Bench Drill Recommendations

[RogerP]

Thanks for the advice, guys.

I've been looking for second-hand machines but unfortunately have not found anything suitable - they're either too expensive, too far away, too big or three phase.

Any thoughts on this SIP 01432

Cheers,
Mark

Your results trying to find a s/h machine are about the same as I had a while back, anything interesting had some snags. Not least the need to hire a van/crane, spend all day on the round trip with the associated large fuel bill and also find someone to give me hand for the day,

In the end I gave up and bought the Ryobi which was delivered next day free and placed where I wanted it in the workshop by the driver with his clever electric trolley. But it needed both of us to lift the head onto the column!

It looks like the SIP is basically very similar except for the variable speed arrangement on the Ryobi. If it performs as well I'm sure you'll be happy - but do take note of my comments on the weight.

 

[Lons]

You were obviously extremely lucky with that buy - well done

Yes I was Roger though I did look for the best part of a year but I would happily have paid 3 times that much for the quality of the machine which had been very well looked after. It has a 1ph motor so plenty of power and would last several lifetimes.

My experience was with a very poor Clarke machine though my brother also had a cheapo which was just as bad so my perspective is very biased.

Yours looks much better and if it does the job it's good enough. Mine is used regularly and I tend whenever possible these days to buy the "next one up" from what I think I need, providing useage and funds warrant of course. I've done otherwise a number of times and almost always regretted doing so.

Bob

 

[wizard]

That’s not luck that’s robbery

 

[Mark A]

RogerP - that's very encouraging. To be honest, any machine I buy will be more accurate than the wobbly drill guide I currently use :roll: . The bench drills seem to weigh around 40-50kg, so shouldn't be too difficult to move about.

I'll continue reading about drills and then make a decision tonight. If nice old machine is listed tonight and is not too far away I'll certainly snap it up!

Cheers,
Mark

 

[wizard]

SIP are as bad as clarke had lots of there stuff and got rid of it. ended up in the scrap pile to bad to sell on.

 

[Hemsby]

Thanks for the advice, guys.

I've been looking for second-hand machines but unfortunately have not found anything suitable - they're either too expensive, too far away, too big or three phase.

Any thoughts on this SIP 01432

Cheers,
Mark

Just a word of caution if you choose a machine with a Morse taper.

MT are NOT designed for side loading or any action that causes excessive vibration.

Perfect for drilling or anything that applies pressure up towards the spindle.

If you intend to use it for example with any attachment that you apply sideways pressure it could cause the MT to eject itself, possibly at high speed

 

[Spindle]

Hi

I have had Rexon RDA80B for about 12 years and whilst it's not an 'engineering' quality drill it is, in my opinion, perfectly capable of producing satisfactory and repeatable results to my expectations. It will, and has, drilled 13mm holes in 6mm steel and 2 1/2" into wood, I have no doubt that it would exceed these sizes but to date I've not had reason to. It has a tilting table which I find invaluable for furniture making, (a facility, which I think am correct in saying, does not come as standard with new Meddings machines).

I wouldn't get too hung up on getting an 'engineering' drill unless that's what you need and if that is the case prepare to carry out some degree of restoration if purchasing a used item. If I were to replace my Rexon I'd be looking towards a light / trade use far eastern import.

Finally, with regard to side loads on morse tapers, a properly seated taper is unlikely to lose it's grip under moderate and steady side loads, (drum sanding etc.). If it does un ship one would assume that the drill table is in place to prevent it's 'ejection, possibly at high speed'.

