drill press help

[pedromorgan]

Ok, I made a mistake.

I got the Clarke £60 5 speed drill press a few weeks ago and its just shocking.

Run out on the chuck is actually comical. The sturdy post is actually a piece of this wall tube. The motor mount is so flimsy.......

What should I get instead?

My budget is limited. Currently, the largest holes I intend to drill are about 1/4' in 1/8 brass.
But I could really do with some precision.

I would welcome your suggestions.

Peter Morgan

 

[marcros]

There is (or was) a bench mounted messing a on the for sale section. That would be ideal if still available.

 

[wizard]

get something old, if its new its rubbish

 

[Steve Maskery]

Yes, an old Meddings or Fobco will be streets ahead of what you have.
I bought a floor-standing jobbie on ebay a few years ago. I think I paid a bit over the odds for it, really (160), but it's lovely to use. It had already had new bearings and I fitted an NVR switch, gave it some new lipstick and filled the holes in the table with car body filler. Actually I never use the table bare, anyway, it always has an MDF table with fences fitted.
But Lulu, as she is called, is a delight to use.
S

 

[pedromorgan]

Thanks for the advice guys. I have been browsing the web and there seem to be some good deals on the fobco drills. With the added bonus that I actually rather fancy doing a bit of a restoration job on it!

Cheers

Peter

 

[marcus]

At £60 it was never going to be any good!

I agree, with the others, all things being equal you would be far better off picking up an old drill second hand.

 

[pedromorgan]

But the trouble is that I actually really like the size.

I have struggled to find a compromise.
Smaller just doesn't have any power.

More expensive tends to mean bigger.

What I really want is a better quality version of what I have.

Peter

 

[marcus]

Axminster will probably have something, but it will cost you a bit more. There really is no free lunch here unless you get mighty lucky on ebay.