Drill Press--Is bigger better?

[Andy D Jones]

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.

And until recently, those first 5 items were exclusively available in a floor model DP.

Now Nova has come out with the Viking benchtop DP, with those qualities (albeit slightly smaller 16" swing and 4.5" stroke).

I already have (and like very much) the Voyager, but if I didn't have it, it might not be a slam dunk over the Viking. Given its smaller (by ~33%) price tag, I see it as a potentially attractive option for some buyers.

As for the floor space argument (including the cabinet the benchtop model is mounted on, vs the storage cabinet for the floor model's accessories), I have seen several uses of small cabinets on casters that straddle the base of the floor model DP.

Andy - Arlington TX

[Don Sundberg]

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.

That last one generally requires a mill. You would need to find a drill press with v-ways for the table or head adjustment.

[John K Jordan]

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.

The size and weight of the frame and table machine makes a lot of difference for your item #6.

I don't know if anyone mentioned it but you might look into a used mill drill. They are a cross between a drill press and a milling machine and sometimes available used at a reasonable cost. I have a small milling machine and am rebuilding a much larger Rong Fu mill drill with new bearings and such - a friend bought two for very little money and gave me the spare. The mill drill is "stout" and heavy, using a lot of cast iron - I had to use a fork lift to get it into the shop. Unlike milling macine have a motor head similar to a drill press which rotates on a column with precision x,y, and z motion and an xy table so heavy I can barely lift it. The table doesn't move but the head does. The only down side compared to a mid-range mill is if you rotate the head you lose the precision alignment relative to the table, the same as a drill press. The quill length is enough so the head rarely needs to be move for a specific project. It's certainly not a Bridgeport but capable of all the precision I'll ever need.

IMG_20160709_165836_826_s.jpg IMG_20160709_170054_495_s.jpg IMG_20160709_170130_996_s.jpg

It does take up more space than a drill press. I bought a Saw Stop industrial mobile base with hydraulic so I can move it as needed.

JKJ

[Bill Dufour]

And a mill has a drawbar so you can use. a collet and do milling in wood or metal safely, unlike DP.
Bill D

[Tom Dixon]

The reason I listed #6 is because it is unobtanium in the drill press world and it really shouldn't be. It is not that hard to engineer a table that will raise and lower without deflection. A two column design with a precision rack and pinion like used in CNC machines would do it. The problem is that it raises the overall cost and the manufacturers don't think we woodworkers would pay for it. I would have readily paid more.

I realize I could get a mill but that is not the real issue. All the advancements in drill press head DVR technology is great but why sick it on a sub par platform designed a century or more ago.

[Jim Becker]

Tom, the interesting thing is that the design of most drill presses seems to be more originally focused on metal working, yet the "wishy-washy" table setup remains in full force nearly across the board. And I agree that it's something that's very solvable, although it might raise cost a little.

[Larry Edgerton]

I downsized from an industrial Walker Turner to a 20" two speed Clausing with Reeves Drive. Have not missed the larger drill press.

The table on the Clausing is perfect, rock solid and the lower/raise mechanism is precise. No wishy/washy. If patient a perfect machine can be found for about a grand. I added a VFD and can get it down to about 5 rpm if need be, and sometimes get it close to that when drilling plastic. Only thing I miss on the old Walker is the power feed/tapping capability.

[Tom Dixon]

...If patient a perfect machine can be found for about a grand...

In 5 years of looking in my area not a single Clausing DP has shown up in CL or FBMP or any estate or business closing sales in the area where I live. Your statement is totally dependent on location and perfect timing and even then there just not enough used ones for everyone that might be interested. The used market has really dried up everywhere and most of what I see for sale is over priced and not in very good shape. Unless there is a huge recession the used market is not likely to get any better and I wouldn't wish a recession on any of us.

There is a gap in the market for someone to offer a better drill press or if Teknatool is smart they will build a better engineered stand for their Nova DVR DP heads. Or, I don't know, maybe there is and after market product opportunity here for someone.

[Andy D Jones]

Tom, the interesting thing is that the design of most drill presses seems to be more originally focused on metal working, yet the "wishy-washy" table setup remains in full force nearly across the board. And I agree that it's something that's very solvable, although it might raise cost a little.

Drill press machines flourished in factories, where the same operation was repeated over and over again. Thus job fixtures were developed for whatever precision location was needed, and the drill press itself did not need the precision location capability. Switch jobs? Switch fixtures. The time for fixture alignment is amortized across all of the parts in that batch, so expensive machine features were not needed to speed up the alignment time.

