systems require that the speed can only be changed when the system is running. That can get a little exciting when the last job was running a high speed twist drill, and you mount a big circle cutter before lowering the speed!

I also recommend a floor-standing drill press for more flexibility, power options, speed range (especially with step pulleys), and capacity.

Some users build or adapt a small cabinet that straddles the base of their floor drill press and rolls under the press's table. This provides local storage for press accessories, but easily rolls out of the way when more capacity is needed.

I have a Nova Voyager DVR floor standing drill press, and absolutely love it. It uses electronic variable speed, with a DVR motor, which provides better low speed performance than a three phase induction motor with VFD. It also provides built in speed selection based on material, bit type and bit diameter selections; multiple programmable favorite speeds; and many other features. It is a heavy duty drill press, that is smooth and quiet, with very little vibration.

Andy

+1 for the Nova Digital Variable Reluctance drive. I love my 18" Nova Voyager. Worth every penny I spent on it.. There is also now a 16" benchtop version called the Nova Viking that uses the same DVR technology.

[Zachary Hoyt]

With the 2 belts and 3 stepped pulley on the Jet I have 16 speeds, I think, of which I only use about half since many of them are pretty close to each other, but it only takes 10 or 15 seconds to change speeds, it's very easy and fast. I have a Reeves drive in the Shopsmith, and I do prefer the pulleys to that system, though I guess infinitely variable speed is theoretically handy for something.
Zach

[Randall J Cox]

I have an older 15" floor model Delta Rockwell that I totally rebuilt. It has the pulleys where you move belts. In the past 4 years, I have not changed the speed once. I have it on the slowest speed, seems to do just fine. I also have an older Delta lathe with a Reeves drive, works fine. Been using that and changing speeds with it for at least 5 years now. Randy

[Thomas Canfield]

Floor model for larger size to start. Increase depth also reduces need to raise/lower table for bit size change. Look also for spindle lock in addition to depth gage and not found on all models. You can devise some storage to fit under normal lowest table height that is removable to lower for larger items. Also need to most likely add a table to increase flexibility providing fence and hold down tracks. Get the best you can afford - I have upgraded twice from bench unit with 2 floor models. The drill press is underrated in flexibility and use in a shop.

[Mike Wilkins]

If the space is available I would recommend a floor standing driller. I went from a early 70's era Rockwell 4 speed drill press, with no rack and pinion raising mechanism, to a Nova Voyager. This is like experiencing alien technology. Nice having a machine that can correctly select the proper drilling speed for whatever bit you are using, and the type of material being drilled. You can get less expensive machines, but in my opinion you get what you pay for. And I recommend an auxiliary table for more support.
Or you could find one of the old iron machines if you feel like doing some restoration.

[John K Jordan]

I have both floor mount and benchtop. I prefer the floor model for wood. It has a longer quill reach.

I used to use the benchtop for wood but moved it in my welding shop for metal work. It's best to use a separate drill press for metals since there are often lubricants involved which can contaminate wood if the drill press is used for both. Also I rarely drill deep holes in metal. I mounted this on a old kitchen cabinet base with a 2' wide section of counter top - sturdy, easy to clean up, built-in drawers, free.

I think the pulley drive is fine. I don't change speeds often and when I do it's very quick. I am not interested in having a Reeves drive on anything. If I needed variable speed I go with electronic speed control.

JKJ

[andy bessette]

...It's best to use a separate drill press for metals since there are often lubricants involved which can contaminate wood if the drill press is used for both...

I use a sacrificial piece of plywood, MDO or MDF between my drill press table and my workpiece whenever working with wood. This protects the DP table from the drill, etc, and protects the workpiece from the table.

One DP is normally set on very low speed. Another is normally set at a much higher speed. In practice these 2 speeds handle most of my drill press work. In addition to these 2 floor model DP's I have a bench-top machine for special or portable work.

[Lee Schierer]

I have a bench mounted drill press and it does 95% of the work that I would like to do on a drill press. There have been a few times it would have been nice to have a floor mounter one. It was free so It easily found a home in my shop. I have step pulleys and I can change speeds in just a few seconds. If I had more floor space I might consider upgrading to a floor mounted drill press, but at this stage in my life I probably won't.

