Adequate Hobbyist Drill Press?

The electronics have been my beef with the Fords, too. Mine is a 2013, and so far the only thing that parked me by the side of an interstate and required a tow on a long trip (for any vehicle I’ve owned since my college days) was a failure in the smart junction box. That is a hardware systems integration interface behind the right passenger kick panel. It has to be electronically tattooed to the key to work. The connections became unreliable and the result was total loss of control over major systems. No lights, door locks, instruments, or key-level engine control. I could not lock the doors and I was afraid to stop the engine for fear it wouldn’t start again, but at least I could get it off the highway (albeit without brake lights). It was an $1100 part that only a dealer could obtain and install. Happened at 110,000 miles, 1500 miles from home but at least in an area where I had reliable old friends. Thank goodness I had the extended warranty.

The engine dropped a valve at 117,000 miles—the extended warranty covered that, too. But that gave me plenty of warning that something was amiss before things really started letting go. Ford had to buy me a new engine, which I didn’t mind at all. I sure got value out of that $2500 extended warranty.

The other problems I’ve been able to repair myself for less money than the warranty deductible, but now it’s out of warranty and has 156k miles on it.

I might replace it with a Suburban when the time comes, just to try out GM after many years, but I don’t really expect it to be better in the electronics reliability/serviceability department. Too much closed-architecture software dependency in cars these days. But I’m going to try to keep it for one more set of tires because I like it, and newer vehicles have even more software dependency.

It’s made me a right to repair advocate.

Not like an old Delta/Rockwell drill press, which is still easy to keep in a state of good repair after 50-60 years, unlike most modern Chinese-made house brands (obligatory thread content).

Rick “supports right to repair, as we all should” Denney
 
All the electronics on newer cars means when they get past warranty they may just be junked, when a major electronics part fails. I particularly dislike the use of touch screens to control most things. Eyes off the road, one failure and the entire system is shot.
Daughter's Toyota had a major electronics failure while still under warranty. Major hassel to get it semi-fixed.
 
OK, 20 pages on a drill press purchase. We now return you to are normal programing. ;) Mike
 
All the electronics on newer cars means when they get past warranty they may just be junked, when a major electronics part fails. I particularly dislike the use of touch screens to control most things. Eyes off the road, one failure and the entire system is shot.
Daughter's Toyota had a major electronics failure while still under warranty. Major hassel to get it semi-fixed.

I have driven three vehicles with the touch screen dash stuff (all lower end cars) and all three have had some issue with the electronics having a melt down in a non terminal but quite annoying way.

Stu
 
I have driven three vehicles with the touch screen dash stuff (all lower end cars) and all three have had some issue with the electronics having a melt down in a non terminal but quite annoying way.

Stu
I do not buy cars with touch screens, if I need GPS I use my phone. I can replace my phone easily as technology progresses but I generally drive the wheels off my car.
 
I used my "adequate" drill press today.
This is a home made stand that came with an old arbor press I bought last summer.
The stand worked fine but was rather crude.
I cut some of the welds apart to straighten it, lowered it about 5" and cleaned it up a bit
One thing that irked me was this slot had been hacked out with a torch. It was off center too.
So I welded a scrap of metal underneath the top and located a new center hole so I could use a 3 1/8" hole saw to sweeten it up a little.
I had the drill running at it's lowest speed - 60 rpm, used plenty of oil and slowly but easily cut a new hole through the half inch of steel.
In the second photo you can see how off center it had been.
Then I got after it with a couple of grinders and sanders and sweetend it up a little.
The stand will always be kind of amateurish but isn't quite so ugly now.
It was a fun little project and I really like my drill press.
 

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OK, 20 pages on a drill press purchase.
Lessons to be learned from this thread:

1.- OP's budget "magically" grew from $200 to $750 (more considering the time and trips). Which is a good way to illustrate how many people cheap out when purchasing tools. They can afford to pay much more, they just don't want to. And sometimes they lock themselves into options they didn't really want because of that.

I'd say, always aim high and only step down if you have no other choice. Most of the time such purchases aren't urgent anyway, so you can afford to wait and save until you get the money for the stuff you really like.

2.- Ignore people who says otherwise: yes, all tools are dangerous, but large machines are deadlier than the smaller ones. A chuck working its way loose from a mini lathe can hurt you bad, but a chuck working loose out of a 20" swing lathe will go right through you; and probably the building's wall as well. So it's not only the power itself; the mass of the parts of a larger machine are a hazard on their own. That's why it's a bad idea, for example, to get a larger DP unless you bolt it securely to the ground.
 
Lessons to be learned from this thread:

1.- OP's budget "magically" grew from $200 to $750 (more considering the time and trips). Which is a good way to illustrate how many people cheap out when purchasing tools. They can afford to pay much more, they just don't want to. And sometimes they lock themselves into options they didn't really want because of that.

I'd say, always aim high and only step down if you have no other choice. Most of the time such purchases aren't urgent anyway, so you can afford to wait and save until you get the money for the stuff you really like.

2.- Ignore people who says otherwise: yes, all tools are dangerous, but large machines are deadlier than the smaller ones. A chuck working its way loose from a mini lathe can hurt you bad, but a chuck working loose out of a 20" swing lathe will go right through you; and probably the building's wall as well. So it's not only the power itself; the mass of the parts of a larger machine are a hazard on their own. That's why it's a bad idea, for example, to get a larger DP unless you bolt it securely to the ground.
Except that is not exactly what happened.

The Op MaverickNH actually bought a new Wen benchtop drill press as a new to drill presses buyer .

We are still hoping to hear how he likes it.



He reignited my interest in upsizing my decades old well used abused and modified desktop drill press, since I had upsized jobs that would require a larger press, which led to the Arboga gear head power feed press - thanks to members advice here.

I absolutely Dig this drill press added adjustable speed with the phase converter. Glad I dropped my HF ambitions. The aluminum castings and .060" wall main tube was the final straw.

The Arboga came in handy annular cutter drilling new holes in my backhoes new hydraulic thumb addition. Next modifying a 12" bucket for trenching conduit for a Hybrid solar and battery back up I am installing. Will need to drill several more large holes through steel.

ps. I haven't even used the small press since the Arboga arrived.
 

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Except that is not exactly what happened.

The Op MaverickNH actually bought a new $215 Wen benchtop drill press as a new to drill presses buyer .
Ups. Well, the point remains (kind of): don't cheap out when buying tools.
 
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