Opinions on Axminster pillar drill anyone?

[graduate_owner]

Hi all,
I am thinking to upgrade from my grotty NuTool bench drill and, as I have some Axminster vouchers, I was looking at their hobby pillar drills. The one I was looking at is AH2003FDP at about £275. Does anyone have an opinion on the build quality? I don't want to replace my NuTool and end up with something just as bad while spending a few hundred for the priviledge. There are only two reviews on the web site, so can anyone help?

Also, is the AH16ARD ( the radial drill version ) worth considering, or does the radial movement just introduce another possible level of inaccuracy?

Many thanks,

K

 

[AJB Temple]

Honestly you need to go and have a look as the only one who can judge what is good enough quality for you, is you.

Hobby series is what it is: not suitable for continuous or trade use. However, few people run a pillar drill for hours on end every day. I paid about this for a fully reconditioned FOBCO Star with new chuck, which is an industrial quality tool, runs dead true and is bullet proof.

Super accuracy in wood is a bit of an oxymoron - you will not be drilling to the nearest couple of thou. If you want it for metal work or anything that requires real precision, hobby tools are not the solution.

 

[marekskoczylas]

I have one, a few years old now, that is very much like the current Axminster WD13S, and it's a good little drill for the money. Typically they just take an existing drill and add a bit of value to it, usually in the form of a better chuck, switch, motor, that sort of thing, so you can find almost identical drills with a different badge and differing quality and price, IMO you get pretty good value with the Axminster ones.

 

[bourbon]

I have the radial drill. It gets rare use but It's a tool I can't do without when I need it. My only quibble is that it is a morse taper chuck so you can't use it with a mortice attachment.

 

[deema]

Have a look at Meddings on an auction site. A Mk3 as an example with 10 speed, built like a battleship and designed for continuous operation will be within that budget.

I'm not suggesting that the Axminster isn't a good drill, I don't have any experience of them, I do believe that a Meddings is one of the top quality drills you can buy which is also British made.

 

[NickWelford]

I've had a floor standing axy drill for some years, forget which model off hand. For the money it's ok, the plastic guard soon broke, not to be missed or replaced. The mechanism to change speeds is stiff and not easy to use, consequently it pretty much remains on a moderate speed which covers my wood use. I have used it for metal on occasion, and have to slow it for that though. As stated, a secondhand meddings would be preferable, but they don't take axy vouchers. I doubt you'd be disappointed, it's streets ahead of nutool. I did swap the keyed chuck for a keyless one for ease of use.

 

[deema]

A really good keyless chuck as highlighted is IMO a really good investment.....but not cheap! A genuine Jacobs keyless makes a big difference as they appear to be properly engineered which means they do not add to the runout (wobble) on the drill.

The main difference you actually see day to day with a high quality drill and one made to a budget is the run out you see at the drill tip and the amount of vibration transmitted to the drill tip. To achieve both of these the quill will be a large diameter hardened and ground and run in highly engineered bearings / wear rings, the head and base will be made of cast iron and be very heavy. The motor will be high quality and properly balanced. The column and interface to the platform which determines that the work piece is presented to the drill at 90 degrees regardless of the tables position will again be ground, large diameter with a ground seating within the platform height adjustment mechanism. This is what creates the cost. For general woodwork it does not make any real difference, seldom if ever do you need high accuracy....wood is very forgiving and the fibres move around as you drill. If you are going to dabble in metalwork then run out and vibration do add up to being a big deal and make a large difference.

 

[Selsdon_PJS]

I have this drill, bought it on a price reduction (the current price shown of £200) and have been really pleased with it. I had a Fobco Star before but never had the time and inclination to give it the TLC it deserved. So I went for this, brand new and with a three year warranty.

I like the ease of changing height/angle of the table and for extra convenience I built a platform and added heavy duty castors. I can honestly say it meets my needs completely.

 

[deema]

Pm sent

 

[graduate_owner]

Thanks Deema

K