Geared head drill press?

[BrooklynBravest]

I've moved on for now from the hydraulic press...

So onto the next shiny object i can throw money at.

I'm tired of changing belts and I drill a pretty good amount of holes. Is it worth the investment into something like this?

My current drill press is actually harbor freights "production" drill press and its actually been wonderful for the cost but i think something more versatile may be beneficial.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/Gri...ll-Press/G0779

I'm not only looking at grizzly but I have bought their stuff in the past and been very happy with it. It seems to be similar to the bandsaws where every china company makes their own rendition of it from the same factory.

[Mac's Crew]

We have Fosdick at work.. several of them... by several I mean closer to 100 or more. I love them especially with the taping and self drill settings With those gang drills and a couple of radial arm drills you can reduce mill time to almost nothing.

But to answer your question I prefer geared driving presses. Just my $.02.


Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[M J D]

I would look for something with power feed if I was looking to spend that kind of money. On a drill press I would look for something used, even if 3 phase and use a converter. Most industrial drill presses are so overbuilt that they usually are in decent shape. Obviously check it out for a bent spindle or excessive bearing run-out but other than that they are usually good to go.

[BrooklynBravest]

I would look for something with power feed if I was looking to spend that kind of money. On a drill press I would look for something used, even if 3 phase and use a converter. Most industrial drill presses are so overbuilt that they usually are in decent shape. Obviously check it out for a bent spindle or excessive bearing run-out but other than that they are usually good to go.

I do check craigslist on occasion but haven't seen one pop up.

JET and grizzly do make a power downfeed beefed up version of the original i posted for $3800 from Grizzly and $5000 from JET which is getting too rich for my blood, for a drill press.

They do make this hybrid drill/mill thing as well

https://www.grizzly.com/products/Gri...ll-Press/G0751


But I don't actually think I have room for the table in my shop space, nor do I think having that table will be conducive to 90% of the work I do which usually involves drilling into steel panels and tubing that is bigger than the table.

I mostly just want to stop having to change belts every time I go from part to part of varying thickness, which is constantly.

[Munkul]

No second hand good ol american drills around?

I have a new-ish Arboga geared head 3MT, 8 speed (2 speed motor) and its OK built, should be swedish quality, but not as rigid as my brother's ancient old Pollard 4 speed 2MT, which is a bit rubbish because you get a bit of run-out and vibration using annular cutters on it.

I'd swap it in a heartbeat for a 3MT Pollard.

[MinnesotaDave]

I've used that geared Grizzly drill. I thought it was very nice and wouldn't have minded owning it

[acourtjester]

there are 2 suggestion for other ways to do speed changes. One change the motor to 3 PH and use a single PH VFD to convert the drive to standard power. The other is a manual speed change using a lever, there are a few different assemblies to do this one shown here and another using a secondary shaft with a mower speed change assembly (John Deere has them check eBay).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ature=emb_logo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ature=emb_logo
https://www.ebay.com/itm/John-Deere-...kAAOSwPuVdl2d~

[123weld]

No second hand good ol american drills around?

I have a new-ish Arboga geared head 3MT, 8 speed (2 speed motor) and its OK built, should be swedish quality, but not as rigid as my brother's ancient old Pollard 4 speed 2MT, which is a bit rubbish because you get a bit of run-out and vibration using annular cutters on it.

I'd swap it in a heartbeat for a 3MT Pollard.

im w/ you. i got a couple old american bench drills/j chucks, lined up for pilot drilling. then a couple import bench mills, w/ low rpms, nice vises/t-slot clamp downs. found over time used - 1000 or less

[M J D]

Perhaps for what your looking to accomplish a magnetic drill with some jigs or fixtures may be better suited to what you do. Using annular cutters would make putting in large holes a one shot operation. It wouldn't entirely replace a drill press but would probably make hole making easier on your larger parts.

[BrooklynBravest]

Have a mag drill as well already.

Also have rotobroaches for the drill press.

[thegary]

I know it is more money but I would hands down take the Grizzly G0808 gearhead drill press. For the extra money you are getting a very versatile machine. If space is a concern you would be hard pressed to get anything that can do what the G0808 can do. The other 2 are nice but the G0808 is it!

https://www.grizzly.com/products/Gri...de-Table/G0808

I looked at them again the G0808 to my dismay does not have power quill. Of the 3 I would take the G0751 with the 4 speed power quill. When I went to the grizzly site they had it on sale for $2795. That is a good buy. On sale till the end of the month!