Regards Mick

 

[wizard]

“Rexon RDA80B for about 12 years” yes they made machines a lot better then.
“which I think am correct in saying, does not come as standard with new Meddings machines” correct they have to be more than spot on
“Finally, with regard to side loads on morse tapers, a properly seated taper is unlikely to lose it's grip” on my clarke it would fall out under no load
“If it does un ship one would assume that the drill table is in place to prevent it's 'ejection, possibly at high speed'.” At high speed it will drop dead
However its best to learn the hard way like i did, think of it like this it keeps a Chinese family in food and then gets sold back to china as scrap.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I totally agree with the pragmatic view taken by the last poster (Spindle I mean). There is a pattern emerging on this forum which has a tendency towards 2 repeated issues:

1. That anything made in the Far east is by default rubbish and anything made in Europe is Rolls Royce.
2. That these discussions are black and white, binary, either or

The reality is there is always a continuum with tools, a spectrum of price versus quality. And not all tools that weren't forged in the flames of 1940's Sheffield furnaces are rubbish!

Also, the use to which the tool will be put is absolutely fundamental to the right choice of tool. If someone wants to go 1 step up from hand drilling to guarantee a more or less true but small hole and always in wood....why on earth would they want a continuously rated motor that could scoop out a black hole!

I mean....duh!!

To the original poster. Unquestionably a Meddings for a £100, you'd be mad not to buy it but do you actually NEED one? Just wondering when tool snobbery started to triumph over common sense.

 

[Spindle]

Hi Wizard

Next time I'm in Cornwall could I come and rummage through your scrap pile please??

Regards Mick

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Bob - it's nothing to do with"tool snobbery", it's just trying to get the best you can for your money. I've got a meddings I paid £120 for, the ownership stamp on it says that it is the property of a firm that closed down in 1961. There is nothing new within several times that price to beat it.

 

[Mark A]

Hi chaps,

I appreciate that older machines are superior to new Far Eastern imports; however, there are simply none to be had which are reasonably priced and single phase.

Random Orbital Bob - thanks for the injection of pragmatism into this thread.

So...

What is the consensus on Warco machines? As far as I can tell, their pillar drills are re-badged variations of the SIP and Axminster ranges.

At this moment, it's a toss-up between SIP/Axminster and Ryobi.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[Hemsby]

I totally agree with the pragmatic view taken by the last poster (Spindle I mean). There is a pattern emerging on this forum which has a tendency towards 2 repeated issues:

1. That anything made in the Far east is by default rubbish and anything made in Europe is Rolls Royce.
2. That these discussions are black and white, binary, either or

The reality is there is always a continuum with tools, a spectrum of price versus quality. And not all tools that weren't forged in the flames of 1940's Sheffield furnaces are rubbish!

Also, the use to which the tool will be put is absolutely fundamental to the right choice of tool. If someone wants to go 1 step up from hand drilling to guarantee a more or less true but small hole and always in wood....why on earth would they want a continuously rated motor that could scoop out a black hole!

I mean....duh!!

To the original poster. Unquestionably a Meddings for a £100, you'd be mad not to buy it but do you actually NEED one? Just wondering when tool snobbery started to triumph over common sense.

The voice of reason =D> =D> =D> =D> succinctly put.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Bob - it's nothing to do with"tool snobbery", it's just trying to get the best you can for your money. I've got a meddings I paid £120 for, the ownership stamp on it says that it is the property of a firm that closed down in 1961. There is nothing new within several times that price to beat it.

That's clearly a result Phil, I would do the same. But the guy cant necessarily get a bargain Meddings when he has the need so what does he do? Wait for a year? So if he wants to fulfil the need he has to take action, which means a compromise. Perhaps get a stop gap for little money now and keep an eagle eye on flea bay for a while till the "Mecca" comes up.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Hi chaps,

I appreciate that older machines are superior to new Far Eastern imports; however, there are simply none to be had which are reasonably priced and single phase.

Random Orbital Bob - thanks for the injection of pragmatism into this thread.

So...

What is the consensus on Warco machines? As far as I can tell, their pillar drills are re-badged variations of the SIP and Axminster ranges.

At this moment, it's a toss-up between SIP/Axminster and Ryobi.

