Introduction
A drill press, in essence, is a versatile and convenient tool that’s used to make precise holes in a wide array of materials. However, contrary to how most people think, not all drill presses work in the same manner. Their operating procedure generally depends on their size, features, design, type, and available accessories.
So, how will you find the most suitable machinery for your purpose?
In this buying guide, we are going to explain everything that you should look for while buying a drill press. Besides, we will also share some information regarding the machinery for our beginner readers. Nonetheless, if you still have any queries regarding the topic, do not forget to let us know in the comment section.
How Does A Drill Press Work?
Unlike a handheld drilling model, a drill press does not rely on your hand stability and arm strength. Instead, it uses raw power produced by its motor to drill holes, even in the most rigid materials, efficiently.
There’s a rotating handle (spindle) available at the front section of the machine that moves vertically to create the hole. There’s also a depth stop feature available in drill presses that helps you in generating consistent width consistently.
Choosing The Right Drill Press
As promised before, in this section, we have enlisted a few considerations that you should make to buy the right drill press. Let’s keep reading to find out more in this context.
The Type Of Drill Press
As of now, there are two types of drill presses available in the market. Here’s what you need to know about them.
- Desktop: These types of drill presses usually feature a smaller size and a lightweight design. Due to this reason, their overall portability is pretty amazing. Desktop models are ideal for moderately-challenging projects, such as crafting woodworks.
- Stationary: Unlike their desktop counterpart, the stationary models tend to be pretty significant and heavy. However, it’s much more powerful, has a higher capacity, and offers more functionalities than usual. Their overall price is also higher than desktop models.
These drill presses generally work through two different dimensional elements, which are – spindle travel and rotation.
Horsepower
The fundamentals of horsepower are, in essence, pretty easy to understand. The higher your model’s HP is, the more efficient it will be while making a hole or carving the woods.
Typically, if you are working on a tougher metal, you will need a model with a higher level of horsepower. In that case, opting for a stationary product would be ideal for you.
Speed Rating And Depth Stop
A model with a slower speed rating tends to be ideal for drilling holes in tougher materials. Nonetheless, if you are working on woods, you will need to opt for something a little faster.
If you want to work on both softer and more rigid materials, you will need to buy a drill press with speed adjustments. This way, you can choose the optimal speed of working depending on whatever your task is.
Like speed adjustment, depth stop is yet another feature commonly found in the higher-end models. With it, you can make several holes quickly while maintaining a specific depth.
Chuck Capacity
The chuck capacity of your model usually determines the shank size of accessories and bits usable for your project or purpose. Drill presses featuring a powerful motor come with a larger chuck, as they offer more torque than others.
The popular chuck capacities available in this type of machinery are – 5/8-inch and 1/2-inch. You can find the latter in the stationary models, while the former is more common in desktop machinery.
Price
The price of a drill press model will vary, depending on the available features and accessories in the system. If you’re going to use the model for indulging in occasional projects, then we’ll ask you to opt for a cheaper option altogether.
Nonetheless, if you’re pursuing a career as a driller or a craftsman, you’ll need to opt for a high-end model for your purpose.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the best drill press for your purpose isn’t an easy job. For that, you will need to consider several product-related, as well as personal choices, altogether. Hopefully, through our guide, we could help you regarding this aspect. However, if you still have any questions about anything, make sure to comment down below. We’ll answer you whenever possible.