[thegary]

They have an R8 spindal that is good and bad. You might want to buy an R8 to #3 mores tapper adapter and a set of R8 collets when you get the machine.

[thegary]

Here is the ultimate drill press grizzly makes. It does not do any milling but power feeds and power taps and has a #4 MT spindal .

https://www.grizzly.com/products/Gri...-L-Table/G0793.

If you have the room to get a milling machine later on or have no need of the milling table this is a very good drill press. I forgot to make sure it is single phase so check that but as long as it is single phase this press can do most anything short of what a radial drill can do but also has a few features a radial drill does not have like the power taping.

I looked again and it is 220V 3 phase. It might be worth getting a converter but at $3895 to add a converter to the cost is starting to get up there. Too bad because that is a great little drill press. I have a phase perfect 3 phase converter so It would not be problem for me. Too bad I am too old to really utilize it . If I got rich I would still get it though just for hobby work.

[Welder Dave]

Gear head drill presses are nice and tend to have slower speeds for bigger bits. Of coarse the ultimate is a radial arm drill press but they are a lot of money. Power feed is a nice feature but not essential.

[BrooklynBravest]

Curious other than tapping what are some benefits to power feed?

Also what are the cons to an R8 spindle?

A $4000, 1000lb drill is a bit out of my league/needs i think as cool as it is.

I really just want the variable speed for the most part and the shorter head design that pushes further against the wall.

This sale that saves me $200 in freight ends tomorrow so if IÂ’m gonna make a decision i need to make it fairly quick.

[thegary]

Actually you do not need or want power quill for taping. The smaller tapes( 1/2' and less) you need a taping head like I sold to you a few years ago. The power quill isnice for all drilling of any type including annular cutters. For larger taps like 5/8 to 7/8 you want a mores taper adapter that has the square tap drive. The threads on the tap will auto feed it. You need instant reverse though and I do not know that that is possible except with a 3 phase motor.
The drawback to the R8 spindal it that it is slower to replace drill bits than with a mores tapper. The good is that with the R8 there is no way a tool can just fall out . They do make a quick change driver for R8 . It is basically a 3/8 air impact on a plate that slides up and down that is mounted to the top of the head.

A poor mans quick change would be just a hand held 3/8 impact with a deep well socket on it. Keep it set up next to the machine. The machine should have a spindle
brake on it to lock the spindle while releasing the collet with the draw bar. You will also want a brass hammer to give the spindle a wack to pop the collet loose.

[thegary]

Actually you do not need or want power quill for taping. The smaller taps( 1/2' and less) you need a taping head like I sold to you a few years ago. The power quill is nice for all drilling of any type including annular cutters. For larger taps like 5/8 to 7/8 you want a mores taper adapter that has the square tap drive. The threads on the tap will auto feed it. You need instant reverse though and I do not know that that is possible except with a 3 phase motor.
The drawback to the R8 spindle is that it is slower to replace drill bits than with a mores tapper. The good is that with the R8 there is no way a tool can just fall out . They do make a quick change driver for R8 . It is basically a 3/8 air impact on a plate that slides up and down that is mounted to the top of the head.

A poor mans quick change would be just a hand held 3/8 impact with a deep well socket on it. Keep it set up next to the machine. The machine should have a spindle
brake on it to lock the spindle while releasing the collet with the draw bar. You will also want a brass hammer to give the spindle a wack to pop the collet loose. Make sure and keep 3-4 threads engaged when you give the drawbar a tap with the mallet or you will damage the collet and the drawbar.

[BrooklynBravest]

Actually you do not need or want power quill for taping. The smaller tapes( 1/2' and less) you need a taping head like I sold to you a few years ago. The power quill is nice for all drilling of any type including annular cutters. For larger taps like 5/8 to 7/8 you want a mores taper adapter that has the square tap drive. The threads on the tap will auto feed it. You need instant reverse though and I do not know that that is possible except with a 3 phase motor.
The drawback to the R8 spindle it that it is slower to replace drill bits than with a mores tapper. The good is that with the R8 there is no way a tool can just fall out . They do make a quick change driver for R8 . It is basically a 3/8 air impact on a plate that slides up and down that is mounted to the top of the head.

