
The 10 Best Uses of a Drill Press (And They’re All Better Than You Think)
- Drill holes into the wood with this tool.
- Make a simple saw that cuts a perfect shape.
- Cut and shape metal with a hand-held tool called a drill press.
- Turn small parts with a lathe.
- Make furniture with a jig.
- Drill holes in a wall or ceiling for electrical fixtures.
- Make a jewelry-making mold from a cardboard tube.
What kinds of things can a drill press do?
Things You Can Do with a Drill Press
- Screwing and Unscrewing works. The drill press is a versatile drilling machine as you can screw the bolts with it. ...
- Spindles Sanding. If you wonder how to use a drill press for woodworking, don’t worry at all, as you can do spindles sanding with it.
- Doweling. ...
How do you use a drill press safely?
Safety tips and measures to use the drill press
- Read the manual properly. Before step into function the drill press, the user has to well-known about the machine by reading the manual of the machine.
- Check the condition of the pre-mounted particle. ...
- Mount the Security accessories. ...
- Special care to increase the efficiency. ...
- Lubricate regularly. ...
What operations can be done on a drill press?
You can use a drilling machine to do the following operations:
- Center drilling.
- Drilling.
- Step drilling.
- Counter boring
- Countersink.
- Reaming.
- Tapping
What is the disadvantage of the drill press?
Drill presses also have more powerful motors and this is especially useful when you’re working on tough materials. However, considering that drill presses are large and heavy, they are significantly less portable. Another disadvantage of using the drill press is the limited drilling capacity.

What can a drill press be used for?
Although drill presses are used mainly for drilling holes, they can also be used for enlarging holes with a boring tool or finishing holes with a reamer. With the aid of a special tapping attachment and a tap, they can produce threads in a hole.
Is it worth having a drill press?
It's unlikely that there are too many professional metalworking businesses without at least one drill press on the shop floor. While these versatile machines can handle various metalworking operations, they also come in handy when you need a round hole in most other materials, including wood and plastics.
Why use a drill press instead of a drill?
0:002:39What's a drill press? Do you need one? | Mere Mini - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou probably already have a drill. So why would you need a drill press it has a table that's squareMoreYou probably already have a drill. So why would you need a drill press it has a table that's square with a drill bit allowing you to bore perfectly straight. Holes. With it's variable speed settings
What can you not do with a drill press?
Safety Rules Don't wear loose clothing or gloves, keep long hair tied back. These items will get caught in bit or spindle. Never adjust the drill press or setup while it is running. Never leave chuck key in press.
What is the biggest advantage of a drill press?
The drill press has significant advantages over the hand-held drill, the principal one being accuracy. Its design means that it will drill at precise angles to the workpiece (usually ninety degrees); and it will drill holes of identical size and depth and position as many times as you wish.
What is a good horsepower for a drill press?
Horsepower (HP) is used to measure the motor power. A small drill press with a 3/4 HP motor is a perfect option for occasional users or those drilling holes in lighter materials. A drill press with a 1/2 HP motor is ideal for professionals who use them daily.
How deep can a drill press go?
How Deep Can A Drill Press Go? Typically, a bench drill press will be able to drill down between 2-4 inches.
Why is a drill press more accurate than a hand drill?
Since the drill on the drill press is connected to a base and the work to be drilled is clamped down to a support table, drilling with a drill press produces a more accurate hole than would be produced by using a regular hand drill.
What is a bench top drill press used for?
Benchtop drill presses are powerful woodworking and metalworking tools used to bore precise holes with minimal effort. They're particularly useful for projects that require the repetitive drilling of same-sized holes.
Are you supposed to wear gloves when using a drill press?
Do not wear gloves, rings, watches, or bracelets while working with a drill press. Do not set speeds, adjust, or measure work until machine is completely stopped. Do not force the drill with extra pressure.
Can you use a drill press as a router?
By speeding up the drill press, you can use it as an overhead router. Most drill press machines have alternate belt configurations that allow them to run faster, enabling you to use them as an overhead router for some applications.
What are three dangers of using a drill?
Today, the portable power drill's widespread use also carries with it the risk of electric shock, puncture wounds, cuts, contusions from spinning/moving parts, strains from torque power, hair and clothing entanglement, contaminant inhalation, burns from hot drill bits, and eye injuries.
What are the disadvantages of drilling machine?
Drilling Machine Disadvantages:Limited size workpiece.Rough hole.Chipped cutting lips.Oversized holes.Breaking of drill.
Is an 8 drill press big enough?
