Drill Press. "Standard" or Radial?

In article , John Rogers writes

I don't know much about the radial drill that Screwfix are offering, although I've looked at it a couple of times. I see it made by Ferm.

I've bought a few Ferm tools from Screwfix and overall I'd say they're very good value for money. They're not top of the range stuff, but you know that from the price. They're pretty good though, usually coming with a spare set of brushes, drive belts and so on. They (usually) have excellent guarantees as well (3 years on their SDS drill for example).

I've got a chop saw, a planer and an SDS drill of theirs and I'd happily buy more.

Depends on if you wont a tool for life or something thats going to last 5 or 6 years........I wore out one of these chinese type drills in three years..... at the end of three years the bearings were shot there was slop in the quill and the belts had been replaced ..... had a look at screwfix's offering and its £1000 plus...... I replaced my chinese drill with a good second hand gear-headed drill (Jones & Shipman) ...its over 50 years old and is good for another 50 years......should see me out.. and only cost me £150 from a used machery dealer. I would sugest you look for a Herbert gear-headed drill with power feed...Most are three phase but you can find some that have been converted....extend the quill feel for slop , listen to it ......make sure it does not leak oil.....and all the gears work.....drill a test hole with the bigest bit you can find....if everything checks out your onto a winner if the price is right. all the best...mark

The Model Engineering club of which I am a member has just finished constructing a 2000ft raised track. All the sleepers are mild steel and have 2 6mm holes drilled in them for nailing to wooden beams. Since we don't yet have a proper club house or workshop we purchased a very cheap drill press from Machine Mart - it was about £25-£30 IIRC. With a sleeper every six inches or so, that makes at least 8000 holes drilled, not counting all the other jobs its been used for in the 2 years its been in service (say another 1000 holes of up to 10mm diam in 12mm mild steel). It shows no sign of distress, the bearings are still OK and it looks good for a number of years yet. I admit that its not a high precision machine (what do you expect for £25?) but its done the job it was purchased for - I doubt very much if a normal hobbyist will give it anywhere as much use as we have. I hope this helps.

-- Regards, Gary Wooding

Gentlemen.

Thankyou for the advice given (both on and off group). I have bitten the bullet and purchased the radial drill press from Screwfix. I appreciate the comments regarding "you get what you pay for" but it is intended to fill the gap until I can afford a better one.

Regards

John Rogers