Looking for a Bench Top Drill Press

[FlounderFillet5]

Hello there, 

 

I am in the market for a bench top drill press and would like some suggestions from you all.  I currently have a cheap chinese made bench top drill press that I picked up for about $60 a couple years ago.  My current drill press has done some good work for me but I really don't think it is that safe as the pull down handle can be pulled out and this causes the spring loaded drill press head to shoot toward the ceiling which has broken the top plastic cover.  This time around I am able to spend a bit more money but I am having trouble finding reviews that I trust for these small drill presses.  I have looked at the Microlux drill presses from Micromark and they both seem decent but I have heard mixed reviews of them.  I would definitely prefer a drill press that will, like the Byrnes sander I own, last many years and hopefully be a pleasure to use.  Most of what I am finding are very similar drill presses to the one I currently have and I am skeptical to get anything that resembles my current press.  Any and all help is appreciated.  Thanks in advance!

 

 

Best Regards, 

[mtaylor]

Max,

 

I have a "full-size" that I got from Lowes similar to this one:  http://www.lowes.com/pd_197820-353-3320-01___?productId=50084024&pl=1&Ntt=drill+presses  which appears to be similar to the MM ones.  Plus.. no shipping costs.

[FlounderFillet5]

Mark, 

 

Thanks for the quick reply.  I have considered some of this size of drill press but have been worried that they will not accept the tiny drill bits that are commonly used in model ship building.  Most of the time that I am using the numbered drill bits, I am using a pin vise and drilling by hand but sometimes the drill press it preferred, such as drilling holes in the masts for eyebolts and whatnot, I find the drill press can achieve more centered holes than I can by hand.  If the chuck on these presses cannot hold the tiny drill bits, is there an appropriately sized drill chuck connect to a shank or something that you know of?  

 

 

Thanks,

[augie]

I've had this MM one for about 10 years.  It's smooth and accurate ..... but I don't push it beyond about 5/32".  It will handle drills down to about #74.

 

http://www.micromark.com/html_pages/instructions/81631i/81631-drill-press-inst.pdf

[Jack12477]

Max I have a bench top Sears Craftsman drill press I've had for decades. Also have a Dremel 389 with the Dremel drill press. I mostly use the Dremel for the real small stuff and the Sears for larger stuff. The Sears is similar in size to the Skill bench top Mark has from Lowes.

[kurtvd19]

A pin vise or a small drill chuck can be chucked into the larger drill press.

 

Kurt

[Cap'n Rat Fink]

Max,

   mtaylor's bench top is on the top 10 list for 2015. I myself like the shop fox w1668, also on the top 10. But the real little stuff I enjoy my dremels in combination with the vanda-lay drill press set up which can be upgraded as you go. Plus it can be setup for lefties or righty's.

You can find it here...

http://vanda-layindustries.com/html/acra_mill_plus.html

 

Hope this helps out in your decision making.

 

Mario

[Jaager]

If this is not what you already have: Eurotool  DRL 300

http://www.ottofrei.com/Mini-Drill-Press-110V.html

 

I have seen it priced at~ $60  on one site, did not save the link

 

I have used a # 75 drill  with mine   -  

fit the ML X/Y  table  (drilled 4 holes in the cast base) (costs more the the drill press)

A Harbor Freight momentary foot switch is useful.

 

 

You can use a mill as a drill press   ( I you want robust and expensive )

https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=4660&category=

 

-  but  because of the bearings, I don't think a drill press will tolerate the lateral pressure when used as a mill

Edited September 15, 2015 by Jaager

[GLakie]

Like Kurt said, get yourself a set of machinist pin-vises, and you can put any size drill-bit in any larger drill-press. 

[FlounderFillet5]

Wow, a ton of responses while I was away!  Thanks for all of your guys' input.  Now for responses as there was a ton of great info/suggestions given here.

 

Augie, I am still on the fence about the Microlux drill press, it looks like a decent quality tool(much better than my current one) but I don't want to regret the purchase with a hefty price tag if it does not preform as I would expect a mini drill press at that price point to perform.  Still thinking...

 

Jack, I too have the dremel workstation but my particular one is very inaccurate so I pretty much never use the thing.  Was quite disappointed with that dremel accessory, along with the router table accessory.

 

Kurt, I will have to look around online for one of these small drill chucks, that may be the solution.

 

Mario, that Vanda-Lay mill is a great find, I really like that it is up-gradable and there are so many attachments for it!  Seems a bit pricey at $250 but I would love to have the x and y axis control which is offered at a higher price.  I have also been looking into lathes and, while I would love to have a metal turning lathe, this thing would be great for turning masts... hmm, this might be an expensive setup once I figure in the accessories I would want.  Also, their router table is another item I would consider as the dremel one that I have is pretty terrible.  Thanks for pointing me in the direction of this company.  On a side note, the name made me chuckle because of the Seinfeld reference in there.

 

Jagger, that is the one I currently have.  While I feel like I got $60 worth out of it, I don't think I would be willing to buy another one, the fact that the arm can come out just really bothers me and it has scared the bajeezes out of me a couple times in the past.

 

George, do you have a link to an example of such machinist pin vices?

 

On a little bit of a side note, while looking up reviews on the Vanda-Lay mill attachment, I came across a great site for dremel accessories at very reasonable prices.  A great find, I think!  

