Help needed: benchtop drill press

[overland]

I've been looking for a small bench top drill press that I can store next to or under my bench and out of the way. I don't have room for a proper floor model. I found one for sale locally that looks old but doesn't have a name plate on it. It's the kind with a set of pulleys on top that allows you to change speeds by moving the belt to a different pulleys. The drill press is 23" H X 18" D x 9" W and weighs 44 pounds. (The owner is asking $85.) First, is this a good size for my purposes? I'm not sure I could find anything smaller. I'll be grateful for any advice.

[JGrout]

All these units tend to be underpowered so if you intend to cut 2" holes you are not going to be happy. 

I would say it meets your storage and weight criteria though so it may be enough 

Joe

[overland]

I don't envision drilling 2" holes. But on many occasions I've wished I had something that would allow me to drill perpendicular holes. Alternative methods never seem to work very well.

[Admiral]

I picked up one quite similar to this at a garage sale for $20 (LOL, a divorce with the wife selling off her ex's tools), works like it should, and it is not a bad machine for the price.  Very portable, but as noted above, not for heavy duty use.

http://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools...60238.html

[iclark]

Take a straight round rod (with the ends deburred), chuck it up in the DP, set the DP to its slowest speed, and see how much the rod can be deflected all the way up. Then check the deflection at about half of spindle extension and at full extension. Whether or not you should wear gloves to do this is certainly open to debate and your skill level. If you do wear a glove, make sure that it is a snug-fitting one.

Also, see if there is rattle when you wiggle the rod when the drill press is off.

Much deflection or any rattling means that you will likely need to replace the bearings.

If you are not good at replacing bearings or if you cannot find replacement bearings, then that $80 is a bit high. IMHO

Also, ask yourself if the range of spindle extension will meet your needs.

There may or may not be a spindle extension stop on a DP that size. If there is, check to see if it works. If it it the stop-nut on a threaded shaft version, there should be a pair of nuts to lock it in place (not just 1).

[daddo]

I refurbished this old 50's one. I found a new bearing kit for about 25 bucks.

It is a good little performer. I think I paid 40 for it. The old ones had style and can run very quiet.

 Go online and look up the parts before you make a deal on it. Knowing what the parts cost and if they are even available can help your offered price.
 




 

[barryvabeach]

I can't offer any opinion on the one you are looking at, but I have a cheap import benchtop, similar in layout to the one Admiral posted, and use it all the time.  It is essential to use when cutting tapered plugs  ( don't think you can use a hand held drill ) and does great work drilling straight holes.  It can also help with metal work, such as drilling, which would get pretty tiresome with a hand held drill, and can even help with tapping in metal (  put a tap guide in the drill chuck after you have drilled out the hole, and center the tap under the spring loaded guide https://littlemachineshop.com/products/p...3&category=  )  I have also used it with buffing wheels, and even cardboard sharpening wheels.    Agree with iclark,  you don't want the used one if there is a lot of slop in it.    I don't see a need for a full sized one in my shop, though it is pretty heavy to lift it, so I just made a little cart with drawers to hold drill bits and similar stuff.

[overland]

So I bought an old Dunlap (103.23100) from a guy. (I think it's the same as a Craftsman with the same model number.) It's a bench top drill--what I wanted--but it's all cast iron and weighs about 90 pounds--way more than I had hoped. I don't know how I'm going to be able to move it around. In any case, it works, and though there doesn't seem to be any slop in the spindle, it does seem to wobble a little when it's running, just from looking at it. Any advice or suggestions?

[JGrout]

new bearings in the spindle head? 

Maybe you should check the chuck for run out first though. I expect the chuck is on some sort of a removable spindle mount.  If there is a slot in the side of the quill to drive a wedge in that is for sure the case 

remove it clean it all up and reinsert it using the down pressure of the quill to reseat the spindle again the table ( no power just pressure) and check again If it is still out tap the opposite side of the chuck until you get it set 

I was reluctant to suggest the larger bench top units earlier just because of the weight of them. You may just have to make a rolling stand of some sort and find a new place to put it


Joe

[overland]

Yeah, I had no idea how heavy it was until I picked it up to take it home. Sure looks nice, though.