pillar drill

[Boothie14]

I am looking for a pillar drill for around £100.I am really after good build quality,not a cheapo chinese one.For this price I have found this http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Jet- ... 208703.htm

Is it any good?

 

[beech1948]

Its a Jet so should be OK. The real problem is that the drill will only drill into a piece upto a max of 50mm. If you need holes deeper than this then you will need to use a different tool.

Older drills such as Meddings would usually travel for upto 80mm but are only available second hand off Ebay or the like.

regards
Alan

 

[bigjoe]

I recently bought a Meddings 3phase pillar drill with 10 speeds and 85mm depth for £30 and another £20 for a 240v to 3 ph inverter and 30 mins of wirng and ive got a bomb proof drill far far better than anything ive seen in shops recently,it sometimes takes time to get one but Meddings, fobco or similar are well worth the wait.

(in my opinion )

Joe

 

[Harbo]

I bought a Meddings about 25 years ago for £25 - 3 phase but using it with an Inverter.
Built light the proverbial brick s***house!

Rod

 

[misterfish]

I bought an old single phase Fobco a few months ago for £50. Superb bit of kit - solid build and heavy - a two man lift. Makes my old Chaiwanese drill seem like a toy!

 

[Aled Dafis]

Meddings here too. I bought mine at an agricultural auction for £40, it was 3 phase, but I bought a new single phase motor for about £60.

I now have a drill that'll compete with new drills costing £400+. The quill travel on my meddings is 125mm, so more than double that of the Axminster machine.

Cheers

Aled

 

[tigerturnings]

Older drills such as Meddings would usually travel for upto 80mm but are only available second hand off Ebay or the like.

Well, they are still made and available new... e.g. from Buck and Hickman - but at those prices, second hand is probably the only choice.

For my part I have a Progress 2GS which is great, but leaks oil a little. With the second hand machines, I'd say to avoid those with gearboxes unless you're happy to replace oil seals etc.

Some recommend the Startrite Mercury, but I'd steer clear of those machines: the quill runs directly in a bore in the cast-iron headstock, which can tend to wear and be difficult or impossible to repair.

Cheers,

Neil