20 Best Value Drill Press (2022 Updated)

This thing is decent. I ended up having to grease the bearing with lithium grease pretty early on. It also only goes down to 600 RPMs minium. The chuck included is kind of crappy in terms of runout, but I quickly upgraded to the uxcell keyless chuck, which made it worse.

Instead I opted for the Chumpower keyless chuck, which is superb and precision, especially for the money. Now I have zero complaints. Maintenance seems easy, and I had to remove the belt and a few other parts to grease up.

Took maybe 15 minutes.

The unit I received was indicated on the box as being a “GEN III” model–it differs from that shown on Walmart’s site (it is orange, not yellow) and from that shown on Wen’s site as the spindle speed indicator is at the top of the front panel (above the switch) and is a blue back-lit LCD display, not 7-segment read LEDs as shown on the Walmart and Wen sites (I would have preferred the red LEDs, but it is not a deal-breaker by any means.

) The fit and finish and overall attention to quality are far superior to that found on similar drill presses offered by the “Quality Tools at Discount Prices” (QTDP) place–hand’s down, no comparison.

The machine I received has a 3/4 HP motor, not 2/3 HP as stated on the Wen site. Fit and finish are great, assembly took less than 15 minutes. The quill is a precise fit in the head stock with no measurable lateral “play”–at any extension from the head.

TIR at the spindle taper is less than 0. 0005″; less than 0. 001″ at the check nose, and about 0. 0015″ on a chucked 4″ length of precision ground 1/2″ drill–measured 1″ from the chuck. (NOTE: The drill rode was properly/carefully mounted in the chuck, first hand tight an then incrementally tightened using the key in all three positions–as should always be done for precise work).

The only fitting I did was to break the sharp edges of the milled table top, and lightly run a 120 grit 6″ disc in a random orbit sander over the milled area to break tool marks from its being milled.

The variable speed control was bit stiff to operate, this was greatly lessened by loosening the self locking nut at the center of the speed control hub by 1/2 to 3/4 turn or so. As to the variable speed feature itself–hot dàmn it is nice! On the unit I received the range is 506 to 3112 rpm meeting the claimed 530 to 3100 range The adjustment mechanism appears well engineered and implemented and it is as quiet and smooth throughout its range as anyone could expect.

Being quite familiar with Reeves drives and numerous other CVTs I envision its having a long trouble-free life. Out-of-the-box the quill return spring had a bit too much preload for my liking so I backed it off by 1/4 turn as described in the owner’s manual.

The result is still a good positive return but not quite so insistent. Quill travel is a solid 2-1/2″. Maximum distance from the chuck nose to the table is 16-1/2″ with over 20″ to the base. Distance from the spindle centerline to the column is 5-1/8″ making it a full 10″ swing press.

As is always the case with these inexpensive presses I found the table clamping lever to be a tad short for easily clamping and releasing the table–for me this was exacerbated by this machine’s clamp lever being on the left side–the side affected by a mild stroke I had a couple years ago.

The good news is that a 6″ piece of 1/2″ CPVC pipe was a wonderful press fit onto the clamping lever extending it and making it much easier to clamp and release. The rack and pinion table height adjustment is a nice addition on a press in this price range; its fit & finish are in particular one area in which the Wen product’s overall better quality is evident.

It does (as do they all) require that while raising or lowering you assist/steady the table to prevent its “cam-locking” on the column. It does allow the table to rotate about the column very nicely (with just a bit of HP grease applied to the top and bottom grooves in which the rack rides).

The table was “square” to the spindle front-to-back and left-to-right as delivered with no adjustment needed. On a slightly down note the angle scale for table bevel adjustment is just a sticker with the index indicator being a “struck” mark at the back of the table near the pivot.

As delivered, with the table square the mark does align well with 0° on the scale–I suspect the index mark was struck after the sticker was stuck–how long the scale will remain stuck and legible “remains” to be seen.