If you add an X-Y (compound slide) table, for a couple hundred bucks, bolt it to the DP table with the X axis at a right angle to the table tilt axis, then tilt the table 90 degrees (so now the X axis on the XY table is parallel to the drill axis,) that would add X inches to the "precision" depth movement. And that X-Y table is much more useful than two columns.

There is already one twin column drill press: the Shopsmith, even available with most of the same features as the Voyager.

Andy - Arlington TX

[Tom Dixon]

Drill press machines flourished in factories, where the same operation was repeated over and over again. Thus job fixtures were developed for whatever precision location was needed, and the drill press itself did not need the precision location capability. Switch jobs? Switch fixtures. The time for fixture alignment is amortized across all of the parts in that batch, so expensive machine features were not needed to speed up the alignment time.

If you add an X-Y (compound slide) table, for a couple hundred bucks, bolt it to the DP table with the X axis at a right angle to the table tilt axis, then tilt the table 90 degrees (so now the X axis on the XY table is parallel to the drill axis,) that would add X inches to the "precision" depth movement. And that X-Y table is much more useful than two columns.

There is already one twin column drill press: the Shopsmith, even available with most of the same features as the Voyager.

Andy - Arlington TX

Yeah the historical DP use in factories is an interesting perspective but that doesn't really exist much any more in today's world of CNC robotic manufacturing. I'm certainly not interested in taking up valuable shop space with multiple drill presses and Your idea for turning an X-Y table 90 degrees doesn't work for me because it won't give a large Table surface to work on, but you have now got me thing about how to add a Z axis to my Totally Insane, Ridiculously Over Engineered, X-Y T-Track DRO Drill Press Table. I've mostly been thinking along the lines of stabilizing the the existing table with outrigger guide rails and but a Z axis on my X-Y Table may just solve my issue.

I'm really not interested in a Shopsmith. However, I still think there is a potential market for a better drill press overall considering how well Teknatool is doing with the Nova Voyager/Viking drill presses. Maybe I should just design what I think is needed and just start a business. I'm really not wanting to start one though. That's too much like work.

[Jim Peck]

In 5 years of looking in my area not a single Clausing DP has shown up in CL or FBMP or any estate or business closing sales in the area where I live. Your statement is totally dependent on location and perfect timing and even then there just not enough used ones for everyone that might be interested. The used market has really dried up everywhere and most of what I see for sale is over priced and not in very good shape. Unless there is a huge recession the used market is not likely to get any better and I wouldn't wish a recession on any of us.

You post reminded me of a CL listing I saw today. Here's a Clausing (at least most of a Clausing--no base) on Craigslist in Baltimore:

"https://baltimore.craigslist.org/tls/d/hunt-valley-clausing-drill-press-head/7065426701.html"

That's a bit of a drive from TN, but if you really want a Clausing it may be worthwhile. No base, but it looks like most everything else is there, plus a bit of free rust. It looks like he was asking $750, and now is taking best offer by Feb 15.

I have no affiliation with the seller. Just thought it might be interesting to someone.

[Larry Edgerton]

Nice find Jim. I see bases only for sale quite often. I had to travel to get mine, but I like to travel. New 20's without the two speed are about $5600, two speeds around $7000. I can't justify that. I took a dial indicator and precision square with me and it was as close to perfect as a woodworker needs, and $1100, I'm happy. I have a mill as well, but they are not drill presses. You can tie your shoes with mittens on, but why?

[Andy D Jones]

So you need large X, Y and Z...?!

Sounds intriguing...

IINM, most CNC WW machines are fairly limited in Z axis travel, at least compared to X & Y, aren't they?

And how much of their Z is typically in the gantry travel, as opposed to the quill travel? At CNC cutter speeds, I'll bet more of the former, and less of the latter.

Andy - Arlington TX

[Bill Jobe]

If I was looking for one drill for a shop it would probably be a broken arm. They take very little floor space and are very versatile.

But, as I mentioned on another thread, I'm still getting over the flu, so.....my brain is still a bit disconnected.n

[Tom Dixon]

So you need large X, Y and Z...?!

Sounds intriguing...

IINM, most CNC WW machines are fairly limited in Z axis travel, at least compared to X & Y, aren't they?

And how much of their Z is typically in the gantry travel, as opposed to the quill travel? At CNC cutter speeds, I'll bet more of the former, and less of the latter.

Andy - Arlington TX

I now have the x and Y now but reliable Z travel of the Drill press table is what I desire. The problem with the table design of my Voyager is that as soon as you release the table and use the crank it deflects from its position in relationship to the bit which is a PIA if all you need to do is lower the table just enough to put in a long bit like going from a short 1.5" forstner to a long 1/2" brad point. I want the bit change to remain perfectly aligned and that currently doesn't happen a lot of the time. I have to un-clamp the work and realign it to the new bit.