Advice on drill press: Reliant, AMT, or others?
Carl D. Cravens
It's been awhile since I've been in here, and it's been awhile since
I've been in my shop and I'm just getting back into it, firing up on
some Christmas projects... and I've decided to buy a drill press. (Or,
perhaps I should say, my *wife* has decided that I may buy a drill
press, under a certain budget.)
I can't afford a Delta, except maybe the 8" benchtop and I want
something a little larger than that. I've been going through my
catalogs and the stuff in the size and price range that fit my budget
are names I'm not sure I've ever seen discussed here.
When it comes to drill presses and equipment in general, have any of you
had experiences (or at least reliable information) on AMT or Reliant
(Trendlines' house brand)?
Let's not talk used equipment... I've heard that wisdom before and I've
been watching the papers and nothing is currently available.
I'd like something larger than 8" because I can't get a mortiser for
an 8". Reliant's 13" bench model will take a mortiser and is $159 plus
some shipping. They claim it drills to the center of a 13" piece of
stock, which implies a 7.5" stroke... but that sounds exaggerated.
(Their 8" seems to have a 4" stroke when everyone else's 8" models have
2-3" strokes.)
AMT has a 13" floor model that's on sale down from $250 to $200... a
little higher than what I wanted, but I can stretch the budget for a
floor model if it's a decent enough quality. AMT manufacturers their
own, or at least designs it and farms the work out.
Is Craftsman any better or worse than these off-brands? I own one
Craftsman powertool (a router) and it's a real piece of junk.
Of course, I'm open to any other suggestions... other manufacturers,
etc. I'd like to buy a high-quality tool, but my budget comes down to
medium-quality or nothing at all. I've got about $150, but can stretch
it to $200 for a good deal.
--
Carl (rave...@southwind.net)
The thoughtless are rarely wordless.
-Howard W. Newton
Janusz R. Mrozek
In article <i18TywIe...@southwind.net>,
Carl D. Cravens <rave...@southwind.net> wrote:
>I'd like something larger than 8" because I can't get a mortiser for
>an 8". Reliant's 13" bench model will take a mortiser and is $159 plus
>some shipping. They claim it drills to the center of a 13" piece of
>stock, which implies a 7.5" stroke... but that sounds exaggerated.
>(Their 8" seems to have a 4" stroke when everyone else's 8" models have
>2-3" strokes.)
I believe you are misreading the catalog. A thirteen inch drill press is
thirteen inch because it can drill a hole starting in the center of a 13" WIDE
piece of
wood, not a hole down to the center of a thirteen inch THICK piece of wood.
Thus the center of the bit is 6.5 inches away from the column. What you
call the stroke the catalog calls the spindle travel, which for the 21 inch
drill press is 4 3/4". It doesn't give the spindle travel for the smaller
presses. This refers to catalog 519A2, page 34.
janusz
--
Janusz R. Mrozek 404 894 0353
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
uucp: ...!{decvax,hplabs,ncar,purdue,rutgers}!gatech!prism!jm150
Internet: janusz...@econ.gatech.edu jm...@prism.gatech.edu
JPATTEN%...@gpo.nsc.com
Carl D. Cravens wrote:
>
> It's been awhile since I've been in here, and it's been awhile since
> I've been in my shop and I'm just getting back into it, firing up on
> some Christmas projects... and I've decided to buy a drill press. (Or,
> perhaps I should say, my *wife* has decided that I may buy a drill
> press, under a certain budget.)
>
> I can't afford a Delta, except maybe the 8" benchtop and I want
> something a little larger than that. I've been going through my
> catalogs and the stuff in the size and price range that fit my budget
> are names I'm not sure I've ever seen discussed here.
>
> When it comes to drill presses and equipment in general, have any of you
> had experiences (or at least reliable information) on AMT or Reliant
> (Trendlines' house brand)?
>
> Let's not talk used equipment... I've heard that wisdom before and I've
> been watching the papers and nothing is currently available.
>
> an 8". Reliant's 13" bench model will take a mortiser and is $159 plus
> some shipping. They claim it drills to the center of a 13" piece of
> stock, which implies a 7.5" stroke... but that sounds exaggerated.
> (Their 8" seems to have a 4" stroke when everyone else's 8" models have
> 2-3" strokes.)
>
> little higher than what I wanted, but I can stretch the budget for a
> floor model if it's a decent enough quality. AMT manufacturers their
> own, or at least designs it and farms the work out.