WEN 8-Inch 5-Speed Drill Press This drill press has five preset speeds: 740; 1,100; 1,530; 2,100; and 3,140 rpm. Its 8-inch throat is large enough for most projects.
What are the disadvantages of a pillar drill?
Long hair, loose clothing etc, can become entangled in moving parts of the drilling machine. Chuck keys, broken drills, swarf, work pieces, etc, can be violently ejected. Unexpected spinning of hand held work pieces could cause injuries to hands. The drill table can slip down or heavy objects fall from the table.
Can a drill press be used as a mortiser?
Even though they're sexy, benchtop mortising machines aren't the only power-tool option when it comes to cutting square-shouldered mortises. A drill-press mortising attachment can be just as effective and it costs a lot less.
What is a drill press?
A drill press is a fundamental tool that can be used for several jobs in woodworking and metal works. It is normally used for drilling and loved by many workers as it produces accurate work and possesses a more powerful motor. With the modifiable height, it can align the chuck and the quill making the drills to be perfectly aligned.
Why do woodworkers need drill press?
This may be hectic, especially for storage space and for your budget. Drill press helps you to just invest in different types of attachments , and every work will be perfectly done.
How to remove burrs from a drill press?
Removing the burrs be very simple using the drill press tool. You are just required to attach a de-burring tool to the drill then exact some pressure after inserting the tool in the hole.
What is tap drill?
A tap is a device used to cut interior threads in a cylindrical hole. Sometimes you will be needed to cut threads in a hole. A drill press with the right tool is so far the best tool to carry out this kind of work. This is because the task requires accuracy given that threads are extremely fragile and solid.
Why do you need to slow down the speed of a drill?
This means you will be relieved from buying, storing the large and heavy mortise. To prevent the bits to stretch and smoke. You will be required to slow down the speed of the drill.
Can a drill press slash?
Even some unique operations like slashing can be done perfectly by a drill press. Just look for slashing attachments that are readily available in the markets. Attach it to your drill at the tip, and it will do the cutting. Even for a thick bush, it will slash easily.
Can a drill press be fitted with attachments?
Still, a drill press can be fitted with different types of attachments to carry out different tasks. Here are the ways you can use a drill press.
Common Uses for a Drill Press
This is a tool that is commonly used by carpenters, machinists, woodworkers, and others. The purpose of this tool is to make holes in metal with a high degree of accuracy. To do so, the operator places a piece of metal onto the tool and then hits it with a hammer. When the operator does so, they will make a small hole in the metal.
Major Components of a Drill Press
A drill press is a machine used to create holes in wood, metal, or other materials. The drill press is made up of several parts:
Drill Press Uses in Various Industries
A drill press is used to create holes in the center of large sheets of metal to produce structural parts for automobiles, aircraft, and appliances. Drill Presses Have Been Commonly Used By Carpenters, Woodworkers, Machinists, jewelry making, And Other Professionals.
What is a drill press?
A Drill press or a drilling machine is required when you want to make a hole on any metallic or nonmetallic workpiece. The end cutting tool used for drilling is called a drill.
What is benchtop drill press?
The Benchtop Drill Press is a simple drilling machine that you can mount on a work-bench in your hobby workshop; this consists of a vertical pillar mounted on the base and a table and drill head (with belt pulley drive) mounted on the pillar.
What is the purpose of a drilling machine?
You can do the drilling operation on any machine which has provision for rotating the work-piece or the tool, like a lathe or milling machine. However, a dedicated machine for drilling will make the work faster and accurate .
How to drill a workpiece?
You can drill a workpiece in the following steps: center marking → center punch → center drill → drilling to the required size in one or more steps.
How to attach a drill to a workbench?
Fasten the base to the workbench. Move the work table up or down on the pillar and clamp at the desired position. Clamp the workpiece on the table and hold the drill in the drill chuck.
What is the capacity of a drill machine?
The base and the work-table of your machine have T-slots for clamping the workpiece. The machine capacity can be ( i) drill ing capacity in Mild steel/Cast Iron is 25/32 mm ( ii) M20 tapping ( iii) Spindle taper MT3 and ( iv) Motor 1 HP.
How many spindles are there in a multi spindle drill?
In the Multi-spindle Drilling Machine, you will notice that there are more than two spindles (can be 4, 5, or more depending on the design) driven by one motor using a drive mechanism, and the spindle may have universal ball joints for flexibility.
What is a drill press?
A drill press (often referred to as a pillar drill, bench drill, or pedestal drill) is a power tool used for drilling holes in a similar way to a regular handheld drill.
Why is a drill press fixed?
