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Thread: Drill Press--Is bigger better?

  1. #1

    Drill Press--Is bigger better?

    I seem to always be toying with the idea of getting a bigger drill press. Why? Maybe I just suffer from "Tool Time" disease--always wanting more power!

    Comparing, say, a 12" press to a 20", the bigger press will have a larger motor giving more power for drilling through bigger stock, larger swing and stroke--which are all positives in my book.

    But are there advantages to a smaller drill press? Obviously, for those who don't have the floor space the size is an obvious drawback to a larger press, but I'm more concerned with performance advantages or disadvantages.

    So, I thought it would be a fun topic to throw into the Creek for discussion: Assuming presses of equal quality (Powermatic vs Powermatic, or Harbor Freight vs Harbor Freight depending on your budget), and ignoring the bells and whistles of one model vs another (like whether Jet or Delta has a laser or better depth stop mechanism) is bigger always better? Based on performance alone, why might someone prefer a smaller press to a larger press?

    Thanks,

    Jim

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Spends on what work you do. If you make Christmas ornaments and toys for kids, a smaller DP would be fine.

    Bigger is better in this case for majority of people. Same with a jointer, planer, etc.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    Things about larger drill presses, some you have noted:
    They are sometimes sturdier.
    They sometimes have a greater quill depth.
    They sometimes have more powerful motors
    They sometimes have a better depth stop and better locks

    I currently have two Delta drill presses, one a benchtop and one a free-standing floor model. Both are very sturdy and equivalent in power and table.

    The floor model has the advantage of a longer quill which allows me to drill deeper holes, and the long support column allows moving the table way down.

    The benchtop takes up far more space than the floor model since I mounted it on an old kitchen cabinet base with a 2x2' footprint. The cabinet provides a drawer and shelves behind a door for supplies. The floor model has a small footprint but has zero storage space which is a disadvantage.

    JKJ


    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Peck View Post
    ...
    So, I thought it would be a fun topic to throw into the Creek for discussion: Assuming presses of equal quality (Powermatic vs Powermatic, or Harbor Freight vs Harbor Freight depending on your budget), and ignoring the bells and whistles of one model vs another (like whether Jet or Delta has a laser or better depth stop mechanism) is bigger always better? Based on performance alone, why might someone prefer a smaller press to a larger press?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
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    Northern Illinois
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    For me, at this point in my life, buying a new, improved, or larger tool usually depends on whether I've encountered situations where my current tool just doesn't work. Those situations need to be frequent or at least regular enough and I can't find another way to do the work. Otherwise there is no point in upgrading if the existing tool works for you. Again, though, this is what works for me now. It's a viewpoint that isn't as much fun as buying a new tool, but it's really much more practical and sensible for me as then I can buy great tools that I really have a need for when the situation arises.

  5. #5
    I have a 12" Delta that rides on a tool chest, it handles ~95% of my needs. My small shop couldn't fit anything bigger, but with jigs and add-ons that also get used for other things, I can pretty much handle the remaining ~5%. There have been times when I was working on kitchen fit-ins when the ability to just wheel the tool chest and press around was fabulous. The more important purchase in my mind is a good quality drill press table. I bought the Precision knock off (by WoodPecker) of the WoodPecker, and it has paid for itself hundreds of times over.

    If I have a really long piece that I need to drill on end I put it in my Moxon, clamped to my workbench, and use an alignment tool like a Dowel-it jig, and a variable speed hand drill. Mine is an older Delta, has a couple of my adaptations, including a height adjustment from a completely different press/company, which make it ridiculously nice for my shop. The only thing I'd add today is the neat digital variable speed options so I don't have to mess with pulleys and belts, but the difficulty in that is way overstated, conversion takes a couple of minutes max.

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    I bought this one and I am happy with it.

    https://www.lowes.com/pd/PORTER-CABL...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
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    Cincinnati, Ohio
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    I agree with Randy. What problem are you attempting to solve? How much space do you have to store the tool.

    Generally speaking, most drill presses will have enough quill depth to drill holes through most materials. Much about 3" of travel, and you're likely going to be needing longer bits anyway.

    That having been said, anything that spins up, and moves parallel to the table holding the work is going to be sufficient. In fact I saw an interesting article a while back suggesting that the benchtop version of the drill press is more than sufficient for most woodworkers. The floor models usually only become useful if you've got something really long you want to drill a hole into, that you cannot drill with a cordless drill.

    About the only improvement over makes parallel holes I've seen recently are the infinity variable Nova drill presses, but even then I don't think it's work the additional price for my uses.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
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    My Walker Turner 20 " DP has a one hp motor and a 3/4" chuck. 6" stroke is nice and the feel is as good as a smaller one. The big chuck will not grip below 1/8" so I mount a smaller one on a hex arbor when needed.
    Bill D.

  9. #9
    My Cincinnati camel back sees the most use in my shop, but I have 5 others scattered throughout.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
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    Pittsburgh, PA
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    I have a small bench top 10" drill press I use sometimes.

    A Shopsmith (16") that I really like for wood working, that I use most of the time. Also works for horizontal boring.

    And a 20" that I use for metal mostly, and woodworking almost none of the time...

    In my case if I could only have one for woodworking, I would keep the Shopsmith in my home shop.
    Too much to do...Not enough time...life is too short!

  11. #11
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    To respond to the original question, there is no relationship between size and quality. I have a Cameron drill press that is very accurate. The chuck is limited to 5/32". It doesn't have a quill. The whole motor and head moves up and down the post a couple of inches at most. Runout is guaranteed to something like .0002". I think it's three spindle speeds, all screaming fast because of the tiny bits.

    But yeah, if the drill press is big, it tends to be more expensive, have more cast iron and may be more accurate. My other drill press, a 17" Craftsman was made back when they were still using up cast iron from old battleships. It's plenty good for general woodworking.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
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    Quote Originally Posted by Roger Feeley View Post
    But yeah, if the drill press is big, it tends to be more expensive, have more cast iron and may be more accurate. My other drill press, a 17" Craftsman was made back when they were still using up cast iron from old battleships. It's plenty good for general woodworking.
    That's what I've got, I see them on Craigslist all the time for like $100. I honestly don't see much value in buying a new drill press when there are so many readily available in the used market.

  13. #13
    Join Date
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    Bigger DPs tend to have deeper throat depth and longer throw of the quill for deeper drilling. If that's desirable, then go big. If you never anticipate needing to get into the middle of a larger workpiece or need to drill very deeply, something more modest may suffice.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2014
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    Alberta
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    I have two drill presses at my shop ,one on the metal end and one in the wood shop ,both 14''machines. I have never felt the need for anything bigger.

  15. #15
    Things that are important on a drill press to me:

    minimal run out
    digital variable speed
    quill stroke
    throat depth
    automatic depth stop
    precision movement of the table up and down with zero deflection

    I achieved the first 5 items with with my 18" Nova Voyager. I highly recommend it.
    The 6th item seems elusive.

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