Author Topic: Pillar drill freestanding or bench?  (Read 2612 times)

Pillar drill freestanding or bench?
« on: 13 May, 2018, 08:30:35 pm »
I have a hankering for a pillar drill. A proper old second hand one, probably a Startrite Mercury or a Kerry. The question is are there any major advantages or disadvantaged of a bench drill versus a floor stander ?
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Pillar drill freestanding or bench?
« Reply #1 on: 14 May, 2018, 08:22:54 am »
With a floor stander you can maybe swing the platform out of the way to drill into the end of long stock.  OTOH you'll have to bolt down the stand.

For untold years I've been using an old Bosch power drill in an East German stand.  It allows me a 13 cm throat, which is as much as many of the pillar drills. Less vertical travel, though.
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Re: Pillar drill freestanding or bench?
« Reply #2 on: 14 May, 2018, 09:02:14 am »
If you've got the space then a freestanding floor drill would be preferable I reckon.

I have bench pillar drill - although it lives on the floor and I'm very happy with it. It does mean I can put a table over the top of it (not put the drill under it - I don't want to put my back out moving it!) and utilise that space which I wouldn't have if I got the full on floor drill.

The one I have has a very deep (adjustable) throat (up to 420mm) which is an absolute must for me. It depends what you want to use it for, but that was my number one consideration.
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Valiant

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Re: Pillar drill freestanding or bench?
« Reply #3 on: 14 May, 2018, 11:57:03 pm »
The floor standers tend to be stiffer, have a deeper travel and also usually much large distances to the back pillar allowing you put in deeper projects.
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Kim

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Re: Pillar drill freestanding or bench?
« Reply #4 on: 14 May, 2018, 11:58:20 pm »
The bench ones are easier to pick up and cram in a corner amongst your teetering piles of crap when not being used.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Pillar drill freestanding or bench?
« Reply #5 on: 15 May, 2018, 08:23:08 am »
If you've got the space then a freestanding floor drill would be preferable I reckon.

I have bench pillar drill - although it lives on the floor and I'm very happy with it. It does mean I can put a table over the top of it (not put the drill under it - I don't want to put my back out moving it!) and utilise that space which I wouldn't have if I got the full on floor drill.

The one I have has a very deep (adjustable) throat (up to 420mm) which is an absolute must for me. It depends what you want to use it for, but that was my number one consideration.

Sounds like a radial pillar drill - nice.  Most of the entry-level pillar drills I've looked at have much shallower throats.

I would like a radial arm saw.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Pillar drill freestanding or bench?
« Reply #6 on: 19 May, 2018, 12:50:56 pm »
Thanks all.

I've ended up buying a second hand cheapo bench drill for £30 for now. It will still be better than a hand drill.  Can't find any good old ones within budget or range. Will keep looking though.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Pillar drill freestanding or bench?
« Reply #7 on: 27 May, 2018, 06:49:46 pm »
The bench ones are easier to pick up and cram in a corner amongst your teetering piles of crap when not being used.

Not if they are old ones they are not. There is no alloy or plastic on my Fobco Star that I've had for 40 years and is probably twice that in age  :)
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Kim

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Re: Pillar drill freestanding or bench?
« Reply #8 on: 27 May, 2018, 08:00:53 pm »
The bench ones are easier to pick up and cram in a corner amongst your teetering piles of crap when not being used.

Not if they are old ones they are not. There is no alloy or plastic on my Fobco Star that I've had for 40 years and is probably twice that in age  :)

Just as well that mine's cheap modern crap, then :)

As pcolbeck suggests, pretty much anything's better than a hand drill.  And since I mostly use it for plastic and sheet aluminium, it's not really working that hard.

Re: Pillar drill freestanding or bench?
« Reply #9 on: 27 May, 2018, 08:20:43 pm »
The bench ones are easier to pick up and cram in a corner amongst your teetering piles of crap when not being used.

Not if they are old ones they are not. There is no alloy or plastic on my Fobco Star that I've had for 40 years and is probably twice that in age  :)

Smashing but they are running at £300 in rough condition plus £80 delivery at the moment on eBay. By the time you have refurrbed one with new bearings and pulleys etc probably about £500. True it will probably last another 50 years of hard use but its still £500m, too much for an occasional use tool. If a Fobco a Startrite or a Meddings etc turns up locally for under £150 I will snap it up but until then ...
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Pillar drill freestanding or bench?
« Reply #10 on: 09 December, 2018, 04:22:03 pm »
Oops I appear to have purchased a Fobco Star bench drill. I'm picking it up on Wednesday. :)
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

TheLurker

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Re: Pillar drill freestanding or bench?
« Reply #11 on: 09 December, 2018, 05:00:03 pm »
Oops I appear to have purchased a Fobco Star bench drill. I'm picking it up on Wednesday. :)
How very careless of you.  :)

Good condition?
Can you tell MrsPcolbeck what you really paid for it or is it an, "Oh that cheap old thing. No, not expensive at all" situation? :)
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Re: Pillar drill freestanding or bench?
« Reply #12 on: 09 December, 2018, 05:20:25 pm »
Middling condition, the table has the usual smile from careless drilling. Mind you it was < £150 so I'm not complaining. At that price I can replace the bearings and belts if I have to.
I also managed to score a Creusen bench grinder on eBay for £30 ! Its disguised as a Blue Point grinder and the plate on it says Snap-on but the part number is definitely Creusen and it looks like a Creuson.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Pillar drill freestanding or bench?
« Reply #13 on: 13 December, 2018, 09:44:02 am »
Good condition?

Picked it up and the condition is excellent really. Mucky but excellent. The table has a smile but its very shallow.
The guy who sold me it turned out to have two full sized lathes (not Myford Super 7s but proper professional jobbies with digital readouts attached) and a huge milling machine setup in his garage.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.