This is not a big deal as I would use a an angle block or gauge to set the bevel anyway. The laser targeting thingy is cute, and seems reasonably accurate as delivered. That it runs on batteries (included) is of no consequence to me as having used drill presses without such things for over 65 years I really don’t see it have any significant value and will likely never use it.

Perhaps for quick initial positioning of a clamped or vise mounted work piece (?), but I’m not tossing out my center punches and lead/brass hammers just yet. So the short story is I like it, it’s better than Cats!.

Overall, I’m happy with the Wen 4212 drill press. It is a little noisy, but that is really being nit-picky. The laser needed a slight adjustment, but it was easy to set. My one real criticism would be about the method of tilting the table.

Getting at the bolt is awkward and the manual doesn’t specify what size socket is needed. Fortunately, I don’t think I will need to tilt the table very often for the type of work I do. But if the table is out of square with the chuck when you get it out of the box, it is an adjustment that will be required.

Mine was aligned properly out of the box.

good drill press. I’ve owned a couple of other name brands models that I gave to family years ago, and I needed another one for a small project, so I invested in this brand. Took a chance since I never heard of them before, but this unit is worth the price.

Seems well built and stable. Every so often you just need a drill press and this one will do nicely.

Sorry to say, this drill press didn’t make it past the very first use! I bought this machine, assembled it and went to use it to mill out a 80% Poly rifle lower receiver – the drill broke half way through the project.

The casting was too cheaply made and weak, if it has been made from a solid piece of steel, it probably would of lasted a lifetime. Looking over the replacement parts catalog, there was no replacement part, I would have to replace nearly the entire unit, would of been cheaper to buy another drill press from another manufacture.

Nice addition to a small shop or home garage, the finish is great and appealing to the eye. I bought this one to replace the one I had for 20 years, This machine promises the same results and it looks a lot better than the one it replaced.

I plan to add a larger platform and use it for my R/C airplane hobby. Thanks for making a great machine.

Purchasing this tool was a great investment, it works phenomenal. The quick change handle is a great addon and handling is top notch. This kit comes with a lot of extra accessories not providing from other competitors.

I would definitely recommend this piece of equipment to anybody needing an all in one drill machine.

Wanted a magnetic drill with this capacity for a long time, finally someone produced one of quality with a reasonable price. Have used it as soon as it arrived drilling truck frame rails and have been very impressed with the clever design giving it so much range of travel without being overly large.

The included Jacobs style chuck works great for drilling pilot holes and change over to annular cutters lines up right on the mark.

Just got done drilling holes for a trailer hitch. This is alot lighter than the previous MFG we had, and really does a nice job. The price and free shipping made this really hard to pass up.

To start the order and delivery process was smooth. That was the good part. the drill press itself is a letdown. It does drill well and has plenty of power, BUT. The instructions do not match well with the parts and pieces.

Jet needs to update to reflect the correct assembly of the press. The fit and finish of the machine is horrible at best. Whoever ground the table should not be running the surface grinder. The depth of the grind marks varied a great deal in the table.

I had to sand down the thickness of the table by about. 050 to get most of the roughness out of the table. Then the quality of the table casting itself is very poor. Lots of casting flash and very uneven t-slots in table.

Next we have the pulley arrangement. None of them line up with the others. either too high or low or not parallel. Not off by a large amount but not what I would consider good for this price of machine.

Finally there is the issue of smoothness of the quill travel. Very rough. I took the mechanism apart and cleaned the gears up and removed some burrs. Added grease where it was missing and this helped considerably.

I would not rate this a $1000. 00 drill press. I purchased this strictly for metal work. I compare this to the Delta 18-900L that I own for woodworking. The delta fit and finish is considerably better that the Jet.

I paid the same for both machines.

I put the drill to the test today. 160 pieces of square steel drilling holes. I ran the machine for 2 1/2 hours with an aggregate down time of 5 minutes meaning I only turned the machine off 4 times in this time.

I was operating at 150 rpm. The drill bogged down a few times but my poor quality drill bits are more likely the cause and me trying to force the speed. When I first put it together by myself, it was tough.

