Question - Drill Press Choice

[HomerLee]

Saw the new Jet JDP-17 woodworker's drill press today at Woodcraft. It will be on sale next weekend for $739 minus 10% discount. I was impressed with the large table, 14"x19" with T slots, 5" quill travel with one turn of handle, and the wide speed range, 210 - 3500 rpm. The Powermatic is just not worth the higher price to me, and the Rikon 30-236 for a few dollars more than the Jet has a 1 1/2hp motor to the Jet's 3/4. The problem for me is that I do some metalworking and occasionally need to drill a large hole in steel. I have metal bits up to 1" and some large hole saws and the Rikon minimum speed of about 550rpm is far to fast to run large metal bits. I have had a HF floor model that is serviceable but has shortcomings; it has a 1hp motor and minimum speed of 170rpm. It has always seemed to have adequate power.

Any comments regarding the best floor drill press in the Jet/Rikon price range? Will the Jet 3/4hp motor be adequate for occasional metalworking?

[AgGEM]

This one?



Couple of items:

I had visible run out. Turned out to be the chuck and I had another one to solve that problem.

The depth stop is cumbersome to use. So much so, that I regret the tool.

But the table is nice, no reason to add a custom top.

If I had to do it again, I would find something else.
Ag

[HomerLee]

AgGem,

That's it.

[JDuke]

HomerLee said:

---

Saw the new Jet JDP-17 woodworker's drill press today at Woodcraft. It will be on sale next weekend for $739 minus 10% discount. I was impressed with the large table, 14"x19" with T slots, 5" quill travel with one turn of handle, and the wide speed range, 210 - 3500 rpm. The Powermatic is just not worth the higher price to me, and the Rikon 30-236 for a few dollars more than the Jet has a 1 1/2hp motor to the Jet's 3/4. The problem for me is that I do some metalworking and occasionally need to drill a large hole in steel. I have metal bits up to 1" and some large hole saws and the Rikon minimum speed of about 550rpm is far to fast to run large metal bits. I have had a HF floor model that is serviceable but has shortcomings; it has a 1hp motor and minimum speed of 170rpm. It has always seemed to have adequate power.

Any comments regarding the best floor drill press in the Jet/Rikon price range? Will the Jet 3/4hp motor be adequate for occasional metalworking?

---

I have a Delta 17" with T slots in the table.

But if your HF is serviceable other than low speed, have you looked at getting a treadmill for little or nothing off Craigslist and putting its DC motor and controller on your current drill press?

I pulled the motor and put a treadmill motor on my delta very shortly after I bought it and have never looked back.
I Put the belt on the mid range pulleys and now dial speed from 30RPM up to 2500 RPM with a Rheostat mounted on front of drill press.

I have also taken brand new motors off of a lathe and put a 3 phase motor and VFD in for variable speed, although I'm not sure the low speed torque is as good as that of a DC motor.

Duke

[Richard D.]

Could we see pics of your set up. It's sounds like a great idea.

[Jason28]

I'll second that! I'd love to see a set-up like that.

[JDuke]

Richard D. said:

---

Could we see pics of your set up. It's sounds like a great idea.

---

Not much to see, the trick is finding a treadmill that has a standard NEMA 56 frame as many of the DC motors don't I had better luck with really old treadmills.

On the second picture you can see the Rheostat to dial speed up or down.

Most treadmill motors are designed to start only from zero, so you have to dial the rheostat down to zero each time you want to start it.
Duke

[mike4244]

HomerLee said:

---

Saw the new Jet JDP-17 woodworker's drill press today at Woodcraft. It will be on sale next weekend for $739 minus 10% discount. I was impressed with the large table, 14"x19" with T slots, 5" quill travel with one turn of handle, and the wide speed range, 210 - 3500 rpm. The Powermatic is just not worth the higher price to me, and the Rikon 30-236 for a few dollars more than the Jet has a 1 1/2hp motor to the Jet's 3/4. The problem for me is that I do some metalworking and occasionally need to drill a large hole in steel. I have metal bits up to 1" and some large hole saws and the Rikon minimum speed of about 550rpm is far to fast to run large metal bits. I have had a HF floor model that is serviceable but has shortcomings; it has a 1hp motor and minimum speed of 170rpm. It has always seemed to have adequate power.

Any comments regarding the best floor drill press in the Jet/Rikon price range? Will the Jet 3/4hp motor be adequate for occasional metalworking?

---

I also do metal working and have a Delta with a 1 hp motor. I think the Jet's 3/4 hp motor will be okay. Make sure the DP has a quill lock and threaded rod Z adjustment.I installed an XY table on mine.I also added a shop made threaded rod and do not use the crappy height adjustment that came with the DP. I added a digital remote readout scale for the height.If the machine you are interested in is put together,check the run-out on the spindle with a dial indicator.I checked 3 DP's before I found one with .0015 run-out.Okay for a DP.
A Mill- drill is another option,better for metal work.I have a large mill-drill ( 900+ lbs) the Delta and a very old Craftsman that I use sparingly.

mike

[daddo]

For more precise measurements: http://www.tpactools.com/

[Shovel Man]

3/4 hp will be fine for non production work in wood or metal.

I filled the slots in my table with bondo, big improvement. Then I filled the bottom of the table so I could clamp to it. Another big improvement.