Introduction
Unlike any other similar product, a drill press can help you be more precise and proficient while dealing with a metal-based project. With it, you can create holes with exact width and depth at multiple angles while avoiding doing any damage.
However, there’s a hitch.
Like almost any other machinery available out there, the aspect of “suitability” works for a drill press as well. Due to this reason, before buying a model, you will need to make a few personal considerations altogether.
Here’s what you need to know about it.
How To Buy A Drill Press?
In essence, buying a drill press is a pretty significant purchase, especially when it comes to completing a project perfectly. Thus, it’s a must for you to understand your needs and get the ideal machine for your purpose. Let’s take a closer look!
Consideration – 1: Capacity
The requirement of the drilling capacity of a drill press will solely depend on your project. For instance, if you are thinking about crafting woodworks or doing other delicate tasks, opting for a benchtop model would be ideal.
Conversely, a floor drill press variant is suitable for larger projects, as they feature an excellent stroke and swing distance. Besides, due to the massive distance between the base and chuck, you can also take care of larger stocks pretty quickly.
Consideration – 2: Compactness
Do you only have a small storage space in your house? Then, you have to consider the overall compactness of the drill press as well. As mentioned before, the floor-mounted variant obviously comes with a larger size due to its design and capacity.
However, a bench top drill press, thanks to its compact appearance, can be kept in a limited space without any issue. They are also much easier to move around while working.
Consideration – 3: Motor Power
The motor power of a model, in general, determines the strength of a drill press. Depending on the energy, it can affect the size, diameters, and precision of making the holes. Besides, choosing the suitable motor efficiently will also depend on the materials you’re working with.
For example, if you are looking for heavy-duty machinery, you must look for a model with 1+ horsepower. However, ⅔ or ½ HP will be ideal for tackling regular drilling projects.
Consideration – 4: Chuck Type
When it comes to chuck type, you can find two different categories out there in the market – keyed and keyless. The latter tends to offer a faster progression, as you don’t have to use keys while removing or inserting bits. However, they are pretty expensive too.
On the other hand, a keyed model is much more affordable. Nonetheless, it might take a little while for you to complete your tasks. In addition, the key is relatively small and, therefore, much easier to lose as well.
Consideration – 5: Drilling Precision
If you’re primarily focusing on precision, then you should opt for a model that supports micro-adjustments, such as feed rate and output speed. Fortunately, both floor and benchtop drill presses come with this feature. However, they can be a little pricey for your liking.
If you are considering working on a small-scale project, such as crafting woodwork, you should opt for a mini drill press. Precision-wise, they are much better than some of the higher-end models. Nonetheless, you cannot work on heavier projects with them.
Conclusion
Hopefully, with this guide, we can help you in making a proper decision while buying the most suitable drill press for you. However, while you are at it, we would also ask you to consider some other personal sizes, such as –
- The size of your hands.
- The number of times you are going to use the machine in a single day.
- Your overall proficiency in using drill press models, and
- The projects you generally work on.
Aside from these, we will also ask you to compare the price and additional features of the available products. This way, it will be even easier for you to come up with the right decision.
