Woodworking_Hobby Posted August 30, 2021 Report Share Posted August 30, 2021 Anyone have thoughts on if a drill press is worth the floor space? I have an old 2000’s era King drill press that has twice been handed down. I do not use it a ton, but when I do it is nice to have but it has a super small travel distance and not much power. Not sure but maybe two to three inches of drilling depth and maybe 17” swing. I did not want to spend a ton a of money as I would rather upgrade the planer or jointer but was not sure if getting a grizzly would add some features like better quality, better table, depth stop, greater depth. Just wondering to see if you have any thoughts or suggestions. Planer and jointer upgrades are out for now as that means more floor space and the wife will not allow that today I imagine. Especially as I just got told I cannot buy or bring hone one more piece of wood until I get some out of the garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post treeslayer Posted August 30, 2021 Popular Post Report Share Posted August 30, 2021 no advice on dealing with the wife, i've had one for 50 years and she still runs this house, on the drill press, i have an old floor model and it comes in handy on occasion, i would not have a bench top one for the reasons you stated, check the local sales places and maybe you'll have some luck, and clean out that garage ! you know the first rule in the book states "we must do what they say" good luck 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post gee-dub Posted August 30, 2021 Popular Post Report Share Posted August 30, 2021 If a drill press is not something you use much I would continue to get by and spend the money where you need it more. A decent drill press is pretty expensive for what it is. Usable ones can be had for much less but, I doubt it would be much an upgrade from your King. This is why I have a nearly 20 year old $300 Delta still serving my needs. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted August 30, 2021 Report Share Posted August 30, 2021 On 8/30/2021 at 3:57 PM, gee-dub said: If a drill press is not something you use much I would continue to get by and spend the money where you need it more. A decent drill press is pretty expensive for what it is. Usable ones can be had for much less but, I doubt it would be much an upgrade from your King. This is why I have a nearly 20 year old $300 Delta still serving my needs. This is my situation as well. The DP and a couple sanders are the only tools in my shop that have not been upgraded and while I have looked at new ones I have not been able to justify it yet 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted August 30, 2021 Report Share Posted August 30, 2021 A DP is the closest thing to a one trick pony that we commonly have in the shop. That said, Mo features is still Mo betta, to a point. As said above it depends on what you do now and plan to do soon. For me 6" of quill travel, a lot vertical capacity, accurate depth control and tilting table were all important. I don't have a DP fence and if someone gave me one I'd be very appreciative; then I'd store it somewhere out of the way. One thing I would never do again is a full size bench top DP. A small scale unit, maybe, but a full size, half height DP takes up just as much floor space as a floor standing model while simultaneously taking up the same amount of bench top space. If the King is doing what you want, then long live the King. If not, then it's time to plan a coup d'etat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 30, 2021 Report Share Posted August 30, 2021 All a DP needs to do is make straight holes. Added features are nice, but hard to justify money for. If the depth and swing of your current DP aren't enough, use it to make accurate drilling guudes from scrap, and bore the actual hole with a hand drill. I vote for upgrading your other machines. UNLESS...you happen to do a bit of metal work. Then, a good DP and a vise make all kind of sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodworking_Hobby Posted August 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2021 1 hour ago, wtnhighlander said: All a DP needs to do is make straight holes. Added features are nice, but hard to justify money for. If the depth and swing of your current DP aren't enough, use it to make accurate drilling guudes from scrap, and bore the actual hole with a hand drill. I vote for upgrading your other machines. UNLESS...you happen to do a bit of metal work. Then, a good DP and a vise make all kind of sense. I did not even think of that! Do you just drill a starter hole of the same diameter in some scrap, square it up with the piece and use that as a guide to get the drill bit straight? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 31, 2021 Report Share Posted August 31, 2021 1 hour ago, Woodworking_Hobby said: I did not even think of that! Do you just drill a starter hole of the same diameter in some scrap, square it up with the piece and use that as a guide to get the drill bit straight? Pretty much. The shape of the guide may vary by application, but the concept is the same. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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