Cheers,
Mark

I cant comment on the other two but I do know Axminster and I rate their service very highly. What I like about Axy is that if you do buy a duck by accident, they always stand by you which means, in essence, you can't lose. Just a little personal story about drill presses to put some perspective on this. I (many years ago) bought an inexpensive Record Power Mortiser which though powerful enough, I didn't like the fence so it got mothballed and I bought a better one 2nd hand. There came a time when I needed a drill press as I had outgrown hand drills and there was the RP mortiser sat gathering lathe shavings! So I got shot of the square chisel bit and stripped it back to its Jacobs chuck. I built a stand and adjustable table and fence for it and guess what...for 99% of simple drilling tasks it works just dandy. Its done numerous Euro style hinges for cabinet doors with forstener bits as well as countless small holes. I've no idea what the motor is or any of the specs come to that. But it does the job, has no rack and pinion or tiltable table adjustment etc. By most of your lots standards its literally a pile of steaming dog do. And guess what, that doesn't stop it drilling really neat, straight and PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE holes time after time after time.

So again I reiterate the mantra: Get one that's fit for purpose and don't get sucked into the feature battle. If I were back in the drill press market, I would not be without a decent sized chuck, rack and pinion table adjustment and tiltable because that saves me having to build angled jigs for off true holes. Apart from that, the supplier is really important to me because if its a pile of poo, you'll know in the first few months if not days, so I want some comeback. Axy has never let me down yet on that front and will even exchange a tool you've changed your mind about if you upgrade. You basically can't lose with them. Just no experience of the other ones you mention.

 

[GLFaria]

IMO, it has mainly to do with what you want it for - and the extra trouble and expense you may want to incur.

I do only small work, most of the time in wood, sometimes in metal. I have a 250W, 5 speed, 13mm, cheap bench drill press that I bought about 20 years ago. Of course I would rather have a slightly sturdier, better quality one - if I could manage the quids and the place - but this one has served me reasonably well.
However, I have had to make some improvements on it - changing the switch location from the side to the front, buying a good quality keyed chuck - the original one was junk, adding a lamp... I even know of a guy who on a similar 350W DP went to the trouble of adding a third axle so he could have lower speeds than he initially had...

My main suggestions:
- switch, or at least an emergency switch, on the front (mandatory for safety reasons)
- induction motor (silent, clean, no brushes to replace)
- 350W minimum
- lower speeds on the range of 250-300 RPM - needed for larger diameter Forstner or saw drills.

 

[wizard]

Hi Wizard

Next time I'm in Cornwall could I come and rummage through your scrap pile please??

Regards Mick

It gets weighed in every few weeks, just boxford and southbend lathe bits at the moment.

 

[Spindle]

Hi

From the Warco range I'd be looking at the 2B5 as a machine that would be unlikely to fall short of your needs. I have a Warco mini lathe which has had a hammering from my son producing custom Subaru tuning parts for five years and it's still going strong, there are also several owners of Warco VMC mills who frequent another forum I use who swear by, (not at Wizard :wink: ), them. Sorry no experience of Warco drills but at the end of the day I'm pretty sure theuy come out of the same factories and are manufactured to the same standards - like Wizard says, choose your colour.

If you fancy spending a little more you could always look at the Record Power range, again no experience of their drills but I've a great deal of their tooling and it's never let me down.

Regards Mick

 

[Hemsby]

Hi Wizard

Next time I'm in Cornwall could I come and rummage through your scrap pile please??

Regards Mick

It gets weighed in every few weeks, just boxford and southbend lathe bits at the moment.

"Southbend", Thats a blast from the past. Started my engineering apprentiship on a Southbend lathe it was a 2nd World War lease lend machine from the USA :lol:

 

[Rhossydd]

an inexpensive Record Power Mortiser ...... So I got shot of the square chisel bit and stripped it back to its Jacobs chuck. I built a stand and adjustable table and fence for it and guess what...for 99% of simple drilling tasks it works just dandy.

I'm thinking of doing exactly the same. The other great advantage of using a morticer is the much smaller footprint, important for those of us for whom space is at a absolute premium.