I used my front end loader to lift the head into place otherwise, it is most definitely a 2 if not 3 person assembly when it’s time for the head.

The drill press is typical of Jet quality. I have no doubts that this tool will give many decades of service. It is well built with heavy use of cast iron. I don’t see where the bean counters cut any corners.

Put it to work without any fears. The price I paid was less than I could find an old American drill press for. No regrets here.

Very sturdily built, not too difficult to assemble, although it may be easier with two people as the head is quite heavy. I have only just started using this, so I may need to update in the future, but so far it seems to work very well.

The speed seems to be easily adjustable, it gives you a little chart above the handle to show recommended speeds based on material and hole size. The built in light is also very handy for better visibility.

I have yet to actually use the laser as I usually have my holes punched and just line the drill bit up before plunging it in, but it seems to be pretty accurate (it’s adjustable I think). Was able to cut multiple holes with a hole saw at slower speeds and didn’t have much issue, just had to take it slow going through the wood, but it managed it like a champ.

I haven’t used many drill presses lately for woodworking so i can’t really compare it to anything, but so far it’s doing the job I need it to, so I’m happy.

This is a standard drill press and not for heavy duty use. Even though the motor is rated close to 3/4 h. p. , the belt gearing will slip (I’ve been using it for metal work) during the drill process and it will grind to a halt.

My biggest gripe is the chuck assembly. It has to be hammered into a slot. Mine seem to be slightly out of true and it chatters and falls out and has to be hammered back in. I wrote to the Wen company and asked if there were any suggestions for resolving the problem and got no answer – so manufacturer’s support is really lacking.

If you’re doing wood or other lightweight work, it will probably fill your needs; but I wouldn’t recommend it for soft metal applications.

Packaging arrived damaged but everything inside is OK. Goes together fairly easily (instructions have one minor mistake in a diagram). Lube as directed, it’s important. Solid construction. Chuck is a nice size.

Lasers crossing at the drill bit’s POI is amazing. Drill needs a very stable base–if it’s not lagged down to an even table top it can wobble a little.

I did not expect much from Ryobi. I own their router table and that was adequate. This however, shocked me. I mean I was replacing another drill press that broke, which I thought was the lowest quality possible, but this one topped it.

The pulleys are plastic, the cover is plastic, the height adjustment handle is plastic. The chuck looks like a toy chuck for kids. the metal for the main tube is so thin i would guess about 0. 5mm base missing paint on half of it.

The ring that holds the rail to the tube was stuck on because they painted the inside mating surfaces. Those you might say are just fit and finish issues, what about function? So you turn it on and the chuck wobbles.

you take it apart, put it back in the box and head back to Home Depot.

This Ryobi drill press was not bad for the price when it is on sale. Things you need to be aware of before buying this drill press. 1. You need to calibrate it after assemble it together. It was not accurate out of the box hence you need to calibrate.

adjust x and y to 90 degree, laser, speed, etc 2. The Quill is plastic (not metal like those $500 and up drill presses) and easy to break so you have to be careful when drilling hardwood or metal 3. The depth meter is a joke.

I modified it with a digital caliper 4. Most of drill press tables are tiny (even the expensive ones). So buy an additional one or DIY like me if you want to drill bigger pieces. It will perform very accurate and satisfactory after all of the above are done.

I’m impressed. It’s not perfect, but I really can’t complain for the price. It was a good value. The motor runs well and doesn’t bind up at all. The chuck is perfectly centered and doesn’t even have 0.

001″ runoff (not even when lowering). The table’s very precise (only took a couple minutes to set up the vise to within 0. 001″ with just a few pieces of aluminum foil). There’s a lot of room between the chuck and the table, so it’s easy to fit a vise and your part on the table and a long drill bit (with room to spare).

The only complaints I have are the quill/depth stop and the sloppiness of the table. No matter how hard I try, I can’t get the depth stop to stay in place. I even used vice grips to tighten them and they still loosened up and started to spin on their own (an easy fix).

and the table has A LOT of side to side play when cranking it up and down. It’s not too much of a problem though. It’s very rigid and stays put once it’s tightened down. So in the end. I’m very happy with my purchase.