The fixed nature of a drill press, along with its sturdy frame, helps to provide much greater control versus a handheld drill. Any strain felt while drilling tougher materials will be taken up by the tool’s sturdy structure as opposed to the user’s wrist with a handheld drill, helping to reduce the risk of injury.
How far is a drill press from the chuck?
Drill presses are usually classified in terms of their swing distance (often referred to as throat distance) which is a measurement between the center of the chuck to the closest point on the support column, multiplied by two. So, for example, in the case of a 15″ drill press, the swing distance would equal 7.5-inches.
Why are drill press motors not handheld?
The fact that they aren’t designed to be handheld means that weight is usually much less of a concern with a drill press versus a conventional drill, and because of this, they often feature larger, more powerful motors that make them an excellent choice for drilling bigger diameter holes or tougher materials.
What is magnetic drill?
Magnetic drill presses feature a strong electromagnet that attaches the base to whatever ferrous metal surface you’re drilling in either a horizontal, vertical and even upside-down orientation. Magnetic drill presses are some of the most expensive model types available.
Why is a drill press table bigger?
Size matters when it comes to a drill press table, and in our opinion, the bigger it is, the better, as it will make it easier to hold and secure larger materials while drilling.
How many types of drill press are there?
There are two main types of drill press as shown below, however, there are variations on each of these types which we also cover:
What is a floor drill press?
As the name suggests, floor drill presses are large tools that stand on the floor. These have a lot of power and typically a swing between 13 and 20 inches. Floor-standing drill presses are best for professional or heavy-duty use. Benchtop drill presses sit on a workbench. These smaller machines generally have a swing between 8 and 12 inches, ...
How big is a drill press?
With a platform measuring a mere 6.75 inches x 6.75 inches, and an overall size of 10 x 12 x 8 inches, the drill press easily fits into any workspace. But while it may be small, it’s not without power, although it’s certainly not designed for tackling the toughest drilling jobs.
What is the swing of a bench top drill press?
Benchtop drill presses sit on a workbench. These smaller machines generally have a swing between 8 and 12 inches, and handle light-to-moderate drilling tasks. Generally, these are the best choice for the average DIYer or hobbyist.
How does a clamp work on a drill press?
This clamp holds the drill along the metal rail, giving you the finer degree of precision you need without the extra weight. The clamp rotates from 0 to 90 degrees, so you can even precision drill on vertical surfaces if you can place the press in the correct position.
How big of a hole can a magnetic drill press make?
The magnetic base holds this drill press steady while drilling through steel or other metals to create holes up to 2 inches in diameter.
What are the two basic styles of drill press?
There are two basic styles of drill press: floor and benchtop.
What is the maximum speed of a WEN drill press?
The WEN 12-Inch Variable Press, with a 12-inch swing and 3-1/8-inch stroke distance, is designed to skip the overselling and simply offers a powerful, straightforward drill press for your shop. With a maximum speed of 3,200 rpm and variable speed dial, the power and control this top choice press offers is clear.
How to find the best drill press for the money?
To find the best drill press for the money you need to consider and combine loads of specifications and features. Only when you know what each model can do and how well they do it, you can compare prices. Our experts have analysed all the top drill presses and compared the prices against features and specifications and came up with this list of the top products for the money in 2019:
How to get the best value from a drill press?
To Get the best value from your drill press, you need to choose your machine wisely. There is no need to overspend on a tool if you are not going to use it that frequently. If you are going to use it on a regular basis for all kinds of drilling, then it would be wise to buy a decent product that can take the punishment.
What is the speed of a Craftsman drill press?
The Craftsman features a 5/8 inch chuck and speed setting from 355 rpm to 3065 rpm. It is definitely a good buy for DIYers and woodworkers looking for a compact benchtop drill press.
What is the power of a Skil 3320-01 drill press?
The laser guiding system works like a charm. This model is ideal for the home workshop. The 3320-01 is powered by a 3.2 amp motor with five different speed settings.
What is the best bench top drill press?
The Jet 354165 drill press is one of the best bench-top drill presses on the market today. The versatility of this drill is what sets it apart from the rest. A huge variety of non-drilling functions can be performed with this drill press. The build quality is of a very high standard.
What is a shop fox drill press?
The Shop Fox W1668 drill press is easy to operate and has loads of power to get the job done. A great added feature is that the Shop Fox converts into a sander for a wide range of sanding applications. Perfect for someone looking for a versatile tool for drilling and other applications.
How much HP does a Craftsman 12 inch drill press have?
The reduction in price makes this tool very good value for money. This Craftsman 12 Inch is powered by a 3.5 Amp motor that delivers 1/2 Hp. The digital depth readout and cross-hair laser system provide precise drilling and alignment.