Woodworking drill press

11 years ago

I'm shopping for a drill press for woodworking, but have a limited budget. I have done some research and the Skil 10 inch drill press looks like the best value for money. On this page http://www.thediyhubby.com/drill-press-reviews/ it was voted best value for money drill press. On the review site Bestreviews it was voted best bang for your buck.

My question is: Will it last? Does anyone have experience with this drill press(used it for more than a year). Does it still perform properly after this time and are there any issues I should know about before buying?

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Comments (4)

rwiegand
11 years ago
Suggest you take a dial indicator and measure the runout on the one you're getting. This is not a brand known for precision or longevity. I don't have personal experience with this machine, but have had a fair amount of exposure to other very inexpensive Chinese tools. If it were me, I'd be looking on CraigsList for a used drill of much higher initial quality. You often see older US made Delta, Powermatic, or even 50's vintage Sears drill presses that probably have more life and precision left in them than one of these starts with for similar money. Look for lack of any wobble in a straight piece of steel rod in the chuck and for smooth operation of the quill. Most home woodworkers won't have put significant wear and tear on a drill press in 50 years of use.
Marc Smith thanked rwiegand
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Sombreuil
11 years ago
!0" is very small and limiting. 13" for a woodworker lest you drill in the center of a 12" wide board.
Casey
Marc Smith thanked Sombreuil
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Marc Smith
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you for the replies. I didn't even consider Craigslist for a used one. Think I will do some shopping on there. Maybe I can get something a bit bigger for the same money. Appreciate the help.
chas045
11 years ago
I have one of those small units, but it is a Delta; it came from COSTCO. I have had it for 10 years and it runs well. However, I also have a large old Delta via craigslist. It is OK, but could be better and if I hadn't had to drive so far to get it, I would probably have passed on it.

In any case, I think craigslist is a good idea. If you are in a country environment, I would also suggest that you consider home style auctions or garage sales. I used to love garage sales when I lived in the suburbs. When I moved across the US and to the country, I had assumed I could still use garage sales to restock a workshop. I was surprised to find that sales were small and rare because of the large distances involved. I hadn't heard of the auctions. Had I known, I wouldn't have moved any heavy shop tools, but rather gone to a couple of home auctions where a large list of tools were listed. I would have been able to outfit a complete shop in a couple of auctions. Actually, drill press auction prices are a little higher than one might hope; usually over $100, but still a decent deal.