Where does one start to describe the incredible array of drill presses currently on the market? From the tiniest drill press put to use by jewelers and others needing to make very precise and straight holes of extremely small diameter, to the most massive machines that can drill a 5″ diameter hole in 3″ thick hot-rolled steel, 6′ away. We will discuss drill presses, their positives and negatives in this current forum.
One thing is for certain, Bud’s Machine Tools uses the same stringent machine quality audit on all our drill presses as we use for the finest press brake we sell. Having said all that, the offering of drill presses of all sizes currently available from us is considerable, but we would like to stress, if you do not see something here you like, drop us a line or give us a call, and we’ll get you what you want.
In the world of drill presses the variation of available equipment would probably make your mind swirl. Even some of the old seasoned veterans of the metalworking industry are occasionally surprised to see another variation of the old venerable drill press. Just about the time to think you have probably seen it all, something new comes along. Let's take a look back at the history of this stalwart of the machine shop.
Apparently the history of the first known boring tool dates back 37,000 years! (We ain’t goin’ back that far — there isn’t enough space here to do proper justice to the history of the first drill, which was probably a splinter of rock or some form of smooth stick turned by hand.) The first actual drilling machine probably dates back 10,000 years, when someone figured out that if you wrapped the string of a bow around a stick, then moved the bow back and forth, a workman could very quickly and efficiently spin the stick to bore into wood or stone — or, more commonly, to start a fire by friction. (The first actual drill presses were bow drills, but ones that were wind or water powered.)
Moving ahead 5000 years we find the core drill being used in Egypt (we call core drills for modern metalworking “annular cutters”) and then in the ancient Roman Empire pump drills were developed that utilized flywheels to keep momentum constant for the sake of accuracy. Other innovations came as humankind progressed in technology, such as the Auger and the churn drill.
Why don’t we leap forward to the beginnings of our modern machine tool era, namely the late 1800’s. Drills of this era are starting to look a lot more like what we are used to, especially with the development of the electric drill in 1889 and the creation of the first handheld portable electric drill six years later. In less than a quarter century the machine tool world would see the arrival of our modern pistol-style drills with hand grips and trigger switches.
Drill presses themselves are distinguished from other types of drills simply because of the “press” in the name — like any other type of manual or powered press, the moving part of a drill press can be raised or lowered in relation to a work piece, in this case specifically lowering a spinning drill bit into the material and then back out again, while keeping the movement steady. These drills are sometimes called pedestal drills (because of the pedestal where the material is secured) or bench drills (if small and mounted to a workbench instead of a standalone pillar).
For all you older veteran participants of the metalworking industry, please try to be a bit understanding as we lay out the following explanation. For all the recent entrants to the metalworking industry, please allow us to dispel a myth, rumor, and/or general misunderstanding you all may have. Maybe you’re in the Purchasing Department and may not necessarily be able to learn all the ins and outs of everything you acquire for your company.
Here is the golden rule pertaining to the general machine we call a drill: In order for a workman/workwoman to be able to make a hole in a wall he/she needs two different items to drill that hole. The first item is called the “drill,” and that is simply the motor that makes things turn and the surrounding support apparatus. The “drill bit,” on the other hand, is the circular tool that actually makes the hole in the wall.
The drill bit is prone to wearing out depending on how many holes it has drilled and in what material, and must be replaced periodically. Generally speaking, you buy the drill once, and thereafter you will purchase drill bits as needed for any given hole size. Same goes for drill presses, they are simply the motor that turns the round tool that is in its spindle. Note that we said “round tool” and not drill bit. That’s because there many round tools that can be utilized with a drill press beyond just drill bits. Of course, drill bits are the most common round tool used, but there are other round tools that get used every day throughout the metal working industry. To name just a few: counter bores, counter sinks, fly cutters, hole saws, and indexable cutters of all descriptions.
There is, to this day, people that both use and purchase hand-powered drills and drill presses; to this audience we admit that we can offer you little. For everybody else, please come inside!
It’s almost easier to tell you what we don’t have than what we do, since Bud's Machine Tools offers such a diverse array of industrial quality drills and drill presses. We start our offerings at the basic industrial-quality pedestal drill press. Typically, about 6 and one-half feet tall, with a 4-inch column and an electric motor with anywhere between 3/4 to one horse power.
Here is one place where seemingly close — or even identical — machines could differ greatly. “Okay, so we've got such and such electric motor right, what kind of spindle drive does this drill press have? Is it a belt-driven machine with step pulleys? Is it gear-driven? Is it gear driven with an inverter control? And, first of all, is it variable speed?” See the differences we have already turned up, and we’re still on pedestal drill presses! Even this level of lighter-duty drill presses have an electronic readout of the rpms, as do virtually all of the machines we provide. We must push on; those descriptions just mentioned are all different ways the electric motor will drive its spindle. These differences will hold true all the way up to the biggest of the big boys.
Next up, heavy-duty pedestal drill presses. Now you get into the one to two horse power machines that have 5-inch columns a heavy-duty oversize working table that may or may not have a powered table capability. (Wait a minute, you say, what’s this about a powered milling table function? You didn’t mention this before.) Yes, as you get into the bigger machines, you can get a powered “X” axis and even a powered “Z” axis, or both. Now, to some degree, your heavy-duty drill press can act like a milling machine for light milling. What about tapping? At this level of size and power, frequently many models can be had with a built-in tapping feature. These machines have depth stops and are self-reversing.
Yes, Bud's Machine Tools offers combined drilling/milling machines, as well as the biggest of the big boys, the heavy-duty radial arm drills. These brutes of the drill press world are of box column design made by electric weldment that is stress relieved for long life. This big machine line-up starts at 3 horse power and a 1-inch hole capacity (in 2-inch-thick plate), and weighing in at a svelte 2000 pounds, to 4-inch capacity and 7-1/2 half horse power electric motor and weighing a mere 7,700 pounds!
Talk to us folks — if we don’t display on our site what you’re looking for, give us a call or drop us an email. If it works metal, we can find it for you!
There’s only one place we know of and that’s Bud's Machine Tools, located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Bryan "Bud" Jorgenson learned the machinery sales trade by the side of his father, Roger Jorgenson, who built a strong reputation for customer service in the industry over a period of several decades. At Bud's, we bring that tradition of service to a new generation, providing top-notch metalworking machines to our customers, old and new alike.
With our experience in machine application and track record of bringing the highest quality fabrication and chip making machinery possible to the industrial public, we are your source for metalworking machinery. Why don’t you try the Bud's Machine Tool advantage today?
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