[Mike Kees]

Don't over think this. I have two at my shop. One old Rockwell that I bought used and a Delta 14'' that I bought new about 20 years ago. Only machine in my shop except a Unisaw that has not been upgraded. Floor standing. pulley drive will do everything you will ever need. Some of the newer ones have more "stroke ". As for speeds I rarely change them. I have one in my metal area that drills all my steel. And the Delta is in my wood shop. The Rockwell is from the era when the motor was an option,it has a 1/2 h.p. washing machine motor powering it,I have a Baldor sitting on the floor ready to go but the old motor just keeps on going. It is the machine I drill steel with and does not lack power to get the job done.

[Eric Danstrom]

It's hard to find a used 3 phase drill press as a VFD candidate. I've seen a few but they tend to expensive. I had a 4 speed Craftsman 150 bench mount for three decades and a few years ago I found a lightly used 16.5 inch, 16 speed floor mount Jet. Never looked back. All those speeds and rack&pinon table can't be beat for $300. I love the idea of a Nova but $1200 is out of my range.

[Mike Cutler]

I have a bench top that does most of what I need. It is of the mechanically pulley design.
If I were buying a new drill press, I would opt for floor standing, belt driven, multi pulley design, that would get me as close to 100rpm as possible.I would actually probably buy a used milling machine first.
Most of the "basic" models of drill presses have a low rpm of over 500 rpm, which is too fast for many of the larger drill bits used in wood working, specifically Forstner bits greater than 1". You also want as long a quill length, as can be maintained accurately by the machine.
As I stated before, for the person that performs a multitude of tasks in their garage, on a variety of materials, a bench top milling machine may actually be a better option when it is all said and done. You gotta look at what you really want to do.

[Ole Anderson]

Michael, I see this is your first post. Welcome to the creek!!!

If you can afford it, I would look seriously at the Nova Voyager. One feature I find indispensable, which the Voyager has, is a quill lock. Needed if you use a drum sander and being able to lock a bit just above the work piece while you have two hands to move the piece to the proper location while you lock down your fence. Budget for a DP table with a movable fence. Required. My DP is an older Craftsman floor mount. Unique in that it had only two pulleys with 8 grooves and a very narrow belt. Has served me well for over 25 years, I keep a spare belt but have never needed it. Ran aluminum production with it for years and have used it with a mortiser attachment pushing a 5/8" chisel through QSWO. I also have a mini mill with three pulleys and it is a PITA to change speeds, hence why so many have never changed speeds on their DP. https://www.rockler.com/nova-voyager...saApV-EALw_wcB OMG after watching the video, I want one!

The guys that have never changed speeds must not use the machine much. How can you use the same speed with a 1/8" drill bit and big forstner bit or a flycutter or hole saw?

[Don Sundberg]

Whatever you get, consider the stroke. I have a little benchtop drill press with a 2.75" stroke and I am always having to adjust the table. It's not hard but if you have a fixture clamped to the table you lose registration. I have a 20" industrial floor standing model with a 6" stroke and I rarely have to move the table. There was a while that all of the import drill presses had a short stroke. You had to by an industrial press or an old drill press to get much stroke. Now some of the newer drill presses out there are back to having a 6" stoke. The Nova everyone is mentioning is one of them.

Don

[Randall J Cox]

I forgot to mention that my old Delta Rockwell 15" step pully DP has a 6" stroke. Love that drill press, use it way more than I ever expected I would. Randy

[William Chain]

Like many others on here I started out with a bench top DP, Craftsman. It was fine but I routinely needed more throw, and for big stuff the little bench top tried but wasn’t enough. I found a 1980’s era Delta floor standing DP on CL for $100. A half hour with a scotch pad and some rust remover and it looks new. Plenty of throw, 1/2-hp I think, and it goes through anything. I don’t think I’ve changed speeds more than a handful of times but that is a 10 second affair. The belts are common at any hardware supplier but years on mine and no issues. I spent more on a commercial table for the DP (couldn’t be bothered to make one) than I did on the unit itself. I have no need to upgrade it and i use it for the tasks you describe. Plenty of used floor standing units on CL, and you won’t come close to breaking the bank on a good one. A mobile base and you’re in business.

Keep an eye on your local CL and a gem will appear in short order.