A poor mans quick change would be just a hand held 3/8 impact with a deep well socket on it. Keep it set up next to the machine. The machine should have a spindle
brake on it to lock the spindle while releasing the collet with the draw bar. You will also want a brass hammer to give the spindle a wack to pop the collet loose.

I forgot I got the tapmatic from you. Still works great btw!

Side note the machine comes with a R8 to MT3 adapter included as well as a chuck for it.

What makes the power down ideal for annular cutters? I have a bunch of weldon shank annular cutters for my mag drill id love to run in a drill press but figured they would shatter.

[thegary]

The only way you would break an annular cutter with a drill press is if you used too much feed pressure. Where power quill is nice is when you have a lot of parts to do and it takes all the work out of it. The power quill should have some kind of a trip mechanisem . that will turn off the power quill . You set it so that if you are distracted and or not paying attention it trips out at the end of the drilling or milling stroke.

I use annular cutters in my drill press all the time. The problem with most drill presses is that they run too fast of rpm and the belts slip when using annular cutters. They make an r8 to annular cutter adaper or you can just use a straight shank annular cutter adapter in an R8 collet. With the gearhead you will have no belts to slip and the gearhead also goes slower rpm.

Just set the rpms at about the same rpm as your mag drill runs them.

[BrooklynBravest]

This is the one I was referring to. But for drilling anything over the size of the table i see it being a huge pain. Though it does have power quill feed.

$2795 with $25 shipping until tomorrow.




So you're saying if I wanted to actually do some light manual milling with $2200 one I was looking at, it would be possible with an add on table? Would the actual column mount of the table even be rigid enough to handle that?

I think I am fairly sold on the original one without the power feed, as nice as it would be to have I don't see myself using it too often for the added cost.

This one, to keep reference accurate ($2145 with $25 shipping until tomorrow)

[thegary]

This is the one I was referring to. But for drilling anything over the size of the table i see it being a huge pain. Though it does have power quill feed.

$2795 with $25 shipping until tomorrow.




So you're saying if I wanted to actually do some light manual milling with $2200 one I was looking at, it would be possible with an add on table? Would the actual column mount of the table even be rigid enough to handle that?

I think I am fairly sold on the original one without the power feed, as nice as it would be to have I don't see myself using it too often for the added cost.

This one, to keep reference accurate ($2145 with $25 shipping until tomorrow)

Yes it could do some light milling but would not be near as good as the combo mill drill. The bottom line is if the $2145 drill press will do the job then get it. I agree with others that an old american made gearhead drill press would be the best but good luck finding one. You could look for 2 years and not find one that is what you want. I believe you will be satisfied with the grizzly and not have to put up with a machine that is hard to use while looking for a needle in a hay stack.

I have never seen a used gearhead drill press for sale used. They have been around a long time . I used one 45 years ago on the first job I ever had. the problem is that they are a good machine in high demand in a variety of fields. I would venture to say if you found one that you would pay $4-5K for it.

[BrooklynBravest]

So if we summed it up to i don’t fully need power feed, would you think this was a good decision for my needs? I’d be paying a large premium essentially to have power feed as the only real option for the money that i need. ($800-2000)

I wish the $2800 hybrid mill drill thing they sell had a bigger table because that would be ideal with everything.

I’m in a very tiny shop so the gear head being able to go flat to the wall vs my standard press is also a nice change.

[thegary]

So if we summed it up to i don’t fully need power feed, would you think this was a good decision for my needs? I’d be paying a large premium essentially to have power feed as the only real option for the money that i need. ($800-2000)

I wish the $2800 hybrid mill drill thing they sell had a bigger table because that would be ideal with everything.

I’m in a very tiny shop so the gear head being able to go flat to the wall vs my standard press is also a nice change.

you can get by without the power quill . The small table is a draw back for sure.

[thegary]

If you later did want a mill table you could buy one later to use with drill press that would just bolt to the existing drill press table.

[M J D]

Power down feed is especially nice to have for drilling thicker plate so your not cranking on the handle. If you need to make large holes to a precise size you would use a boring head which will perform best with power feed. Once you've used power feed you wouldn't want to be without it. At any rate that's up to you to decide, but having a good heavy table is probably the most important thing. Whether your using a vise, a fence or hold down clamps it all starts with a rigid base that you can easily clamp to such as tee slots.