It’s a good quality drill and you really can’t beat the price. It’s a big upgrade compared to my old Craftsman 10″ drill press and it allows me to do a lot of things that I could never do before. Good quality, Good price and an A++ Seller!!.

Bought about 2 months ago. Easy to assemble. Packaging was good; no damage. Noticed a few finishing defects but not a bid deal. Highest speed on DRO was 2910, again not a big deal since I don’t know the accuracy of the DRO.

Biggest concern is the vibration at high speeds. Seems to run smooth at lower speeds and as speed is increased I noticed more vibration as I approached 2000 rpm. By the time hit full speed (2910) there is a very noticeable vibration being transferred to the handle.

Haven’t had much opportunity to see what’s causing the vibration. Also, table adjustment isn’t as smooth as I had expected. Overall not a bad DP for the money but the vibration at higher speeds is concerning.

I bought this model on sale at Woodcraft in Sacramento. It has turned out to be a money maker for my shop. I did have to adjust the laser, but that’s all part of setting it up. It is very versatile and the long drill depth is great.

I wish it had a little more depth for drilling my hollow body guitars. I guess I need a bigger press! I think it’s great and I highly recommend purchasing one. The digital readout and easy speed adjust lever makes jobs quick and easy.

I have never owned a drill press, so I was tentative on getting this one. I needed something small and light weight that I could move back and forth from bench to storage, since my work space is tiny.

And cheap, since I don’t see myself using it that much. This worked out perfectly, after a couple of hiccups. Assembly was easy, but I couldn’t understand how pressing the chuck in place would be enough to hold it in place during operation.

And, at first try, it didn’t – I guess I was tentative about forcing it in place as the directions indicated. The second time I used more force and it seems to be just fine after several uses. I also discovered that the gold-colored Harbor Freight “titanium” drill bits are not for metal.

(It would be nice if they were so labeled!) But the black oxide do the trick quite nicely. Watching the metal filings curl off the bit is somehow quite satisfying and makes you want to drill holes in all kinds of metal, just to experience the thrill of it.

(I will be replacing the small15W, incandescent, candelabra-base, soft-white light bulb with a higher-equivalent wattage, brighter, daylight LED of similar size that uses less actual watts. ) Thumbs up, overall!.

In the middle of a project, and I couldn’t get access to my bigger more expensive drill. Took a risk on this because it was low priced. I used it for something outside the capacities of what one should expect from it.

All of the following star ratings are based in consideration of the price. On price: 5 stars. On Power: 2. On ease of use: 3. On quality: 4. On Durability: 5. On Size/weight: 5. On *value: 5. On Features: 1.

*Worst thing about the design is the footplate. It’s just sheet metal and before you bolt it down you should find something to support the underside, between the plate and whatever surface you are mounting it to, or the bolts will tend to bend the footplate in a manner that tilts the entire drill towards the user.

(A block of wood should do it. ) Also, I had trouble getting the yellow safety plug back into the switch to stay so I’d suggest leaving it in. For the money, this is a good drill. But for me to mill out an 80% lower receiver for an AR-15 rifle, I really pushed it’s limits and progress was very slow due to it’s low power and difficulty adjusting depths.

Because I abused it by pushing its reasonably expected limits for a drill at this price, it would be unfair for me to criticize it much. For light to average small jobs with low power needs, my overall rating is a solid 5.

Drill press is solidly built and is without slop. The first thing I noticed is how quietly it runs, free of vibration–I had no difficulty drilling a 1/2″ hole in 3/8″ steel. It has been well thought out;–the depth stops are very easy to adjust and double as a quill lock.

They are easy to see while drilling. Quill feed is smooth and the adjustable depth reading on it is clearly visible. The table height adjustment works easily. The table tilt adjustment wrench has. convenient storage under the table.

