drill press recommendations?

[dachshund]

Which drill press do you all like?
I'd ask about features, but it seems like the small < $100 models are pretty basic.
We have Home Depot and Sears in the area.

I am unable to drill holes in enclosures in a straight line. If I get a drill press, will it help? I'm a little confused by what I've read. Do I sill have to do the punch accurately, or will the press take care of it? I've searched around and some people said they were still getting zig-zaggy results.

Thanks in advance!

[Dragonfly]

Drill presses are wonderful...they make drilling holes in enclosre SO much easier. I like my Grizzly drill press quite a bit.

Heres a link to the various Grizzly presses ... http://www.grizzly.com/products/category.aspx?key=380000  They have great prices and service is top notch !
AC

[Clipped]

I have a dirt cheap $59 press and even it works great!

Make sure whatever you're drilling is always secure - The bit won't wander, but if you box, etc, doesn't stay put, you can still get into trouble.

After using mine about TWICE, I can't imagine why it took me soo long to get one.

Ron

[skiraly017]

Home Depot has one for around $100 that users laser crosshairs to line things up. 

Looking forward to getting one later this month.

[Pushtone]

I paid 39 bucks on sale for my 8" Job Mate house brand at Canadian Tire. The one from Harbor freight
that someone posted a couple of weeks ago looks exactly the same and goes on sale regularly.
The chuck will hold a PCB drill bit (first thing I checked) as well as your Unibit for box drilling.

The Job Mate is perfect for PCB and enclosure work.
Its been holding up fine for a year.
I feel if it were used to drill harder metals, like steel, it would not last. Light duty is the key word.



It's not the press that will help you get straight rows of pots, although it does make it easier.
Its R.G.'s paper dill template that will do that for ya.
You tape the (edited) template to your box, mark with a punch, remove the template and drill.

Search the geofex site for his 1590BB template
and then make your own for other box sizes. You can cut and past the printout or open the PDF in a graphic application and edit it.

Over a year ago there was a thread about marking and drilling the box. A few ideas for jigs were posted
but I find RG's template to be the bomb. The jigs do make it faster but I build one-offs and a jig is best for
someone doing a small run of the same effect.
The jigs are a better choice if you do not want to use software to edit and print a paper template.

GO and buy a press, you won't regret it. Good luck.

[Pushtone]

Did you see this thread?

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=26192.0

Look for The Tone Gods "Jiggerella"

Found it by searching the key work "jigs"

Still works best with a press but a power drill would work too.
To reiterate: The press won't make your holes straight. A template or jig will.
But get the press anyway.

[Pushtone]

Here's the one at HF, exactly like mine from C-Tire.
It will go on sale for $40.00 at some point.
It represents the bare minimum. Spend more if you plane on using it for other work, like drilling steel.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44506

[dachshund]

Thanks for the suggestions!
I did read about using a template, which I've made using pencil and graph paper. I think my problem with the hand drill is that my punch isn't heavy duty enough. I don't think there's a deep enough divot to "snag" the bit and hold it in place.

[Pushtone]

I use a nail set and a hammer instead of a spring loaded punch.

Makes very deep holes but I have to be careful not to dent the top
or sides in with too much force from the hammer blow.

Cheaper than a good punch too!