The different types of drill presses

Whatever it is you're using a drill press for, the size and type of drill press you need will be important to consider. Bench top drill presses are by far the most common for the average joe, as floor drill presses are usually too large for anywhere other than the workshop, or some other big space. There are also options for those wanting to drill much smaller things with meticulous details, but they are mostly for niche markets.  To get the best drill press you need to understand the different types. Here we will briefly go over the two main different types. The Bench Top, and the floor drill press.


The Bench Top Drill Press

Like I said before, the bench top style is by far the most common. Because of the size, these machines are actually quite portable. But they're still large enough to suit the needs of hobbyists, and even most professionals. These tools are mounted using bolts to your bench/table (hence the name), so they don't need to be mounted to the floor. They're easy to unbolt and move from place to place as you work. The swing distance on most bench-top models sits at around 8 inches. These style of drills give good bang for the buck, and unless you're a serious professional, and know you need something else - then I would recommend getting one of these for your garage. A great first drill press is the WEN 4208, or the SKIL drill press.


The Floor Drill Press

Unlike the models described above, these are huge machines. They're not very easy to move about, or un-mount them from your work surface. That's why these are slightly less common among handymen. If you do work such as drilling holes in very large objects then you might want to choose one of this type of drill. They're very sturdy and secure, which is a bonus. When you mount them firmly to the floor using bolts you might want to keep it in place to save having to make new holes.


The Mini Drill Press

The smallest option as far as drill presses go. These are great for those tasks which require high precision such as making holes in jewellery.  The mini drill press can easily be taken with you in your car, as they're quite light weight. The swing distance is rather smaller than the other two types of drill presses. Mini drill presses actually sit on the table, as in, the base of the drill press which rests on the bench is actually the same part that has the work piece secured to it. Only buy one of these if you know you are in need of something to fit your requirements in craftsmanship, jewellery making, or something similar. Eurotool has some pretty nice options for this niche of tool.