Drill press recommendations

**steveG** · 4th February 2013, 10:27 AM

I'm in the market for a new drill press as mine is well past the stage where it should have gone to the scrappies.

Most of the drilling I do is for making up steel brackets etc, but I find I'm often having to slot or enlarge holes in plate up to 8 or 10mm. I get by with drilling a couple of holes and using the die grinder, but have often wondered if a decent drill press or perhaps even a drill/mill style machine would allow me to run a milling bit and do that sort of work a bit more nicely. Interested on your thoughts in that area too.

Needs to be single phase, and definitely want something that will run a 16mm bit in steel without struggling, but has high enough spindle speed for 3mm in aluminium.

What do you find is the best for your shed?

Bench style or floor mount
Particular motor size
Speeds and spindle size
Square/rectangular or round table
Any other useful features for the sort of work we do (eg tilting table etc)
Any recommendations on brands
Are the new Chinese ones any good or is it better to buy a used locally made machine that's likely to be a few years old.

Steve

**Bigbjorn** · 4th February 2013, 11:00 AM

A pure drilling machine is not built to take the side thrust genetrated by milling and few will plunge cut a slot drill without chatter.

You are going to find it hard to get a machine with the speed range you require. 16mm in mild steel = 500-600 rpm. 3mm in aluminium = 5000 rpm. You may need to have two machines to cover the speed range.

You will need at least a 3MT spindle. Preferably a 4MT or 5MT but these are expensive machines.

240volt larger machine? Once again, rare.

Table shape is really personal preference.

Brands? The Chinese ones all look alike as if they come from the same factories and get the appropriate badges stuck on at the end if the assembly line.

You could keep an eye on the auction houses and see what comes up. Usually three phase though in the bigger and better classes of machine.

A floor pedestal drill is always handier than a bench drill. You can put tall items on it. Look also at depth of throat. Some are so narrow they are almost useless except for drilling small items.

**steveG** · 4th February 2013, 11:39 AM

Thanks Brian.
Since its mostly for steel work I'll get something that has appropriate speeds for that.
Pity about the milling. Would love to get a decent vertical drill/mill machine but can't justify the cost let alone the learning curve and tooling required, so will forget about the milling side of things for now and just get a decent drill.

Steve

**Bigbjorn** · 4th February 2013, 02:16 PM

Why don't you 'phone around the machine tool distributors from Yellow Pages? Tell them what you want to do preferably with one machine. Find out what is available (or not) and indicative prices.

**flagg** · 4th February 2013, 08:35 PM

Can't give recommendations as I'm on the lookout as well.. Have been looking for some time though as I don't have 3 Phase (which all the second hand ones require). Keep an eye on graysonline and gumtree... I have seen a few in Vic, but you might have to swat out the motor for a single phase one.

One day I'll end up having a few too many glasses of wine and "accidentally" buying one of these K014 | HM-46 Mill Drill Machine Package with Metric Tooling Accessories | machineryhouse.com.au

First job would be a whole bunch of twin oil filter spacers.. but I have this crazy fantasy that one day I'll have to skills to make my own portals.

**Bigbjorn** · 4th February 2013, 08:43 PM

That is a small machine. What you have to watch for with small mills is the height of the spindle above the table. You put a decent machine vice or fixture on the table, a cutter in the spindle and if you have a largish job it is higher than the bottom of the cutter. Buy height in milling machines and length in lathes.

**slug_burner** · 4th February 2013, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

That is a small machine. What you have to watch for with small mills is the height of the spindle above the table. You put a decent machine vice or fixture on the table, a cutter in the spindle and if you have a largish job it is higher than the bottom of the cutter. Buy height in milling machines and length in lathes.

Like many things with men, size is important.

**steveG** · 4th February 2013, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by flagg

Can't give recommendations as I'm on the lookout as well.. Have been looking for some time though as I don't have 3 Phase (which all the second hand ones require). Keep an eye on graysonline and gumtree... I have seen a few in Vic, but you might have to swat out the motor for a single phase one.

One day I'll end up having a few too many glasses of wine and "accidentally" buying one of these K014 | HM-46 Mill Drill Machine Package with Metric Tooling Accessories | machineryhouse.com.au

First job would be a whole bunch of twin oil filter spacers.. but I have this crazy fantasy that one day I'll have to skills to make my own portals.

I was eyeing up these: Geared Head Dovetail Milling & Drilling Machine 1100W/240V/Single Phase | eBay

Slug_burner - I reckon if one of those found its way into my shed I'd be more concerned about existence than size when the financial controller noticed it

Steve

**spudboy** · 4th February 2013, 11:24 PM

Hi Steve - I've got one of those exact mills!! Same eBay seller too. They have been very reliable and helpful over the years, so I can recommend OzMeStore.

Thing is - it is VERY heavy. I had to lift it onto a custom made bench with my tractor forks and an engine lift. Without something substantial to get it up off the ground you will not lift it by hand. It's heading towards 400Kg from memory.

Good to use though. For farm stuff it is accurate enough.

HTH
David

**POD** · 5th February 2013, 07:11 AM

Just a comment about requiring single phase; like most people, I assumed that I would have to overlook the wide selection of used industrial machinery out there, as I don't have 3-phase power. A friend who works in heavy industry put me onto Variable Frequency Drives (in fact gave me one) and I am now running a 3 horsepower 3-phase lathe off 240v single phase. VFDs in this size are around $300 new on ebay. Well worth looking into for those who are wishing they could run bigger gear.

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