Pillar drill advice

rspsteve · 3 Dec 2013

Hi all

I am very new to woodworking and am about to make my 5 x 3 metre shed into a woodwork workshop..

After selling my weekend car to pay some bills and do some home repairs i have left myself a reasonable size budget to buy some tools.

I was going to go out and blow a fortune on new Aminster stuff (tablesaw , bandsaw, p/t etc etc ) but after serious thought i decided to buy reasonable quality used machines , things that i will not outgrow and almost certainly will get money back if decide woodworking is not for me !!

So far i have 2 of my wish list bought from members here 1st is a Kity 619 table saw with sliding table etc 2nd is Scheppach CMS 2600i planer thicknesser.

Next on my wish list is a Startrite 352 bandsaw but am stuck on a decent Pillar drill .

Any advice greatfully recieved and thoughts on the 2 tools i have allready bought .

Thanks in advance

Steve

wizard · 3 Dec 2013

Meddings or fobco

rspsteve · 3 Dec 2013

wizard":2xsm48u7 said:
Meddings or fobco

Thanks , any peticular models?

Steve

Phil Pascoe · 3 Dec 2013

Anything you can get at a reasonable price.

MMUK · 3 Dec 2013

Can't go far wrong with a Meddings. Don't rule out the likes of Pollard, Herbet, Richmond and Progress if you see them within budget.

deema · 3 Dec 2013

May I make a suggestion
You may find the Startrite 14S5 a more versatile bandsaw, the 5 speeds cover a wide range of materials.
A Startrite TS275 is a very under rated saw IMO, it has a very nice sliding table that is very easy to align to the blade, stows with the fence still attached and the blade tilts away from the fence. This is much safer in my humble opinion when ripping with the blade angled as any trapped wood can pop up. The other advantage is that you can cross cut window or door style tenons to match the cill profile. If the blade tilts towards the fence you cannot do this.

When buying any drill, insert into the chuck a straight round rod, clock the rod when rotating the chuck. You will see any problems with the quill. Check the rod for roundness and straightness first by rolling it on a flat surface and again clock it. You don't want to pass over a good Meddings due to your rod not being straight / bent.

Have a look at the Sedgwick P/T. For a modern highly capable machine that will last a life time. A Wadkin is brilliant, but the 12" models have relatively short planer beds. The newer Sedgwicks have decent length of beds which you helps to straighten out the stuff.