SIP drill press review/comments invited

I have a similar type of bench drill. These machines are marketed with a number of badges but are basically the same under the skin. Mine is a 3/4 hp 2 MT machine. I have had it for some years and been very happy with it. Things to consider are: The big problem is flexing of the table. This is only a problem with large drills or heavy material. If you have a look at one, put a piece of wood between the chuck and the table and press the chuck down to see how much it all flexes. The variable speed on it's own doesn't give increased torque at the lower speeds so it won't handle a large drill as well as a pulley belt drive where the speed is mechanically reduced and the torque is increased. Don't bother buying a £40 Clarke machine unless you only want it for small jobs. They are OK for that sort of work. You get what you pay for. Also, don't try to increase it's capacity. You will only meet weaknesses elsewhere. Try Machine Mart. Their web site doesn't want to work at the moment though.

John

I guess at $149.00 it isn't made by Societe Genevoise D'Instruments de Physique (AKA SIP) I was expecting a much different machine when I read "SIP" in the title.

Regards, Dave