I will echo the poor quill bearing issue mentioned by Martin I was looking a short while ago & found the quill moved badly on all new machines even top of the range ones
In the end I bought one from Robin Atkins, guildford- see ads in Magazines R A Atkins. I was a s/h Startright mercury about £175. He's usually got some english ones in stock. His prices are good, I got a Myford from him as well [usual disclaimer]
2MT drills, and several chucks, which may swing things.
I see pillar drills from £15 to £500 and more. So what is bad about the cheap ones and where do I draw the line ? I saw a post 2 years ago suggesting buying an old Meddings or Fobco - but I don't know what wears so would have trouble telling a goodun from a badun, plus I only have single phase.
Any hints, tips, or horror stories out there ? Should I be looking for certain types of bearings, motor HP, column diameter, range of speeds, weight ?
Grateful for some pointers Steve Steve Most of the cheapies have very limited throat depth and poor quill bearings. If you can see a demo machine, grab the chuck and see how much lateral movement it has; I tried this with a brand new Rexxon drill and was amazed how much movement there was. If you're buying used, inspect carefully first; ask to hear it run, especially at the highest speeds and listen for rumble or roar from the bearings. If you're looking at a used MT type machine, make sure the taper is clean and free from damage; a flying chuck is a frightening and somewhat dangerous experience! For upto 1/2", I'd be looking for a 1/3 to 1/2 HP motor, maybe more if it's single phase rather than 3 phase. Martin