[Shop-talk] HB Drill press

[Rex Burkheimer]

All those tabletop and even floorstanding DPs have a lot of slop. I
have a Craftsman benchtop DP and a Ridgid floor model.
I consider them barely adequate for woodwork. When drilling metal, no
matter how carefully you align the point, and anchor the workpiece,
the bit still tries to wander.  Everything flexes.

If I have something that requires the hole to be "exactly there" I use
a minimill or a mill-drill.

Having said that, I've messed with cars and machines all my life. Most
of that time I had not even a drill press.  Any Chinese drill press is
better than any handheld drill motor, and they cost about the same.
Just buy it.

Rex B
Ft Worth TX