Drill Press

[Old Joe]

I just finished an Alex Fox pattern with 330 cuts and I just wanted to share with you folks how much easier my scrolling life has been since I added a Grizzly Baby Drill Press to my shop a while back.This drill is very versatile, and though I have a full size Delta, a couple of Dremel contraptions, the Grizzly has become my go to unit for scrolling. It takes the tiniest micro bit, yet I also use it with sanding drums and Forstner bits. My only minor complaint is the depth control, though accurate, is a bit tedious to set. Unfortunately, the price is now about $20 more than I paid earlier this year, but it is still worthwhile, IMHO. Check it out:http://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-5-Speed-Baby-Drill-Press/G7942?iparcelcountry=US&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIm9DyjNG_3gIVgVqGCh3VJQqMEAQYASABEgLY3vD_BwE

[kmmcrafts]

If it were painted gray and had delta stickers on it I''d swear it the same drill as mine... I've been wanting a new drill press or at least a better one.. mines getting quite worn out and quite a lot of sloppiness to it.. 

[Old Joe]

I think of it as being more like a small Wen press but a little more substantial.I really like the small footprint of this one. I have a full sized Delta tabletop, but it has developed a slight wobble in the chuck that hasn’t gotten bad enough for me to deal with, but is on my list.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

51 minutes ago, Old Joe said:

I think of it as being more like a small Wen press but a little more substantial.I really like the small footprint of this one. I have a full sized Delta tabletop, but it has developed a slight wobble in the chuck that hasn’t gotten bad enough for me to deal with, but is on my list.

Be careful with sanding drums on a drill press. They can cause the wobble effect you speak of. Pressure being applied sidewards on the chuck and arbor is not what they were designed for. 

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, Old Joe said:

. I have a full sized Delta tabletop, but it has developed a slight wobble in the chuck that hasn’t gotten bad enough for me to deal with, but is on my list.

This is why I'm kind of looking for another drill press... well actually I think the one I have will be fine for several more years if I just put my forestner bit in it and leave it set up for drilling clocks.. What I planning to do is get me a dremel with a plunge router attachment for drilling the small starter holes... then I won't have an issue with figuring out how to get holes drilled into the center area of the larger projects.. 

[Old Joe]

19 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

This is why I'm kind of looking for another drill press... well actually I think the one I have will be fine for several more years if I just put my forestner bit in it and leave it set up for drilling clocks.. What I planning to do is get me a dremel with a plunge router attachment for drilling the small starter holes... then I won't have an issue with figuring out how to get holes drilled into the center area of the larger projects.. 

I’m going to answer you, km, and JT in one post. JT, I have a spindle sander, but will use the drill press occasionally for small projects as I had for years before I had dedicated sanders. My Delta drill has a reputation for developing that wobble. I think it’s an inherent design/manufacturing flaw. KM, I consider the Grizzly a vast improvement to the Dremel plunge router for getting perfectly straight holes. And easier to deal with, though in large projects, as you mentioned, there can be an issue with the center.

[Dee]

I kept my jewelry drill press when I retired from that business.  It works perfectly for drilling small holes in my wood projects. AND it only cost me about $65.00 a few years ago.  I think one that is similar is now around 60.00 now.  

[Scrolling Steve]

I have used the Seyco scrollers drill for over two years now and love it !....It is a bit pricey but the ability to move it over the work is awesome !....Makes entry holes a lot easier in my humble opinion !

[kmmcrafts]

46 minutes ago, Scrolling Steve said:

I have used the Seyco scrollers drill for over two years now and love it !....It is a bit pricey but the ability to move it over the work is awesome !....Makes entry holes a lot easier in my humble opinion !

I've really considered buying this too.. and torn between it and the Dremel with router attachment... and the price of the Seyco drill isn't all that bad when you consider the price of both the Dremel tool and the router attachment.. as I don't already have a Dremel.. well I did.. but it burned up with not much use.. so did the other three or four that I've owned.. so in my experience with Dremels.. I'm not totally sold on it. while many claim to love theirs.. 

I might have to look into the jewelers drill as mentioned by Dee.. that price sounds too good to be true.. so I'll be investigating that.. never heard of one.. 

[kmmcrafts]

2 hours ago, Old Joe said:

I’m going to answer you, km, and JT in one post. JT, I have a spindle sander, but will use the drill press occasionally for small projects as I had for years before I had dedicated sanders. My Delta drill has a reputation for developing that wobble. I think it’s an inherent design/manufacturing flaw. KM, I consider the Grizzly a vast improvement to the Dremel plunge router for getting perfectly straight holes. And easier to deal with, though in large projects, as you mentioned, there can be an issue with the center.

This wobble that my drill press has.. makes it tough to drill the small holes in the right spot.. not saying the grizzly is a bad drill at all.. but i won't buy another one without personal inspection after running around town a few weeks ago and finding a lot of the new drill presses have a lot of slop in them as well.. If you pull the lever down just slightly to make the drill head come out of the "parked" position.. grab old of the chuck or shaft that the chuck is affixed to.. see how much slop is in it.. my Delta has quite a lot and the farther I lower it the worst it gets... While the new drills aren't quite as bad.. there sure is a considerable difference between this and a higher end drill too.. There is a small bench style at one local store that has virtually no slop at all... but it's also a $300 drill press.. LOL  

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I have a Delta 16" floor model and  a Delta 12" model and not one complaint about the tool. Perfect and I use my 16" to drill the tiniest holes in scroll projects with no problem. I do have to use a small pin chuck because the 16" does not have a zero clearance chuck on it. I would buy another delta any day. I would of course check all the variables to make sure it is true and if not return it but I do know what to look for. For drum sanding I have a Clayton oscillating spindle  drum sander. Nice sander. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81PE1T69ZRL._SX300_.gif

Edited November 6, 2018 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[OCtoolguy]

4 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

This is why I'm kind of looking for another drill press... well actually I think the one I have will be fine for several more years if I just put my forestner bit in it and leave it set up for drilling clocks.. What I planning to do is get me a dremel with a plunge router attachment for drilling the small starter holes... then I won't have an issue with figuring out how to get holes drilled into the center area of the larger projects.. 

