Can someone who understands tools explain to me what the difference is between a pillar drill and a drill press please? I can't see much difference apart from that drill presses are about twice as expensive.

Thought I might want one for drilling the suspension brackets, amongst other things. might just get one of those little drill converter stand thingies though. (any opinions on those?)

thanks chaps

A pillar drill is for drilling pillars, and a drill press is for keeping your drill wrinkle free!

Really..I didn't know there was a difference, I just thought it was different terminology for the same bit of machinery.
Buy one, you'll never look back, and it will open up more possibilities.
Stay away from the drill converter gadgets. They tie up an otherwise usefull drill, and they're seldom up to the job they proclaim to be.

A piller drill is just a drill that is set on a pillar just like you see in any workshop, with a movable surface that moves up and down on the pillar. Now as for a drill press, i dont really know. Looking at just the wording i would have said it was a press for shaping and strightening that was powered by a drill and a screw thread. BUT looking at machine mart theyve got:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/search.asp?q=drill+press

Clarke CDP151B Drill Press,
A precision manufactured pillar drill for the

Both the same?

I reckon they're the same thing - the difference in cost in more likely to be down to quality & features.

The only type of drill that's significantly different is the radial drill press - this allows you to tilt the drill head as well as move it up and down.

If you're thinking of buying one, make sure that you get a good range of low speeds - these are far more useful in metalworking than the high range you get on woodworking drill presses. 100 - 200 rpm for the lowest speed is very useful for the big drill bits. If you can stretch to a drill with a morse taper chuck fitting then that's a real bonus. - you can take the chuck off and fit special drill bits directly, which is really good for accurate and/or tough work. Otherwise go for the biggest capacity chuck and the biggest motor you can afford. Look for general 'fit and finish' as well - usually a good guide.

David

today a drill press and pillar drill are the same thing. many many years ago they had differences being that a drill press the drill was 'pressed' ie lowered in to the work and the other one had the work table raised into a staticly fixed drill. I've got both and i must say a drill press is a lot safer and easier to use. If anyone is after a good pillar drill try for a radial arm drill as they are much more usefull

screwfix do one for £100

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?ts=04678&id=51007

Tim

[Edited on 4/7/03 by timf]

That one would be a bit low-powered for my use - also a slowest speed of 400+ rpm would be much too fast (see previous post )

DJ

Get a good one with plenty of travel on it if you can, and look for the gearing on it as well. I got a cheap one which is a vast improvement on a hand drill and stand but to do the brackets you need all the travel (50mm). A bit more would have made the job easier.

yours, Pete.

Guys, they ARE exactly the same thing.....pillar drill is more UK terminology...drill press is more US terminology

In the UK typically you would have pillar drills and bench drills, but the only difference is the lenght of the pillar...one goes to the floor, and one is short and mounts on a bench.

quote:

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Originally posted by Alan B
one is short and mounts on a bench.

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oh very sharp and witty today Mr G.....


I agree BTW...

Thanks chaps, I am now enlightened.

The only other thing I would add is that most pillar drills run far too fast at the slowest speed. Drilling 1/2" or above holes is so much easier (safer) at slow speeds. try and get one that goes down to 200 or better still 150rpm. From my experience top speed is rarely an issue unless you are drilling lots of 1/64 or 1/128 holes.

Get yourself a vice to bolt to the drill plate when you get a drill. Only about £5 for a small one and invaluable when locating workpieces for accuracy.

yours, Pete

These are now half price at £49.99 its got to be a bargain,

now do i get one of these or the 9 speed normal size one?

quote:

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Originally posted by timf
today a drill press and pillar drill are the same thing. many many years ago they had differences being that a drill press the drill was 'pressed' ie lowered in to the work and the other one had the work table raised into a staticly fixed drill. I've got both and i must say a drill press is a lot safer and easier to use. If anyone is after a good pillar drill try for a radial arm drill as they are much more usefull

screwfix do one for £100

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?ts=04678&id=51007

Tim

[Edited on 4/7/03 by timf]

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i thought, as already implied by someone, that a drill press was for mounting a normal hand drill, and that a pillar drill was the perminant thing. Either way, its an important difference cos the ones u put a drill in are crap (least mine was). I got a 'proper' variable speed one on ebay, for £40. It has a 13mm chuck but most bigger drill bits have a narrow shaft. Plus as pete says, the vice is essential.

If that Screwfix Ferm drill is anything like the Ferm one in my local tool shop there's a reason it's cheap...
It's utter bollox!
Handles all loose, chuck wobbly, power switches really cheap.

I'm after a pillar drill myself at the moment and I reckon you really do get what you pay for!

I don't think I've yet found one where when you extend the chuck fully it doesn't wobble around like a Star Trek camera in the latest attack of the Klingons!

James