Which drill press for drilling enclosures?

[chuckfalcon]

Hi everyone, I am looking to buy a drill press/bench drill for drilling pedal enclosures.  I would prefer one with a laser guide of some kind.  What do you all use?  What good and bad experiences do you all have?  Can you all recommend some to me?

[bloxstompboxes]

Utilizing the search button above would reveal several threads that have been about this topic here recently. A standard bench top drill press available at your local hardware store in your normal name brands will be fine for enclosures. If you are lucky you might find one like mine which has a chuck that even accepts bits for drilling boards. For drilling boards you might look at googling jeweler's drill presses.

[davent]

Mine has a laser guide, absolutely useless, the two lines might as well be parallel  for the length that is their intersection, doesn't even put you in the ballpark, marketing joke.  If the laser lines were to cross at 90 degrees maybe, but had only seen that on premium presses. Center punch the holes and you'll be far more accurate then any laser guide, you still have to line it up by eye with a laser guide. Very happy with my drillpress otherwise, solid tool i'd hate to be without.
dave

[bloxstompboxes]

Mine has a laser guide, absolutely useless, the two lines might as well be parallel  for the length that is their intersection, doesn't even put you in the ballpark, marketing joke.  If the laser lines were to cross at 90 degrees maybe, but had only seen that on premium presses.

Agreed. I don't even know where the laser line attachement is for mine anymore. Didn't take the battery out after the last time I used it and it corroded the hell out of the battery compartment. Haven't missed it much. I need to get a punch. I have been taping my paper templates to the box and drilling through them.

[knutolai]

I bought the BOSCH PBD40 a month ago and I'm very pleased! Not too heavy (I can put it away when I don't need it. Greatly recommended for hobby/small business use!

The laser isn't great, but I always make template-holes before drilling so I don't really need it. 

[J0K3RX]

This
http://www.harborfreight.com/8-in-5-speed-bench-drill-press-60238.html

And these..
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-titanium-nitride-coated-high-speed-steel-step-drills-96275.html

then make some jigs for different enclosures...

done

[CodeMonk]

This
http://www.harborfreight.com/8-in-5-speed-bench-drill-press-60238.html

And these..
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-titanium-nitride-coated-high-speed-steel-step-drills-96275.html

then make some jigs for different enclosures...

done

I've got one of those drill presses.
They seem to add new features every few months.
Mine doesn't have the light on the gooseneck, but I have several other lights I use.

Vises I have used:
http://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-jaw-capacity-drill-press-vise-30999.html


A bit off topic here...

For drilling PCBs I use this vise: http://www.harborfreight.com/2-3-4-quarter-inch-articulated-vacuum-vise-3311.html
I removed the base (Look closely and you can see 4 screws that hold the vise part to the base.
I then screwed the vise part to a piece of flat MDF (other flat materials would work).
And I also removed the rubber parts of the vise jaws and underneath are grooves (You can see the grooves on a close up view) on each jaw that holds the PCB so that the PCB and the drill bit are perfectly perpendicular to each other.

For PCB drilling. I also use one of these : http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Included-Adjustable-Bright-Idea/dp/B00R8L13UU

I learned a new trick for drilling PCBS with the help of that light.
Here is a crappy diagram that shows how I do it:



Still, it takes a little practice with the positioning of the lights and such to get it right.
I tend to aim for the upper edge of the hole instead of dead center though.

Yeah, someday I will get one of those upside down dremel drills and the laser sight and all those other toys.

[gbkd80]

I use a really cheap, hand-me-down bench drill press for enclosures (don't even recall the brand) with a step-bit.  It's only single-speed, which sucks but for enclosures it's really fine... like the others said, center punch your holes and if these are bare enclosures when you're drilling them, I'd circle the punch with sharpie marker so you have some sort of ballpark for the bit to fall into.  Having a press with different speeds is definitely better as it helps you guide better to the punch, but mine have always come out straight... it takes practice. 

For PCB I'm using a Dremel Workstation and bought those micro carbide bits from Harbor Freight.  The plus side to that was the set costs like 7 bucks.. the downside is that you will use 1-2 of those bits for your PCBs and they do break.  Better off getting a set from here (recommended by a friend in the business): http://drillcity.stores.yahoo.net/restool.html and getting just the correct sizes. 

Using a light and shadows to get the bit lined up with the hole is the way to go and you have to sit very close and go really slow, mainly because of how easily the bits break, but mostly so you don't bore into your traces.  I usually get mine lined up and when I think it's right I do a "test" where I drop the bit to the hole and make sure it hits in the center, then I go fully through.  I've only damaged one trace on a board so far and I don't even think that was from incorrect drilling. 

My good friend uses a large Harbor Freight drill press for enclosure drilling and it's been working solid going on 6 years now.  Never had a problem with it.

[davent]

A tip for drilling pcbs. I make the the pad holes for my etch 20mil no matter what the pad size or needed hole. When you etch you end up with a very small etched spot in the center of the pad that will function as center punch dimple. With slow advancing of the spindle and  a very light touch holding the pcb. the bit will center the pad under it if you're close with the bit to the center. Will work with carbide bits and not snap them if you going slow and easy.

Dremel and carbide bits, use the 1/8" collet rather then the Dremel adjustable chuck, the collet will have  a much truer spin then the chuck, cuts down on carbide breakage.

[gbkd80]

Dremel and carbide bits, use the 1/8" collet rather then the Dremel adjustable chuck, the collet will have  a much truer spin then the chuck, cuts down on carbide breakage.

Absolutely true.  And I've only personally broken 1 bit due to my own carelessness moving too quick/spinning too fast. 

[boogietone]

Harbor frieght works well for me. Not the truest but does the job. I purchased drills from drill bit city or some such for pcbs. The step drills from harbor frieght are a good value for enclosures.

[G. Hoffman]

Any small drill press should be fine.  Laser guides are pointless - you need to readjust them every time you change the height of the table.  For enclosure drilling, just use a center punch to mark your centers, and drill a small hole (no more than 1/8") to start, and enlarge the hole from there.  Standard twist bits will self-center on the center mark/pilot hole.  Just hole the enclosure loosely until it centers, then hold it down solid.


Gabriel