Welllll..now that you bring it up...I see no reason why I should have a 1/5th HP one and you have a 1/2 HP one and Ken has a really powerful one...it's not fair. I think Ken should send us some money so we can get good ones.

 

Yeah, he is a fascist pig. Floor model and here we are squeaking by with table top models.

 

I have a drill press collecting dust in my garage

 

How big?

 

His was probably tax deductible....nice when the gubbamint helps fund your toys.....

 

Ryobi 1/4 HP, 10 Inch

 

Jeez, now I feel really inadequate with my 1/5 th HP one....

 

It ain't the size of the motor, Al....well, yeah, really it is...never mind.

 

That would be a decent one, except for the spindle runout, drill bit wobbles almost 1/16" at the tip. Fine if you don't need real precision or drilling on an angle. If the bit isn't 90 degrees to metal, it'll try to run downhill. Even 10 degrees is almost impossible to get a hole started in metal, then you have to start it at 90 with a hand drill and when it starts biting, rotate it to near what it'll be in the drill press. Works... sometimes. Bench top doesn't eat up as much floorspace as a free standing one, but not near as nice. I have a Shopsmith in the basement, works real good as a drill press on wood or aluminum, too fast for steel, but the bench top in the garage is handy when it can handle it.

 

Mine was probably made in USA back then...when it was a REAL 1/5th HP. Crap now listed at 1/2 is probably really an 1/8th....Now I feel better..