>
> Is Craftsman any better or worse than these off-brands? I own one
> Craftsman powertool (a router) and it's a real piece of junk.
>
> Of course, I'm open to any other suggestions... other manufacturers,
> etc. I'd like to buy a high-quality tool, but my budget comes down to
> medium-quality or nothing at all. I've got about $150, but can stretch
> it to $200 for a good deal.
>
> --
> Carl (rave...@southwind.net)
> The thoughtless are rarely wordless.
I have the 13" Reliant Bench top Drill Press you are talking
about. I would say that it is adequate for my needs. You do get 7.5
inches from the column to the chuck on this drill press, as well as
a 3" stroke. Purchased this drill press for the same reasons you did,
limited budget. It tends to be a bit larger as far as the column height
than most bench models that I've seen so that one could have the stage
at a lower height and have a larger piece of wood or drawer to be able
to drill. I also use a mortising attachment on it frequently and have
had good success in doing so.
Some things that I do not like about it:
1. Whenever I want to raise the stage, I have to hold up on
the end of the stage while I crank the handle otherwise
it tends to bind.
2. Motor seems to be less efficient than lets say the delta
drill press model. After using the mortising chisel
attachment for about an hour, you would be hard pressed
to keep your hand on the motor(hot).
3. Still not a floor model. There are still times when I
would like to have that extra height under the chuck.
I do work around this though.
My brother owns one of the (post 1990) Sears drill presses and
dislikes it immensely. Mostly he says that it vibrates to much
which doesn't allow for a clean circle while drilling. As well
it doesn't have enough clearance from the chuck to the stage
for a mortising attachment(8" drill press).
On the other hand my Brother-inlaw has the 14"(?) Delta Floor model
drill press. It does seem to get rid of all the problems that I
have with the Reliant. But at 379 dollars I guess I can do without
it.
I'm not sure about the longevity of the Reliant drill press, I use
it about three or four times a week on average but have only had
it for about a year and a half.
Hope this helps your decision, hopefully you will get some
better qualified people responding to you on the Delta
and Sears drill presses.
Regards,
Jon
John M. Woods, M.D.
I'd still consider the Delta you said you couldn,t afford. They make a
12" benchtop that's in the mid $200 range. It fit's their morticer, but
the quality and the results of this option have been debated on this
newsgroup and in magazines. I have used the Delta mortizer myself,
someone elses tool, and actually liked it. That was some time back and
I could be pickier now.
The above tool is a benchtop, but Delta has floor models that are
reasonable. I,ve not seen or used the Reliant, but feel you could do
better for your money. With regard to Trendlines, again no personal
experience, but I can buy locally for about the same price, and usually
less taking shipping into consideration.
A drill press is a very basic tool. I'd be less picky in my selection
than with a table saw.
Steve Wallace
Carl D. Cravens wrote:
<snip>
> I'd like something larger than 8" because I can't get a mortiser for
> an 8". Reliant's 13" bench model will take a mortiser and is $159 plus
> some shipping. They claim it drills to the center of a 13" piece of
> stock, which implies a 7.5" stroke... but that sounds exaggerated.
> (Their 8" seems to have a 4" stroke when everyone else's 8" models have
> 2-3" strokes.)
You misunderstand this spec. A 13" DP will drill to the center of a 13"
board, but not in the dimension you think...it means that the quill/bit
is 6.5" from the post, not that you can drill a hole 6.5" deep. That
is what you are talking about by the stroke. My 12" DP has about a
3.5" stroke, but can drill to the center of a 12" (wide) board...does
that help?
> AMT has a 13" floor model that's on sale down from $250 to $200... a
> little higher than what I wanted, but I can stretch the budget for a
> floor model if it's a decent enough quality.
I would recommend a floor model in this size machine. Don't fool yourself
into thinking that a 13" Drill Press is a portable tool...it'll weigh
at least 150 lbs. You'll put it on a short bench or stand...may as well
have the extra capacity of the floor model (yes, I know that you can get
increased capacity in this configuraton, but it's a kludge). Most of
the time, I use my DP to drill holes that could be easily drilled on
a bench model. But just last nite I was glad I had the capacity...I
had to fix a boo-boo in the side of a table...needed 16" of capacity.
So ya can't always plan the stuff you'll use it for. Buy the floor
model if it fits your shop and budget, IMHO.
> AMT manufacturers their
> own, or at least designs it and farms the work out.
Most likely built in Taiwan by some third party vendor. I doubt they
build their own (but it's possible).
