High quality bench top drill presses

[Alan S]

Because I can either have a table under the press or not, in my experience a floor standing drillpress is better in my small shop than a benchtop model. It gets out of the way more easily. Of course this depends on the shop and how you use it, but a rolling cabinet or work surface that can be placed up against the column, or even notched around it, allows everything a bench does that you'd put under a benchtop model. But it's a lot easier to clear the surface by pulling it away from the press than it is to get a benchtop press off a table. Or you can simply put the floor standing model somewhere that you could not put a table.

I'm not saying you're wrong, as your workflow make make the situation completely different. But I encourage you to think about how you might rearrange the shop with the floor standing press to see if you can get rid of the annoyance without getting rid of the press.

[ez-duzit]

Al--good post.

[wrb]

 
If the base of your DP is like the one shown below, would you be happy with the limited amount of table travel if you shorten the column?

https://bestdrillpressguide.com/images/31FT824E7QL.jpg

Yes, my drill press looks like that and in the 14 years I have had it, never needed to move the table up & down by more than couple inches. So, I would be fine.

Because I can either have a table under the press or not, in my experience a floor standing drillpress is better in my small shop than a benchtop model.  It gets out of the way more easily.  Of course this depends on the shop and how you use it, but a rolling cabinet or work surface that can be placed up against the column, or even notched around it, allows everything a bench does that you'd put under a benchtop model.  But it's a lot easier to clear the surface by pulling it away from the press than it is to get a benchtop press off a table.  Or you can simply put the floor standing model somewhere that you could not put a table.

I'm not saying you're wrong, as your workflow make make the situation completely different.  But I encourage you to think about how you might rearrange the shop with the floor standing press to see if you can get rid of the annoyance without getting rid of the press.

Your suggestion on building a cabinet that would wrap around the base / column of the drill press is definitely good.  However, I would need to actually build it. The other cabinet already exists and I can place the bench top model on top of it.

To give more context, my shop is a little smaller than 20 ft x 20ft. I have a Minimax 5-function combo machine, an Onedia cyclone, Agazzani bandsaw, workbench and other storage, including lumber storage. My drill press is already on a mobile base, but it sometimes still gets in the way. That is the reason I am looking to gain some space.  Couple years back I ended up selling an almost new Jet Oscillating Drum sander to gain floor space.  While having more and better machines is good for having the capability, it does come at the expense of cramped work space. I am tying to gain space to make working there more enjoyable for me.

[EvilTwin]

You've got some high end equipment, but you are not going to find anything high end in a benchtop DP. I've seen a few older rockwells pop up that are essentially the 15" head on a short column and shrunken base, but anything chiwanese probably wont be an improvement. And by improvement I mean power, run out and quill travel.

I sympathize with working out of a small space, mine is probably about the same sq footage as yours and I have quite a few large machines shoehorned in there. Good luck.

[Strokes77]

This may be a terrible idea... but it might be crazy enough to work.

Would it be possible to take your existing drill press, and install it inside the cabinet you already have?  Cut a hole or a slot in the cabinet for this drill press to slide into, then slide the cabinet back against the wall?  You'll end up with the same floor space as with a benchtop.

[Admiral]

Old iron might be your best bet, back in the day, Sears sold some really nice benchtop DP's; I've got one that supplements my Jet floor standing one.  If you could find one like this you would likely be happy (this one is restored, but you get the idea) as most had light use.

Can't copy the picture link itself for some reason, here's the link to the picture page:

http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/d...x?id=31342

[Hank Knight]

I agree with Admiral, old iron drill presses are the best. Here is my Walker Turner bench top that I restored. I wouldn't take anything for it. It is so much better than the modern bench tops available today there's no comparison.

IMG_0459 by Hank Knight, on Flickr

I posted earlier that knurled check nuts for drill press depth stop bars are available from MSC Industrial Supply, but I think my post has been deleted. Here's the link if you need it:

https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn/Fast...d=12108738

Hank

[EvilTwin]

This is an older (about 1960) Craftsman I redid a few year ago then sold to a friend.  Good little press, maybe not the quality of a Rockwell, but size is close to what you are looking for:

[wrb]

This may be a terrible idea... but it might be crazy enough to work.

Would it be possible to take your existing drill press, and install it inside the cabinet you already have?  Cut a hole or a slot in the cabinet for this drill press to slide into, then slide the cabinet back against the wall?  You'll end up with the same floor space as with a benchtop.

The cabinet I would put the bench top model on has drawers, makes it difficult to do this.

[wrb]

Looks like I need to go back to looking for a vintage drill press.

There is a variable speed Walker Turner that appears to be in great shape with all parts.  It is the variable speed version, model 65-000.  I heard the variable speed models vibrate at low speeds, which makes me question whether this would be an issue given one common use I have involves forstner bits. Do you guys think I should stay away from the variable speed models or is it not a big deal?