Drill press for hand drill.

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

I've had one of these for many years, and it's excellent.

Wolfcraft Drill Stand 5027000 | Conrad.com

It looks like one of the better ones I've seen., thank you.

What sort of tasks do you use it for and would you say the current model "looks" the same as your older version?

I had the same problem as you and tried plenty before I chose the Wolfcraft. I have a big drill press too, but the small one is still a pleasure to use.

 

[Poignard]

I remember my father having a hand-cranked pillar drill in his workshop. Instead of a lever feed it had a handwheel on top connected to a feed screw and a ratchet system to provide automatic feed. It worked perfectly well although it was slow, but that could be an advantage sometimes.

 

[Adios]

I'm sure - which is why I posted lest my (and penberth3's) original 'very heavy' warnings were taken ... er ... too lightly.

I just weighed my better of the clarke ones and its 4.6kg. I'm finding it hard to believe the record one is 17kg, or understand why if it is.

The base on the clarke one is 160x240 while the record is 260x380 but that hasn't translated into any benefit other than getting exercise moving it. Its a taller but by the look of it thats mostly the upper mechanism, might not be much extra clearance available under the drill. The stroke length and throat depth are exactly the same as the clarke one despite the bigger base.

I really recommend trying the clarke one, but be sure NOT the cheaper clarke one which is way less quality. You won't notice the lighter weight if both are clamped. It is impressively well machined with no play. Half the price and a 1/3rd the weight for moving around.

 

[Hydrozoan]

I just weighed my better of the clarke ones and its 4.6kg. I'm finding it hard to believe the record one is 17kg, or understand why if it is.

The base on the clarke one is 160x240 while the record is 260x380 but that hasn't translated into any benefit other than getting exercise moving it. Its a taller but by the look of it thats mostly the upper mechanism, might not be much extra clearance available under the drill. The stroke length and throat depth are exactly the same as the clarke one despite the bigger base.

I really recommend trying the clarke one, but be sure NOT the cheaper clarke one which is way less quality. You won't notice the lighter weight if both are clamped. It is impressively well machined with no play. Half the price and a 1/3rd the weight for moving around.

Here is another link which confirms 17.4kg - and BTW that it is discontinued: Support for Cast Iron Adjustable Drill Stand (recordpower.co.uk). As with other traditional Record designs - of e.g. engineering and woodworking vices - it's heavy because the castings are pretty massive - in this case both the base and, particularly, the sliding 'head' unit. I am not suggesting that a lighter design cannot achieve good rigidity, but saying that it is what it is. If one uses it as intended, fixed to a workbench, the only disadvantage of the weight is when shifting the head unit up and down the shaft (itself a hefty item, too).

I think it was probably superseded by the Record Power Compact Drill Stand DS19, which weighs a mere 6kg (Record Power Compact Drill Stand DS19: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools). That is I think more comparable with other, more modern designs from other makers - and of course yet another possibility for the OP.

 

[Adios]

Here is another link which confirms 17.4kg - and BTW that it is discontinued: Support for Cast Iron Adjustable Drill Stand (recordpower.co.uk). As with other traditional Record designs - of e.g. engineering and woodworking vices - it's heavy because the castings are pretty massive - in this case both the base and, particularly, the sliding 'head' unit. I am not suggesting that a lighter design cannot achieve good rigidity, but saying that it is what it is. If one uses it as intended, fixed to a workbench, the only disadvantage of the weight is when shifting the head unit up and down the shaft (itself a hefty item, too).

I think it was probably superseded by the Record Power Compact Drill Stand DS19, which weighs a mere 6kg (Record Power Compact Drill Stand DS19: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools). That is I think more comparable with other, more modern designs from other makers - and of course yet another possibility for the OP.

Maybe the rack and pinion design of the DS19 gives better downward force than the leverage design of the clarke one, can't be sure. Or its making it more complicated for no benefit. Just noticed Draper are selling the clarke one with their badge for much more. Draper 54488 Vertical Drill Stand: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools No idea who makes it. If you are going to push it with bigger holes in steel it might be worth spending more than £40 but then consider a used pillar drill. But the main thing I wanted to say was this clarke one is leaps and bounds ahead of all the ones for similar or slightly less money. Its a value sweetspot! ?

 

[JohnGC]

I think the Wolfcraft will suit my needs best even though it is more expensive than others. One area where it looks less good than some others is the fixing of the pillar into the base. And one area where it seem better is the stroke length which might make drilling at the bottom of a channel section simpler; not an immediate need.

I'll try and decide later today since the project I want it for is pressing

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

I think the Wolfcraft will suit my needs best even though it is more expensive than others. One area where it looks less good than some others is the fixing of the pillar into the base. And one area where it seem better is the stroke length which might make drilling at the bottom of a channel section simpler; not an immediate need.

I'll try and decide later today since the project I want it for is pressing

Actually, that joint was one of my main criteria for choosing it - because my previous one was so flipping flexible there! It's very precise and stiff.

I forgot to mention the geared mechanism as opposed to a lever, far nicer.

 

[penberth3]

Here is another link which confirms 17.4kg - and BTW that it is discontinued: Support for Cast Iron Adjustable Drill Stand (recordpower.co.uk). As with other traditional Record designs - of e.g. engineering and woodworking vices - it's heavy because the castings are pretty massive - in this case both the base and, particularly, the sliding 'head' unit.....

That's it - big iron castings. There was a mortising attachment for this, which shows how rigid it is. I think Record also sold a mortiser based on the same stand with a large motor permanently mounted.

 

[penberth3]

I remembered correctly - here is the Mortiser based on the Record drill stand.

 

[Hydrozoan]

As a further drift on older electric woodworking tools, while the OP contemplates his choice, I was once tempted by a Coronet Major woodworking system - which with all its accessories gave I believe a lathe, saw bench, planer, morticer and more. See e.g. BoleynWorkshop. I could not really justify the room, but was tempted partly by the fun of restoring one - another item of very solid build!