The low speed capability is good. Speed changes by belt positioning are a piece of cake. The work light does a good job–and is included at the base price! I like the 5/8″ capacity of the chuck, which works smoothly.

The MDF insert in the table center opening is a nice touch and it will be easy to cut out a replacement when needed. The initial height adjustment on the insert was a little awkward, as it involves adjusting four hex head screws with locknuts and two Philips hold-down screws from underneath the table, then checking the insert height from above the table.

Takes about 5 minutes and is a one-time adjustment. If I want to use the machine without the insert, I only have to loosen two screws to remove it. There are 2 diagonal 1/2″ or 5/8″ slots in the front of the table, and my vise grip hold-down fixture fits there nicely.

There are 2 parallel 1/2″ T slots on the rear of the table, and there are recesses that T nuts can be inserted through at the front, as well as the back. The outside of the table underside is flat and makes clamping to the table with C clamp or vise grip easy.

The two axis table tilt has not been used yet but appears straightforward. The laser centerfinders work well and are pretty easy to adjust–I did have to remove the cover on one and help the adjustment lever move after adjusting its screw.

I will not need to touch it again. One laser was dim. A Thursday call to customer service was actually pleasant, and the request for confirmation of recent purchase was handled by forwarding Acme’s sales confirmation by e-mail–Tuesday a new laser assembly arrived and took 5 minutes to install.

Packaging was good. Moving the package is better with two people, and having three people is good when installing the head on the column–this is solidly built. It arrived with no rust. The manual is written in good English, covers assembly and adjustment well, and has good illustrations.

Now that I have seen and used it, I would be willing to pay $200-300 more for it. It was bought to replace a Rockwell I’ve had 34 years, and which has served well, but had limited speed range. The new machine is so much improved, and more robust.

It will outlast me.

The reviews on Amazon weren’t good. But they all look about 5 years old. Also my past history with Delta was nothing great. However I decided to give it a try because it met my needs. I’m so glad I went with this one.

Everything about it is way above my expectations, the build quality and the smoothness of it running are great. I did upgrade to a keyless chunk for convenience. By the way this replaced a old Craftsman I had in my shop.

Also being in maintenance and tool and die for 30 years I feel I know machines quite well.

I purchased this drill press one month ago and I have not regretted this purchase. It delivers everything identified in their advertisement. It is a dream machine to work with, and I highly recommend others to purchase this machine even if you already have a drill press (replace your existing unit with this one and you won’t regret it).

Working with Acme for the purchase was also a big plus as they were on top of the order from purchase to delivery.

Runs true and speed change is easy. I use it to trim rifle cases. The trimmer I wanted is 600. 00 bucks. You can buy the trimmer head for 100 and the drill press for 700 and you have a press for every thing else.

Don,t buy the vise grip type clamp because there is no holes in the table to secure it. I made it work by cutting the ring off. Nice drill press.

Do not like China goods, but this is made well and will do more than i need. Easy to put together, good product, quiet, powerfull , great chuck, love the speed ranges.

Bigger than I thought it would be. This is a very stocky machine. Looks industrial, like it belongs in a machine shop. Very quick to change belts. Don’t be worried about power, it has plenty.

At this price point the drill press is fine. No complaints there. However, you should check your runout when your machine arrives. The drill chuck Jet sent me the first time had runout that exceeded.

01″. To their credit, they very promptly replaced the chuck with one that’s running ~0. 002″ runout. I’m happy with that.

I needed a drill press for metal, capable of drilling 17/32 in 1/4 steel and 11/16 in cast iron. The Jet works great. Lots of power, no chatter, no belt slipping, nice slow 200 rpm. The chuck is nice, and the light feature is nice.

The on off buttons are stiff, hope they hold up. The table finish is a little rough but OK. The 3 1/4 travel is adequate but my last press had 4 1/2. In short the Jet drill press I purchased has lived up to Jet’s reputation.

This is a great drill press and came super quick on truck freight. Would recommend to everyone. It is heavy though so get some help assembling and putting in its place.