> Is Craftsman any better or worse than these off-brands? I own one
> Craftsman powertool (a router) and it's a real piece of junk.
I looked at the Craftsman 14" (?) DP when I bought mine. It seemed
like a decent tool. I seriously considered it. And by the way, the
craftsman DP is made by Emerson Electric (or at least it yoosta be about
two yrs ago), so I'd say it's as much an off brand as AMT/Reliant. And
I don't know that AMT/Reliant/other generic is *bad*. If the motor is
decent, it is well made, has decent runout, and has the features you want,
it'll prolly serve you well.
And yes, the $59.99 Sears Best (hehehehe) router is a complete P.O.S.
I have one too...trying to figger out what I'm gonna do with it...
definately straight bit only...less prone to be screwed by the
Automatic Random Height Adjustment(tm) feature that way... (bought a
*real* router to actually use as a router)
> Of course, I'm open to any other suggestions... other manufacturers,
> etc. I'd like to buy a high-quality tool, but my budget comes down to
> medium-quality or nothing at all. I've got about $150, but can stretch
> it to $200 for a good deal.
Ya might wanna check out Woodworkers' Supply. They carry a private label
brand (Woodtek), that looks pretty good. I have seen some of their tools
in reviews, and they seem to do okay. Never seen the DPs tested tho.
Check the index in one of the FAQs for tool reviews.
Good Luck.
Later.
Steve.
--
"Buy the best, and only cry once."
Carl D. Cravens
On 30 Sep 1996 22:55:13 -0400, jm...@prism.gatech.edu (Janusz R. Mrozek) wrote:
>I believe you are misreading the catalog. A thirteen inch drill press is
>thirteen inch because it can drill a hole starting in the center of a 13" WIDE
>piece of
>wood, not a hole down to the center of a thirteen inch THICK piece of wood.
Ah... I knew there had to be something wrong there, but "drill to the
center of" doesn't sound like what they mean. I'd say "drill *in* the
center of". Thanks.
> Thus the center of the bit is 6.5 inches away from the column. What you
>call the stroke the catalog calls the spindle travel, which for the 21 inch
>drill press is 4 3/4". It doesn't give the spindle travel for the smaller
>presses. This refers to catalog 519A2, page 34.
Yeah, I was annoyed at that... I wish they'd give all the specs. I bet
if I call them up and ask the sales person, they won't be able to tell
me, either.
--
Carl (rave...@southwind.net)
BASIC programmers never die, they GOSUB without RETURN.
Carl D. Cravens
On Tue, 01 Oct 1996 19:52:12 -0700, Steve Wallace <wal...@titan.com> wrote:
>> AMT manufacturers their
>> own, or at least designs it and farms the work out.
>
>Most likely built in Taiwan by some third party vendor. I doubt they
>build their own (but it's possible).
You're the second to mention this. They plainly state that they are a
manufacturer and that what they don't manufacture, they directly
over-see the production of. Now I don't believe everything I read, but
if what they have plainly stated in their catalog is untrue, they're
breaking the law.
>And yes, the $59.99 Sears Best (hehehehe) router is a complete P.O.S.
>I have one too...trying to figger out what I'm gonna do with it...
>definately straight bit only...less prone to be screwed by the
>Automatic Random Height Adjustment(tm) feature that way... (bought a
>*real* router to actually use as a router)
I'm thinking I'll get a gearbox and let it drive a home-built sander or
something. A PC or similar router is on my list of "things I must have
someday" but my wife has kind of relegated that wish to the "when the
old one breaks" list. Enough ball bearings have fallen out of the ARHA
sleeve that it doesn't turn smoothly at all (I don't think it was
designed to be used upside down.), and I can't believe that the
solidness of the shaft depends on the tightness of the height-adjustment
sleeve. I keep having to tighten the screws on it because the shaft
(motor, actually) deflects when it's loose.
>Ya might wanna check out Woodworkers' Supply. They carry a private label
>brand (Woodtek), that looks pretty good. I have seen some of their tools
>in reviews, and they seem to do okay. Never seen the DPs tested tho.
They've got an 8" bench top for $99, but nothing else in that range.
Next up is a 16" floor model for $379. If I settled for an 8-incher,
I'd probably go with this one, but I really want something with a
capacity greater than a handspan.
--
Carl (rave...@southwind.net)
No sense being pessimistic. It wouldn't work anyway.
