12" drill press

[ofna89]

Like title says Im looking to buy a 12" drill press. Anyone have an opinion on one?

[rlah]

Ryobi DP 120

Like title says Im looking to buy a 12" drill press. Anyone have an opinion on one?

Got the Ryobi DP120 (bench model) for holiday ~ $170... looked at others, again for bench mount ... I don't have floor space for floor model.
Sears units had smaller column... I like the bigger column for stability. Also I like the dial stop setting of the Ryobi better than a threaded rod on the left for setting stops... I think the dial has more positive stopping.

The tightness of the spindle on this unit seems good enough... I checked it with a dial indicator mounted on the table. If I recall, the movement of the spindle from side to side when fully extended was less than .005"... much better than my old cheapo 8" drill press which measured a loose .025" fully extended. BTW, the DP120's full spindle travel is longer than some - very handy for drilling in thicker stock.

I like this unit's capability for very slow speed. It might be handy for very large circle cutting or drilling in metal.

HF unit I looked at recently wasn't any cheaper...

Of course there are units with laser guides for more money... Delta, etc. Even Ryobi is supposed to have one (DP121?) now but my HD still isn't stocking it yet... I figured I can get laser guides as an add-on later.

I'm still not sure about the circular table on the Ryobi... sometimes I think I might prefer a rectangular table, but I figure I'll make a nice table/jig to mount on the circular table.

My 2 cents.

rlah

[Pappy]

I bought the DP120 when they first came out. The only complaint I have is the round table makes it harder to attach fences and stops.

[ofna89]

Right now I have a 10" Craftsman about a month old. The other day I was using it and the chuck fell out, also the piece on the side of the throat that the worm gear rides on to ajust the table up and down has a bend in it so it binds, so Im going to return it and look for a 12"

[Wood_workur]

another vote for the ryobi. I was looking at it, but I recived a delta as a gift, so I didn't get it.

[ExYankee]

I have used my Delta DP-350 for three years now and love it, the best feature is the continuous variable speed it’s so simple to dial it up or down and get just the right speed and not just get close and then live with it because the old pulley belt change use on most other DPs is a hassle. It was $199 at Lowes when I bought it and I’ve seen it for $249 at Woodcraft’s Lowes has carried them for a long time but I can’t say they still do. I guess one way of know you are happy with a tool is no longer looking at what else is out there. (Which must mean I need a new Bandsaw). But back to the DP.
I mounted mine on the corner of my workbench so I can loosen the hex screw on the head and pivot the head over the floor to give me most of the benefits of a floor mount DP. I add a HF crossslide table that makes doing accurate drill easy.
Check this link for pricing

http://www.toolseeker.com/Drill/DrillPress/DP350.asp?var1=DP350

A note on the reviews you will find. Before I bought this, I did a search and found lots of negative reviews regarding the VS pulley pin problem. Well I thought to call the Delta customer support line, left a msg and got a call back from the program manager for this line and The pin problem was addressed in 2004 and as of summer 2004 no ‘old units’ where current stock at the big box retailers. I have used mine almost every week since then and have had no problems with it. BTW.The manual says to oil the VS mechanism weekly, I’ve done mine once a year “whether it need it or not”.

[Stormbringer]

I'll take it the Ryobi drill presses being discussed here are NOT the new 12 " (DP121L) with laser guide, crank activated variable speed with tachometer readout? Anybody have experience with this one? I've found very few user reviews (even on the ryobi forum) but it looks extremely attractive.



From the website

"Once you own a drill press, you’ll wonder how you ever worked without its control and precision. Our DP121L gives you extra helpings of both. You get infinite speed choices between 500 to 3,000 rpm – without having to move belts – thanks to a crank that varies pulley diameter while a bright, clear LED read-out tells you what speed you’ve selected. Your drill placement is ultra-precise, thanks to Exactline™ Laser cross-hairs that you can turn off when they’re not needed. And the oversize table provides extra support you will welcome for metal and woodworking projects alike. "


(Click to enlarge)

[ofna89]

Im also looking to upgrade my bandsaw. Right now I have both 10" dp and bs from Craftsman and looking to get 12" models also craftsman. Ive had both for a month now and am going to return them and upgrade tp the 12", but the 12 are out of stock and Ive been waiting a month now for them to come in. Question is should I just return and get money back and go somewhere else or wait for them to come in? Thanks

[LCHIEN]

Im also looking to upgrade my bandsaw. Right now I have both 10" dp and bs from Craftsman and looking to get 12" models also craftsman. Ive had both for a month now and am going to return them and upgrade tp the 12", but the 12 are out of stock and Ive been waiting a month now for them to come in. Question is should I just return and get money back and go somewhere else or wait for them to come in? Thanks

If you have 10" BS and DP, then going to a 12" BS and DP is not much of an upgrade.

Consider 14" on the BS and 15" to 17" on the DP - remember that DP Swing (the measure quoted) increasing by 2" only give you one more inch between the drill and the column.

If you can only return the tools and get credit then buying new craftsman is the way to go. But, if you can return for cash and then buy anything, craftsman is not necessarily the best bang for the buck.

The new Craftsman 14" sheet metal bandsaw (squared-off wheel housings) is very nice.
For drill presses, in a 15" or larger you'd be looking at a floor-standing model. If money were an issue I'd be tempted to look at Harbor Freight on that one.

[WayneJ]

I have the 10" ryobi. I have no complaints with it. Its a little on the small size but then I haven't needed any thing larger and I use it a lot, even for drum sanding
Wayne

[cwsmith]

Stormbringer,

I believe the Ryobi DP121 L has yet to reach most Home Depots. I know the press release was published last year around this time and the thought was that it would be in the stores by June 06. Here we are in January and from what I've read, most stores still don't have them. I know that here in the Corning, NY area store they are not aware of its existance. They still have at least four of the DP120's.

CWS