New Drill Press

Tool Talk
#1

I just saw a new drill press highlighted Woodworker’s Journal Magazine:

http://www.teknatool.com/products/WoodShop/Drill%20Press/NOVA_Drill_Press.htm

It looks interesting and I sometimes yearn to buy a new drill press that is better aligned with my home woodworking shop.
But I guess my 70+ year old Walker Turner - will continue to be what I use and lovingly maintain.

In the metal/pipe fabrication shop we had a really-big radial arm drill press that was there when we bought the business - but looked like it might have come from an old railroad maintenance shop.
It probably weighed in at something like 3000 pounds - with base, coolant pumps, sumps etc. but I wouldn’t mind also having something like it scaled-down with a single-phase motor for woodworking too.

I was thinking that this might be a nice Christmas present for a son-in-law who is slowly assembling his shop.
If you were going to buy a new drill press - would you consider the Nova machine at $1500 or would you recommend something else in this price range?

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#2

I recently picked up the Delta. The Nova looked interesting, but the extra $600 wasn’t easily justified for the least used machine in my budding shop. BUT, if someone bought the Nova as a gift for me…no question I would be thrilled!!

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#3

For something that is direct drive and so very expensive, I can’t understand why they didn’t give it more column clearance or make it a radial arm drill press. It makes me wonder if a miniature bridgeport style milling machine with DRO could be had for about the same amount of money.

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#4

There’s a new large lathe coming out soon.

There aren’t very many drill press makers around anymore, making it especially nice to see innovation in this space.

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