Carl D. Cravens
On Tue, 01 Oct 1996 22:05:46 -0400, "John M. Woods, M.D." <jwo...@fred.net> wrote:
>I'd still consider the Delta you said you couldn,t afford. They make a
>12" benchtop that's in the mid $200 range. It fit's their morticer, but
>the quality and the results of this option have been debated on this
>newsgroup and in magazines. I have used the Delta mortizer myself,
>someone elses tool, and actually liked it. That was some time back and
>I could be pickier now.
I know you're trying to be helpful, but why do people always do this?
One person says say that a certain tool is out of my budget and someone
always has to come back and tell them to buy it anyway. Did I not say
that $200 was the absolute top of my budget? I'll be lucky to use the
dang thing 25 times a year.
>The above tool is a benchtop, but Delta has floor models that are
>reasonable. I,ve not seen or used the Reliant, but feel you could do
>better for your money. With regard to Trendlines, again no personal
>experience, but I can buy locally for about the same price, and usually
>less taking shipping into consideration.
Define "reasonable"... what is resonable to your budget may be
unthinkable in mine.
You have absolutely no experience with the tool, but you 'feel' I can do
better? I *can't* buy locally for similar prices... heck, half the time
I can't buy these tools locally at all. Kansas isn't prime woodworking
territory and there aren't that many tools to be had.
>A drill press is a very basic tool. I'd be less picky in my selection
>than with a table saw.
I bought a Delta TS for about $300... I forget the exact model number,
but somewhere on the same level as the X-10. And underpowered, no
frills tool... but it works just fine for what little work I do.
I spent $300 on a table saw and you want me to spend nearly that on a
drill press?
My preferred budget is $150, stretched to $200 at absolute maximum.
Don't tell me to increase my budget, tell me what you know about the
best tools in that price range. One cannot buy with what one does not
have.
--
Carl (rave...@southwind.net)
You are in a maze of twisty messages, all alike.
Dave Thomas
Carl,
I have no personal experience with them, but in the last Grizzly catalog
I received in the mail they had two lines of drill presses. Their top
line was right up there in price with Delta and Jet, but their second
line was considerably cheaper. I *think* I remember a 14" floor model
for $199. I don't know what the difference is between the two lines,
but obviously with that big of a price drop there has be some drop in
the quality of what you're buying. On the other hand, it fits your
budget and also might fit your needs.
Good luck,
Dave
P.S. The above info is all from memory and could be off (i.e., $299
instead of $199) but I don't think so.
Ron Aaron
Carl,
I bought a 17" floor model drill press from Harbor Freight Tools a few
years back.
It doesn't have the fit and finish of a Delta or Jet, but it *does* work
just fine, the motor is beefy, and I think it cost me $190 or thereabouts.
Hope this helps...
Andrew H. Wakefield
Carl,
I came into this thread late, so please forgive if I repeat something
that someone else has already said or that you already know. I see in
one of your postings that you're favoring something other than an 8"
model. I would very much support that choice, based on having an 8"
model myself! However, what I most often find to be a limiting factor
is not so much the 4" from bit to post, but rather the short distance
from the bit to the table -- especially if I'm using a bit with any
length to it. My next drill press will *definitely* be a floor model,
whatever other size it is.
But having said all of that -- even with all the limitations of my
little, ultra-cheapo 8" benchtop, even it is a wonderful improvement
over no drill press at all!
Andy Wakefield
a...@acpub.duke.edu
In article <grRUywIe...@southwind.net>, rave...@southwind.net
CEPHAS M WILBURN
34 inch, sure is nice for most any light work. dw
Bob Mourning
perhaps, you should not ask for advise then. you alrady knew by your own
description
that this always happens. so why ask for advise. you weren't really
listening.
if you really wanted to make the $200 immutable, you should have said it 3
times :-) the suggestion
made below by another is the same piece i already told you is available for
$169, within
your original request limits.
i suggested real alternatives to the piece of crap alternatives you
considered but you have ignired
them. you got the answr you needed from me but ignored it, and went on to
trash anothers
suggestion.
i'll sugegst it again. Home depot, woodworkers warehouse (until 10/11) and
maybe others
sell the delta 12" for 169., a very good price for a quality piece. the
others above are trashy IMHO.
sears also has a 10" benchtop for 160 or so. if you have a craftsman club
card you can get
10% off during various sales.
just go buy your drill press and stop being the advice seeking advice
critic :-)
Carl D. Cravens <rave...@southwind.net> wrote in article
<kCuUywIe...@southwind.net>...