Drill Presses

[Lis2323]

Almost all my DPs were old and free or cheap.

 

[bigb]

Almost all my DPs were old and free or cheap.

View attachment 172

Nice machines, and nice shop by the way. Are the presses set up for a certain production or do you just use them at random? Or a museum?

 

[Lis2323]

Nice machines, and nice shop by the way. Are the presses set up for a certain production or do you just use them at random? Or a museum?

Thanks bigb. The answer I suppose would be “pseudo” production and random.

 

[bigb]

Here's my Enco which I picked up for $250 with a Tapmatic 30X attached, I also have a 70X so the Enco is my dedicated tapping machine for #8/32 to 5/8" tapping. The other is my $35 yard sale Homecraft in running condition. I am in the process of restoring it. It came with the cast iron swing away bracket since it was originally part of the old Homecraft combination work station where you got a table saw, drill press and a jointer all in one unit that used the same motor. I was able to get a base for it for another $40 and it already had a motor.

 

[bigb]

Finished the belt guard for the Rockwell today

 

[dstig1]

I like the counterweight. Fortunately mine has a crank on it, but it sure helps to lift up on the table with one hand while you crank with the other...

 

[john]

A drill press is a very handy tool for fabrication. I found an old Delta 17” for cheap. I fixed a couple minor issues, disassembled, cleaned and painted it and added an original 1 hp delta motor to it. It sure works sweet now.

 

[bigb]

A drill press is a very handy tool for fabrication. I found an old Delta 17” for cheap. I fixed a couple minor issues, disassembled, cleaned and painted it and added an original 1 hp delta motor to it. It sure works sweet now.

You can't beat the ruggedness of the old Delta machines, and they will last many lifetimes. They don't have all the bells and whistles of some of the newer ones but I can live with that. How about a pic?

 

[Old Irish]

That is something I have been needing for a long time, I knew it had some wobble in it but never new how much until I cobbled a center on the table to attempt to turn something and man did it shop up then.

 

[Popgadget]

Hard to beat a Bridgeport for drill press. There’s a variable speed Powermatic next to it, but the Bridgeport does the heavy lifting.

 

[qtrflash]

I have 2 older tabletop drill presses
Dan

 

[PILOON]

While on drill presses;
Was driving by a yard sale that had a press out front, asked how much and they said , $8.00.
OK, cheap offshore unit but it worked OK so I brought it home.
It sits downstairs in my small hobby corner for when I don't want to go outside to my shop.
(Shop has full size press drill)

 

[dadz34]

I also rigged up a counterweight system to make raising and lowering the table easier

That's genius!

 

[Sherwood]

I have a small Wen that I managed to pick up at a surplus place where I live, its not powerful, but it works for the small projects ive been doing.

 

[PILOON]

Almost all my DPs were old and free or cheap.

View attachment 172

LOL, my first was a swap for a surplus set of aircraft wheels, next a flea market 'find' at $20.00 and 3rd garage sale @ $7.00
Both #2+3 are small table toppers while the first a full sized. #1 is in shop on wheels wile #2 is in basement 'tinkering' area. #3 I was generous enough to pass onto my buddy as I often use it there.

 

[PILOON]

Funny thing about drill presses and auctions.
At just about any auction that I have attended I notice that DP's just about always sell higher than normal retail, especially when you include auctioneer's fees and all the taxes.
Called auction fever.

 

[welding seabee]

Funny thing about drill presses and auctions.
At just about any auction that I have attended I notice that DP's just about always sell higher than normal retail, especially when you include auctioneer's fees and all the taxes.
Called auction fever.

I can relate to that. Before COVID Fever stopped live auctions I went almost every month to a local auction. Auction fever is rampant here also. I look for stuff like welding equipment I can resell. Early in the day (biggest crowd waiting for the auto sales) they have a tools only hour. Seldom see any real bargains there but after the auto sale the miscellaneous stuff comes on and the crowd thins out. There are usually some odds and ends of welding gear and no body that wants it. That is my gold mine. Often pick up gas cylinders I can resell for $125-200 for $25-30. Usually have to pay the testing fee on out dated ones when I get them filled. Big thing there is watching for leased ones that have no value. I discuss this little sideline now and then where it fits the thread. In Jan I bought a bucket full of misc TIG filler rod for $15, all in original tubes and labeled. Got home and determined there was more than $250 worth. Sold along with some other stuff for $100.

Ron

 

[Bearskinner]

I got rid of my two older droll presses and broke down and purchased a nice 12” with an easy to adjust table. The ease of use compared to my beat up older presses is well worth the cost.

 

[welding seabee]

My old HF 12" 16 speed DP has been a real work horse. !" holes in 1/2" plate are no problem. Have even run up to 4" hole saws in mild steel. Bought 10 tears ago at an estate sale for $75. It has been a good investment.

 

[qtrflash]

I Purchased a new drill press couple years ago don't remember the brand it had so much wobble in it that I returned it and went back to the old ones.
Dan