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what does 8 inch drill press mean

by Lucas Dach Published 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago

The size of a drill press is measured in terms of “swing,” which is defined as twice the throat distance (the distance from the center of the spindle to the closest edge of the column or post). For example, a 16-inch drill press will have an 8-inch throat distance.Oct 12, 2011

Full Answer

What is the best drill press?

  • BEST OVERALL: DEWALT Drill Press 2-Speed Magnetic 2-Inch
  • RUNNER UP: JET JDP-15B 15-Inch Bench Drill Press
  • BEST BUDGET: WEN 4208 8-Inch 5-Speed Drill Press
  • BEST FOR CRAFTERS: Shop Fox 13-Inch Bench-Top Drill Press/Spindle Sander
  • BEST FOR BEGINNERS: WEN 4212 10-Inch Variable Speed Drill Press
  • BEST FOR DIYERS: WEN 4214 12-Inch Variable Speed Drill Press

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How much does a drill press cost?

Most projects range between $1,500 and $12,000. Expect to pay between $15 and $30 per foot of depth, or up to $50 for difficult terrain. Similarly, you may ask, how much does a cordless drill cost?

How to measure and size a drill press?

  • Look closely at the chuck on the drill for the engraved numbers. The chuck size looks something like: 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 etc.
  • Measure the diameter of the hole on the side of the chuck in inches with a ruler.
  • Take these two dimensions to your local hardware store to make your selection.

What is the best bench drill press?

View the Best Benchtop Drill Press, Below.

  1. WEN 4214 12-Inch Variable Speed Drill Press. This benchtop drill press is very powerful and has variable speeds, so it can be used on wood and metal.
  2. JET J-2530 Bench Model Drill Press. This benchtop drill press is a simple yet powerful tool. ...
  3. WEN 4208 8 in. ...
  4. SKIL 3320-01 3.2 Amp 10-Inch Drill Press. ...
  5. ShopSeries RK7033 Drill Press. ...

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What is the difference between a 8 inch and 10 inch drill press?

2:0210:15Harbor Freight 10 Inch Drill Press vs 8 Inch Drill Press - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe distance from the Chuck down to the table is ten inches just about ten inches but you can't spinMoreThe distance from the Chuck down to the table is ten inches just about ten inches but you can't spin this one out of the way unless. You re engineer it somehow.

How is drill press size determined?

The size of a drill press is determined by the largest diameter circular piece that can be drilled on center.

What does 10 inch swing mean on a drill press?

​Drill press swing is the distance from the center of the spindle (where the drill bit would be inserted) to the support column (the pole that holds the drill press upright) multiplied by "2". So a drill press with a 12" swing is able to drill a hole in the CENTER (6") of a 12" circle (or square) piece of material.

What is a 15 drill press?

Description. These drill presses are made for the hobbyist to avid woodworker in a small shop. Generals' 15” Variable Speed Floor Drill Press has a global patented “X” cross-hairs for drilling accuracy, digital read-out (DRO) for drilling or sanding, 3 1/8” spindle travel for maximum depth cutting.

Is a 1/2 hp drill press good?

Motor Power – Horsepower (HP) is used to measure the motor power. A small drill press with a 3/4 HP motor is a perfect option for occasional users or those drilling holes in lighter materials. A drill press with a 1/2 HP motor is ideal for professionals who use them daily.

How do you measure a drill press chuck?

How to Size Chuck KeysLook closely at the chuck on the drill for the engraved numbers. The chuck size looks something like: 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 etc.Measure the diameter of the hole on the side of the chuck in inches with a ruler. ... Take these two dimensions to your local hardware store to make your selection.

What should I look for when buying a drill press?

Buying quality drill bits for your drill press is an important consideration. Poor quality drill bits, or the wrong type of drill bits for a drill press can make messy and/or inaccurate holes, which kind of defeats the purpose of buying a nice drill press. For most of my drill press work I use a Forstner bit set.

What does swing mean for a drill press?

All drill presses have two main size elements to consider: swing and spindle travel. Swing is the distance between the machine's central column and the spindle, multiplied by two. This determines the maximum width of material you can fit on your drill press, if you want to bore to the center of a workpiece.

What is stroke length on a drill press?

Most drill presses of this size have a 3" to 3-1/2" stroke.

What is meant by the capacity of a drill press?

Capacity. Drilling capacity indicates the maximum diameter a given power drill or drill press can produce in a certain material. It is essentially a proxy for the continuous torque the machine is capable of producing.

How deep can a drill press go?

How Deep Can A Drill Press Go? Typically, a bench drill press will be able to drill down between 2-4 inches.

What is a radial drill press?

A radial drilling machine or radial arm press is a geared drill head that is mounted on an arm assembly that can be moved around to the extent of its arm reach. The most important components are the arm, column, and the drill head.

How Do You Measure a Drill Press?

The first thing people ask us is how to size a drill press. What is the difference between a 15″ or 17″ drill press? The measurement is simply the distance from the center of the spindle to edge of the column, then doubled. So if you measure 7.5 inches, you have a 15 inch drill press.

Next Article

The next article will be on the differences between bench top and floor model drill presses, and the advantages and disadvantages of both.

How much does a drill press cost?

Most of the time (for general purposes) a drill press with a swing of 10" - 12" will suit most people just fine and can usually be found for under $200, for a halfway decent one. There are specialty drill presses that are smaller and are oftentimes referred to as "mini drill presses".

What is swing drill press?

​Drill press swing is a measurement that defines different drill presses and seems confusing but really isn't all that confusing and a few pictures will really help explain it a lot better.

Why do drill presses have a smaller swing range?

Benchtop drill presses will have a smaller swing range because they are smaller and shorter in size, compared to stationary drill presses .

Is a drill press a good thing?

It is in fact a very good thing to know and is a major factor in deciding on which drill press to go with (if you're in the market). If you're in a hurry and just want to know what "swing" is, then here is the short answer:

Picking the Tool Sizes

There are various drill press sizes and understanding how it is measured is crucial since it shows how big a piece of material can be processed using a certain model. However, getting a big model to process small parts is not a great solution since the results may be not the best.

Types of Models

Depending on the type of processing you need, you have to choose the model. The 8-12 inches models are relatively portable and you can place them on top of a table. Such models are often called “Benchtop”. The larger models called “Stationary” and these models range from 12 to 20 inches.

Additional Accessories

Getting high-quality drill bits is as important as finding a reliable model with enough power. Drill bits sets are provided by many manufacturers and finding them is not a big deal.

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