Pillar drill

[Echo-Star]

Hi folks

I've been looking to buy a pillar drill, and looking through your posts on this item, a name that kept coming up was the Fobco.

Well I've came across one for sale for £320 Its in need of some restoration to bring it up to working order, and was wondering if you guys/girls could help.

Would it be worth the bother at that price.

Any info would be appreciated.

Kind regards

 

[TheUnicorn]

I don't know much about pillar drills, but that does look like it needs quite a lot of work, I'd definately want to know what the inside look like, I see there's no plug on it, but I'd want to see and hear it working.

 

[Fitzroy]

From the photo it looks complete, table’s in good nick without a smile of shame, so it's either had an easy or careful life. Cosmetically it’s pretty poor so will need a good clean up and derust. More importantly I’d be checking it’s mechanically in sound condition, motor, electrics, pulley wheels, bearings, quill, chuck. If it is sound then tidying it up is a cheap but time consuming task. If things are broken then you need to start subtracting money, replacement motor (£150) chuck (£50), electrics (£50-70), bearings (£20-30). If the pulley wheels are broken or the quill is damaged and you can't make your own then walk away.

In good ready to run condition they sell for £300-350 on ebay. If it's mechanically sound then it's a question of how hard you want to barter, how much you want to spend to get the drill now vs waiting longer for a cheaper one. Personally I think the price is steep, for that money I’d be expecting it in ready for use now condition. For £200 I think it’s a fair buy, if mechanically sound.

Fitz.

 

[flh801978]

It may be 3 phase too which you may not want...but to me a 3 phase motor with a vfd transforms pillar drills.

 

[user22161]

Why buy something like that when a decent brand new one of alternative make can be had for less? Typical example here - D Series Bench Drills – Chester Hobby Store

I have one of their earlier C series pedestal drills and no complaints. Well built and no play in quill unlike the Fox I made the mistake of buying earlier.

 

[Doug B]

The £320 price tag is a bit stiff but it’s an excellent drill, I’ve one waiting to be renovated, is there no wiggle room on the price?

 

[Echo-Star]

1st thing, I'd like to thank you all for your replies, and as I had been reading through many posts for a while now on the drill press, and the write ups for the fobco, kerry and many others, I thought I'd ask your opinion on this one as its not that far from me, I've been back in touch with the seller, and he told me the drill is 240v and works fine, he has also dropped the price to £250 that could be a warning sign maybe ? and when looked at from Fitz point and the costs involved if the item had those issues, it could be a pig in a poke. I had a look at Grahams link, and those drills look really nice at the price.

I'm in no great hurry at the moment for the Item, so I'll continue to correspond with the seller and try negotiating a better price, while keeping my options open.

I Cant leave my area due to covid at the moment, so cant go view either.

Regards

 

[fiddlerjon]

While it may not suit your needs, I've noticed that lidl have a bench pillar drill for sale in their stores at the moment for about £150 - and there's a discussion on this forum about them.

 

[Spectric]

Why buy something like that when a decent brand new one of alternative make can be had for less?

I would suggest that the fact it still exist and has not been scrapped may partially answer your question, these old drills are solid and well engineered to last unlike the modern stuff made from fabrications rather than castings.

 

[KingAether]

I missed one of these local for £30 a few days ago I'd say around £200 in that condition max though. The price they have is ebay prices with fee's considered etc and better condition in general..

 

[shed9]

Agree with the comments up there, £200 is more about right but that's an easy comment to make without seeing it. If the rust is surface only and the quill is sound then going over £200 slightly is not a major folly. Prices are all over the place, I picked one up locally late last year for £60 in very good working order and I suspect it's the same model of Fobco Star 1. I was looking at the time for one and budgeted £200-300 so would have quite happily paid that (and would again). Solid machine and will outlast me and the next owner.