Pillar drill advice please

Having to make up a load of drop traps, my garbage-quality small pillar drill has died on me. I could change the motor but it rattles like a bag of spanners and the table doesn't grip the column properly.

I'm torn between a model by Sealey and one by Draper - both appear to have what I require but I'm slightly concerned by build quality. Can anyone offer any advice?

I looked at some 'own-brand' models at Axminster Power Tools the other day, and the stuff fell into three broad categories, which the chap called Premium, Standard and Economy, which seemed to translate as, Shoddily made by Chinamen, Badly made by Drunk Chinamen, and Appallingly made by Chinamen Being Worked To Death In A Labour Camp.

mousjoos

Axminster own brand is usually pretty good for "light trade" use, ie dont push it too hard. Draper are pretty much the same with their stuff. I think both names are typical of those firms that just buy & re-badge & are not direct manufacturers themselves.........& of course in the end, you get exactly what you pay for (sometimes less in fact)

Blacksmith

I bought one of these recently. For under £50.00 I am very impressed.
Screwfix
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/54072/Power-Tools/Benchtop-Woodworking/Titan-SF13N-230V-Pillar-Drill

Brownbear

That's the one I had. 18 months old and the bearings are shot, it bucks and shudders like a frightened horse.

baldybloke

See if you can find a secondhand machine tool trader they often sell ex college or industry quality tools for a reasonable price. Better than all the makes you suggested. Try looking under machine tools in yellow pages.

dpack

try for an old but strong and mendable one
my mate has a 9 ft tall one in the garden that could be dibnahed
i used to get to use a handmade victorian one ,belt driven ,ace thing
as for tool makes price is a good guide to quality in most cases
i have developed a fetish for the best tools i can afford rather than cursing another broken one
milwaukee kit is ace but not cheap

Gervase

I'd go for college/school stuff too - so many places are closing down or thinning out their technology and metalwork departments these days, and you should be able to get a decent drill with a morse taper rather than a fixed chuck. If you need any drill bits for varying tapers I have dozens, up to two inches, plus taper converter sleeves, hole-cutters and the like, which you're welcome to have.

mousjoos

I recently bought a Wadkin BZL bowl lathe, ex-college for £250, sold because it didnt conform to new regs & cost too much to convert. ex-college/school stuff would be much better value ultimately, as they usually bought the best makes..... & Wadkin made some cracking pillar drills etc.

Brownbear

I've left some messages and hopefully will be hearing back on Monday from some used machinery dealers. Most of the used stuff is far superior to the new stuff made in China. I had a Record bandsaw once, it had the Union flag on it and Record - Sheffield all over it, and a tiny little label inside 'Made in PRC'.

Never in my life have I seen such a pile of garbage.

There is a Meddings M2 that I would rather like to get hold of.

Blacksmith

Brownbear wrote:

That's the one I had. 18 months old and the bearings are shot, it bucks and shudders like a frightened horse.

Brownbear

Gervase wrote:

Ta very much - it will be either an MT2 or MT3 machine.

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