This is a great lower price range drill press. The variable speed adjustment is very simple compared to having to lift the lid and change belt positions. The laser is almost useless when you have a drill bit in the collet.

The bit actually sits in the way of the laser, but I was not interested in the laser in the first place. I drilled several items and was impressed with the smoothness of the operation and how quick it cut through them all, and the speed of the drill was displayed on the screen on the front of the drill.

No guessing as to the speed. Little things like a built in chuck holder were nice. Hope to get many years out of this machine.

this is an awesome drill press. its about 150lbs so make sure your bench is strong, this thing is very large compared to regular bench drill presses. drills accurate holes, and the bearings look strong.

The drill for what I do is excellent. It’s quiet and there is very little vibration. The box was damaged in shipment and the safety on the switch was damaged. Called to order a new yellow safety cover for the switch.

Gave parts number and serial number and model of drill and never got any response they said they would call back and never did. Other than that drill works great.

It arrived quickly, and works well. The instructions do not fully describe how to assemble the drill press. Some things are out of sequence and the knob for the cover is not mentioned in the instructions.

It was necessary to use a different method to press the chuck and shaft into place.

For the price and the offer of free delivery made it the best deal for a commercial drill press with loads of features. In comparison to what Lowe’s sells, the Porter was more expensive, minimal features, and had a light duty quality to it.

The General Int. is robust and deliveries the power an any speed when needed.

My only gripe about this machine is the rack and pinion on the side of the main shaft to move the table up and down. It sways quite a bit from side to side while moving the table up and down. This is a blessing and a curse.

While trying to line up an exact drill hole on steel (without an X/Y adjustable clamping system), I was able to clamp it and rotate the drill table to get the hole to line up. Easier to manage, but accuracy seems questionable.

I love the size, power, work light, and huge workspace. There was a bit of vibration for the motor when I first started running it, but the belts smoothed out after running the drill for less than an hour of drilling.

So far I’ve used it to drill through some wood with titanium coated bits and 3/32″ hardened steel with cobalt bits. It performed like a champ! For the ~$500 price, I can’t really complain. this is a wonderful drill press for the home user.

I use a drill press only infrequently, for wood and metal, so previously I’ve gotten-by with light, cheap, junk drill-presses with bad chucks and generally poor quality. I finally bit the bullet and got this one on a 15%-off sale; CPO made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.

We are much pleased. This JET is the real deal, especially for wood-working. Super-accurate holes for my Telecaster bodies. Large table, perfect for chair and bench spindles. PS This tool IS HEAVY, but remember, that’s why you BOUGHT it, Bunky.

I assembled it in under an hour all by myself and I’m a skinny 60-year old. Just assemble the stand, lay the head on its side on the pallet, mate the stand and the head ON THE GROUND (tighten BOTH head set-screws).

Then grab the head stock with both arms (bend ze knees, please) and muscle it up. Carefully “walk” it into position. Man-up, gentlemen, it ain’t that hard.

This drill is quieter than I had expected and the laser sights were “spot-on”. 16 speeds but not one word on speed selection: Google; woodworking/drill press speed chart & you’ll find good chart. Changing the belts/speed takes a few min but it’s intuitive.

I use velcro to hold a vis-à-vis pen on top the belt cover. When I change speeds, wipe off the old speed & mark the new speed on the front of the belt cover. If you need to drill consistent holes to a precise depth, you will be disappointed.

I believe this to be the weakest link. Table worm gear was not mentioned in the assembly instructions, I found it after I had mounted the table and realized there was no post for the crank. You WILL need another person to lift the motor/press.

The base has holes for floor bolts but I have worked some long 4x4s and not felt a need to anchor the base.

The variable speed capability on a drill press is an outstanding feature. It’s so nice to be able to slow down or speed up the drill speed as you are working on a piece. It is the best feature on this machine.

The drill also as a light that is directed on the workpiece and a laser “X” to guide bit placement. My complaint with the laser is that the bit can get in the way of the target. Not a deal breaker for me as I have used a drill press for years without one.

