Mill vs Drill Press

[SimonStevensCanes]

My drill press is baaaaddddddd and desperately needs to go live on a farm (and by live, I mean die, in a landfill). So I've been keeping an eye out for a bargain replacement.

I will want to buy a floor standing drill press at some point, but I've seen mini mills for sale and it occurs to me that this may serviceable as a drill press whilst giving me some additional capabilities. Is this viable or will it not be capable of things important for woodworking?

 

[Myfordman]

If your woodworking needs the capacity of a floor standing pillar drill then I don’t see how a mini mill can possibly be a credible substitute?

 

[SimonStevensCanes]

If your woodworking needs the capacity of a floor standing pillar drill then I don’t see how a mini mill can possibly be a credible substitute?

Fair question. I rarely (virtually never) have a requirement for a floor standing drill atm, but I have ambitions to do so. I also don't have room for a floor standing drill (although aim to have room next year).

I figure a mini mill might solve the "my drill stalls if I look at it hard enough" problem for now, and then when I have the room/need for a taller model then the mill can either go on eBay, or be kept for milling purposes only. What I'm unsure of atm, is whether the mill is a reasonable replacement for a workbench pillar drill, or whether it has limitations that I don't anticipate.

 

[Myfordman]

ok useful addendum on your needs
A minimill is possible going to have a smaller throat than your drill.
If your drill lacks power, why not look at a motor change for a capacitor start, capacitor run type which as the type suggests will have two capacitors and give more torque which you seem to be lacking. Post a picture of the rating plate of the current motor. As a guide, 1/2hp will be enough to plunge a 1/2 drill into mild steel with no pilot hole.
What drilling tasks are bringing your machine to its knees including the speed you are running it at?

 

[cowtown_eric]

I have one that I purchased to make some custom floor grills

Used it for that

Sat for a couple of years

Went to use it a couple of years later, hard to start, but a quick twist of the chuck got it on it's way

Another couple of years passed, went to use it again. Absolutely no joy

Determined problem after many hoursy to be in the electronics. After finding a 200$ replacemnt board finally got it gong agin

The mini mills all seem to come from the same Asian factory under many different names, and I did discover that they used plastic gears (which a lot of suppliers seem to stock (???Why is that??)

Would I buy one again....NEVER

Poor design/poor QC/high cost of repair

Why would I change my mind.

Eric

 

[paulrbarnard]

I use a mini mill as a pillar drill. My pillar drill is now stored in my lock up. This is primarily down to space. It works absolutely fine as a drill. It has a Jacobs style Chuck for drilling and I switch over to collets for milling.
As Eric said the mini mill quality can be poor. Mine is fettled to the point it works very well with very low backlash on the slides and virtually zero run out on the spindle. Mine was second hand and in a sorry state when I got it but they do respond very well to adjustment. The fundamentals of the mill are actually pretty good.