I have the same little Delta that you have Kevin. I bought it used on eBay for $45. It too has a slight wobble. I'm going to take it apart one day and replace the bearings in it. Not sure if that is where the wobble is but is also a bit noisy.

 

[kmmcrafts]

I would also buy another Delta, I like this little drill press I have and as Ray said, I may try rebuilding it. At this time it’s the only thing I have besides a cordless hand drill. I like the idea behind the Seyco mini drill and can see that being a nice addition to the shop. 

This little Delta that I have owes me nothing considering I’ve used it a good 10 - 12 years and I bought it used at a antique tractor swap meet for $2 and it was quite used then I believe. It does have its limitations for being only a 8” press but I’d be lost without it for sure. Trying to drill straight holes with a cordless drill is a pain in the behind lol.

[OCtoolguy]

17 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

I would also buy another Delta, I like this little drill press I have and as Ray said, I may try rebuilding it. At this time it’s the only thing I have besides a cordless hand drill. I like the idea behind the Seyco mini drill and can see that being a nice addition to the shop. 

This little Delta that I have owes me nothing considering I’ve used it a good 10 - 12 years and I bought it used at a antique tractor swap meet for $2 and it was quite used then I believe. It does have its limitations for being only a 8” press but I’d be lost without it for sure. Trying to drill straight holes with a cordless drill is a pain in the behind lol.

Kevin, if you don't already have this, I found it online. It might be helpful.

11-950_TYPE_1.pdf

[Sycamore67]

I had a 16" Jet that had quill slop and large run out.  It was difficult to find a good one these days.  

[kmmcrafts]

51 minutes ago, Sycamore67 said:

I had a 16" Jet that had quill slop and large run out.  It was difficult to find a good one these days.  

Yes Jet was one of the brands that had slop when I was looking... I question it though because.. the other Jet that set right next to it was good and tight.. not sure if it was just one that slipped through the QC or what.. That is why I want to inspect the drill press I buy before actually buying it..

[Sycamore67]

Unfortunately, most of the drill presses have no way to tighten the quill.  The run out of the spindle on my Jet was low but the quill slop was getting worse and made it difficult to drill accurately.

I bought one with a split head that can tightened if needed.  The total run out on my new one is only about 0.003".

[Rockytime]

1 hour ago, Sycamore67 said:

Unfortunately, most of the drill presses have no way to tighten the quill.  The run out of the spindle on my Jet was low but the quill slop was getting worse and made it difficult to drill accurately.

I bought one with a split head that can tightened if needed.  The total run out on my new one is only about 0.003".

You are absolutely correct. Almost every drill can be improved with a quality chuck. Most Chinese chucks are junk although you might accidentally find a good one. Nothing improves accuracy like a good old American or German made chuck. The Dremel little chuck is quite accurate. I have two of those.

[OCtoolguy]

Years ago, I had an old used Craftsman bench top drill press. It weighed a ton. I had to get help to put it up on my bench. I had zero wobble and the thing that I loved about it and is now missing on most drill presses is a quill lock. I loved that feature. So many times I would pull the handle to lower the drill bit to where I wanted it and lock the quill so I could set the fence. I hate that they stopped putting that on the new ones. 

 

[kmmcrafts]

9 minutes ago, Rockytime said:

You are absolutely correct. Almost every drill can be improved with a quality chuck. Most Chinese chucks are junk although you might accidentally find a good one. Nothing improves accuracy like a good old American or German made chuck. The Dremel little chuck is quite accurate. I have two of those.

Do you use the Dremel with the router attachment as a mini drill press? 

[Rockytime]

I do not. The router may work on something like basswood on small things. I have a small router table that can clamp onto a workbench that is powered with a small trim router that works very well. I have not tried the Dremel for rounding over bases for scrolled projects. But...the router works so very well for drilling patterns.I have 2 drill presses and find both much less convenient than the Dremel even though one drill press is next to my saw. Can't say enough good about the little Dremel router. But that is only my opinion.

[Roberta Moreton]

I have seen the Seyco drill in action and I believe it is much easier to use than the Dremel with plunge attachment

 

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, Roberta Moreton said:

I have seen the Seyco drill in action and I believe it is much easier to use than the Dremel with plunge attachment

 

That is what I was thinking too.. I seen a review that Steve Good did on it.. 

[Rockytime]

I guess the greatest information I have gleaned from this discussion is JT's mentioning the luthier's Dremel plunge router attachment. A precision instrument made of beautifully machined brass and steel for $60. I think Dremel's price was about $20 or so. The quality difference is obvious.

[kmmcrafts]

2 minutes ago, Rockytime said:

I guess the greatest information I have gleaned from this discussion is JT's mentioning the luthier's Dremel plunge router attachment. A precision instrument made of beautifully machined brass and steel for $60. I think Dremel's price was about $20 or so. The quality difference is obvious.

I agree.. and the price of the Dremel one is more along the lines of $30.. But.. looking around on eBay and Amazon.. I have found a couple around $22 - 25.. I'd certainly pay the little extra for the quality made one JT mentioned..