Thread: Which drill press? - Family Woodworking

I think you'll find a lot of similarities between the brands. (I suspect the main iron castings are coming from only a handful of Chinese factories.) I'd suggest shopping based on features more than brands. And if it's a option in your area, buying a used drill press is often a way to get a lot of bang for the buck. New or used, I suspect you can find several good choices well within your price range.

I have a 17" Craftsman with a 1 HP motor. Although I generally shy away from Craftsman power tools since there's usually something better for the same price elsewhere, I got this one at a price I couldn't refuse.

Anyway, the things that I've appreciated having, and would look for in any brand:

• Wide range of speeds, particularly the lower ranges for Forstner bits
• Long quill travel with a good depth stop system
• A large table (mine has one, but I added an even larger laminate table to it)
• A strong motor

Things I have, but don't really care about:

• Laser aiming - was kind nifty at first, but it's too easy to bump it out of position. I prefer just checking the position the old-fashioned way...with the bit itself (drill not spinning)
• Tilting table - Others use theirs a lot, but I've never had the need to tilt the table. I've tilted the piece I'm drilling instead.

Source: http://familywoodworking.org/forums/showthread.php?28808-Which-drill-press

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