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Jet tools

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Winchester1

Member
Location
Vincennes, In
Looking at a 1.5 HP single phase drill press. Want something that will last, will be using it for both wood and metal. Jet is more expensive than most of the others, not a lot of Jet tools around here but seldom hear anyone bad mouth them. Next to none of these tools are made in the U.S.A. anymore, Jet seems like the best choice. Any other comments/thoughts?
Thanks.
 
Friend has some Jet tools in his woodworking shop. The only one I like is the 10 inch bandsaw; the other tools just seem awkward to use. Do your homework before you buy and do a dry run-through on the drill press also.
 
Be sure it will go slow enough for metal.

A good metal drill press needs to be able to get down around 60 RPM.

Is this a belt drive or gear?

Belt drive work well, but require a little more maintenance. The good thing is they use a standard motor, belts, pulleys, etc. All available and replaceable.

Gear drive will hold up a long time, even in production. But once it dies, it's dead. Cost more to repair than replace, most have an integral motor, not replaceable off the shelf.
 
I have a jet milldrill bench model does great for drilling but when using end mill I had problems with the head turning on the column that you raise it up and down on. but some of the problem is the working I doing it is oversized for the machine. I want to replace it with a floor type Bridgeport mill. but for the most part they seem to be good machines.
 
I have a JET Lathe. Would not have bought it, but it came in a package deal with a lot of other equipment. Have had a lot of minor problems with it and parts are very hard to come by for it. I'd keep looking.
 
After buying a milling machine I do not think I'd ever own a drill press. Especially if you do any metal working. They do make smaller milling machines I'd take a look at those.
 
I own a couple Jet machines and although you pay a bit more they do seem to have some quality control and they do provide good support. If your not bent on new there are lots of good used H-D drill presses around for sale. Here in the rust belt you can go to any used machine tool dealer and see many. I buy from Yoder in Toledo and they have had 100s of them every time I have been there. Note that you NEVER pay asking price at a used machine tool dealer, not even close. ALso watch for machine shop auctions, Craigs list and Ebay.
 
I certainly agree a drill press that will go as 60 rpm is good, however I think you would have to look a long time to find one for a reasonable price unless it is a big old one. A new one from Jet probably won't run anywhere near that slow. Probably have to look to find one that runs less than 200 rpm, which would be ok for maybe up to 3/4 or 7/8 drill bits. I usually tell folks who ask to get below 200 rpm and 150 would be better. If you look at the specs even this isn't so easy to find for a few hundred dollars.
 

I always thought Jet was mainly better cosmetics and a little better mechanics; especially in a drill press.

I got a Rexon drill press 30 years ago instead of a Jet; one third the price and does the job. A drill press is pretty easy to make, quill goes up and down 90 degrees to the table, doesn't wobble much.
 

I'm pretty tall, and the table on a floor model press is pretty close to the floor. Solution is to put a bench model on the end of a work bench. Clamp it down and the table is up around 5' off the floor.

If you need to drill something 4'+, swing the table out of the way and walk the press closer to the edge of the bench and have at it.

Other benefit is you have someplace, the bench top, to put all the drill indexi, clamps, vises, and other stuff you have on hand when using a DP. Big advantage of that 20" table is having the acreage on the table for some of that....HF was selling that model for $299 8 years ago...
 
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