 

https://www.widgetsupply.com/

 

Thanks again for all of the replies and great info, I will have to do some serious pondering as to the best fit for my needs.

 

 

Cheers,

[kurtvd19]

Max:

Check out this link for a great mini-chuck - this guy's tools are great - and not expensive at all.  I have this chuck and it is very good.  I even adapted one for my dental drill.   http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=21_161&products_id=3338

 

Kurt

[FlounderFillet5]

Kurt,

 

That is a great price for a seemingly great product, might have to pick one of these up.

 

Thanks,

[Canute]

They have a very nice micro saw: http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=21_28&products_id=35

I've had one for years and it works well.

[GLakie]

These are the ones I was remembering when I mentioned Machinist Pin-Vises Karl: http://www.micromark.com/4-piece-machinists-pin-vise-set,7764.html

[jhearl]

I've had the Micro Mark 3-speed drill press for years now. 13, 14 years maybe. I wouldn't be without it. It has served me faithfully all those years. In order to change speeds, I seem to recall you have to take off the top and switch the belt to different pulley positions but I've never done it. I use it at one speed all the time. I'd buy one again if this one went belly up.

 

Cheers -

John

[gjdale]

Max,

 

I have this Proxxon drill press:

 

http://www.proxxonworld.com.au/product/bench_drill_tbm_115_110-120v

 

(I have the 240V version) It seems to be very good quality and is a pleasure to use. Ignore the pricing - that's Australian dollars. You should be able to get a good price through John (Texxn5) who is an agent for Proxxon in the U.S.

[mischief]

Any info on use of a printed circuit board drill press for our addiction ?

[hornet]

I'm with Grant. I too have the Proxxon drill press. Collets take very small diameter drill bits. I have teamed it up with the Proxxon XY table and it works very well.

 

Edited September 15, 2015 by hornet

[FlounderFillet5]

Thanks again for all the information presented here, this topic has become a moot point for me as I just found a Sherline 5400 with digital read out and Sherline 4000 lathe package that was priced at a point that I could not turn down.  I am super excited about getting these tools as I have wanted a lathe and mill for a long time but could not justify the $2000+ price tag for the pair.  I can't wait to get aquainted with these great machines, I pick them up on Thursday!

 

Best Regards, 

[FlounderFillet5]

One more note: If you have anything else to add to this topic, feel free to do so as there are not many threads on here that compare drill presses that are sized appropriately for this hobby.

[GLakie]

Can't get much better than Sherline Max. Good choice. 

[Mahuna]

Max

 

Congrats on finding a good deal on a Sherline package.  They have an accessory called a Sensitive Drilling Attachment.  I use this on all of my drilling with very tiny bits.  I stopped using my small drill press when I got this.

 

Sensitive Drilling Attachment.pdf

[kurtvd19]

I just got an email ad from Model Expo and they have a limited number of small drill presses for $69.99 - 57% off - using the offer code SERIOUS.  Here is the link to the drill press - showing the regular price.  I am not vouching for the quality of the tool - just making everybody aware of the sale - good till 9-21 or stock of 15 is gone as it says in the ad.

http://www.modelexpo-online.com/product.asp?ITEMNO=bd170

 

Kurt

[Mahuna]

Hi Kurt

 

This drill press looks very similar to the 'made in china' drill presses you can find in Jewelry supply houses, the big carton stores, and even Amazon.  The Micro-Mark 'amazingly low price' is pretty much what you would expect to pay anyplace else.  I had one just like it and got rid of it.

[FlounderFillet5]

Yes, that is the same type as I had and paid a little less at a jewelry supply site as he mentioned. It was not very accurate but it did as good a job as you can expect from a tool in this price point. This cheap still press is a big step up from no drill press at all though, so if it is all you can spend, it is worth the cash in my opinion.

 

On a side note, the sherline mill and large combo I found turned out to be in much worse condition than it was described to me so I am back to square one. Well, not quite square one, because now I am looking at spending entirely too much on a new much better equipped pair of sherline tools with lots of extra tooling. I am trying to justify it as I can use the tools for prototyping machines and devices of my own design, I just need to convince myself to drain some savings funds lol.. We will see what I end up with in the next few weeks.

Edited September 17, 2015 by FlounderFillet5

[kurtvd19]

I just threw out that link as a FYI. 

I have the Micro Mark variable speed drill press with the extended column and like it a lot.  I use it a lot but often just use my Craftsman drill press that sits right along side - but with the UMM micro chuck.  Perfectly acceptable results using either.

Kurt

[Captain Al]

Just to clarify the use of a machinist pin vise in a table top drill press... You simply put the shank of the pin vise into the chuck just as you would a drill bit?  Wouldn't this mean that whatever chuck you're using it would have to handle a bit (or pin vise shank) of 1/2" to 3/4"?  My standup full size Delta drill press can do that, but can these table models handle bit's that large?

[FlounderFillet5]

Al, I think the drill bit chucks that are being referred to probably have shank sizes between 1/8" and 1/4", but that is just my assumption.

[Captain Al]

I haven't seen any on the internet that small.  Half inch is the smallest I've found so far.

[FlounderFillet5]

Al,

 

Kurt linked one earlier in this topic for one that looks to have a 1/8" shank since it is in a rotary tool.

 

http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=21_161&products_id=3338

 

The other one linked was to a micro mark drill chuck which has a 5/16" chuck.