Pillar Drill Recommendations

4114Effects

Hi guys,

Looking to get a pillar drill - probably around £100 - £150. Light to medium duty - drilling pedal enclosures, amp chassis, 18mm plywood, etc.

So far I've seen the cheap: https://www.screwfix.com/p/energer-enb672dbt-290mm-pillar-drill-230-240v/1009j
and the better looking (maybe frontrunner so far) http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+woodworking-power-tools-machinery-drilling-machines-16mm-bench-pillar-drill-rutlands+dk7228 although I'd not heard of Rutlands before, they look like a budget axminster to me!

Any other suggestions?

Cheers!

octatonic

Avoid Rutlands IMHO.
A friend of mine bought a router table from them and they didn't support it when it was obviously broken within warranty.
I'll never buy from them again.

Buy this:
https://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-hobby-series-ahdp13b-bench-pillar-drill-101925

I know it is a bit outside your budget but not much and you'll regret getting anything cheaper.

4114Effects

Hmmm that's what I was afraid of. I'm not sure I'll use it often enough to spend £180 though ...

Roland

Once you’ve got it you’ll find other uses. Bobbin sander for a start. However, if you want to pay less get a stand for your electric hand drill.

NeilMcG

I really fancy one of these: https://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-hobby-series-ahrd16b-bench-radial-drill-101928

Sufficient throat depth to drill the bridge fixings on a strat and the string through holes on a tele.

octatonic

I have an Axminster floor stand model and it is a great bit of kit.

Roland

... but way outside his budget.

@octatonic While you were away I bought a floor standing Jet.

Corvus

Basically for flexibility, more watts and the slowest speed range. If you want to run holesaws or large stepped bits through steel, slow speed & power is what you want.
For accuracy, a quill with the least slop. Some of the lower-cost ones are pretty bad for it. Extend the quill far as it will go and check for sideplay. Some drills have an adjuster that helps.

I have a good-size old thing that cost 60 quid, a way to save money or get more drill for your beer vouchers. Not that much to go wrong with them and lots lead cushy lives just drilling wood or infrequent use etc.

Modulus_Amps

I bought an antique Pillar drill, built like a tank and very serviceable - Paid £40 8 years ago and it is still going strong, used most days too. There are loads of engineering firms going bust up in NE Scotland so you may be able to get something decent second hand from the machinery suppliers that deal in second hand kit, not ebay

octatonic

Roland said:

... but way outside his budget.

@octatonic While you were away I bought a floor standing Jet.

Sure- I was just testifying to the reliability of the Axminster drills.

How is the Jet?

Roland

Ideal for my needs. It’s floor standing, which saves Bench space. Strong enough that I can use it as a bobbin sander without damaging the bearings. The table tilts, which allows all the angled drilling needed for guitar making. 

@4114Effects ; I guess that you really want a bench top drill because you need somewhere within reach to put things down? The usual advice is “Buy well, buy once”. So your options are:
1. New bench top drill, which would stretch your budget for a decent one.
2. Second hand, if you can find one.
3. Stand for your existing drill.
In my case it was option 3 until the stand broke. Then it was straight to option 1 because, being recently retired, it was now or never.

Sporky

Warco are worth a look.

Rutlands are notoriously crap.

robinbowes

Wouldn't one of these be more appropriate?

4114Effects

Upon closer study, the Warco hobby drill appears to be the same one sold elsewhere for about half the price, rebadged. In fact there seem to be a sum total of two models of pillar drill, all in different colour schemes  but the same basic machine! 

The Rutland one appealed as is has a little more depth to table/base which would be useful for amp chassis, plus it was 500w rather than the ususal 350w. As long as there's no slop in the quill I'll be OK. 

4114Effects

Drill stand would mean I'd have to buy a wired drill too, both mine are cordless and have no means to lock the trigger on. 

Danielsguitars

get a secondhand old one, I bought mine for £60 and it'll outlast me 

4114Effects

customkits said:

get a secondhand old one, I bought mine for £60 and it'll outlast me 

Any recommendations where to look? EBay sellers seem to have got wise as to the value of older models, so the weddings and fobco etc are pretty expensive now. 

Danielsguitars

I got mine off eBay maybe 3 or 4 years ago, just keep looking
I think mine is a meddings but it had a switch replaced and no cover over the belt and I'm not bothered, the things works great

For example I've been looking for a planer thicknesser but they were going for silly money imo, I even went to look at one and came to the conclusion old is the way to go, the new stuffs made of crap, too light weight
I just bought a multico surface planer last week for £250 and built like a tank, cast iron beds and fence

This took weeks of looking 

Sporky

4114Effects said:

Upon closer study, the Warco hobby drill appears to be the same one sold elsewhere for about half the price, rebadged. In fact there seem to be a sum total of two models of pillar drill, all in different colour schemes  but the same basic machine! 

Main difference is that Warco rebuild them. Fully stripped, cleaned, checked and put back together.

The others that look the same just get shipped out on the same pallet they arrived on.