It was easy to assemble and is built with quality pieces. It is very heavy, be careful assembling it alone.

Weve been using this model at work for a couple months now. The laser is nice but I never use it. The outfeed roller is a nice tough and I like the variable speed control is positioned well – better position than my Delta.

This is a nice alternative to the smaller machines out there and a good middle ground to the floor machines. Will be curious how the motor holds up, and how its running a year from now.

I work in a factory environment. There are several of these through out. I borrow our departments unit for personal use occasionally. I have always commented I would have one of my own someday, well, today is the day (8/4/20).

I just bought my own. I have used our departments unit for drilling 1-inch plate steel and works great. I’ve drilled and taped for 3/4″ bolts in this 1-inch plate. As commented, I liked it so much I bought my own.

I’ve added the chuck and annular chuck to the order for being prepared. A great unit.

We have been using one of these in our machine shop for 19 years and looking to get another one for our other plant. I hope the quality is as good as our old one. Eazy to do maintenance on it and adjustment of the gibs is simple.

This is in a shop were 20 to 30 different people have used and abused it for all this time. We drill, ream, tap with no problem and have used it at 90 deg. drilling and taping into presses. I do not have anything bad to say about this machine.

If it was lighter it would be cheeper in quality and durabilty. Being able to use taper shank drills as well as a drill chuck is great.

I bought this hoping to get a drill press, vertical drum sander, and lathe all in one. I’ve only used it as a vertical drum sander & shaper so far and I love it! It came with good directions and was easy to assemble – but lift the top belt cover & watch the video about changing the belt for varying speeds before you spend too much time thinking about the written directions.

So far it seems like a great little workhorse – and it’s a lot quieter running than some I’ve used in the past. Easy to bolt to your workbench and single switch operation. Well packaged for shipment.

Shipped out quickly and was at my house in a reasonable time (Keep in mind: This is a machine; not something you just stick in an overnight box!). Great little benchtop machine! And in the next couple weeks I’ll find out what else it can do.

I did a lot of research before purchasing the Craftsman drill press and read many, many reviews. For me, it came down to the WEN 10 press or the Craftsman. They were within a few dollars of each other and had very similar specifications and features.

What eventually sold me on the Craftsman was that I could pick it up locally and be able to return it if there were any problems. The other deciding factor was the Craftsman had a very bright LED light on a flexible neck.

The WEN light was fixed and mounted behind the spindle. All other features were equal. Assembly of the drill press was straight forward. I followed the instructions thoroughly and made sure I cleaned all the surfaces as instructed before they were assembled.

Everything went together easily. When I turned it on, there was some rumbling and vibration in the top producing a slight rattle in the lid. I found that the belt tension was too tight. Relaxing the tension eliminated all of the noise and the drill press ran quite and smooth.

The spindle exhibited no wobble or run out. I did not use an indicator to measure it but visually it looks great. There was some strong tension when pulling on the arms to lower the spindle. I found the return spring to be a little tight so I loosened the tension by one notch using the instructions as a guide.

Then I lubricated the spindle shaft and rack using white lithium grease. Afterwards the spindle lowered and retracted very smoothly. I also made sure a drill placed in the spindle was square with the table.

The motor seems strong and I have had no trouble drilling wood. I have not tried drilling any metal but I don’t anticipate any problems. This is obviously not a machine shop quality press, but for the DIY’er like me it is a great value for the money.

After building a 36 rolling cart for the press, I now have a great tool I can move around my workshop. I did not receive any consideration from Sears or anyone else for this review. I highly recommend the Craftsman 10 drill press.

It is a great value and performs well if you follow the directions during assembly and make sure everything is well lubricated.

I decided not to return the drill press I hope I don’t regret it I wasn’t thrilled to see plastic belt parts instead of steel or cast. It better not melt on me bring a magnifying glass to read the instructions in the Manual I never had a drill press so I was a bit lost but figured it out Hoping I can switch out the belt system to be more durable No laser either :-/.